you setup and your thoughts

[pprice]

I don't know if this has been done (isn't that how you start these threads), and I bet it has, but oh well...

I would like to know ...

what everyone has as far as there lighting setup?

how you use your lights most of the time?

your thoughts on what you have?


I will start :) .

What I Have:

As of right now I have 2 580EXII flashes. I have the skyports for wireless triggers, and the ST-E2 also.

I have 2 stands which I am unsure of the brand right now, but they do have the cushion or spring (not sure what it is called), in it and is something I got from my local camera shop.

I also bought 2 shoot through umbrellas from the same camera shop (about 30+ inches).

What I shoot:

I have not been using my flashes for very long, but I mostly have been shooting outdoors (sunsets/ portrait shots), and cars.

Thoughts on what I have:

Well, I LOVE my 580EXII flashes!! The instruction were not easy for me to follow, but I used this place, and youtube to learn how to work them. I have never had a minutes issue with them but battery failure (my fault). It would be nice if they let you know how much life you had left in your batts, but oh well :) , just remember to bring spares!!

The skyports are just great! They are very easy to use and work every time so far! The bodies are kind of fragile feeling, but nothing has broke as of yet. I do wish they would have come with the cable you need to sync them to the flash, but so is life. One other thing I wish it had is some kind of indicator light on the transmitter to let you know it is working and not dead. it has them on the receivers.

The ST-E2 is OK. I only use it when I am indoors as I heard it does not do as good outside. I decided to go ahead and buy the skyports to use outside, and now I just use them all the time. The ST-E2 works great! It lets you keep ETTL which is sweet, and it works very good indoors. I never had a flash not fire with it. It is easy to use also (I figured it out pretty quick).

My stands (which I will get the names when I get home next month), are great. I don't really have anything to compare them to as I have never owned any other, but I think the cushion is a very good thing to have! If you have you light on the stand and turn the wrong knob, it won't come crashing down. Mine are pretty heavy, but I know I would be upgrading my lights (read: getting bigger ones), so I wanted them to be strong. Not good for travel though as they are big and to heavy for it.

Umbrellas, well, I don't have anything fancy as of now, but the shoot through umbrellas are fine. I feel I need more as they will not handle very many situations I find myself in. Thats all I can say about that :) .

I plan to get studio strobes as soon as I move into my new house next month, so my list will go soon :) .

[JeffreyG]

I'll play,

I have two 430EX strobes, an ST-E2, two manfrotto light stands and two Bogen umbrellas that can be used bounced or shoot through.

I backed into this rig by getting the 430EX first, adding the ST-E2 and then adding a second flash. I'm aware that there are cheaper paths to studio lighting, but since I appreciate a mobile setup I guess I am happy thus far.

The ST-E2 is great indoors and I can set the flashes wherever. Outside you have to be careful to point the flash body at the ST-E2 and you cannot really have them behind you. I sense RF triggering out there in my future at some point.

For now I'm just having fun. Man.....flashes do a lot more for photography than any lens. Totally fun stuff.

First one is a self portrait.

[Firotechnics]

I have A photoflex starflash 650 and a 300 with 5 foot octodome, a 30in umbrella, and a snoot. I also have a canon 430ex and 580ex with the ST-E2 transmitter. I have 4 stand 3 small light ones and a heavy duty one of the starflash 650.

I shoot products, macro, and portraits mostly with my strobes.

I love what I have my little canon strobes preform really well and I can trigger my photoflex lights with them so thats another plus. I only use my ST-E2 indoors but I really haven't had any outdoor shoots where I used wireless flash. I'm thinking of getting the new radio poppers just for more reliable control over my photoflex lights. The octodome is amazing very nice soft even light but after having the 5 foot one I've realized that I don't want the 7 foot one. I like my 30inch umbrella but I do want to get a 60inch only because the 30in looks so small when used on the photoflex lights. The snoot is cool it came with gels and grids but you looks a ton of power, I haven't quite gotten the hang of it. I love what I have so far I plan on getting another starflash 650, a starflash 1000, 2 small ocotodomes, 1 small soft box, 2 small half domes, grids, light panel kit, and a 5 in 1 reflector