What do i need ?

I know this has been asked a thousand times but i did a search and well got nothing..Well it was going to be a lot of sifting to get to my answer...

I am planning on buying a 580EX to go with my 430EX so i can do some strobist style work...

What do i need to make this happen transmitters etc....I would like to mount one on camera at first and shoot one through an umbrella moving to two on stands through umbrellas.....

Well you answered your own question...

Flash
Transmitters (pocketwizards)
Stands
Umbrellas

You don't need a transmitter until you want both flashes off camera.
You can use the 580EX as a master to the 430EX which will be set to slave. When you want both flashes off camera, hook up a pocketwizard to your camera and one to the 580EX so your camera will fire the 580EX which is the master to the 430EX, so it will then fire the 430EX (Of course a lost faster than it sounds).

I am not too good about equipment for light setups(As I am also just starting to deal with off camera lighting), so as far as that goes... Sorry, but someone else will need to help!

Good Luck!

Options here:
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=308108

Pocket Wizards
Are these a less expensive option than the Canon transmitter ??

CorzyPhoto wrote in post #5773236
Well you answered your own question...

Flash
Transmitters (pocketwizards)
Stands
Umbrellas

Your 580EX II will act as a transmitter.

rooeey wrote in post #5773383
Pocket Wizards
Are these a less expensive option than the Canon transmitter ??

As someone else here stated, you can use the 580EX as a master (if it's mounted on the hot shoe), therefore you won't need any transmitters.

If you get into both flashes being off-camera, you will need a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter will on on the camera, while the receiver will go on the 580EX flash.

If you decide to get two 430EX flashes instead of a 580EX and a 430EX, you will need one transmitter and two receivers as the 430EX flashes do not have a "master" slave built in.

Pocket Wizards make the transmitters and receivers. They are a bit on the expensive side, but I hear it is worth it. I am currently researching some of this as I'm getting into the strobist thing as well. There are other alternatives to transmitters and receivers - like Skyports (by Elinchrom) or Radio Poppers (which is a new item that you can find reviews on through Google).

There are also eBay transmitters and receivers which are a fraction of a price, but of course.. it's eBay.. so you are really getting what you pay for.
Example of an eBay transmitter/receiver kit:
http://cgi.ebay.com …EWNX:IT&item=13​0231860523

Basically, the transmitters and receivers work with radio waves. So the receiver detects the flash on the camera and then sends a signal to the receivers on the flash which detect the camera's flash and trigger the strobe/flash.

Skyports are about $107 for the transmitter and $100 for each receiver. PocketWizards are a bit more expensive, and I have no clue how much the Radio Poppers are.

I hope this was a little help to you as actually typing this out helped me better understand it as well.

Away from my rant... I believe you may only need the Canon transmitter to fire the 580EX (remember, the 580EX has a built in master). So having the 580EX with the 430EX and Canon transmitter is probably your best bang for your buck.

CorzyPhoto wrote in post #5776063
Away from my rant... I believe you may only need the Canon transmitter to fire the 580EX (remember, the 580EX has a built in master). So having the 580EX with the 430EX and Canon transmitter is probably your best bang for your buck.

I'll be utilizing the same setup soon...I believe that I'm going to use the ST-E2 instead of PW's or Skyports or Cactus V2's... I'd rather spend $200 for remote E-TTL firing than $100 for the TX unit, and $100 for each RX unit... and lose the ratio and ETTL capability (so I hear...)

Plus, I hear the IR on the ST-E2 helps with very low light (even complete darkness) focusing.

My only question is: Will it be possible to add a 3rd 430EX down the road on the same slave channel as the other one?

Slaving off of a transmitter? or off the 580EX?

Start here before you buy anything so you can make an informed decision on what you need:
http://strobist.blogsp​ot.com/2006/03/lightin​g-101.html

E-TTL is very nice if you have changing conditions (like wedding stuff) but in studio you can get away with the manual system and that gives you infinite more control than E-TTL ever will - and you will learn on a faster pace.
The St module is $200+ the 580 flash is $400. You can have a manual system with two $90 vivitar flash complimenting your 430 connected through PC sync cords (PC-to-hotshoe adapters are needed) and all the light stands umbrellas you ever gonna need. That's a really nice three light set-up and some money saved.

If you wanted to go wireless I recommend to stay away from the Ebay triggers. I have three of them and I want to cry every time I try to make them wotk. I can't wait the radiopooper jr ( http://radiopopper.com​/products/view/radiopo​pper_jr )to be in the stores, I'm gonna crush my ebay triggers with a big hammer when those show up.

CorzyPhoto wrote in post #5776704
Slaving off of a transmitter? or off the 580EX?

Sounds like rooeey is trying to get the same setup going as I am. Here's what my setup will probably be...hopefully this explains it...

• ST-E2 (on camera, obviously )
  
• 580EXII (slave - off camera - firing into umbrella)(already have it...)
  
• 430EXII (slave - off camera - firing into umbrella)

cvt01 wrote in post #5776719
Start here before you buy anything so you can make an informed decision on what you need:
http://strobist.blogsp​ot.com/2006/03/lightin​g-101.html

E-TTL is very nice if you have changing conditions (like wedding stuff) but in studio you can get away with the manual system and that gives you infinite more control than E-TTL ever will - and you will learn on a faster pace.
The St module is $200+ the 580 flash is $400. You can have a manual system with two $90 vivitar flash complimenting your 430 connected through PC sync cords (PC-to-hotshoe adapters are needed) and all the light stands umbrellas you ever gonna need. That's a really nice three light set-up and some money saved.

If you wanted to go wireless I recommend to stay away from the Ebay triggers. I have three of them and I want to cry every time I try to make them wotk. I can't wait the radiopooper jr ( http://radiopopper.com​/products/view/radiopo​pper_jr )to be in the stores, I'm gonna crush my ebay triggers with a big hammer when those show up.

I guess I'm going to have to take the advice from the experienced... Thank you sir.

Let me know how you go and i will you ....
and thanks for asking those pertananet questions i will now go with the 430ex 580ex and st-e2 transmitter it gives me the option of having the advantages you mentioned.....

Would you use shoot through or reflective style umbrellas ?

PMatthes wrote in post #5776787
Sounds like rooeey is trying to get the same setup going as I am. Here's what my setup will probably be...hopefully this explains it...

• ST-E2 (on camera, obviously )
  
• 580EXII (slave - off camera - firing into umbrella)(already have it...)
  
• 430EXII (slave - off camera - firing into umbrella)

Will the ST-E2 support simple manual mode firing of the 580/430 Canon flashes as well?

It depends what kind of light you want. Umbrellas are not that expensive, so you might want to get both. A shoot-through umbrella creates a softer light than a reflective umbrella. The light might be a little too harsh in different situations with the reflective umbrella, while the light might be too soft with a shoot-through umbrella. It really just depends what you want and what situation you are in.