pls guide me i am a complete idiot

hi
from the information i have gathered reading here, i am still confused please help me archive what i want to do a couple of question.

Q. i have to get a flash that can be set to manual power and "dialed down," as many experts suggest. how can i find out which flash unit will work and let me manually control it is there any website where i can get this info or can you guys give me some flash models that i can buy.

Q.i have to buy a flash that can be triggered externally via camera's PC connection...will the canon EZ flashs have pc connections and dose anyone know if they can be controlled manually i assume they must have these two basic features?

people who have 3 flashes connected please can you take a minute and say how and what units you use .

any help greatly appreciated

1. Most flashes have manual settings. Actually I would be suprised if you could find more than a handful that didn't have manual settings. Also, atleast with my XTi, I have some manual control over an external flash from the camera side of things as well.

2. There are MANY ways of triggering a flash that is not on the camera. There are both wired and wireless options. Any hot-shoe flash can be adapted to use the PC remote with the right parts.

i have a 380 ex that has no manual control will that still work with other flashes

Here's a great web page for specs and features of Canon Speedlites.
http://photonotes.org/​lookup/

The Canon Speedlites that have adjustable manual control and are compatible with the E-TTL II metering system of your 40D are the (current) 430EX and the 580EX II and the (discontinued) 550EX and 580EX.

Among those, the only unit with a PC socket is the 580EX II. The others can quite easily be used with a hotshoe adapter.

What's your budget? These are pretty cheap & mine have worked for decades: Simple "every-day-emergency" location lighting

I bought 2 Nikon SB28's on ebay for £60 each for my impending strobist experiments. PC socket and adjustable down to 1/64th power. I take it you've read the strobist blog?

Mr B Snappy wrote in post #5445435
I bought 2 Nikon SB28's on ebay for £60 each for my impending strobist experiments. PC socket and adjustable down to 1/64th power. I take it you've read the strobist blog?

yes i have been on storbist got some info from there, i have been looking at nikon sb24, and sunpack vivitar so hopefully i can start now that i have some basic info also been looking at triggers on ebay any recommendations?

I bought the cactus triggers from gadget infinity fully knowing that they're not the greatest, but there's nothing else really in that price range. I then spent a bit of time one evening experimenting with the antenna mod 'cos I wasn't impressed with the range. I ended up with a stubby 433Mhz antenna I bought for £6 which has more than quadrupled the range. The rest of the stuff I picked up has only just arrived so I've not really had a chance to play yet.