Noob lighting question

[4mykids]

You can see my gear below and I want to start doing off camera flash photography. Here is my question, if I get 1 AB for either softbox or umbrella and use my flash for the other, is all I need is a wireless trigger to operate them??

[pennypue]

Tracey, I was hoping that someone with more experience (ok, any) using the alienbee would post. Since I don't see any yet....

My alien bee is arriving tomorrow, UPS man willing. And my understanding is that the sync cord that comes with it will attach to one of the ports on the side of my camera (40D, so I assume the 50D would have it as well) to fire off the AB.

Here's the link to the Alien Bees site. Scroll down the page, on the lower left column you'll see where the 15' power cord and the 15' sync cord are included. I'm thinking that if you want to get further away from the strobe than the cord would allow, you're going to need a wireless trigger.

I'll let you know more tomorrow when I experience it.

[4mykids]

Ok, cool thanks. Let me know what you think. I am hoping UPS shows up at my house too with some goodies. I wouldn't think they would be working tomorrow. Thank goodness they are and I am not because apparently if you order over a certain amount at B&H they require a signature.

[Curtis N]

At a minimum, you'll need a hotshoe adapter for the 430EX II and a PC cord to trigger it. You can replace the PC cord with a radio trigger system if you want to spend the bucks.

The Studio strobe will sync with its built-in slave sensor.

[pennypue]

Curtis, doesn't the 50d have the pc plug on the side of the camera?

[BobbyM]

yes, the 50D has a pc port on the side of it.

i just got some white lightnings, and the pc cord that came with them is about 15' long or so. I just plug in the cord to the side of my camera and flash away..


I also have a set of pocket wizards but I need a different wire to attach them to the WL's because it is a 1/4 jack on the back for the sync. Not sure if the AB's are the same or not.

messing around last night I set my white lightning up via the sync cord... put a pocket wizard on my hot shoe, and another on my 580 exII. both flash and WL fired. thats how i took my sig picture.. the WL in front synced by wire, and my 580 overhead synced by pocketwizard

[pennypue]

Bobby, are those little white spots above your head Teddy Bear Ears

I'm gonna go read the alien bees again, oh hell. I'm just gonna wait for the package today!

[BobbyM]

Originally Posted by pennypue

Bobby, are those little white spots above your head Teddy Bear Ears

got them for my daughter when we went to a Detroit Tiger game during the summer.. They are tiger ears.. its also why i got my claw up and am growling...haha

[Curtis N]

Originally Posted by pennypue

Curtis, doesn't the 50d have the pc plug on the side of the camera?

Yes, but the 430EX II doesn't. The hotshoe adapter is for the flash unit.

[pennypue]

OK, got my alien bee!! She, Beatrice (hahahaha) is unpacked and parked in the foyer.

In my rush to rip open all the packing (which let me say they do a helluva job packaging those for shipment!) I tossed the manual aside. Unwound all the cords, plugged stuff in, flipped switches and poked buttons. Now I have to figure out how to make it work for real.

So my 40D has the PC port on the side. Now I just have to try reading the manual to find out how to push all those buttons and switches to make them talk to each other. (I have the 430ex flash, I might consider a second 580exII, I may have found one for $175 and I'm thinking that's good....)

Curtis, am I correct that the 430 need the hotshoe adapter but not the 580?

[Najo]

The 430ex and 430ex II need the hotshoe adapter http://www.flashzebra.com/products/0126/index.shtml but the new 580ex II does not.

[4mykids]

Thanks for everyones help. I get my bonus at work on March 12th....look out!!!