Nikon D40 with 2 SB-24's

yes. Get a set of radio triggers off ebay, get the ones with pc ports on the sides, and also buy 2 short pc -> pc port cables.

Attatch a short string to the ebay triggers so they can hang off the stand that each flash is on, and link them to the sb24 by the cable.

You've got a perfect setup... with the D40 and ebay triggers you can even get 1/4000th of a second sync speed for shooting into bright sunlight :D
 
These are what you'd be after : http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4-channel-Fla...rkparms=65:12|66:2|39:1|72:1690|293:1|294:506

Try search PT-04 in ebay to find what you want. I use the Photoix ones and they are a little unreliable now and then someimes they don't fire) but for £20 or so, they're a great tool for mulitple, off-camera flash. Most come from Hong Kong or China and you'll have a laugh at the pigeon English used the descriptions :)

I use an SB-24, and SB28 and an SB-800 on mine in manual and all work fine. The SB-24 is a good flash but the buttons are fiddly and although it's cheap, you need to get a good one because they can be a bit ropey (the battery charge time can be a little slow too). You'll find them for about £45 upwards.

Most off-camera people opt for the SB-24 because it has a built-in optical slave for linking together a set of flashes outdoors - using ebay triggers means you don't need an optical slave so you can afford to go for something newer like an SB28, which is miles better built, or an SB80. :)
 
specialman said:
Most off-camera people opt for the SB-24 because it has a built-in optical slave for linking together a set of flashes outdoors - using ebay triggers means you don't need an optical slave so you can afford to go for something newer like an SB28, which is miles better built, or an SB80. :)
Click to expand...

Isn't it the SB-26 from that era which has the optical slave built in?
 
specialman said:
These are what you'd be after : http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4-channel-Fla...rkparms=65:12|66:2|39:1|72:1690|293:1|294:506

Try search PT-04 in ebay to find what you want. I use the Photoix ones and they are a little unreliable now and then someimes they don't fire) but for £20 or so, they're a great tool for mulitple, off-camera flash. Most come from Hong Kong or China and you'll have a laugh at the pigeon English used the descriptions :)

I use an SB-24, and SB28 and an SB-800 on mine in manual and all work fine. The SB-24 is a good flash but the buttons are fiddly and although it's cheap, you need to get a good one because they can be a bit ropey (the battery charge time can be a little slow too). You'll find them for about £45 upwards.

Most off-camera people opt for the SB-24 because it has a built-in optical slave for linking together a set of flashes outdoors - using ebay triggers means you don't need an optical slave so you can afford to go for something newer like an SB28, which is miles better built, or an SB80. :)
Click to expand...

You seem to know what your talking about. Could you explain what these are used for and how they are set up? [pics would be good but cheeky:love:]
 
EmZee said:
Isn't it the SB-26 from that era which has the optical slave built in?
Click to expand...

EmZee, Yep, SB24/25/26 all came with optical slaves built-in. Think the difference were slight design changes (buttons etc) and power outage. They're pretty much all alike though and very reliable, even after a decade or so of evolution. :)

Jolster, I have two 'wireless' set-ups; one uses the ebay PT-04 triggers and the other uses several Nikon SU-4 TTL adaptors. The former I use when I'm working tight to a subject where long signal range isn't a priority. The SU-4 units are used when I want TTL control, although you can use them in manual mode. They've got good range and work optically (like the built-in slaves on the SB24). I actually don't use them that often because most of my magazine work calls for portable flash that's totally off-camera - the SU-4 units I generally fire via a flash (usually my SB800) attached to the camera.

Using the ebay triggers is well simple. I shoot in manual most of the time, as I'm generally exposing about a third under and unless the light is changing a lot, then this is the simplest way for me. Then I just connect the transmitter to the hotshoe and the flash to the trigger (I usually handhold one unit; the tripods only come out when using two or more flashes) and shoot. I set the flash to manual and just change the power output to suit. I'm shooting important stuff for magazines but rarely I don't have the option to get the subject to hold the pose so i can shoot off several 'versions' at different power levels. I suppose if you want full remote TTL flash then Skyports are the kiddy, but they're £200+.

Here's a sample pic:



The first is a DPS shot for a carp fishing magazine. Obviously, the light is from the left and from behind Jon (my trusty subject) so casts his face into shadow, althought he controllers in his hand have a nice look as they're see-through and are well lit.

To get round this I just set the exposure, fixed up the SB800 on a trigger witht he diffuser over the front to soften the light. I can't remember the settings but I doubt at this close range it was more than 1/4 power, more likely 1/8th.



You can see that the light hasn't affected the exposure on his hand (aside from a bit of light coming in from the right) but its put enough light into his face to make him recognisable but more important, eye-catching. I've obviously changed the composition between shots but not by much - you get my drift :)

I'll dig out some more examples in a short while... :)
 
FITP, I'm going mental. You're right :)

Emzee, Nikon flashes that have optical built-in slaves are (I think):

SB26
SB50DX (no manual mode though - fires at full power apparently I read)
SB80DX
SB800
SB900

FITP, that's about it ain't it. I think I put the 24 and 25 down mistakenly because they have manual power adjustment... doh!!

Emzee, as i said though, with the triggers it's not a problem. As long as the flash has manual power output control then you're fine, which then includes the 24/25 and the '28

Phew, I'm having one of those evening where everythings going wrong!!!
 
If you can find a 25 that's the one to get, as David Hobby recommends the 24 and 26, so the prices of those have gone :cuckoo:, but the 25 is just as good and a lot cheaper :thumbs:
 
Chris, I sure do - I'm the dogsbody photographer across ACF, TC, TCF, Total Fly Fisher and DHP's other mags :) I used to be editor of Advanced Pole Fishing
 
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