Is my small flash plan reasonable?

I currently have a 5D and a 430EX. I want to get off camera for just a few scenarios:
1. Shoot into an umbrella off to one side for portraits
2. Two flashes behind me to evenly light group shots
3. Same as (1) but with a second flash for rim light

Of these I want #1 for the moment and I'll add a second flash down the road.

My first thought was to simply get a 10' PC cord for $50 but I have visions of tripping over it.

So my current plan is to simply get the ST-E2 and add a second 430EX down the road. It seems like this would be handy, with the bonus of E-TTL when I want to use it. Is there any reason the ST-E2 wouldn't be a good choice?

I have heard about the range and line of sight issues, and I'm not worried about the range. As for line of sight.....are there limits on the direction the flash can be? Can the flash be behind the camera?

For a few extra bucks why not just get a Canon flash with Master capabilities like the 580 or a used 550? I can't see paying for an ST-E2 for the money they want for it and NOT being able to use for anything other than a trigger. With another Canon flash you can use it to trigger AND use it as a second flash.

Based on limited use of the ST-E2, generally speaking it will work much better indoors than out, giving a wider range of slave locations. I'm not sure even inside it would be dependable with the slave behind the camera. It will NOT be dependable outside with the slave behind the camera and I would not consider it dependable outside, period.

I've gone with the AB radio triggers for my AB lights and just ordered the new CyberSync units to upgrade the AB RFT1s. $130 for the transmitter and one receiver with additional battery receivers costing $70 is a deal for reliable radio triggers. Coupled with a full price credit for my RFT1s and it was an offer I couldn't refuse.

Dermit wrote in post #5936343
For a few extra bucks why not just get a Canon flash with Master capabilities like the 580 or a used 550? I can't see paying for an ST-E2 for the money they want for it and NOT being able to use for anything other than a trigger. With another Canon flash you can use it to trigger AND use it as a second flash.

I kind of agree, except there are just about zero times I'm going to want a 580EX firing from the camera plus another flash off camera. So the flash+master function in the hotshoe isn't super attractive.

I could buy a 580 because I do want a second flash down the road.....but then I still need a way to fire both the 580 and the 430 off camera....which means I'm back to either a cord going to the 580, an ST-E2, yet another 580 or some kind of radio trigger.

Maybe the better question:

If you want to get flash off camera and you never want to have both on camera and off camera flash isn't the ST-E2 a reasonable approach?

I understand radio triggers are another path, one that trades E-TTL for better range and reliability (at least if you pay $$$ for them). Hmmm.

Let me lay it out.

(A)
Add a 580EXII ($390) plus some method to trigger it and the existing 430EX.....Like Skyports for about another $300. This plan is reliable....but why the 580 and not just a Vivitar 285? Or skip the Skyports for the ST-E2 for $230. But then why not:

(B)
Add a 430EX ($275) plus ST-E2 ($230)

-or-

(C)
Vivitar 285 ($90) plus Skyports ($300) plus PC adaptor for the existing 430 ($30)

So (B) is unreliable outdoors but provides E-TTL for $510 vs. Reliable and manual (C) for $420.

it looks like you got a handle on it. It sounds to me like most of your shooting is going to be of static subjects, as in posed/setup shots and not so much candids. If this is true then going to a manual flash is a no-brainer and therefore some sort of radio trigger would be the way to go. And if you are going the manula/radio trigger route you can afford to get the cheapest flash that you can still adjust the power output on. The reasoning is that if the subject to flash distance is a constant there is no reason to use ETTL. You dial in the light manuallly and it will deliver the same consistant results every time. With ETTL every time something new is put in front of the camera/flash it can/will deliver a different light because the reflectivity of light will be different and that's how they figure out how much power to deliver in ETTL mode. So it's extremely inconsistant.

ETTL is great for on the fly candids where you don't have time to dial it in for every shot.

JeffreyG wrote in post #5936934
I kind of agree, except there are just about zero times I'm going to want a 580EX firing from the camera plus another flash off camera. So the flash+master function in the hotshoe isn't super attractive.

I could buy a 580 because I do want a second flash down the road.....but then I still need a way to fire both the 580 and the 430 off camera....which means I'm back to either a cord going to the 580, an ST-E2, yet another 580 or some kind of radio trigger.

Maybe the better question:

If you want to get flash off camera and you never want to have both on camera and off camera flash isn't the ST-E2 a reasonable approach?

I understand radio triggers are another path, one that trades E-TTL for better range and reliability (at least if you pay $$$ for them). Hmmm.

Let me lay it out.

(A)
Add a 580EXII ($390) plus some method to trigger it and the existing 430EX.....Like Skyports for about another $300. This plan is reliable....but why the 580 and not just a Vivitar 285? Or skip the Skyports for the ST-E2 for $230. But then why not:

(B)
Add a 430EX ($275) plus ST-E2 ($230)

-or-

(C)
Vivitar 285 ($90) plus Skyports ($300) plus PC adaptor for the existing 430 ($30)

So (B) is unreliable outdoors but provides E-TTL for $510 vs. Reliable and manual (C) for $420.

The good thing about an on-camera master flash is that it can provide fill lighting if you only have one off-camera flash off to one side. Without the on-camera flash, the only other option for filling in the shadows (not counting the ambient light) with only one off-camera flash is to use a reflector on the opposite side of the subject.

PacAce wrote in post #5937545
The good thing about an on-camera master flash is that it can provide fill lighting if you only have one off-camera flash off to one side. Without the on-camera flash, the only other option for filling in the shadows (not counting the ambient light) with only one off-camera flash is to use a reflector on the opposite side of the subject.

And the on-camera EX master also dramatically improves the outdoor range of ETTL.

PacAce wrote in post #5937545
The good thing about an on-camera master flash is that it can provide fill lighting if you only have one off-camera flash off to one side. Without the on-camera flash, the only other option for filling in the shadows (not counting the ambient light) with only one off-camera flash is to use a reflector on the opposite side of the subject.

This is how I use it. One flash off camera as a main, one on camera as a fill. But, if the OP has already decided to never put a flash on camera, for whatever reason, so be it. It factors in to what should be bought and why.

Dermit wrote in post #5937783
This is how I use it. One flash off camera as a main, one on camera as a fill. But, if the OP has already decided to never put a flash on camera, for whatever reason, so be it. It factors in to what should be bought and why.

My reasons may be related to lack of experience with off camera flash.

Sigh.....IMO off camera flash is a little harder than it really needs to be. Something like the ST-E2 should be basically built in to all prosumer and pro bodies. Then we could play around with it to begin with (before we invest $1000 on the wrong path) to decide what functions we really want.

Then people who decide they want more range and reliability could spend the money on pocketwizards.

I think this is an area where Nikon is starting to kill Canon, including remote trigger in the body. The D700 is looking better and better.

JeffreyG wrote in post #5938066
I think this is an area where Nikon is starting to kill Canon, including remote trigger in the body. The D700 is looking better and better.

Then I'd have to get all new lenses

Marbeck wrote in post #5940674
Then I'd have to get all new lenses

I'm not buying a Nikon....way too much effort. I just wish Canon could put a flash trigger in the body as Nikon does.