external flash to use for portraits and nudes

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

03/28/2006 07:51:59 AM · #1

I need to buy an external flash for my 350D to use it primarily for nudes and portraits. Any suggestions, which model creates the softest light or which model allows to use it with some kind of soft-box or umbrella and which soft-box or umbrella would be good then?
Thanks, eyewave

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

03/28/2006 08:08:39 AM · #2

I've used the Canon 580EX as master to a Canon 550EX and Canon 420EX very successfully. I'll have the 580EX on-camera (actually, mounted on a flash bracket to keep it upright) acting as the master and as "fill" for my setup. Then I position one slave as my "key" off at an angle to the subject (generally 45 degrees) and another slave behind and to the side of the subject as a rim light.

I put a reflective umbrella on the key light and use a diffuser on the fill light. It's all highly portable and very quick. The nice thing is I don't even have to break out a light meter. The camera+580 have the smarts to figure out the exposure. Plus, I can adjust the various ratios of the slaves by changing settings on the 580.

Just a thought. :-)

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

03/28/2006 08:19:33 AM · #3

oops...3 flashes + an umbrella - that will be pretty expensive. If i could afford professional equipment, i had gone for a 20D or 5D first... Thanks, anyway...

cresus

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

03/28/2006 08:50:57 AM · #4

You could buy a Sigma EF 500 DG Super and trigger it with the onboard flash of the camera. Position the Sigma where you want it and act as an optical slave.

smilebig4me1x

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

03/28/2006 08:54:24 AM · #5

Originally posted by eyewave:

oops...3 flashes + an umbrella - that will be pretty expensive. If i could afford professional equipment, i had gone for a 20D or 5D first... Thanks, anyway...

It wouldnt be too much of an expense if you bought the items one at a time over a few weeks. that way you dont wipe out a whole weeks paycheck at once. Im in the same situation as you money wise and i found this to be the best method for me.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

03/28/2006 08:54:49 AM · #6

I do quite a bit of work just bouncing my flash. A white wall or ceiling or a nice-sized portable reflector will give flattering light.

Also, especially with the nudes, consider available light and perhaps a reflector or two. This often seems more natural than flash units.

Don't get into the mind-set that you need a 3-head studio flash setup to do portraits and nudes. Work with what you have and upgrade slowly.

Edit: Danr typos.

Message edited by author 2006-03-28 08:56:40.

Ambo

Canon EOS-1D Mark IIn

03/28/2006 09:00:24 AM · #7

My preference is the 580EX,, ST-E2 to get the flash away from the camera and out thru a softbox umbrella...very effective.

My wife uses a Gary Fong's LightSphere II ...once again very impressive lighting and quite cheap in the scheme of things.

03/28/2006 09:09:14 AM · #8

Originally posted by smilebig4me1x:

I get paid monthly - and the sum is the same :-(

03/28/2006 09:12:10 AM · #9

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

I do quite a bit of work just bouncing my flash. A white wall or ceiling or a nice-sized portable reflector will give flattering light.
Also, especially with the nudes, consider available light and perhaps a reflector or two. This often seems more natural than flash units.
Don't get into the mind-set that you need a 3-head studio flash setup to do portraits and nudes. Work with what you have and upgrade slowly.

Thanks, Fotomann, I'm used to do it that way, but I want to upgrade now

03/28/2006 09:15:26 AM · #10

Originally posted by Ambo:

Sounds good, hope i can get it over here in Germany

Tamron SP AF 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 AD Aspherical IF for Canon

03/28/2006 09:16:29 AM · #11

Originally posted by eyewave:

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
I do quite a bit of work just bouncing my flash. A white wall or ceiling or a nice-sized portable reflector will give flattering light.
Also, especially with the nudes, consider available light and perhaps a reflector or two. This often seems more natural than flash units.
Don't get into the mind-set that you need a 3-head studio flash setup to do portraits and nudes. Work with what you have and upgrade slowly.

Thanks, Fotomann, I'm used to do it that way, but I want to upgrade now

My advice then is to get one real studio head kit with modeling light and start from there. Pirce vs performance studio strobes are less expensive than flashes. With one head and on-camera flash, you can have a large key light(studio head) and fill-light (on-camera flash) and get good results. Most have optical slaves built in, so no wiring would be necessary for this set-up.

If you want to fire a strobe directly from your camera with no on-board flash, you will need either a wireless system or a Hot-shoe to PC adapter for your 350D.

Message edited by author 2006-03-28 09:21:17.

nards656

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

03/28/2006 09:29:48 AM · #12

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

Pirce vs performance studio strobes are less expensive than flashes.

Why is this? Because they are "dumb" as far as exposure??? Is a studio strobe in effect just a large adjustable manual flash with a "slave" trigger?

<--nards656 needs lots of education here...>

03/28/2006 09:35:49 AM · #13

Originally posted by nards656:

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
Pirce vs performance studio strobes are less expensive than flashes.

Why is this? Because they are "dumb" as far as exposure??? Is a studio strobe in effect just a large adjustable manual flash with a "slave" trigger?

<--nards656 needs lots of education here...>

Yes, they are dumb as far as exposure. No TTL, none of that jazz. And, yes, they are just large manual flashes.

So, to use them, you will need to learn a little math about Guide Numbers, get a flash meter, or just make sure you do a few test shots.

And, YES, it is very easy to completely blow all the highlights with them. :-)

The advantages are much more controllable light, via barn-doors, snoots, soft-boxes, umbrellas, honey-combs, etc. And a much more abundant source of light and best of all, fast recycle times. :-)

03/28/2006 09:50:58 AM · #14

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
Pirce vs performance studio strobes are less expensive than flashes.

This sounds better to me, but haven't found anything on the web by this name, tho. any hints?
Thanks, eyewave

Message edited by author 2006-03-28 09:51:23.

03/28/2006 10:06:48 AM · #15

Originally posted by eyewave:

Here's one decent choice: SP Systems Light Kit Quite inexpensive but ample.