$1300 budget: What should i get?

so i have around $1300 and i would like to get into the whole strobist thing. in your opinion what should i get so that i can have almost everything i need?

Thanks

Check out the strobist kits at Midwest Photo Exchange- you can get a complete kit for well under your budget:

http://www.mpex.com/pa​ge.htm?PG=Strobist%20K​its

bryan k wrote in post #5754373
Check out the strobist kits at Midwest Photo Exchange- you can get a complete kit for well under your budget:

http://www.mpex.com/pa​ge.htm?PG=Strobist%20K​its

ive looked at those...... but i have a few concerns. i want to be wireless but i hear the ebay triggers have like a 40% failure rate which would get me very angry. and i still havent decided if i want go vivitar or 430ex, cus i would like to be able to use the flash on my camera when im out. i dunno tho cus i had planned to have 2 flashes but im not sure if i am still going to do that

I went with the V2s "cheap" triggers and they work fine. I also got some hotshoe adapters and PC cables so I can do wired if I really need to be sure they will fire. For what its worth, I have had no issues with the cheap v2s wireless triggers... Not sure who is reporting a 40% failure rate....

Im sure they aren't as reliable or well built as poclet wizards or other more expensive alternatives, but I know I have a tendancy to buy something to mess around with and may not use it often enough to warrant the several hundred dollar expense of the "better" wireless triggers...

I would rather put the money towards a 580exII or a lens....

But thats just me. Many people start with the v2s triggers and upgrade to the PW later on...

Also- I would suggest you get the best flash you can afford for "everyday" use. I have my 550ex which I may throw in to my strobist setup if needed, but I bought 2 Sunpak 383s just for the strobist stuff. I would think a 430 or 580 flash would be a much better use of the $$$ you would spend on PWs...

Hobbyist or professional?

bryan k wrote in post #5754488
I went with the V2s "cheap" triggers and they work fine. I also got some hotshoe adapters and PC cables so I can do wired if I really need to be sure they will fire. For what its worth, I have had no issues with the cheap v2s wireless triggers... Not sure who is reporting a 40% failure rate....

Im sure they aren't as reliable or well built as poclet wizards or other more expensive alternatives, but I know I have a tendancy to buy something to mess around with and may not use it often enough to warrant the several hundred dollar expense of the "better" wireless triggers...

I would rather put the money towards a 580exII or a lens....

But thats just me. Many people start with the v2s triggers and upgrade to the PW later on...

o ok thats good to hear then. i think it was on some youtube video or something.

bryan k wrote in post #5754511
Also- I would suggest you get the best flash you can afford for "everyday" use. I have my 550ex which I may throw in to my strobist setup if needed, but I bought 2 Sunpak 383s just for the strobist stuff. I would think a 430 or 580 flash would be a much better use of the $$$ you would spend on PWs...

i think i might get 2 wireless sets w/o flash and get 2 430ex's. and if i reallllllly get into it then i might get some pw's later.

tim wrote in post #5754720
Hobbyist or professional?

im 16 soo........ id say Hobbyist,for now .

Get the cheap triggers to start with, you can always upgrade later. Read the strobist for the antenna mod, that helps.

tim wrote in post #5754970
Get the cheap triggers to start with, you can always upgrade later. Read the strobist for the antenna mod, that helps.

okay i think that what im going to do. and ill bookmark the antenna mod!
thanks tim

is there something i need so that the cactus reciever will work with the 430ex?
like a hotshoe adapter or something?

mackidbrendan wrote in post #5755009
is there something i need so that the cactus reciever will work with the 430ex?
like a hotshoe adapter or something?

I bought 3 v2s receivers for my 2 sunpak 383 and my canon 550ex. Those work fine for wireless. I bought a hot shoe adapter which has a PC connection so I could use a wired config as well.