I LOVE SPEEDLIGHTS WITH BROLLYS!!

[StealthLude]

I got the photoflex hotshoe adapters in the mail today... I tried them out with my two 420ex units.

Im 100% totally sold on speedlights when used with this combination. Shooting at f/8 in my room yeilds fantastic results. Super easy to setup and use.

For anyone wanting to try this out, id say go for it. Really makes you question even buying larger strobes for those small jobs you have to do.

I was using a 60 inch white reflected brollys and the stands that came with my alien bee units. A++ !!

[scandals]

Can you post some sample images? I'm interested in your setup!

[drisley]

I want to use my 430ex as a back light with my alienbee.
How exactly does the hotshoe adapter work? Do you need to use a cable to fire them?

[StealthLude]

Ill take some picts soon... I was messing around with my Green screen and really loved the results.

I dont think the 430ex will work with the alienbee unit.. It does not have a manual mode...

My setup is (2) 420ex shooting into a 60 inch white prolly. The 580ex on camera but turned OFF, only used as a master.

So far soo good, its giving plenty of light. IF i want to shoot f/8, its pretty wise to ise ISO 200 because it saves a lot of power and is less stress on the flash head.

I dont think it can throw the light really far, but for a portable setup, blows away a single light any day.

As soon as i get my room cleaned up, ill post some photos.

[drisley]

SD, yes, the 430EX DOES have full manual mode, same as the 580EX.
Most people dont realize this for some reason ;)
Are you using this second light as a fill, or as a backlight?

[StealthLude]

SD, yes, the 430EX DOES have full manual mode, same as the 580EX.
Most people dont realize this for some reason ;)
Are you using this second light as a fill, or as a backlight?

Holy Crap really!! I never knew that, now i wish I bought 430ex units!

Im using both 420ex as fill lights, on each side. No background light...

[StealthLude]

Then you can use it with Alien Bee units. I use my 580ex sometimes with my alien bees just shooting stright up to use optical trigger...

I dont think color temp is an issue... Im even going to mix alien bee with an Elinchrom strobe since im dying to try one. I taked to Doorhof and color temp is a little off, but again, i dont think its going to be a big problem.

[cosworth]

I have a single setup like this as well. I made an E-TTL extension cord and can shoot anywhere from 15 feet. Since the camera also fires the Sync cord the same time E-TTL fires, I can have a camera shoe mounted speedlite as fill with another speedlite as the main E-TTL flash on the umbrella.

My $1 ebay umbrella no less. I really like this setup for my family pictures.

[TooManyHobbies]

Did you mean a shoe mount clamp not a hot shoe adapter?

[StealthLude]

Did you mean a shoe mount clamp not a hot shoe adapter?

Yes, the clamp allows you to install it on a tripod or light stand, then attached your ETTL speedlight along with an umbrella.

[cosworth]

E-TTL on the camera or not. DEpends if you are using one or two (or more) speedlites.

I can use the Shoe Cord extension to mount E-TTL remote, or use the cord to fire in manual and fire on camera in E-TTL.

The hot shoe for flash bracket was cheap. You can screw the Shoe Cord into the bracket easily as well.

[tim]

Using EX units in ETTL and strobes together won't work. Wireless manual might work, i've never tried it, there might still be a preflash to tell the slaves what to do.

[StealthLude]

Using EX units in ETTL and strobes together won't work. Wireless manual might work, i've never tried it, there might still be a preflash to tell the slaves what to do.

I think you might be right, unless your using pocket wizard units...

When i have my 580ex set to OFF (not to fire), and the 420ex units set to fire... The 580ex still fires a preflash....

On manual mode, it wont do that. But i dont know if you can still fire a speedlight manual slave. I dont have any other manual slaves, so i cant comment.

[tim]

You can have your speedlites on manual, but it's still wireless ETTL, so even with the master disabled the master will put out a flash to tell the slaves what to do.

[KevC]

Hm... I have a 420ex. I really want to shoot some studio-style shots. Just headshots. I wonder if I should buy a stand and a softbox/brollybox and shoot through that.... i also have off shoe cord...

//edit: i can't seem to find what you bought to attach the speedlight and brolly/softbox/umbrella/etc to a tripod/lightstand. Can you link it please?

[PacAce]

Hm... I have a 420ex. I really want to shoot some studio-style shots. Just headshots. I wonder if I should buy a stand and a softbox/brollybox and shoot through that.... i also have off shoe cord...

//edit: i can't seem to find what you bought to attach the speedlight and brolly/softbox/umbrella/etc to a tripod/lightstand. Can you link it please?
Something like this, Kev:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=298709&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

[drisley]

Yupper, that's the EXACT one I ordered.
If shipping from BH is too expensive, you can get this one from Ebay (http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7612597019&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1).

[KevC]

Hmm... I wonder how that will work with my off-shoe cord...

[StealthLude]

Hmm... I wonder how that will work with my off-shoe cord...

Im not sure, does ur hotshoe cord have a male/female connection on both side?

I think you would be better off getting a ST-E2 or a 550 or 580ex on camera to act as a master to your slave unit.

Also allows you wireless freedom and u can get a lot more creative with the placement of your brollys.

[drisley]

I bought this wireless transmitter (http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7608019252&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1) from ebay, and then added the $8 hotshoe adapter, and now I can fire my 430ex remotely on the cheap :)

[PacAce]

Hmm... I wonder how that will work with my off-shoe cord...
Simple. You just unscrew the shoe holder (where the flash slides into) from the bracket and screw in your off-shoe cord in its place. :)

Or, you can leave the holder in place and just slide the off-shoe cord into the holder.

[KevC]

Simple. You just unscrew the shoe holder (where the flash slides into) from the bracket and screw in your off-shoe cord in its place. :)

Or, you can leave the holder in place and just slide the off-shoe cord into the holder.

Wow did I ever have a dumb moment or what! Yeah! That's so obvious, I didn't pay attention to the design of the off shoe cord :p

Now what kinda softbox is good for a 420EX hmm...

[cntry]

I have a 420EX and 3 Vivitar 285HV flash units. What would I need to turn these into a remote setup?
________
OLD MAN GIRL (http://www.****tube.com/categories/787/girl/videos/1)

[TooManyHobbies]

I've been watching this post from the beginning. I thought we were going to see some pictures with your new setup?

[Lotto]

Yeah, I am dying to see a sample too:eek:

[Salleke]

Yeah, I am dying to see a sample too:eek:

I was awaiting the same...

[cntry]

Still waiting for pics..................
________
CSI ADVICE (http://www.tv-gossip.com/csi/)

[mizuno]

I've been watching this post from the beginning. I thought we were going to see some pictures with your new setup?

Ditto.

Bad form on the pic-teasing. :evil:

[AlexMa]

Yes...........

Some images would be nice...;)

[digitaljoe]

Let's see them please!

[tim]

Samples with a 580EX as master pointing towards the ceiling, on manual 1/32 or so, 550EX pointing into a 60" or so silver umbrella to camera right, on about maximum power, with a CP-E3 to keep it charged. Only thing to be careful of is not to burn out your slave flash, mine got really hot but kept going. Batteries in the flash got quite hot too. If i'd known I was doing 50+ shots i'd have bought the AlienBee from the car!

http://www.mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/wp/CindyMike4.jpg

http://www.mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/wp/wt/WT_653.jpg

http://www.mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/wp/wt/WT_715.jpg

http://www.mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/wp/wt/WT_739.jpg

[drisley]

Great job Tim! Lighting looks superb!
I really like the 3rd picture, because even though they are all doing a "corny" pointing pose, there is something very comical and unique about it. I especially like the look of the man on the far right :)

[akiwi]

Another option for using your 580 or 430 in a studio environment is to trigger it using a light sensitive switch. Only problem is that not all of them work with the speelites. I tried several different ones before I found one from Metz that works like a dream. Use CFn 14 to stop the flash automatically turning off after about a minute, and set it to manual. I Use it on a galgen as a hair light as it is nice and small and light.

[akiwi]

Here is an example of its use as a hair light I took last night.

[digitaljoe]

Could you give us a link to your Metz please?

[incendy]

akiwi could you post a diagram showing the lighting setup on that shot? Particularily curious how you set up the 580 as a hair light, but the whole picture is something I have been trying to achieve but it always seems too hot on one side:(. Did you use barn doors for the 580 on this one too? Great portrait in my opinion

[tim]

akiwi could you post a diagram showing the lighting setup on that shot? Particularily curious how you set up the 580 as a hair light, but the whole picture is something I have been trying to achieve but it always seems too hot on one side:(. Did you use barn doors for the 580 on this one too? Great portrait in my opinion

You can tell where the lights are by looking at the highlights in the eyes and on the hair. I find it helpful to make your best guess then check it with the person who took the photo.

[incendy]

Basically I can tell where the lights are in general but his lighting is a lot more even than I am able to achieve so far and also when I use a flash for the hairllight it seems to spill over and was curious how had it setup to stop this from being so bad.

[Pyropeck]

so can you use a 430ex in slave mode 2 fire remotly from an IR trigger attached 2 the camera. eg use a basic setup (softbox and umbrella)and mount the 430 on the floor behind the person and get em all flash together?

Sorry if thats been answered here I'm finding this difficult to follow lol

[incendy]

so can you use a 430ex in slave mode 2 fire remotly from an IR trigger attached 2 the camera. eg use a basic setup (softbox and umbrella)and mount the 430 on the floor behind the person and get em all flash together?

Sorry if thats been answered here I'm finding this difficult to follow lol


Yep! The ST-E2 and the 580EX were designed to do this, but from what I understand there are other ways as well!

[muscleflex]

well, the OP's disappeared and still no pictures of his setup?
thanks for the others tho for providing pics of their own!

[akiwi]

The "Metz Mecalux 11" is the one I use.
In the above picture I used 4 lights.
Key light is to the left firing through a qhite umbrella.
Fill is just firing against a white wall to the right.
Background light is directly behind the model using a honeycomb & barndoors.
Hair light is the 580EX directly above and behind firing down onto the hair. No modifyers. just manualy zoomed to 105 mm and manual setting at 1/32 power (I think)

[incendy]

Thank you akiwi, I really appreciate it! I am so new to lighting

[digitaljoe]

Thanks it is an excellent pic.- I cant seem to find your Metz at B&H??

[akiwi]

Thanks it is an excellent pic.- I cant seem to find your Metz at B&H??
I got mine at a camera store here in Munich.

[Lotto]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=34980&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

It's Mecalux II.

[akiwi]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=34980&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

It's Mecalux II.
Lol... Yep, that's the one! Sorry about the confusion. Looks like a 11 :oops: :rolleyes:

[Yella Fella]

whats usually the best slaves to get for this shooting scenario? worth getting a few more 580 as slaves?

[mR_CaESaR]

i got a 430ex as a slave, might seriously look into a sigma if i need a 3rd slave.