Nik Software, Flash Stuff...what am I missing

Here is what I have:

5D mkII
17-40L
24-105L
70-200 f4L IS (probably...haha, it should be on the way soon)
Cokin Wide P Holder
Singh Ray 3-Stop reverse GND
Singh Ray 2 Stop GND Soft
B&W Kaseman CPL
B&W .6 ND
B&W UV/Haze
LowePro Backpack
Aperture 3

Gaps: Flash, Post Processing Software beyond Aperture 3.


I have about $450 left now.

My flickr is a good representation of what I shoot here in Afghanistan, but I'm going to Fiji soon, and after that probably doing a Nashville Project, a Carribean Cruise, some touring of upstate NY......I like shooting candids, documentary type stuff, landscapes....graphica​lly interesting situations/structures. I don't get any money for photography, although I would like to see some of my pictures published, enter contests etc. I'm active duty Army, Infantry...So yeah, this is just a hobby. I also play guitar, so when it comes to budget, it is Guitar VS Camera.

I could get:

A) Nik Software and a very inexpensive flash, like a 270EX with a basic diffuser or lumiquest 80/20.

B) A more robust Flash system, 430EX w/ lumiquest 80/20 bounce and fill sheets, gel set, off camera cord, stand/clamp. (this choice would make the wife very happy, she will not have her picture taken with my new camera until I get a flash...anyone else have wives, girlfriends or clients like that?)

C) A sweet pair of beyerdynamic headphones....mine are getting kinda crap and I do love music

D) Sell the 24-105, combine with the $450, and get a really fast 35 or 50mm. (Zeiss 50 MP 2 comes to mind)...still, even with great high ISO and a fast lens my wife will want a flash.....

E) Books to teach me how not to suck with the gear I have?

F) Stash it and apply it to my guitar budget when I come home from deployment?

No, I'm not really interested in donating it to you all haha


Suggestions? What am I missing?

All this is quite big to get all at once, After rolling with just a 50D and 24-105 for 2 years, I've got a lot of technique to catch up on.

You have super gear.

My choice is a 430 or 580 speedlite with the Lumiquest diffuser, and "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. You can leave the light on the camera when you're out shooting, as there are plenty of places on the street where you will need fill light, for example. The diffuser will finally allow you to get a good photo of your wife indoors, if you like. The Lumiquest is bulky, but gives you really soft, diffused light.

The book for $20, unless you already have it, is a great and simple way to boost your photo quality by at least 50%.

The Nik software plugins are fun, but you can do much of the same with Photshop alone. I would leave that as a Christmas gift from your wife in reward for your beautiful photos of her.

Sell the 24-105? Are you crazy? It's the best walk around lens for the 5D2, IMHO.

I don't play guitar, so you see I'm obviously biased toward camera gear. But the headphones would be a great Xmas gift from all the family members to whom you give great photos at Thanksgiving time as the result of your flash and diffuser!

And thanks for your service. I think I speak for all of us in appreciation.

Although it's nice to have some of these plugins and I have a few of them, including many of the Nik ones.... their main attraction is that they save time. Everything they do, you can do in Photoshop/Aperture since, at least in Photoshop/LR, they rely on the built in features of the product. Think of them as Actions (Photoshop term) with friendly front ends. You can scour the Internet for tutorials on how to get the same results using the core product such as Aperture.

So, I would get a flash. Forget the 270. The 430 as a minimum. Get a LONG off camera cord, preferably not a coiled one. I wouldn't bother spending money on a Lumiquest or any other contraption that attached to the flash. An index card and a rubber band will essentially give you the same results and cost you nothing. I would hold off on a stand and clamp. You can get excellent results with the flash on camera by tilting and swiveling the flash to bounce off of adjacent walls, ceilings, etc. or you can hold the flash in your hand if it it gives you more directional control. A reflector may be more usefull with only 1 light source.

I don't think I would have some of the equipment I do, or shoot as often as I do, if it wasn't for the fact that I also take a lot of pictures of my wife. Fortunately, I find the camera likes her

I spent some time thinking about it today and I think I will get a good flash set-up. After all, PP software is always updating, upgrading.....light has been the same as for all recorded history, and the better the light is entering the camera, the more you can do with less PP software.

Maybe a few casual picture sessions for some buddies with kids on the way and such I can accumulate enough money for my Zeiss 21 that I've been after.

bohdank wrote in post #10761406
I would hold off on a stand and clamp. You can get excellent results with the flash on camera by tilting and swiveling the flash to bounce off of adjacent walls, ceilings, etc. or you can hold the flash in your hand if it it gives you more directional control. A reflector may be more usefull with only 1 light source.

The biggest reason I am looking for a stand is because generally I find myself as the photographer for both my wife and myself, so, for example on my past cruise, I did a TON of timer/remote pictures with me in them. I don't have any kids, and I'm not a huge fan of asking strangers, so the silent obedience of a stand is attractive.

NatDeroxL7 wrote in post #10762391
The biggest reason I am looking for a stand is because generally I find myself as the photographer for both my wife and myself, so, for example on my past cruise, I did a TON of timer/remote pictures with me in them. I don't have any kids, and I'm not a huge fan of asking strangers, so the silent obedience of a stand is attractive.

For your next upgrade consider a travel tripod, light weight, the Feisol, Benro Travel Angel or the Gitzo 1541t, with a decent head. You'll be able to get the remote shots you want, and some excellent night shots, sunsets, etc. Light and portable. Forget the stand.

If you don't mind a heavier weight trade-off for saving some dough, look at the Manfrotto line of aluminum sticks. They're rock solid and will last a lifetime. You can check out Benro, Manfrotto and Gitzo at B&H's site; Feisol is sold by Really Big Cameras.

I noticed the absence of a good tripod in your list, or is that what you mean when you say stand?

tvphotog wrote in post #10762409
For your next upgrade consider a travel tripod, light weight, the Feisol or the Gitzo, with a decent head. You'll be able to get the remote shots you want, and some excellent night shots, sunsets, etc. Forget the stand.

Yeahhh my bad,


I have a Benro Travel Angel A-268, with the B-1 Ballhead. Works fine with the 24-105 but it MIGHT need a better ball head for the 70-200, especially if I am doing on-camera flash. I'd love carbon fiber, but I am not to worried about weight so much as cost....I doubt any camera kit will ever outweigh my combat equipment. I can handle a few dozen extra pounds.

I use the tripod so much I pretty much forgot it wasn't part of the camera lol.


I do mean a stand, so I can take pictures of myself, or with my wife, or with my friends, and still use off camera flash without relying on someone else to get it right. I'm liking the manfrotto nano stand.

And I would consider Bohdan's suggestions of an index card and rubber band for the speedlite. The 580 has a built-in, popup white card to use, by the way. If you're buying at a place such as B&H where they let you try out stuff, take an index card with you and a rubberband.

Test the 580's built-in white reflector, the index card, a simple Stofen diffuser and the Lumiquest in the shop, and see which one gives the softest brightest diffused light. If the Lumiquest doesn't look the best to you, you'll save some money.

And if you're buying at B&H, buy the Stofen and the Luniquest and do the test at home. If you don't like the Lumiquest or the Stofen, return them to B&H for the $5 UPS postage.

Very compelling photos in Afganistan. With that overhead sun, you'll see faces better with a fill light.

Whew pulled the trigger;

Got a 580EX II, ZebraFlash 24' cord on the way...I decided to absorb the pain of the 580 once, rather than wait until the 430 isn't enough anymore.

Got it used with the Stofen included, and I'll probably get the lumiquest pro-max or whatever the thing is called with the 80/20 and different inserts. Probably grab a simple gels set too, I've always liked the portraits with a tungsten white balance and a CTO on the subject.