What flash units do you use to light entire room?

[gardenstate]

This past weekend, I was at an event where the photographer (with a 8MP Canon EOS-1?) used an off camera flash and also activated a transmitter that fired off 2 flash units located at the ends of the room. The room held about 250 people and a large dance floor.

I would appreciate any ideas on what type (make/model) of flash units and transmitters/receivers to get for someone who is very budget conscious. I plan to also use a Canon 30D, 420EX flash with this setup.

Thanks.

[FlashZebra]

This past weekend, I was at an event where the photographer (with a 8MP Canon EOS-1?) used an off camera flash and also activated a transmitter that fired off 2 flash units located at the ends of the room. The room held about 250 people and a large dance floor.

I would appreciate any ideas on what type (make/model) of flash units and transmitters/receivers to get for someone who is very budget conscious. I plan to also use a Canon 30D, 420EX flash with this setup.

Thanks.
Lighting up large spaces ("a large dance floor") on a very constrained budget ("very budget conscious") is likely not possible.

A couple of Alien Bee B1600 mono flash heads with modest light stands (about $800.00) and Pocket Wizard radio slaves ($350.00 to $500.00 or so) should work. You could skimp and use far less reliable, but a lot less expensive ($60.00 or so) inexpensive radio slaves.

Your Canon 420EX is unlikely to add much, its anemic output (for this application) is likely not worth the annoyance and expense of integrating Canon Speedlights into this particular setup need.

High capacity used power pack/ flash head flash gear (not flash monolights) might be a viable option to cut the cost significantly.

Enjoy! Lon

[Curtis N]

Depending on room size, it may be possible to use hotshoe type flash units fired at the ceiling to improve the background. You may not get complete illumination, but it might help the background look less like a "black hole" with your primary light on the camera.

I agree with Lon about the PocketWizards (you'll need one connected to the camera and one on each remote flash). There are cheap alternative systems, but their reliability in this kind of environment may be a source of frustration.

[gardenstate]

Thanks for your prompt replies!

[subtle_spectre]

PocketWizards, Wein Peanut slaves, Vivitar 285 stobes, BlackBox batteries and superclamps...

[DocFrankenstein]

I'd imagine the "event" was a wedding?

80% chance that the photog used elinchromes. Look up 300RX
10% chance that he used powerpacks like profoto or norman
or something else.

They cost about a grand each or more, but give you lots of power.

As for sync... it's either pocket wizards or quantum slaves. About 50/50 chance. I've seen about 100 different wedding photogs.

[DocFrankenstein]

PocketWizards, Wein Peanut slaves, Vivitar 285 stobes, BlackBox batteries and superclamps...
And that zeiss f/0.7 lens. ;)

[gardenstate]

very interesting responses....

I also have the following setup used with my current Canon G6 (7.1 MPixel) which does NOT have a sync cord hookup.

2 Vivitar 285HV flashes with Lumiquest small softboxes with Bogen lighting stands. The flashes are triggered by a WEIN digital slave with a sync cord firing the other unit. Both units are powered by one Quantum 1+ battery pack. The Vivitar flashes are set to manual and at its lowest setting for auxillary light. The hot shoe mounted Canon 420EX flash provides most of my lighting needs for small room shots.

If all goes well, I plan to buy the Canon 30D next month.

Would this setup work or be really underpowered for a big room setup?

[JaertX]

I'd imagine the "event" was a wedding?

80% chance that the photog used elinchromes. Look up 300RX
10% chance that he used powerpacks like profoto or norman
or something else.

They cost about a grand each or more, but give you lots of power.

As for sync... it's either pocket wizards or quantum slaves. About 50/50 chance. I've seen about 100 different wedding photogs.

just remember, 75% of all statistics are made up on the spot. :)

[MDJAK]

I thought it was 90 percent physical, and the other half mental:lol:

Actually, the advice to point your flash to the ceiling is the cheapest and probably the best way to do it.

Look at Dennis Reggie's website. He's one of the world's premier wedding photographers, and he never uses anything other than his trusty 580ex. He does what he call shooshing or wooshing, where he will bounce the flash off a side wall from 30 feet away to have it hit a subject's face on the side, and every iteration you can think of.

I recently took some family shots, candids, in a small dining room in a house with my flash at 45 degrees pointing behind me. They came out great. I don't have any examples as I'm at work. If I remember, I'll post some later.

mark

[subtle_spectre]

And that zeiss f/0.7 lens. ;)

Not at all, bud. 4 strobes can light up a good sized area.