Introduction to Speedlights

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marTTyn

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Hi Guys,

I am looking to step into the big world of flash photography, and never before even used a speedlight.
Hope somebody can help me out with some of my questions.

I currently shoot with a Nikon D90 and like the idea of using off camera flash with CLS.

I have been looking at a SB700, with my budget around £250.
Do you think I could I do any better than the above combo within budget?
Is it worth looking at third party flash guns and radio poppers?

I understand that CLS will still give me wireless TTL function?
Will this be as big a benifit as I imagine, with being new to flash photo?

Any help much appreciated.
Martyn
 
It depends what you will be shooting.

If you wish to do outdoors photography I understand the cls system is inferior to radiowaves and so will not work reliably.

TTL is useful for getting things to just work when you are pressed for time. However, if you want to get creative, you can still switch it to manual.

Without it you need more time to take a test shot then adjust power depending on desired effect in the LCD - i.e. did you mean to blow the image with that much power?

Personally, I'd say to get your first flash a good TTL so you have the best of both worlds. If you subsequently want to get more creative on a budget, there are cheap flashes you can get for about £60 new with wireless radio trigger/receiver sets for about £30 - all non TTL. TTL wireless RF is much more expensive.
 
Thanks for the reply.

I guess if i was pushed, i could add a radio trigger a nikon flash too once i got to grips with manual flash settings.
 
Although I really rate CLS, even outdoors (albeit with the master in close proximity to the flashguns) I would still have manual radio-wave triggers in my bag for the occasions when you can't get enough range out of CLS.

I use SB700 and SB800 flashes with an SU800 master controller; both flashes work fine, although the SB700 is the one that's a tad easier to set into remote mode because it's a switch on the rear, as opposed to going into the menu on the SB800. The SB800 is the better on-camera flash because of the instant adjustments to power. Both work equally well once set. The SB700 really is a nice little flashgun that packs a hefty amount of power. Don't worry about the overheat function - I've yet to get mine anywhere near overheating and on some occasions, I'm gunning like my life depends on it :)

I'd guess even a cheap trigger set should work well when called upon, although the Phottix Strato triggers I use have been brilliant; well made, 100 per cent reliable and they work in all weathers despite not having weather sealing of any note. One actually outlived an SB800 in a downpour - the trigger is still working, the SB800 is waiting to be repaired!! :)
 
Thanks for the input.
Going to bite the bullet and go for the SB700 tomorrow :thumbs:
 
Martyn,

I would pause for a few. I teach photography and do a specific speedlight course. I have moved away from the dedicated flashguns for my ocf speedlight work for a number of reasons:

a) you can get excellent budget speedlights on ebay for £50 that are zoomable and adjustable to a tenth of a stop. (think chinese beginning with the letter Y).

b) you can get cheap radio triggers for around £30 - unaffected by the problems inherent in infra-red trigs.

c) when they fall over in a gust of wind - they are cheaper to replace.

d) not really a factor for you, but when the delegates get hold of them and pop away furiously,they have this lovely overheat protection system that shuts them off for a bit.

overall - I have found the cheaper speedlights excellent in terms of value and performance. that said, I still use the dedicated canon speedlight for my weddings.

good luck

ac
 
Thanks for the help Andy,

I did look at these flashes aswell, silly not to at the prices.

I dont mind paying for the extra for the quality with nikon kit, and like the idea of starting off with wireless ttl, and learning the ropes.

I still think im going to go for the nikon, and then if i want any more flashes later, bulk up my kit with some cheapies.

Never thought about it before, but just looked at a couple of lighting courses, might be something worth going to before i start shelling out for kit, to decide my needs.
 
pleasure Martyn - over 3 decades I have spent a sizeable amount of money on kit I most certainly did not need, much of which is gathering dust, much to Mrs C's annoyance.

if I was brutally honest, I could make do with the camera, a couple of F2.8 lenses (pricey), 4 cheap speedlights, the trigs, a reflector and the lightmeter.

If you do decide on a course - obviously I recommend

http://www.photographyworkshops.co.uk/
 
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