Canon 600EX vs current flash and PW's

Hi, I'd like to have a small portrait studio, something with one or two lights and a soft box.

I have a canon 430EX first generation that I could use only if I buy transmitters like Pocket Wizards.

Currently the Canon 600EX is on sale at my local shop for 429.99$ CAD so I was thinking of maybe buying the flash instead of 2 PW's.

As the 600EX can be controlled remotely I'm not sure which way to go with this

Thanks a lot

Jonathan

You need to read more, the 600ex can only be controlled remotely if you have another one to serve as a master or an ST-E3. You would be better off to buy a second flash and some YN622c triggers (not pocket wizards). Much cheaper too.

gonzogolf wrote in post #16482080
You need to read more, the 600ex can only be controlled remotely if you have another one to serve as a master or an ST-E3. You would be better off to buy a second flash and some YN622c triggers (not pocket wizards). Much cheaper too.

+1 ^^^

Gonzo has offered a good alternative.
In your original post you did not mention your camera, just a speedlite and desire to do portraits.
Portraiture can be a challenging endeavor with speedlites. Its doable but generally in a studio environment larger lights are used.

There are a number of threads about portrait lighting here and many YouTube videos. Some not so good and other quite informative.

If you can provide more information our suggestions will also be more constructive.

dmward wrote in post #16482438
Gonzo has offered a good alternative.
In your original post you did not mention your camera, just a speedlite and desire to do portraits.
Portraiture can be a challenging endeavor with speedlites. Its doable but generally in a studio environment larger lights are used.

There are a number of threads about portrait lighting here and many YouTube videos. Some not so good and other quite informative.

If you can provide more information our suggestions will also be more constructive.

Depends if you're going indoors or outdoors... outdoors speedlites will win in flexibility every time. In doors, strobes are much more cost effective

Hey, I'm working on a 7D. Someone told me that 7D's could trigger the 600EX with radio signal, I guess he was wrong ...

I want to do close-ups portraits, maybe from time to time head to toe. Mainly inside shoots.

I was looking to get a quite large soft box and another fill light.

So, I should buy a good flash and some Yongnuo YN-622C wireless flash trigger/transceiver ?

Thanks

If you want to merely 'illuminate' the subject and not necessarily learn to light subjects well, use a speedlite.

If you want to learn to light the subject in a flattering manner, get a studio strobe with modeling light (or even use constant output lights like tungsten or LED)

Wilt, learning to light a subject takes a lot more than a monolight with a modeling light.
It takes practice, testing and more practice and testing. whether one uses a speedlite, monolight or constant light source is irrelevant.

As for the OP, speedlites are low powered and that becomes a limiting factor when adding modifiers.

I've shot lots of portraits with speedlites.

This was shot with two speedlites in Apollo type modifiers.

dmward wrote in post #16482816
Wilt, learning to light a subject takes a lot more than a monolight with a modeling light.
It takes practice, testing and more practice and testing. whether one uses a speedlite, monolight or constant light source is irrelevant.

But you severely handicap yourself in the speed of learning, by forcing yourself to [Set lights in a position blindly, then take a shot, then look at the result on a suitably large monitor] then repeat until satisfied!

I take novices who want to learn lighting, and set them in front of a volunteer model and use desk lamps to move the lighting about the head, so that they IMMEDIATELY SEE the effect of light placement at various positions. The same process can be done with light modifiers...one head without modifier, one head with modifier and quickly alternate between A and B so that they IMMEDIATELY SEE the difference. Lighting students might wonder about the difference between two grid modifiers...so put one on head A and other on head B and IMMEDIATELY SEE the difference! You rapidly see principles in action, in real time. learning hairlight placement and modifier type and intensity adjustment to suit hair color?...far easier to learn what works and what does not, when the source is constant!

The original masters of lighting had constant sources. They didn't set the subject vs. the lighting sources BLINDLY, as we have to do with speedlights.

I posted a thread on POTN within the past few months about how a constant source allowed me to judge precisely how to set heads to not only NOT illuminated the background, but also to put a glint in a precise location because I could see the effect without taking a photo. To do this in a trial and error manner with speedlights would have been a frustrating waste of time.

https://photography-on-the.net …hp?p=16171551&p​ostcount=1

Wilt,
Your description of process supports my point. Practice, experiment and practice some more.
30 years ago, when all the lights in the studio were constant sources we would spend hours getting it just the way we wanted it.

The problem with digital, in my view, is that too many photographers think OK is good enough since they can fix it in photoshop.

I Its easy to add a modeling light to a speedlite. That's why they sell LED pocket flashlights.

What surprises me is how many seminar attendees are amazed when its suggested that they should take out their lighting kit and camera and practice at home.

My point, and I think you're making the same one, is that a novice can't take a monolight, speedlite, or constant light and get it right the first time. It takes practice. And, once the basics are learned and refinements are stored in memory (experience) then one can use a speedlite and do the same job they would do with a constant light, or a monoiight with a modeling light.

Another advantage with digital; the LCD is much better than the Polaroids we used to shoot by the basket full so the art director could approve the shot.