advice on flash systems please.

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Andy
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I am intending to to either extend my existing flash equipment or invest in a new system altogether, (and hopefully future proof it when i go mirrorless). At the moment i am using the following
Camera Nikon D7500.
Flash Nissin Di700A
Nissin Air 1 Commander.
Remote trigger system is Hahnel Capture. I cannot get the hanel to trigger the flash off camera, despite following the sites instructions. Do i have to buy more hahnel transmitters and receivers?

I have looked for a Receiver Air 1 for Nikon, but they are rarer than hen's teeth. I also want to keep the whole thing as simple as possible and not keep having to buy different remotes, cables etc. With the Nissin equipment, I am limited to what other flashes I can use without spending a fortune and ending up with a small mountain of flash equipment.. Even if i purchase a Nikon SB it wont work without the receiver.

I have been told that GODOX is a good system and is not too expensive and simple to operate, with good remote capabilities and is pretty much compatible with the nikon Z series.. What equipment would i need to do off camera flash photography for macro work plant photography and multiple pictures of the same object/structure such as an avenue of trees, or a building, where the flash lights some parts but not others.

If anyone can offer advice on a user friendly, reliable system that's not too complicated and is easy to set up and use, can you give me some advice please?

Thanks
 
Can’t really give you huge amount of advice but after 10 years or so playing the Nikon cls with sb600,800 and 900s, I got to know it pretty well. After a few years break of Nikon I’ve just got a z8 and godox x3n and v1 pro n and plan to get a v350 or 2 soon. Initial thoughts are that the godox system seems very simple pretty much plug n play. The x3n is small but does everything you’d expect. I’d say very easy to use.
The x3 and v350 I would consider relatively cheap - especially compared to the Nikon. Also it seems very popular so huge amount of support and help out there.
 
I have the Hahnel capture system, and the instructions were in my opinion quite poor. I would try again to see if it does work but now that you mention it I realise I now have a 4th remote for my system and could've saved some money by not going for an MC-36A.... but when I did buy mine it took me a while to work out why it wasn't triggering. I haven't got it with me at the moment....
 
Dont have the system you have, but personally I've found setting up most off camera systems more complicated than they need to be.
 
orangeframestudio said:
Can’t really give you huge amount of advice but after 10 years or so playing the Nikon cls with sb600,800 and 900s, I got to know it pretty well. After a few years break of Nikon I’ve just got a z8 and godox x3n and v1 pro n and plan to get a v350 or 2 soon. Initial thoughts are that the godox system seems very simple pretty much plug n play. The x3n is small but does everything you’d expect. I’d say very easy to use.
The x3 and v350 I would consider relatively cheap - especially compared to the Nikon. Also it seems very popular so huge amount of support and help out there.
Click to expand...

Is this the model you mean ? Godox V350 TTL Li-ION Speedlight Flashgun​

 
I think that, in practice, it's extremely simple.

1. (After deciding on composition and camera position) set one light, which we call the key light because it does nearly all of the work - typically 80-90%)
2. Set the shutter speed to something that will work with both your camera and the needs of flash photography, e.g. 1/125th
3. Adjust the ISO, lens aperture and flash power to produce an acceptable result.
4. Add a second light, wherever it needs to be to either add to the lighting or to mitigate unwanted shadows from the first light.
5. Rinse and repeat, adding one light at a time

All light will be controlled and fired by your radio trigger/remote. That's the only complicated bit, I think that it helps to be aged under 15, or to have a degree in computer science to work out the many features of the radio trigger:) but that's the only awkward bit
 
As Ben said Godox system is pretty straightforward, even the Godox wireless transmitter X3, lots of info on YouTube.
 
After listening to others suggestions about what to do with my older, expensive, and not all that trustworthy flash gear, I ended up buying a Godox X2Tc transmitter and a couple of Godox TT600 speedlites to try out for myself. Everybody that I had asked was saying that Godox had the best wireless system and reasonable prices as well as a huge selection of flashes from speedlites to studio strobes. They said that their "X System" of wireless control of their lights was the best and at reasonable prices.

Another plus was that the Godox X2T had a pass thru hot shoe on it, so I was able to stach my old flash transmitter on top of it and continue to use my old flash gear along with these two newly purchased Godox TT600 strobes. On several large shoots where I was using both old and new lights together it became obvious to me that my friends were right. The Godox flashes never failed, when my older gear failed to flash.

I was soon on a quest to replace not only my field flashes, but also every flash in my studio just as fast as I could. It put a severe constraint on my studio finances, but in less than a year I had replaced everything. I now have 3 Godox X Pro transmitters, still have the X2Tc, five Godox speedlites, and 9 studio strobes of either Godox or Flashpoint (a rebrand of Godox sold by Adorama in NY). I did eventually manage to sell my old flash gear to someone adding onto his gear of the same brand, so did manage to soften the hit on my studio budget a little, and I haven't looked back. Every failure that I've experienced since making this switch has been traced to operator error and not the gear (I seem to bump the channel settings sometimes). This all took place about 4 years ago and I am still very happy that I made the switch. It was a significant financial hit, but one that I and my studio came out on top of.

Godox sells converting receivers to attach to other brands of flash gear so that they will operate on the Godox "X" communication system too, so you don't necessarily need to ditch your older flash gear. An example of this is a Godox X1R and there are different versions available that work well with other brands of speedlites. With a short sync cord, you can also attach one of these to other brands of studio flash to make them at least operate with the Godox "X" System, which is actually about 50 channels of the high end of the WIFI frequencies.

Charley
 
PROBLEM IS SOLVED...yayyy

My main mistake was putting the flash and camera on TTL, when I should have put them both to manual. Beginners mistake but, that's what I am with off camera flash.

I now have to get a hahnel receiver unit for each flash; about £35.
Also by attaching a receiver to my di 700, (non Air), I now have two flashes. To trigger the camera remotely that also needs a receiver. I just have to pair all receivers to the one transmitter.

Thanks for all the advice chaps.
 
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