Off-camera flash need not be difficult, nor expensive.

Alright, thanks for all your help Curtis Im pretty sure I understand now, lol! The guy at the camera store must have been smoking the cheap stuff because he was pretty hardcore on trying to get me to buy the 580ex because 'there was no way the 430ex would work!'

Would something like this: http://www.amazon.com …ics&qid=1205594​104&sr=8-6 be an even better solution since it cancels out the pre-flash of my 430ex? That way I could use my main in ETTL mode. Ive got $30 from amazon for being approved for a credit card so I could get two for the price of one pretty much!

There are several "digital slave" sensors out there that supposedly ignore the pre-flash. I haven't used one, nor have I seen any thorough reviews. What little anecdotal comments I have seen have not been favorable. Also, I don't know how well they would work with a manual master (no pre-flash), so I can't recommend them.

When you get to experimenting with this stuff, you'll realize that having one E-TTL flash amongst other manual flashes is not very advantageous.

Alright good to know. Ill keep looking around for good slave flash unless you can recommend one.

Check the link back in post #116.

http://photography.sea​rch.ebay.com …1QQsabfmtsZ1QQs​acatZ30084
Something like this is the simplest solution, no cords needed.

Curtis N wrote in post #5118392
Make sure the flip-down diffuser panel is pushed in all the way.

That did it! Thanks!

Alright! Won both my sunpaks! Gettin my optical slaves delivered and we'll be in business! Is it better to use umbrellas or softboxes for diffusing the light off of the flashes? Which ever, im going to pick two of those up and rig up some light stands using PVC pipes. Any good PVC pipe light stand plans?

OK, I have read all the sticky’s on lighting and yours was most appealing because I saw the word “cheap” attached to it. First let me tell you I am starting from scratch the only flash I have is the pop up unit on my XT. I have no lighting equipment. I would prefer to not use my pop up flash if I don't have to. What I would like to do is have two flash units set up with umbrellas.

This is what I gather that I will need along with prices I gathered from Amazon to get me an idea of the cost:

2 – Sunpak 383 flash units at $74 each
Hot shoe PC cord adapters at $12
PC cord at $6
2 - Westcott light stands at $30 each
This gives me setup costs of around $225.

Let me know what I am missing and I will look up the cost myself.

And please tell me why would I not just get this kit from B & H instead? http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …F_2U_Thrifty_2_​Flash.html

Oh, and I am using a 350D (XT) camera.

Thanks

HoosierJoe wrote in post #5129779
OK, I have read all the sticky’s on lighting and yours was most appealing because I saw the word “cheap” attached to it. First let me tell you I am starting from scratch the only flash I have is the pop up unit on my XT. I have no lighting equipment. I would prefer to not use my pop up flash if I don't have to. What I would like to do is have two flash units set up with umbrellas.

This is what I gather that I will need along with prices I gathered from Amazon to get me an idea of the cost:

2 – Sunpak 383 flash units at $74 each
Hot shoe PC cord adapters at $12
PC cord at $6
2 - Westcott light stands at $30 each
This gives me setup costs of around $225.

Let me know what I am missing and I will look up the cost myself.

And please tell me why would I not just get this kit from B & H instead? http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …F_2U_Thrifty_2_​Flash.html

Oh, and I am using a 350D (XT) camera.

Thanks

I picked up two sunpaks on ebay for $105 shipped. Check that route first.

HoosierJoe wrote in post #5129779
please tell me why would I not just get this kit from B & H instead? http://www.bhphotovide​o.com/c/product/121854​-REG/Smith_Victor_40145​5_KF_2U_Thrifty_2_Flas​h.html

Those lights have no power adjustment. Full power, all the time. Also, they require AC current.

To fire two Sunpak 383s off-camera with your RebelXT, you need
1 - Hotshoe - PC cord adapter for your camera
1 - Male-female PC cord (15 ft. length is common)
1 - Optical slave for the second flash

The Sunpak 383 comes with a short sync cord so you don't need hotshoe adapters for those flash units.
Add light stands, umbrella brackets and umbrellas to taste.

Curtis N wrote in post #5131698
Those lights have no power adjustment. Full power, all the time. Also, they require AC current.

To fire two Sunpak 383s off-camera with your RebelXT, you need
1 - Hotshoe - PC cord adapter for your camera
1 - Male-female PC cord (15 ft. length is common)
1 - Optical slave for the second flash

The Sunpak 383 comes with a short sync cord so you don't need hotshoe adapters for those flash units.
Add light stands, umbrella brackets and umbrellas to taste.

thank you. Exactly what I wanted to know.

This is a great thread.

Here is what I came up with for anyone else interested in the setup you describe. Of course all of this equipment is new. I intend to shop around and see what's out there before moving on this.

FLASH STROBE UNITS WITH UMBRELLAS

To fire two Sunpak 383s off-camera with your RebelXT, you need


2 – Sunpak 383 $79.95 each
1 - Hotshoe - PC cord adapter for your camera $9.95 (adorama)
1 - Male-female PC cord (15 ft. length is common) $9.95 (B&H)
1 - Optical slave for the second flash $19.95 (adorama)
2 – light stands $19.95 each (B&H)
2 - umbrella brackets $13.95 each (B&H)
2 – umbrella $12.95 each (adorama)

One setup would be $146.70

Add the other unit for additional $146.75

Total expenditure of $293.45. Not including tax and shipping of course.

Now, to break it to the wife ...

Would this 2 Sunpak setup listed above work well in lighting as many as 3 person portraits?

It would work a whole lot better than nothing, and probably not quite as well as a professional setup of studio strobes.

But it's a whole lot of bang-for-buck for less than $300.

Curtis N wrote in post #2345897
This image of my kitchen counter is honestly my first off-camera shot with the Sunpak. I set it up (camera right) on a stand with an umbrella and an optical slave attachment. I set the flash at f/8. I used the Canon 177A on the hotshoe in automatic mode at f/2.8 (With these settings, the light from the 177A would be 3 stops underexposed and not contribute much to the shot, but it would be enough to trigger the slave.). The camera was set to 1/250 and f/8. The result was directional, yet soft light that I could swear was coming from a window if I didn’t know any better.

Could I put my 177A on the hotshoe in auto mode and use it to trigger my 430ex as a slave? or would that not work? I dont have any cords or anything, would I need any additional equipment to fire the 430 as a slave?
I had ordered a used sunpak 383 but adorama canceled the order because the used one did not pass their inspection.
Can the 177A only be used on camera or is there a way for it to work off camera? what would I need to make it work off camera. All I have is the flash, no cords or anything.