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11/10/2014 12:31:11 PM · #1 |
It's time to give the Mrs. my Christmas list, and I figure it's time to learn something new. Up to this point, if I wanted to shoot a still life, I set up my Sears worklights. They're heavy and they're hot. It's time to move on, so I want to look at a speedlight setup.
I don't want to spend a ton of money, so I've found these items. I already have a couple of umbrellas (white with removable black covers). Do I need anything else, or do you recommend other items instead of these?:
2 x Yongnuo YN560-III
1 x Yongnuo RF-603CII-C1
1 x set of two lightstands
2 x Flash/Umbrella bracket
Also, any feedback on Rokinon 8mm fisheye vs. Opteka 6.5mm fisheye? |
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11/10/2014 02:28:27 PM · #2 |
Instead of the 603's, I'd get the 622Cs
They're not that much more, and you can grow into them because they have different channels,zones,whatever you call them. (I can put my main light on A, hairlight on b, and a different light on c -- control them from my camera screen and give them different power levels.
I use them in manual -- but it's nice to have the ttl option when you want to work fast and just guess.
The ONLY downside that I see on these vs the 603, is that I can't use them as a remote to control the camera. However, I have my old 603s, and I can piggyback them on the 622 to run the camera, if I want.
But I outgrew the 603s quickly.
I have another suggestion, but I have to go look it up.
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11/10/2014 02:37:58 PM · #3 |
I did buy a lastolite softbox 30" and I adore it. That is pricey, but absolutely worth it. I use it for most of my lighting, and it's much more versatile than an umbrella, imo.
However, this is cheaper, and goes a long way for headshots and table shots.
lumiquest softbox iii
but of course it's a lot smaller.
I don't think I've shot anything with flash without using one or the other of the softboxes.
I'd get one umbrella and one softbox.
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11/10/2014 02:40:09 PM · #4 |
Also, this is nice for hairlights and light that you want to be much more directional.
grid
The system it uses to attach to the flash sucks (or at least mine did). The velcro came off, and while it did stay on, it never held the grid on. A photograph friend just gaffer tapes it to his flash, so that's what I do now. :)
(I just use that occasionally)
Message edited by author 2014-11-10 14:42:48. |
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11/10/2014 02:54:48 PM · #5 |
still photography?
dont bother with eTTL get basic speedlights. especially in a multi light setup eTTL will be more trouble than its worth. if anything get a light meter and use that to adjust your power outputs. |
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11/10/2014 03:11:40 PM · #6 |
| I' surprised no one has as yet posted a link to the Lighting 101 section at Strobist.com ... I've always heard their information is helpful. |
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11/16/2014 09:14:04 AM · #7 |
| Thanks for the replies. Some good ideas here, especially getting the small softboxes. They'll certainly take up less room than umbrellas. |
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11/16/2014 10:32:47 AM · #8 |
I started out with speedlights and I would recommend having at least one handy. But when I moved to strobes my world changed. I just got a couple of inexpensive ones. I got two of these a couple years ago. I have used and abused them and they have worked perfectly. They are so much easier to work with than speedlights and are not as finicky. They plug in though which can be an advantage and a disadvantage. Nice because you don't have to go through a million batteries but not very portable.
As far as soft boxes versus umbrellas. Umbrellas are much more portable and in my opinion work so much better than a small softbox. A small softbox will limit you to just being able to shoot smaller objects and head shots. An umbrella allows for full body shots. I do like my larger softboxes I bought but if you are limited on room umbrellas will work better.
The main question you need to ask yourself is what do I plan on doing with my lighting. Am I mostly going to be doing studio work? If so save your money and buy strobes there is no comparison between strobes and speedlights for studio work. Then have one speedlight available to use when you go out to shoot. If you think you are mostly going to be using them at weddings or events then speedlights are definitely the way to go since they are portable. Not that my strobes aren't portable I take them all kinds of places it just requires an outlet.
cowboy studio 400w strobes
amazon soft box
The set up I got when I first started with strobes was two of the strobes linked above (they have enough power to light up a large group of people and you can dial them down to do small objects) two stands, two soft boxes. Later I added an additional inexpensive strobe to light my background and umbrellas. |
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11/16/2014 06:23:41 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by vawendy:
Instead of the 603's, I'd get the 622Cs
They're not that much more, and you can grow into them because they have different channels,zones,whatever you call them. (I can put my main light on A, hairlight on b, and a different light on c -- control them from my camera screen and give them different power levels.
I use them in manual -- but it's nice to have the ttl option when you want to work fast and just guess. |
The TTL option of the 622C triggers will not do any good in combination with YN560-III flashes. Those are manual only flashguns.
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11/16/2014 06:47:51 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by damjanev:
Originally posted by vawendy:
Instead of the 603's, I'd get the 622Cs
They're not that much more, and you can grow into them because they have different channels,zones,whatever you call them. (I can put my main light on A, hairlight on b, and a different light on c -- control them from my camera screen and give them different power levels.
I use them in manual -- but it's nice to have the ttl option when you want to work fast and just guess. |
The TTL option of the 622C triggers will not do any good in combination with YN560-III flashes. Those are manual only flashguns. |
But the main point is that you can set the speed lights at different levels on the camera, without going around to each of the flashes to adjust them each time. Sooooo much easier. |
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11/16/2014 06:51:28 PM · #11 |
I just got a Manfrotto Light stand with Promaster 36" white shoot-through umbrella for my Nikon SB-700 Speedlight. It's amazing, but now I want another one, so I think I am going to take sjhuls advice and grab one of those Cowboy Studios strobes, and an additional stand, swivel mount, and umbrella as the main light. Christmas list complete :)
Message edited by author 2014-11-16 18:51:45. |
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11/16/2014 10:31:35 PM · #12 |
Originally posted by Mike:
still photography?
dont bother with eTTL get basic speedlights. especially in a multi light setup eTTL will be more trouble than its worth. if anything get a light meter and use that to adjust your power outputs. |
Of course, if it is only for still photography, he can just use a couple of desk lamps. No need for the heavy work lamps or speedlights.
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11/16/2014 10:42:55 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by rcollier:
Originally posted by Mike:
still photography?
dont bother with eTTL get basic speedlights. especially in a multi light setup eTTL will be more trouble than its worth. if anything get a light meter and use that to adjust your power outputs. |
Of course, if it is only for still photography, he can just use a couple of desk lamps. No need for the heavy work lamps or speedlights. |
Anything more than a single-LED keychain flashlight is OVERKILL, I tell you! OVERKILL!
lol
I have several battery powered flashes and none of them work properly for some reason, I think there's corrosion in all the battery wells and I haven't been able to clean them out and get them to consistently work and hold a charge. When they were working they were alright, but I agree that plug-in strobes are much better if that's an option.
I also have a quite old White Lightning brand mono-light strobe which is very reliable, and even has an optical slave but of course that has limitations. I used to have a reflector dish that mounted to it and really boosted the light output, but now I use it either bare or with my approx. 30 inch softbox.
I didn't pay much for any of that stuff, but I wouldn't recommend cheaping out just to have more gear. Better to start with a simple, quality setup and build up from there as resources allow.
Message edited by author 2014-11-16 22:46:59. |
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11/16/2014 10:58:22 PM · #14 |
You already have the YN560 III's on the list. Great choice.
To trigger and control them get the YN560TX
The flashes are all manual but with the YN560TX you just adjust each flash from the camera.
If you have a light up on a stand you no longer need to drop it to adjust it, just dial in the new amount on the TX.
This is a good adapter as the handle to tilt the umbrella is larger and easier to loosen and tighten.
Umbrella Adapter
Always remember to remove batteries from your flashes etc when you are not using them.
If they start to leak they will corrode the contacts.
Best rechargeable batteriest ENELOOP
Have fun.
Message edited by author 2014-11-17 04:26:26. |
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11/17/2014 08:19:50 AM · #15 |
| Now I'm getting more confused. : - ) |
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11/17/2014 09:27:07 AM · #16 |
Originally posted by LN13:
Now I'm getting more confused. : - ) |
don't get confused. I felt the same way when buying my lighting for the first time. Everyone has a different opinion. Some will say don't go cheap at first you will regret it. Other like me will say just buy cheap try it out. And then you will get a better feel for what you want to actually spend your money on.
I say go with your gut. Don't spend a bunch of money when you are first starting out. Go cheap (with good reviews) as you can and build slowly from there.
I started with speedlights and moved to strobes. I like strobes better but....I started with cheap speedlights and would have never known I wanted strobes until I had experimented with the speedlights. I think the set up you posted was fine go with that. Try it out and add more stuff as you go. |
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11/17/2014 09:42:58 AM · #17 |
Ok -- now Jenn has me interested in strobes. I've been hanging on to some cash for photography equipment. And those cowboy strobes are cheap!
Should I go with those, or should I look for something else/better? |
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11/17/2014 10:06:08 AM · #18 |
strobes have two big advantage over speedlight (among others) and thats power and reliability. you can shoot at ISO 100 and f11. i can tell portrait photographers who use strobes over speed light manly because the image is flat out sharp, there is no missed focus.
the first time i ever shot with strobes i couldn't believe how i never missed focus or how one light didn't fire.
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11/17/2014 10:16:36 AM · #19 |
Originally posted by vawendy:
Ok -- now Jenn has me interested in strobes. I've been hanging on to some cash for photography equipment. And those cowboy strobes are cheap!
Should I go with those, or should I look for something else/better? |
Most people will tell you to go with something better, I like to try things out and make sure I like something before I invest in something more expensive. These strobes I have used day in and day out photographing 1000's of stock images and they have taken a beating and still work like the day I bought them. They are powerful enough to shoot at ISO 100 and f 11 and still not even have to use them at max power. I love that I can just plug them in an go. Hardly any time in set-up. With speedlights I would spend a half hour or more getting everything set up for a shot, with my strobes it is a matter of minutes. They all sync to one another so I plug my camera into one and the rest fire. I never have issues with them not firing or taking a lot of time to recharge, no batteries to replace or worry about recharging.
So whether you go with these or something more expensive, I think you would really enjoy working with strobes. I just think unless you are a professional photographer just buying something cheap like the ones I listed is the way to go. I figure if I ever start to do this professionally I will maybe think about buying something more expensive... but I don't know maybe not... these have worked really well for me and for so much less money than I would have spent. |
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11/17/2014 10:35:40 AM · #20 |
Originally posted by LN13:
Now I'm getting more confused. : - ) |
Ditto!! :-) My fancy light setup is made of two components: the SB-910 speedlight and a 42'in refelector. I'm pretty happy with what I've managed to get using either one or the other and yes, both. |
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11/17/2014 10:41:16 AM · #21 |
Originally posted by vawendy:
Originally posted by damjanev:
The TTL option of the 622C triggers will not do any good in combination with YN560-III flashes. Those are manual only flashguns. |
But the main point is that you can set the speed lights at different levels on the camera, without going around to each of the flashes to adjust them each time. Sooooo much easier. |
For that purpose, the YN560TX (already suggested by  RamblinR) seems like a better choice. It has no TTL but has YN560-III compatible power control and grouping.
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11/17/2014 11:50:27 AM · #22 |
Originally posted by RamblinR:
Always remember to remove batteries from your flashes etc when you are not using them.
If they start to leak they will corrode the contacts.
Best rechargeable batteriest ENELOOP
Have fun. |
Wish I had known this before I tossed all my flashes in a box for 6 years. Does anyone know if there's a way to un-corrode the contacts? Heavy scrubbing of springy things seems ineffective. |
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11/17/2014 01:20:34 PM · #23 |
Originally posted by MadMan2k:
Originally posted by RamblinR:
Always remember to remove batteries from your flashes etc when you are not using them.
If they start to leak they will corrode the contacts.
Best rechargeable batteriest ENELOOP
Have fun. |
Wish I had known this before I tossed all my flashes in a box for 6 years. Does anyone know if there's a way to un-corrode the contacts? Heavy scrubbing of springy things seems ineffective. |
Vinegar is the cure all!!
//www.ehow.com/how_7898765_clean-corroded-camera-battery-chamber.html
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11/17/2014 03:01:38 PM · #24 |
Awesome, thanks. I will give it a shot, next step is getting batteries for my cheap little wireless flash triggers and seeing if those still work. |
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11/17/2014 03:46:43 PM · #25 |
In the Beginning (1970s) I used Sunpak strobes for lighting, then used a couple of old mecablitz 503 units big buggers with plenty of power on home made stands and big umbrellas,the 503 were powered off 6 volt motor bike batteries.
Then moved into the modern world and invested in a set of proper studio flashes,they served me well for over 35 years and I have just retired them.Electra brand made in THailand
My advice would be for serious work in a studio or multiple flash set up a Studio flash is the way to go.
Message edited by author 2014-11-17 15:48:02. |
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