Cheap flash and wireless trigger for lightpainting... Advise me please!

[TimB]

Hi all,

I currently have a Nikon SB400 flash which works fine for on-camera flash stuff, but I want to have a go at a bit more night time outdoor HDR/Lightpainting type stuff, whereby I position the camera at a fixed point and then take multiple pictures whilst moving a portable flash around the scene and having it fire with each shot.... And this is where I become completely lost!

I presume the bare minimum I need is a wireless trigger set (transmitter goes on the camera hotshoe and receiver goes on the flash unit shoe?) and a flash, preferably with adjustable power.

now, as this is just an experiment and a bit of fun, I want to spend as little as possible naturally. The equipment won't be subjected to daily use, that's for sure!

eBay seems to be rammed with cheap Chinese flash units like the Yongnuo YN560 (£45) and the YN462(£25) that have adjustable power and designed for off camera use which is what I'm looking for.

Also cheap are wireless trigger systems, about £25-30 but again, I don't know if they will suit my needs or indeed work for what I'm trying to do?

I will mostly be shooting things like houses so the wireless needs to work over a good 50 metres or so.

Can anyone recommend any cheap flashes or triggers or offer advice on my situation?

Thanks

 

[stokes]

You don't need any flash triggers. I'm assuming you want to do long exposures and move the flash around, fire it off, move again, fire it etc..

If so a cheapie yongnuo will do fine. You just need to set the desired output from the flash and press the test button. You would be better getting a wireless remote for your camera and then opening the shutter when your in postion, click the remote to open camera shutter, then fire your flash off manually.

Hope that makes sense.. I'm on my phone so can't post links but a third party remote for the camera will be less than a tenner, so total spend under £40..

Another trick would be to buy a tin of chocolates, eat them and keep the colourful wrappers, then hold them over the end of the flash for different coloured flashes

Edit: just read your doing houses.... A strong torch might be a good alternative or addition to your setup, as the flash output may not be upto lighting an entire house, whereas a torch and a long exposure could do the job better

 

[Byker28i]

For wireless triggers I have RF602's, with the added advantage that they can also be used to remotely trigger the shutter with the right lead.

For just walking around and triggering, I set a long exposure and manually trigger the flash, counting the number of times so I can adjust if needed.

See my car pics on this thread:
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=356388

The last pic of the top 3 was a 30sec exposure for the buildings in the background then 27 flashes (count the dots down the side of the car) as I moved down the side of the car.

 

[TimB]

For wireless triggers I have RF602's, with the added advantage that they can also be used to remotely trigger the shutter with the right lead.

How do you like the RF602's?

They are very reasonably priced!

 

[Byker28i]

I find they are really good. The receiver has an on off switch, take 2 AAA batteries, but it's best to take the battery out of the transmitter else it goes flat quickly. That's a car alarm battery.

Range is easily over 80m and the versatility of being able to use them to either trigger flashguns or as a remote shutter release makes them a winner for me. I only have to carry on thing. Add to that you can buy 1 transmitter and many receivers.

I have two transmitters and 5? receivers. At times I'm triggering many flashguns, or have one tx set up to trigger many flashguns and on tx on another channel so I can remote trigger the camera. Handy if I'm shooting single handed and I need to hold something somewhere. The obvious example if the multi flash shot on the thread I posted above. 4 flashguns on a lighting pole all wireless connected to the camera. I had the positions marked on a tape, so could remote trigegr the shutter, move the lighting, remote trigger etc without returning to the camera everytime. Made it quick to do.

There's probably other solutions or updated versions, but I find these work well for me.