Setting up two

Hi,
I have recently bought the Sigma 530 super and two light stands. Now I am wanting to buy more lights for the stands. What are my options? I know my sigma acts as a master. So I was thinking about using it on the camera and having two other on the stands. When I use the sigma off camera I have to use the cameras pop-up-flash and it gets quite annoying when it does the pre-flash and triggers the Sigma. I do not really want to spend that much money so I was thinking of a couple of sunpak/vivitar's with a slave receiver? Would this work and also what type of slave would I need? Would buying a Cactus transmitter and 3 receivers make more sense than slaving the two new flash's to the Sigma?

What do you recommend?
Sorry I'm new to this!

Thanks
_no

Anyone?

I probably won't be able to give you the best answer; however, I can ask you one of the first question that everyone will want to know: "what do you plan on shooting with your lights?"

I would forget about the pop up flash if you are shooting people as it will just give you the dreaded red eye.

I agree with the pop-up, it's no good at all.
Yes, I mainly plan on shooting portraits indoors.

I thought about getting two more Sigma 530's and Mastering one and having the other two as slaves in the umbrellas. But.... thats $$$

I'm not sure how the IR works; do you shoot in ETTL or M?

Shooting in M will give you more control over the light. If you trigger your flashes w/ a radio reciever then you can buy cheaper flashes which would offset the costs of the radio trigger and recievers a bit.

Yes, I would be in M if possible. The thing I am trying to figure out it how to us the Sigma on camera. Would the Sigma be able to trigger a slave receiver if set to master?

You need another Sigma to be able to use in ETTL master/slave mode. Non dedicated flash can not be use in auto flash mode.

If you can bounce the flash off the ceiling, I can suggest a simple method that I use a lot. Use a Sunpak or Vivitar on camera bouncing straight up and off the ceiling as fill light, and set the Sigma to optical slave mode as the main light. Both flashes and camera in M mode of course.

Buy some radio triggers from Ebay or Gadget Infinity. Simple and effective and cheap and works in sunlight also.

Lotto wrote in post #5940438
You need another Sigma to be able to use in ETTL master/slave mode. Non dedicated flash can not be use in auto flash mode.

If you can bounce the flash off the ceiling, I can suggest a simple method that I use a lot. Use a Sunpak or Vivitar on camera bouncing straight up and off the ceiling as fill light, and set the Sigma to optical slave mode as the main light. Both flashes and camera in M mode of course.

Wound the flash on the camera trigger the sigma?

pellepiano wrote in post #5940455
Buy some radio triggers from Ebay or Gadget Infinity. Simple and effective and cheap and works in sunlight also.

Are those worth it? Or should I save the money for some better ones?

the sigma has a built-in optical sensor, so when put in the right slave mode any flash will set it off.

I have ebay triggers and only use one of them on my main flash (540EX)... that flash triggers my three 500 Supers

Thanks, thats what I was looking for.