beginner flash kit

so once i get enough money saved im thinking about maybe buying a flash and stand and all that before buying my 85 1.8, so once i decide to on my next purchase as either the 85mm or the beginners flash kit this is what i have picked out, let me know if im doing it wrong lol. i really dont want to spend more than $100 to start out since i dont know how much flash photography i will be doing and how much extra business ill be getting doing amateur headshots and portraits with a single light versus natural light. it would give me the ability to do studio headshots after making a backdrop at the fabric store. and of course the speedlight can help taking photos in dark room when i do event photography on campus

Amazon.com: YN-560 Speedlight Flash for Canon and Nikon: Electronics

Amazon.com: Impact Sync Cord Male PC to Male PC (6'): Camera & Photo

Amazon.com: CowboyStudio Single Flash Shoe Swivel Bracket Kit with 1 Mounting Bracket, 1 Umbrella, and 1 Stand Stand: Camera & Photo

no comments or suggestions?

If this is going to be your first external flash I would pick one of the YN models with ETTL. Manual flash is great for off camera work, but not as useful for on camera work.

The YN is so affordable it's a great place to start. Then practice lots......

I know you really want to stay under $100, but I would get either the Cactus V5's, rf-602's or rf-603's to be able to fire the flash wireless.

Thorrulz wrote in post #13042421
I know you really want to stay under $100, but I would get either the Cactus V5's, rf-602's or rf-603's to be able to fire the flash wireless.

Yeah, off camera will open up a whole new world for you, and the 560 is a good choice too.

Brian_R wrote in post #13040206
so once i get enough money saved im thinking about maybe buying a flash and stand and all that before buying my 85 1.8, so once i decide to on my next purchase as either the 85mm or the beginners flash kit this is what i have picked out, let me know if im doing it wrong lol. i really dont want to spend more than $100 to start out since i dont know how much flash photography i will be doing and how much extra business ill be getting doing amateur headshots and portraits with a single light versus natural light. it would give me the ability to do studio headshots after making a backdrop at the fabric store. and of course the speedlight can help taking photos in dark room when i do event photography on campus

Amazon.com: YN-560 Speedlight Flash for Canon and Nikon: Electronics

Amazon.com: Impact Sync Cord Male PC to Male PC (6'): Camera & Photo

Amazon.com: CowboyStudio Single Flash Shoe Swivel Bracket Kit with 1 Mounting Bracket, 1 Umbrella, and 1 Stand Stand: Camera & Photo

if this is your first and only flash consider getting an ETTL flash that also has manual controls like the yongnuo YN465, yn467m yn468, etc. or a used Canon or Sunpak, Nissin, Metz, etc.
Also look at wireless triggers like the RF-602, RF-603

this is going to be used off camera, that is why i got the cable so i wouldnt have to buy wireless triggers. i guess ill look into getting the yn460 instead. and ill look at the price or wireless triggers but honestly im already a little above $100 and i dont need wireless if i can get a long cable to trigger the flash off the camera and save money. then when im ready to upgrade and go wireless i can always get the canon speedlights like the 430EX which my 7D can remotely trigger with the built in trigger

Brian_R wrote in post #13044829
this is going to be used off camera, that is why i got the cable so i wouldnt have to buy wireless triggers. i guess ill look into getting the yn460 instead. and ill look at the price or wireless triggers but honestly im already a little above $100 and i dont need wireless if i can get a long cable to trigger the flash off the camera and save money. then when im ready to upgrade and go wireless i can always get the canon speedlights like the 430EX which my 7D can remotely trigger with the built in trigger

Make sure you can trigger the 440 from the 7D before buying, I'm almost positive you can only do it with the 580ex. I think the 430 can only be set as a slave so it won't work. But I'm still reading as well before I make my purchase.

NManuel01 wrote in post #13044835
Make sure you can trigger the 440 from the 7D before buying, I'm almost positive you can only do it with the 580ex. I think the 430 can only be set as a slave so it won't work. But I'm still reading as well before I make my purchase.

the video on b&h said you can trigger most canon flashes with the 7D but i only watched it once and didnt remember everything it said i would have to double check. but either way ill be buying a YN-sonething to start as my beginner flash since i dont want to drop big bux on flashes until i know what i need and want and when i know more about what im doing lol

7D & 60D will trigger the 580 & 430 Canon flashes wireless respectivly.

Cowboy kit you have listed: 40$
Wireless triggers: ~20$http://www.amazon.com …IXZW/ref=pd_bxg​y_p_text_b
YN468 (Not as strong as 560, but with ETTL) ~90$.

So yeah, closer to 150$. Go big and don't say "I should've spent 20$ more before". This is a great beginner kit for working with off-camera flashes, much more so than with a wire or on-camera trigger. The cowboy kit's umbrella is a bit small, but you can deal with it reasonably. This allows you to upgrade very easily when you decide you want two lights -- the 560 is only ~60$, and another umbrella+trigger kit can be had reasonably.

The 85/1.8 is a good portrait lens, but mainly on full-frame. On crop the nifty fifty gives similar perspective and optical performance, if worse bokeh by virtue of the shorter FL. A good flash+nifty fifty>>>85/1.8 without any light control for portraits.

yea but i still wanted the stand so i dont have to ask my friends to hold the flash or be limited to duck taping it to a pole or sitting it on the ground to use. can i use the stands with the wireless trigger attached to the flash? for the extra few bucks i will buy the wireless if it works and not get 6' cable lol

i have to look at the yn460 and check it all out. i am not in desparate need for wireless ability since this is a kit solely for learning purposes not professional use. i will be using it to take portraits but the people who pay me know they are not professional and only pay me because they are poor college students. the flash is more going to be a toy to have fun with.

the 85 1.8 is another prime that i want. i am not shooting inside so i am not worried about space constraints. my kit that i want is 30, 50, 85. if i get lucky and have lots of money ill buy a 135L rather than an 85 1.8. i only use primes in my personal kit. 30/50 are my walk around and the 85 or 135 will be for nice portraits and headshots. and all three are used for event photography on campus and for just general photography.

what about buying a YN trigger and get like the YN RF-603 that i saw posted on here before and use that instead of a 6' cord and still get the YN560 or 460 and the cowboystudio lightstand and swivel head

The Cowboy kit includes a stand. I consider a stand a necessity for flash work.

The YN triggers are a bit more but are also a bit nicer (transceivers, 2 AAA batteries, PC port).

Basically: Cowboy stand+swivel+umbrella kit for 40$
Some sort of cable or radio transmitter (~10-40$)
YN 560 or 468. 468 slightly less powerful but with ETTL, 560 being a bit stronger but manual only.