Help with the next direction?!

[Sir SR]

Hi there

Recently have been trying to use off camera flash more and have tried to experiment a bit! I mainly do portraits of kids (mine and our friends - I don't charge as this is my hobby and it's for fun!). I finally got a Softbox having had some very cheap brollies and am very impressed at the difference it's made.

My current set up is a d90, an sb900 and 2 nissin di6122 II's, using the cls as a trigger. I suppose my question is, do I continue to get cls compatible strobes, or do I get "proper" studio style lights? If I did get studio lights could the speedlights be used as well in conjunction? Obviously there is a cost issue and am not quite sure which would work out more expensive?

A couple of examples of what I shoot :

1)

DSC_0029-3 by Sir SR, on Flickr

2)

DSC_0016-3 by Sir SR, on Flickr

3)

DSC_0030-3 by Sir SR, on Flickr

4)

HAT's entertainment 1 by Sir SR, on Flickr

5)

In my defence........it wasn't me. by Sir SR, on Flickr

6)

Suspicious Minds by Sir SR, on Flickr

Be grateful for any advice. Is it better to get some triggers, then add cheaper speedlights or get the studio kit? As I'll be doing this gradually I thought it best to get advice early and get it right! I've got more than enough to be taking decent pics with but I'll want to develop this further and want to be well informed (measure twice, cut once etc!)

Thanks for your help

Shaheed

 

[Garry Edwards]

This thread deals with the advantages/disadvantages of both studio flash and hotshoe flash pretty well I think...

It's a difficult question, because different people have different needs. Personally I use studio flash whenever I can, and portable flash when I can't use studio flash (when I don't have mains power available) and only use hotshoe flash when I'm out and about and have nothing else - but as I say, different people have different needs.

And yes, there is nothing to stop you using hotshoe flashes and studio flash together.

On the subject of cost, if you're buying branded, dedicated hotshoe flashes for your Nikon then that can be a much more expensive option than buying studio flash.

The obvious advantages of studio flash is the range of modifiers that work (work well) with them, the very fast recycling, the increased power and the simplicity, but the other great advantage is the fact that the modelling light gives you a pretty good indication of what you're going to get.

 

[Sir SR]

This thread deals with the advantages/disadvantages of both studio flash and hotshoe flash pretty well I think...

It's a difficult question, because different people have different needs. Personally I use studio flash whenever I can, and portable flash when I can't use studio flash (when I don't have mains power available) and only use hotshoe flash when I'm out and about and have nothing else - but as I say, different people have different needs.

And yes, there is nothing to stop you using hotshoe flashes and studio flash together.

On the subject of cost, if you're buying branded, dedicated hotshoe flashes for your Nikon then that can be a much more expensive option than buying studio flash.

The obvious advantages of studio flash is the range of modifiers that work (work well) with them, the very fast recycling, the increased power and the simplicity, but the other great advantage is the fact that the modelling light gives you a pretty good indication of what you're going to get.

Thanks Garry, an excellent thread!

I suppose for me, the sensible thing to (eventually) do would be to get some triggers as the 2 nissin's operate on the same Chanel via cls - it's more than workable but i can see it being a bit restricting in the future! Aaargh decisions! However I'll carry on experimenting with what I've got!

Thanks again

Shaheed

 

[HoppyUK]

If you want to develop further, as you say, get some studio heads. Fast recycle and a modelling light are really major benefits. Start with one Lencarta SmartFlash for £100, and build from there.

You can work in your hot-shoe guns on cheap triggers, and they'll be fine for jobs that don't need much power. Keep them at quarter power or less and they'll keep up okay.