Given the weather, I'm shooting more and more outside, and moving away from natural light / reflectors and back towards speedlights. Here's my debacle, what would you do:
I own:
- Canon 580ex II
- Canon Power Pack-E, used a bunch of C-cell batteries
- Vivitar 285HV
- 3 AB800's
- AB Ring Flash
- 2 rectangular & 1 octa softbox
- 1 Beauty Dish
1. I like using the 285 because it's dead simple, I have a mpex hotshoe > 1/8" adapter for my trigger and it just works great. It's also super cheap, if it falls over from a gust of wind, I'm out a $80 flash unit, no biggie. Downside is the recycle time blows chunks and I'm stuck at 1/200th sync speed. Solution: http://www.aljacobs.com
Black Box + sync cable, near instant recycle times but at a cost of $245. Weight = 2lbs. 2. 580ex II + existing power pack, perhaps look into rechargeable C-cell batteries since buying them can get spendy. Cost = $0, I already own everything. Downside, if it falls over I'm out a $450 flash unit. Ideally, though, I'd like to get these http://www.phottix.com …sh-trigger-for-canon.html
so I can utilize high speed sync for shallow depth of field when shooting models, cost $385. 3. Vagabond Mini Lith power pack for the ABs, http://www.paulcbuff.com/vm120.php
. I can power TWO ABs on location with one 3.5 battery, cost is $240, so it's a wash with option 1 already. Downside, carrying one or two ABs can be a total pain and no high speed sync, total upside is FAR more controllable power, far more power overall, easily use two units. Not sure what the best use of money is. I know that the Odin system is probably what I should do, since I already have a power pack, even though it's the most expensive option, it would be the most flexible I think, and the easiest to carry. Additional 430 flashes are $260 + $125 for another Odin receiver, so adding a 2nd light isn't exactly cheap, but the gains are still very portable, high speed sync and controllable via transmitter.
Thoughts / input / suggestion?
