Accessories for a new 580EXII user

Here are some of the modifiers besides umbrellas already mentioned:

1. for $60-$80 range, photek softliter. I like the 46" one with silver insert, but there is 60" also.
2. $100-$120 range, QBox24" with grid
3. $300 - Kacey beauty dish with dual speedlite bracket

Ten Ounce wrote in post #13125029
Why is the on-flash diffuser a waste? I always thought they worked great for taking portraits.

Can you link some recommendations on a good stand/umbrella from Amazon?

Make a DIY diffuser and spend your money on other things!

Ten Ounce wrote in post #13126404
So these stands don't have the hotshoe mount for the flash, that's sold separately right?

Correct. Go for a cheap no brand name stand, sandbag them, and get a nice hotshoe mount adapter (Manfrotto seems reasonable), because it would suck if the flash fell off the hotshoe mount (the cheap Impact brand I bought doesn't secure my 430exii very well and is extremely wobbly).

Nics701 wrote in post #13127491
Correct. Go for a cheap no brand name stand, sandbag them, and get a nice hotshoe mount adapter (Manfrotto seems reasonable), because it would suck if the flash fell off the hotshoe mount (the cheap Impact brand I bought doesn't secure my 430exii very well and is extremely wobbly).

Is this the hotshoe mount adapter you're referring to?

http://www.amazon.com …TF8&qid=1316450​988&sr=8-3

Also, for the Eneloops batteries, are these the ones everyone is talking about? How long does it take to fully charge these once they die?

http://www.amazon.com …/B003VLAEPQ/ref​=de_a_smtd

Ten Ounce wrote in post #13127549
Is this the hotshoe mount adapter you're referring to?

http://www.amazon.com …TF8&qid=1316450​988&sr=8-3

Also, for the Eneloops batteries, are these the ones everyone is talking about? How long does it take to fully charge these once they die?

http://www.amazon.com …/B003VLAEPQ/ref​=de_a_smtd

This one:

http://www.amazon.com …r-Lite-tite/dp/B0000AE64T

No.

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …vel_Umbrella_Ad​apter.html

Thats a pretty good one.

Theres a hole at the bottom for the light stand, a small hole in the middle for an umbrella shaft, and a spigot with a 1/4 or 3/8 thread that goes at the top and screws into whatever radio triggers you're using.

Ten Ounce wrote in post #13127549
Is this the hotshoe mount adapter you're referring to?

http://www.amazon.com …TF8&qid=1316450​988&sr=8-3

I have been eyeing that myself lately lol, seems very good if you want to mount it on a door or something, or sit on the ground. But I was meaning this adapter for the stand http://www.amazon.com …TF8&qid=1316451​316&sr=8-4

Csae wrote in post #13125864
Which you are going to need. Right?

Sure, but you don't say "I want a new lens" and have someone chide you for not budgeting a new camera, flash, tripod, and quick release plates (which you're going to need, right?). My point was that a stand/umbrella can be had at fine quality for ~$30. Nothing more, nothing lens.

Csae wrote in post #13125864
Also a 10$ umbrella is asking for trouble, i'm sorry but it is.

I think my umbrella ran me someone around $15, and has been fine on many shoots for well over a year. It's a big obtrusive thing that is bound to get beat up. I'd much rather spend $15 on something that's easy to replace than $50 on something that I'm going to need to replace in about the same time frame, with no discernible difference in light quality. That's my philosophy anyways...

TheBurningCrown wrote in post #13127630
Sure, but you don't say "I want a new lens" and have someone chide you for not budgeting a new camera, flash, tripod, and quick release plates (which you're going to need, right?). My point was that a stand/umbrella can be had at fine quality for ~$30. Nothing more, nothing lens.

I think my umbrella ran me someone around $15, and has been fine on many shoots for well over a year. It's a big obtrusive thing that is bound to get beat up. I'd much rather spend $15 on something that's easy to replace than $50 on something that I'm going to need to replace in about the same time frame, with no discernible difference in light quality. That's my philosophy anyways...

But i will chide anyone who tells you that lens is only 100$ but doens't tell you about the adapter it needs to work on EF mounts or the fact that it runs off a special battery it needs replaced, etc.

The fact is it only takes a camera and a lens to work together, other stuff will be optional, but an umbrella and a stand will not work with a flash without a swivel, without a trigger, etc, The fact that to get it -working- you need some, 5x the amount you described is what rubbed me the wrong way.

Oh i got a great example! Let me sell you my 'super' cheap 70-200! I'll just forget to tell you that i unscrewed the EF mount, the focus indicator, the focus and zoom rings. Oh i'll let you have them np, for some extra.

Let me sell you something, and have you walk out with something non-functional untill you spend about 5x more, how would you feel?

Nics701 wrote in post #13127571
I have been eyeing that myself lately lol, seems very good if you want to mount it on a door or something, or sit on the ground. But I was meaning this adapter for the stand http://www.amazon.com …TF8&qid=1316451​316&sr=8-4

For 50$, its really not that great a deal, you can get a superclamp & swivel for around the same money and those are rock-solid and will mount and STAY on near about anything, if you want even MORE mounting options, get a screw type anchor from a hardware store, a huge one will run you maybe 10$ and have a huge diameter and again stay put no matter what, then just clamp the super clamp to it or drill a hole for the swivel adapter to screw into.

I can never have enough superclamps, and will never cease to stop finding ways to use them lol.

This question might be silly, but I don't need any wireless triggers if I'm using a 60D right? Thanks everyone for the recommendations, it's really helpful.

Ten Ounce wrote in post #13127700
This question might be silly, but I don't need any wireless triggers if I'm using a 60D right? Thanks everyone for the recommendations, it's really helpful.

"Additionally, the EOS 60D has a Speedlite transmitter built-in for convenient, full-featured wireless control of EX-series Speedlite flashes set as slave units."

You will be able to trigger the flash, but iirc this is a vision based system far inferior to even cheap ebay wireless radio triggers which aren't L.O.S. I could be wrong but thats what i remember off the top of my head. I think the build in system does let you use E-TTL wirelessly though which is pretty neat.

Csae wrote in post #13127664
But i will chide anyone who tells you that lens is only 100$ but doens't tell you about the adapter it needs to work on EF mounts or the fact that it runs off a special battery it needs replaced, etc.

But those are optional. That's the point. You don't need wireless triggers, you don't need rechargeable batteries. A flash stand works on the own without any of the above. That's exactly why the point is invalid.

Csae wrote in post #13127664
Oh i got a great example! Let me sell you my 'super' cheap 70-200! I'll just forget to tell you that i unscrewed the EF mount, the focus indicator, the focus and zoom rings. Oh i'll let you have them np, for some extra....Let me sell you something, and have you walk out with something non-functional untill you spend about 5x more, how would you feel?

Poor analogy. Those are necessary for the inherent function of the tool. Your "accessories" to a flash stand aren't. It's still functional without them.

Ten Ounce wrote in post #13127700
This question might be silly, but I don't need any wireless triggers if I'm using a 60D right? Thanks everyone for the recommendations, it's really helpful.

Not necessarily, no. The 60D wireless will work fine, though there are advantages to triggers (triggering third party flashes, range, ease of use, etc.).

I am not a big fan of the "built in" line of site triggers in the Canon cameras.

Radio triggers are much better in many ways.

TheBurningCrown wrote in post #13127730
But those are optional. That's the point. You don't need wireless triggers, you don't need rechargeable batteries. A flash stand works on the own without any of the above. That's exactly why the point is invalid.

Poor analogy. Those are necessary for the inherent function of the tool. Your "accessories" to a flash stand aren't. It's still functional without them.


Not necessarily, no. The 60D wireless will work fine, though there are advantages to triggers (triggering third party flashes, range, ease of use, etc.).

Cool, let me know how far and how "cheap" you go without rechargeables, without a swivel (Duct tape the umbrella much?) and how long you last on the build in wireless trigger.

I won't continue to debate with you, its obvious you're defending your point no matter how poor it is t'ill the end.

If you have time for some light reading, check out this thread I started a couple of years ago. I still use the stands and strobes but have since switched to the Pocket Wizard Plus II's simply so I can use them to trigger remote cameras in burst mode.

Alien Bees, Skyports, Light Stands Field report

Note: I used the stand and a 24 in Cheeta QBox with my 580EX II. Worked great outdoors for a senior shoot. I just hung my gear bag on the stand to weight it down.

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