Speedlights or monolights?

SunTsu wrote in post #16604083
...
- I can't remember when I bought my first Einstein, but it was close to when the 600EX-RT came out. I do love the Einstein for it's power, but I find I only use it a few times a year because o the hassle of setting it up, plugging it in, etc....

Interesting you find it a hassle to use the Einstein around the house. I just plug it in a bounce off the ceiling; guess one person hassle is not a hassle for another. However, I do agree I can be anywhere with the speed light and bounce in the house, especially if you are chasing them around the room. With speedlights, you are more mobile. That's why I told the OP to really think about how he/she will use the light before making a decision. I think in his/her case a speedlight might be best, especially if the OP get the suggested beginners kit recommend by the Strobist. He/she can have a small studio setup as well as mobility.

Did the OP chime in with what he/she decided? Curious.

I am going to start with a 2 speedlight setup, including stands and modifiers. Now my decision lies in which ones. If I go manual, the YN 560III or the V850s. If I go TTL, the YN 468 II or 568 II. I've been combing through reviews for a couple of days now, and I'm pretty set on the 560 III and the 622 triggers.

My Amazon cart looks like this right now:
2x Yongnuo 560III- $150
2 PBL 10' light stands- $63
3 YN622 transcievers- $120
2 hotshoe stand mounts with umbrella holders- $22
2 43" westcott umbrellas- $60
42" 5 reflector kit- $27
reflector arm- $30

About $470. Just under $500 with shipping. Still taking a few more days to read reviews and adjust, but I think this is pretty much what I will end up with.

ETTL. Off camera it's best to shoot manual for the sake of consistency. However, ETTl is incredibly useful when you're shooting "on the fly". What I often do when we go out is to set my camera up so that ambient background light is about 1.5 stops down, then I just use ETTL to get my subject exposed correctly, always bouncing the flash as I go.

Qlayer2 wrote in post #16604885
I am going to start with a 2 speedlight setup, including stands and modifiers. Now my decision lies in which ones. If I go manual, the YN 560III or the V850s. If I go TTL, the YN 468 II or 568 II. I've been combing through reviews for a couple of days now, and I'm pretty set on the 560 III and the 622 triggers.

My Amazon cart looks like this right now:
2x Yongnuo 560III- $150
2 PBL 10' light stands- $63
3 YN622 transcievers- $120
2 hotshoe stand mounts with umbrella holders- $22
2 43" westcott umbrellas- $60
42" 5 reflector kit- $27
reflector arm- $30

About $470. Just under $500 with shipping. Still taking a few more days to read reviews and adjust, but I think this is pretty much what I will end up with.

Why are you buying ETTL capable triggers, but manual flashes?

Flash assist beam and the ability to set my power settings from the camera. They also give me the ability to add more ETTL flashes in the future- I have a cheap one now.

Qlayer2 wrote in post #16604996
Flash assist beam and the ability to set my power settings from the camera. They also give me the ability to add more ETTL flashes in the future- I have a cheap one now.

Are you certain you can set the power on the 560II via the 622s?

That is what it appears from this manual: link

How does wireless manual control work?

The set-up is similar to E-TTL ratios, but in External flash func. setting > Flash mode you pick “Manual” instead of “E-TTL II”. You will then be able to set each of your independent flash groups – A, B or C – to manual power levels from 1/1 to 1/128.

Now that I read a few more reviews- it doesn't appear to work. Flash Havoc references a new 560 transmitter in the works that will allow it, but it doesn't appear to be out yet.

Back to comparing the TTL options (486, 568) and the 850.

I think you would be better off just getting a rf603 setup for now. Tecnology is evolving fast enough that there is no reason to overpay for capacity that you cant take advantage of.

Methodical wrote in post #16604806
Interesting you find it a hassle to use the Einstein around the house. I just plug it in a bounce off the ceiling; guess one person hassle is not a hassle for another. However, I do agree I can be anywhere with the speed light and bounce in the house, especially if you are chasing them around the room. With speedlights, you are more mobile. That's why I told the OP to really think about how he/she will use the light before making a decision. I think in his/her case a speedlight might be best, especially if the OP get the suggested beginners kit recommend by the Strobist. He/she can have a small studio setup as well as mobility.

Did the OP chime in with what he/she decided? Curious.

In my experience, the Einsteins are just enough hassle that I don't use them unless I'm doing set-up portraits of my kids. For shots around the house, I find it a hassle with respect to having to pull out a light stand, put a sandbag on the light stand, plug in the moonlight, attach a modifier. With the 600EX, I can just put the light on a foot and place it somewhere. I have transom windows above all my doors inside the house which essentially gives me a ledge to place flashes and bounce off the ceiling. Like the image here: http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com …240aa1511744995​339293.jpg
Because of the number of speedlights I have, I can leave them sitting around the house.

Qlayer2 wrote in post #16605086
Now that I read a few more reviews- it doesn't appear to work. Flash Havoc references a new 560 transmitter in the works that will allow it, but it doesn't appear to be out yet.

Back to comparing the TTL options (486, 568) and the 850.

I know you have a budget of $500 but if there is any way you can stretch it, the 600EX are just so easy to use. You press a dedicated hard button on one flash to be the master and set the other to slave and you're done. It's very reliable too. The only problem I've ever had with triggering is when one of the flashes is not yet charged (in which case, none of the flashes will fire).

SunTsu wrote in post #16605249
I know you have a budget of $500 but if there is any way you can stretch it, the 600EX are just so easy to use. You press a dedicated hard button on one flash to be the master and set the other to slave and you're done. It's very reliable too. The only problem I've ever had with triggering is when one of the flashes is not yet charged (in which case, none of the flashes will fire).

I don't think I could stretch it that far. One $500 speedlight means that stand/triggers/modifie​rs puts me at $700+ for one off camera light. If I were going to stretch it that far, I would probably go alien bee b800 + YN 468 TTL flash and still have a two light setup. but I'd rather not stretch it if I can.

@gonzogolf- the 603 was my original choice- if I stick with the manual flash, I probably will go that route since the 560III already accept the signal without additional receivers, and for the setup size I'm thinking of, setting the flash power manually isn't a big concern.

Qlayer2 wrote in post #16605292
@gonzogolf- the 603 was my original choice- if I stick with the manual flash, I probably will go that route since the 560III already accept the signal without additional receivers, and for the setup size I'm thinking of, setting the flash power manually isn't a big concern.

I've never found it to be a major issue, others seem quite hung up on it.

Qlayer2 wrote in post #16605086
Back to comparing the TTL options (486, 568) and the 850.

The 486 are over a stop less power, not really ideal for off camera in modifiers etc.

If you don't need HSS the YN-565EX are equal in power to the YN-568EX for around $120 each now. For HSS the YN-500EX are 1/2 a stop down and around $140.

The YN-568EX and YN-622C are nearly twice the price of the V850 and still not as nice to use. But they are worth the money if you need ETTL (and have the budget).

You can use one YN-622C on the camera just for the focus assist light, with the FT-16 or other transmitter on top .

Thanks for the tip- I have no interest in HSS. I'll take a look at the 565.

Don't overspend in the beginning honestly. Get a decent light stand, Yonguno lights and large umbrella like white/silver to shoot through or bounce.

You can get a really soft light shooting through the umbrella and practice on the go.

The monolights are great for studio and location you need a lot of light and/or need a lot of light but they aren't exactly the most portable setup either depending on the light modifier of course.

At home I just slap on the Yonguno and bounce it off the ceiling to take photos of my daughters. Easy, simple and works every single time.