noob: help me out. 580exII or some real lighting

so i'd like to take my photography to the next level and start venturing into the world of lighting. I take a fair amount of portrait photos and indoor photos more so than outdoors to say the least.

I am debating between the 580exII or some combo of indoor lighting instead such as 2 B400. as they would equal about the same price.

what am I better off beginning with?

or scrap lighting and get some better glass. I'm using a 350D w/ kit lens and a 50mm 1.8II

most people will tell you to start with one flash...whether you're talking about an off camera flash or studio lighting. because of that, why not have that first flash be a flash you can use wherever...such as a 580ex?

if you can find a used 580ex (not II) you might be able to save some bucks as well. the II version has mostly advantages that are really only usable with a 1dmk3

The big difference in the 580EX II, really, is the PC Sync port, which allows you to sync it right along with other studio-type lights and speedlights with a standard sync connection. If you can't afford the 580EX II, you're probably better off either buying an older, different brand speedlight that can sync that way, or just going and buying real studio lights.

IMO single flash is enough. either go with 580 II and get gadget infinity triggers (so you can have it off camera) or get a cheaper flash (such as vivitar 285HV) and buy some pocketwizards (if your serious). as the time goes you can always buy more flashes/triggers and get very decent results. take a read on http://strobist.blogsp​ot.com

i second laimis' response. i'm short funds for strobes myself so i went with 285HVs, but splurged later on pocket wizards. i needed reliable triggering in small gyms and outdoors, so the 285HVs made sense for me. just get whatever you buy off the camera. start simple with just one unit. learn it and see where you go.

seeing as how the 580 II is relatively new, i assume it should be a worth while investment in where ever my photography leads me, in the future another flash unit so i can play around with master and slave options and whatnot.

burrito wrote in post #3675251
seeing as how the 580 II is relatively new, i assume it should be a worth while investment in where ever my photography leads me, in the future another flash unit so i can play around with master and slave options and whatnot.

Exactly the route I took

Got one flash (580 EX II) learned to use it one camera.
Got a second flash (580EX II) and I am nowing learning to use off camera flash. I generally turn the on camera flash off and use it to trigger the off camera flash, as I'm trying to learn to light with only one light and having it off camera with E TTL is great in my learning.

As metioned above Strobist is a good place for flash photography. PlanetNeil, which has great info. Last but certainly not least you'll want to read the Flash Photographychapters 1-4 by our very own Curtis N "Master Flasher"

Hope this helps