Strobist Gearing Arriving!!

As promised I am posting the pics of the gear I recently ordered. It's coming in three separate shipments so I'll take quick shots of each and add them to this thread. I'll let you know my overall initial reaction to quality and such so that if anyone else out there is looking at this specific equipment they'll have a type of review.

The first box, the smallest of the three, included the following:

1. 2 Used Nikon SB-80DXs from B&H. Qualities were listed as 9 and 9+. They are smaller than my Canon 580EX. Both came with original bags. One with the original diffuser. No manuals, no original boxes but well backed. Both appear in excellent condition and are in working condition.
   
2. Roscoe Black Matte Cinefoil 12" x 50' - recommended by a photographer for making gobos, barn doors, snoots, etc. for the flash units. It's a lot but it's the smallest quantity they offered. Will be using it for years to come. Easy to make and really light in the lighting bag.
   
3. Avenger C1000 Ceiling Scissor Clamp - useful when you want a flash mounted from a suspended ceiling in homes or offices - just add an umbrella mount and your flash unit! I started with one. They're really light and inexpensive. If I have the need for another one, I'll add it to a future purchase. Good quality, easy to use.

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Neat stuff. I went fully Canon. I need a second tripod on which to mount my 430EX but then I'm done for the moment.

nikons? blasphemy I say!

enjoy the kit and lets see some results already!

That was the basis of my kit when I started building it a few years ago. I was even shooting Nikon at the time The kit has evolved, but I think my first purchase was basically just like yours. Two Nikon Speedlights, cinefoil, couple of small light stands so I wouldn't have to use my studio stands any more, an assortment of clamps, and a couple umbrellas. Since then its grown to include more.

Looking forward to watching how your kit grow with each shipment

Okay, here's the next installment. I received all my gear from B&H yesterday!! Yipee. It's Christmas. I still have a few other things that I ordered to go with all this but this is the mother load. (Will post the other things as they arrive, of course.)
I'm going to add several posts so that it's easier for me to explain what's in each picture and what my initial impressions were in regards to quality and whether I love it or wish I had purchased something else. Hopefully it will help someone else who is or will be going through the research and trying to make up their minds. I find it especially difficult since I don't have access to a good photography shop in my area to either buy from or at least get to see and handle the equipment before I invest in it. I did make a few purchases that I'm not overly impressed with and would have either bought something else, a different brand, or a more expensive version. Overall, I'm pretty excited though.

The first item is the Elinchrom Universal Skyports. For anyone who doesn't know, these are an alternative to the Pocket Wizards. They are quite a bit less expensive and, from what I've heard, quite a bit smaller. I've included a standard business card in the picture to give you an idea of their size.

I went with 1 kit, which includes one transmitter and one receiver, plus two more receivers that are bought separately. That means that I'll have 3 wireless flashes available to me ( I with my 580ex, and 2 with the used nikon SB-80s I just purchased). The transmitter uses a large watch type battery (supplied) while the receiver have built in recharagable batteries. Elinchrom even sends an extra battery drawer in case it gets broken or lost. They are very small and light. If you're hard on your gear, the antennae might be too flimsy for you, but that's not a problem for me. It came with the case which will hold all four units quite nicely and will protect them in my bag. They offer 8 channels and 4 groups.

I haven't used them yet, since I haven't received the cables from flashzebra yet, but I did charge them up (which took maybe two hours max). I'll post more when I can actually experiment with them.

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Cathpah wrote in post #4192456
nikons? blasphemy I say!

enjoy the kit and lets see some results already!

I would have loved to have purchased two more Canon 580s but even the used ones were almost twice the price I got the Nikons for. I debated back and forth, but the Nikons look like they'll be a nice addition. I'm just glad we have the option to go with flashes other than Canon!!!

I'll get some pics up once everything comes in. (Need my adaptors from FlashZebra, Lon sent them right out but the Canadian border is being lazy or overly strict!!)

I'm very happy with my 580, 430 and 420. I might get a second 580 and an STE-2 (Surely the STE-3 can't be that far in coming).

The Skyports look sweet. Can you use these to remotely fire the strobes with the L358 Sekonic flash meter like PW's in order to meter the light?

When you get all your gear could you add up your total cost and take a pic of all the gear?

shooterman wrote in post #4196305
The Skyports look sweet. Can you use these to remotely fire the strobes with the L358 Sekonic flash meter like PW's in order to meter the light?

I'm not sure, Shooterman. I didn't get the L358 version meter, just the 308S so I wouldn't even be able to test it out for you. If I come across someone locally who happens to have that meter, I'll borrow it and try. If, if I ever upgrade, but that won't be for a while. Maybe someone else on the forum has both and will let you know.

In2Photos wrote in post #4196355
When you get all your gear could you add up your total cost and take a pic of all the gear?

Do you want the total of just what I just bought? Or to include the other gear I already have that I'll be using with my setup? (ex. Canon 580, other stands, mounts, umbrellas, etc.)

I didn't take a picture of everything all together yet, but I certainly can if you want.

photosytes wrote in post #4196621
Do you want the total of just what I just bought? Or to include the other gear I already have that I'll be using with my setup? (ex. Canon 580, other stands, mounts, umbrellas, etc.)

I didn't take a picture of everything all together yet, but I certainly can if you want.

It would be nice to know the entire amount for everything needed to shoot, except camera and lens. So any stands, brackets, umbrellas, would be great.

Okay, while I'm already online, let me post another part of the gear I just received.

First is the Sekonic L-308S Flashmate. (Measures flash, ambient and reflected light). It is quite small, comes with a vinyl case that can go on a belt. Battery included. And the attachment in from of the actual meter is the lumidisc which comes in that little bag beside it. Looks like something that could be lost easily since the bag doesn't fit into the case and is just a little vinyl draw string bag. I'll have to either keep it somewhere safe or figure out some other way to store conveniently.

It doesn't have all the bells and whistle of the higher end models but I'm sure it will do for me for quite a while. You can find reviews online of people who love the size and find it quite accurate. You can either use a Synchro cord or you can set the meter using the cordless flash mode (will take the measurement when the flash is triggered within a maximum of 90 secs from the time it is set).

I did find it very light and somewhat 'plasticy' but not flimsy. I am use to using a Gossen Luna Pro which, obviously, has a completely different feel.

As you can see from the picture, it does have a digital readout

The bottom picture contains a two P-Series (85mm) filters from Hitech. It one on the right is a Neutral Density 0.9 (3 stops) resin filter and beside that is a Graduated ND 0.9 Soft Edge resin filter.

The Cokin Filter Wallet is bigger, bulkier than I imagined. I was wanting something to carry P series filters in while I was shooting outdoors. At this moment I only have three filters (the two above and a Singh-Ray polarizer, which I love!!) and will probably get the 0.6 version of the Grad ND and ND in the future. I read a review, on B&H's website that claimed "This wallet easily holds 7 filters (including the taller graduated filters)" but I would not emphasize the word "easily". I could probably put the longer graduated filter in a middle slot but it's alittle snug, but I don't see a choice. Not the "easily" I was hoping for. Other than that, you can fit 7-9 filters in this case or 7+ adaptor and rings (even with the supplied 'boxes' although the filter do fit into protector dividers.

Okay, will add more later. If anyone wants any details or specs on any of this equipment... or more detailed pics and anything specific, please let me know.

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Is the lightmeter going to be used inside and outside?
How do you see the benefit knowing you can meter with the meter of your cam?
Thanks.

risto

risto wrote in post #4197874
Is the lightmeter going to be used inside and outside?
How do you see the benefit knowing you can meter with the meter of your cam?
Thanks.

risto

I could spend a long time trying to explain, but instead I'll add a bunch of links since there are so many out there that have answered this exact question, with examples to help better illustrate the benefits of using a light meter (Or of using the internal light meter properly).

• http://www.ephotozine.​com …g-a-hand-held-light-meter
  
• http://www.kodak.com …/techInfo/af9/i​ndex.shtml
  
• http://www.acecam.com/​magazine/gray-card.html
  
• http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorial​s/meters.shtml
  
• http://www.simvideo.co​m …oads/UsingaLigh​tMeter.pdf
  
• http://www.vividlight.​com/articles/512.htm (In-Camera vs. Handheld Light Meters by Chuck McKern )

• http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=EVaeps5ypno
  
• http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=wa4ZuG8Ax4A
  
• http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=NfKzY4wMixQ