Calling All Photographers...Need Opinion!!!

[Jspec Ej6]

Anyways, I've been shooting automotive photos with no flash. The only time i actually use my flash is when i have wedding's birthdays, etc.......

i've always wanted to try off camera flash with automotive photos. I was wondering which flash would do the trick with off camera, cause i already have lightstands and all that already. i'm looking to get atleast 2-3 flashes, which brand have you guys used, and which flashes are good and won't put a deep hole in my pocket....i would use my softboxes, but i have no power source

Other than the nikon speedlites, any other specific brands?

 

[89SiGUYrex]

sb800 then sb600's for sure

 

[Jspec Ej6]

sb800 then sb600's for sure

too poor to afford those, i was reading up on Bower SFD35N, anyone ever heard? REviews?

 

[elisium]

i use a canon 430 and a vivitar 285 and the vivitar seems to do really well.

 

[Rand0m]

w/ the release of the sb900, im hoping the 800/600 will get cheaper...

 

[Jspec Ej6]

i don't think the 800 would get any cheaper, unless you buy used.

I've been doing alot of research, and i think i'm gonna go with atleast 3 vivitar 285hvs

 

[ferio-moreno]

only kind of off camera flashes ive ever used were strobes.

alienbees and profotos.

 

[Genuine Rolla]

Sam, since you're using the flashes off camera, it doesn't matter if you shoot with nikon or canon flashes. They're not being triggered by the camera directly.

You should get yourself a set of Vivitar 285hv's. You'd be all set with those. They have a zoom head and they're power adjustable.

 

[TomTomTuning]

I have a Canon 580exII... Love it for my On Camera E-TTLII needs...

But i use it alot off camera... in manual...
So using my Vivtar 285HV was just as easy.

I want 3 more Vivtar 285HV's, for when i do photoshots at like a banquet/reception (one on each corner pointed to the ceiling. I rock them with my Cactus V2's but dreaming about Pocketwizards..

The other option i thought a bout was buying more canon flashes, and use the IR wireless system...

Nikon = CLS....Pretty cool stuff..

 

[Jspec Ej6]

only kind of off camera flashes ive ever used were strobes.

alienbees and profotos.

yeah, their a little expensive as of right now.

do you know any portable power i can use, because i heard the vegabond only works with alienbees

something that is good, plus around a good price range....

 

[Genuine Rolla]

Ultimately, I would love to have 3-4 alienbee's, an octabox, and the vegabond. For right now, My m500T, 283, umbrella and Cactus V2's are doing the job. I really would love to get some pocketwizards though.

I just ordered my 10' light stand and umbrella/flash holder. I want to get one more flash..i'm thinking I'm just going to get another 283 and just buy the vari-power adjuster from b&h. The 283 has been super reliable with the v2's. I connect them via a pc sync cable and haven't had any issues.

The Cactus wireless triggers have hotshoes on them, so you can fire flashes via the hotshoe if you need. Thats what i'm doing with the m500t.

 

[Jspec Ej6]

If only i could have atleast 2-3 weddings per month, i'd quit my regular job and just shoot weddings.....but during the winter time, it gets really slow, hopefully when spring hits i'll get busy again.

as of right now, i have no flash at all, the only flash i'm using is my pop up

but other than that, when i have customers, i use my softboxes at my house.....really need off camera flash.

 

[elisium]

sam have you check out onelight forum. i think you might like it.

 

[Jspec Ej6]

sam have you check out onelight forum. i think you might like it.

what's the website? i googled, but a bunch of stuff came out.

 

[Genuine Rolla]

www.onelightworkshop.com/forum

 

[Jspec Ej6]

www.onelightworkshop.com/forum

Thanks petey, just got a PM from elisium for the site too...lol

 

[Genuine Rolla]

 

[bmyers4321]

check out these guys. i bought my stand, westcott umbrella and cactus v2 wireless from them. pretty good prices. i know pocket wizards are better but for the price you cant beat it. they also have flashes on there. they ship very fast to. grant it i live 2 states away but when i ordered i had my stuff the next day and that was normal ground shipping.

http://www.mpex.com/index.htm