Off Camera flash options (HELP)

Hi, total newbie when it comes to off Camera flash. I have a 430 EXII which I have used on my camera and I have ordered a 580 EXII which is in the post. I want to get into portrait photography so am looking at getting a couple of stands with umbrellas.

My initial intention was to use the 580 on the camera and use it as a master to the 430 on a stand with an umbrella, am I right in thinking then that the system could use E-TTL and set the correct power output for each of the flashes.

While I was looking for stands and umbrellas I came across this

http://www.amazon.co.u​k …TF8&qid=1298628​380&sr=1-1

I am assuming that with this setup I could not have a flash on the camera, they would both need to be on stands, am I also right in assuming that I would need to set the power of the flashes manually. Has anybody used this iShoot system ?

I am also looking for a radio remote shutter and was hoping to get a system which could control the flash and the shutter at the same time which I dont think this iShoot gear can do. Any recommendations for something that can, or maybe a decent seperate remote shutter control.

Many thanks
Craig

Oh I forgot to add I am also planning on getting a 7D soon. Would this them mean I could use both the 430 and 580 off camera and retain E-TTL

ChewieT wrote in post #11910726
Oh I forgot to add I am also planning on getting a 7D soon. Would this them mean I could use both the 430 and 580 off camera and retain E-TTL

Yes, it would.

Another question, If I were to go for this ishoot system, which I am assuming would require the flashes to be set manually, would I then also need a lightmeter. How would I know what power to set the flashes. Thanks.

no experience with the ishoot products you linked to, but they look the same as any simple radio triggering system. you're correct that you'd need to set your flashes manually. i like using a meter, but they're not absolutely necessary. without the meter, i typically lock down my shutter speed at or below x-sync speed and ballpark the aperture, then adjust the aperture accordingly.

How do you gauge what power to set each flash to, is it just trial and error. Can you use the camera to give you a meter reading ?. Sorry totally new to this and want some idea of what I will be doing before spending my cash

yes, it is trial and error, but, as you go along, you'll see your ballpark guesses get better and better quite quickly . camera won't help metering the flash in this case. it can help meter ambient light outdoors to give you a working shutter speed, but the aperture, which controls your flash exposure, will still have to be manually dialed in without help from the camera.