Flash(es) or Digibee package?

[RinkRat]

I recieved an email from a relative that saw my website, and wants me to take pictures of her family. (She's 8mo pregnant, + 1year old, 14 year old, & husband)

She wants both outdoor & "studio" shots.

I was thinking of buying (1) 420ex, & (1) Sigma EF500 Super, and (2) Omnibounces to add to my current 420ex, and use them as my "studio" lighting.(~$400) I also have a couple of cheapie tripods to put them on. I thought I read here, that someone here works with similar equipment. (I'm search inept)

Or is there an clear advantage for buying a Alienbee lighting package?
I was looking at the Digibee package w/B800 upgrades. (~$750).

http://www.alienbees.com/digi.html

I want to keep my costs as low as possible, but still want something I can use in the future. This is STILL just a hobby, so I'm not going to recover my equipment costs in 1 or 2 sittings. (Especially if 90% is my family)

I do have the suspicion that if these come out well, I will have many other sessions ahead of me...

I have a 300D w/Hack, so FEC is available to me. (if that matters)

Thanks for the help...

[scottbergerphoto]

I used two 550EX's and a 420EX for These (http://www.pbase.com/scottbergerphoto/ayana_bailey)
I don't think you can get away with a 420EX as your main light. The on camera flash (Master) is only being used for fill.
Studio strobes are superior to flash but lack relative portability. It all depends on which is more important to you portability vs. studio quality.

[Longwatcher]

I used a pair of 550EX flashes until I got my Alien bees.

Remember that it is very difficult to mount an umbrella or proper soft box to a 420/550/580 flash. (not impossible, just real difficult).

The more you can spread out the light the better it will look.

But as mentioned, flashes are more portable then even ABs.

[scottbergerphoto]

I used a pair of 550EX flashes until I got my Alien bees.

Remember that it is very difficult to mount an umbrella or proper soft box to a 420/550/580 flash. (not impossible, just real difficult).

The more you can spread out the light the better it will look.

But as mentioned, flashes are more portable then even ABs.
It's actually very easy to use a 550 with an umbrella. You mount a multibracket to a lightstand and the foot that comes with the 550EX to the bracket. The 550EX slips into its foot and the umbrella slides into the $20 multibracket. It takes about 5 mins to set up.

[RinkRat]

I used two 550EX's and a 420EX for These (http://www.pbase.com/scottbergerphoto/ayana_bailey)
I don't think you can get away with a 420EX as your main light. The on camera flash (Master) is only being used for fill.
Studio strobes are superior to flash but lack relative portability. It all depends on which is more important to you portability vs. studio quality.

Couldn't I use the Sigma EF500 Super as the master, & the (2) 420s as the slaves?

[scottbergerphoto]

I used a pair of 550EX flashes until I got my Alien bees.

Remember that it is very difficult to mount an umbrella or proper soft box to a 420/550/580 flash. (not impossible, just real difficult).

The more you can spread out the light the better it will look.

But as mentioned, flashes are more portable then even ABs.
It's actually very easy to use a 550 with an umbrella. You mount a multibracket to a lightstand and the foot that comes with the 550EX to the bracket. The 550EX slips into its foot and the umbrella slides into the $20 multibracket. It takes about 5 mins to set up.

[scottbergerphoto]

Couldn't I use the Sigma EF500 Super as the master, & the (2) 420s as the slaves?
Yes, but the Master is in the Hot Shoe and you don't want that to be your Key (main) Light. You want it to be a fill light. So you need a powerful slave flash in addition to the Master.

[RinkRat]

Yes, but the Master is in the Hot Shoe and you don't want that to be your Key (main) Light. You want it to be a fill light. So you need a powerful slave flash in addition to the Master.

Ah, so that means potentially another EF500 Super, and make the case for the Digibees, all that much better.

Or, am I WAAAAYYY off here?

Thanks Scott.

-mike

[robertwgross]

Yes, but the Master is in the Hot Shoe and you don't want that to be your Key (main) Light. You want it to be a fill light. So you need a powerful slave flash in addition to the Master.

My standard method is to use one 550EX as the main light, and it is about three feet to the left of my camera. The 420EX is the fill light, and it is about three feet to the right of my camera, and then about one foot back. Then I trigger it all with the STE2 sitting on the camera.

---Bob Gross---

[scottbergerphoto]

My standard method is to use one 550EX as the main light, and it is about three feet to the left of my camera. The 420EX is the fill light, and it is about three feet to the right of my camera, and then about one foot back. Then I trigger it all with the STE2 sitting on the camera.

---Bob Gross---
For the difference in price and what you get for the money, I opted for another 550 instead of the STE2. You never have enough light when you're looking for that kid in the third row picking his nose. :p