Digital Rebel xti with studio flash

[kolorkapture]

I know nothing about studio photography but have been using natural light for a couple of years now. I've just purchased 500 watt strobes and want to know how to use my Digital Rebel xti with the strobe. I know I need a sync cord to attach the camera witht the strobe. What next? Can someone walk me thru the steps? I would really appreciate it. I've searched the web and there's lots of info but nothing about the initial steps like what camera setting to use for a portrait and how to make the camera work with the flash. I would really appreciate any help in this regard. Thanks

[jeromego]

I don't think the xti has a pc port where you can connect the sync cord from the strobe. If it doesn't, you'll need something like this (http://flashzebra.com/hotshoes-shoes/0064.shtml). or go the wireless route and get some wireless triggers.

Then you'll have to do a lot reading... you can start here (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=138912)

[gonzogolf]

Yeah like Jeromego said your camera doesnt have a pc port to plug a sync cord in. You need a hotshoe adapter like the wein safe sync, or alternatively a set of wireless triggers.

[JimMcrae]

I use the very same camera and just started on studio lighting a couple of weeks ago after years using natural light. Consequently, I fully appreciate the problems you're experiencing. Read this link:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=138907

It's brilliant!

[DC Fan]

From someone who has gone through the same drill with the same camera, in locations from Los Angeles to Boston:

The XTi has no PC flash connection, so you need to get an PC adapter for the XTi's hot shoe. Fortunately, there are several of those adapters available, (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/133218-REG/Medalight_PGHSPC_Hot_Shoe_to_PC.html) and they're inexpensive (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/135782-REG/General_Brand_SF943_Hot_Shoe_to_PC.html) and simple to use. (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/89979-REG/Hama_HA_6951_Hot_Shoe_Adapter_1.html) Slide the adapter into the hot shoe and use its PC connection to link the strobes to the XTi.

It wouldn't hurt to use a Wein Safe-Sync voltage regulator (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/245292-REG/Wein_W990560_Safe_Sync_Hot_Shoe_to.html) to protect the XTi's circuitry.

Of course, the company that provides the strobes should also have provided sync cables. If not, those are available separately, although it can be tricky to find the correct cable and connector. (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Sync-Cords/ci/1214/N/4294550949) That can take some searching through a maze of equipment. Sometimes, as experienced by this writer, you may have to give up, take separate cables and connectors, pull them apart and rewire them to get what you need.

http://www.kevinlillard.com/online/010409a0288.jpg

Basic setup with two monolights and two umbrellas. XTi, 1/125, f/8, ISO 200, 39mm.

Camera settings begin with the camera's maximum sync speed, the fastest shutter speed you can use with the strobes fully illuminating the frame. That maximum sync speed is 1/200 for the XTi.

A second setting to consider is white balance. The XTi has a flash white balance, but a custom white balance may work better.

Then you have light intensity and placement, and you're on your own here. The use of strobes in portraiture is more art than science, and there is no single "correct" way to handle this task.

Exposure settings depend on flash power used. Many portrait photographers aim at f/8 for maximum depth of field. Some want a shallow depth for effect. Strobes have power adjustments to give you what you want.

Then there's an endless group of decisions on framing, focal length and color control, which you can make once you get the strobes to work with the camera. :)

[Curtis N]

It wouldn't hurt to use a Wein Safe-Sync voltage regulator (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/245292-REG/Wein_W990560_Safe_Sync_Hot_Shoe_to.html) to protect the XTi's circuitry.It might hurt. Those things sometimes don't work well with low trigger voltage strobes.

Any studio strobe manufactured today has a low trigger voltage, perfectly safe for today's cameras.

You can manage to get more-or-less proper exposure by trial and error, but if you're serious about studio photography, a flash meter should be your next purchase.

[PCthug]

I had the same camera (400d in the UK), and 3 cheap strobes and 2 Bowens as main.

I bought a radio trigger from ebay (again on the cheap), and STILL use it. It has NEVER let me down, except for the odd fail (2 or 3 times), but even very expensive ones do this.

Set it up, set your camera to 'M', 1/200 sec, F8, iso 100, and see how that goes, adjusting your light power as you go.

Dont go faster than 1/200 as you will get black bars on the right side, meaning the shutter sppeed is too fast for the curtain. You can go slower though.

You could also buy a light meter, but not that important when first starting out.

[kolorkapture]

Wow, so many replies, thanks guys. I appreciate your help.