OCF help

minnnt

minnnt

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David
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Just bought a Meike 910 flash to go with my D7000. I'm looking to do a bit of OCF work and am wondering which triggers I need. I know the D7000 can trigger the flash wirelessly, is this reliable or are triggers recommended for best results?

If triggers are the answer, which ones are best that offer TTL?

Cheers muchly.
 
Without a set of triggers the D7000 will work optically, this might be ok most of the time. But there are going to be times where your OCF can not see the D7000 so will not fire. In this case the triggers would be a godsend.
Perhaps its best to try before triggers and see what the limitations are!
 
The 622s are very good, if you want to set your flash manually then the 603s are fine. I have the 603s at the mo for my D700, they are great for the money, never let me down
 
For a single flash off camera I use Phottix Strato TTL. Its small and works well for what I initially wanted i.e. festivals (camera in 1 hand flash in the other).

Now I'm looking for a multi flash set up and the extra receivers are expensive and not that versatile. I've been looking at Phottix Odin, Yongnuo & Pixel King. So far the Pixel Kings look the best at £129 for 1TX & 2RX. They also work as remote shutter releases. I think once you use RF you will pretty much ignore CLS unless your RF transmitters can translate the commander functionality.

I hope other will comment too to give me a better idea where to spend my bucks
 
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Once TTL triggers have got as cheap as the YN622s, it's almost a no-brainer. Of course in a studio type setup you'll want the flashes in Manual. But oddly, that's where the TTL triggers show their strength, because you can alter the flash output power from the camera position.

And where you haven't time to set them up properly, change to TTL and off you go.
 
Got to say, I've got yongnuo triggers but generally use cls indoors as you can adjust the power from your camera. Pretty reliable too. I use the triggers when using the lencarta heads.

S
 
I've got yongnuo triggers but generally use cls indoors as you can adjust the power from your camera
Click to expand...

I thought the YN-622 work with a commander i.e. built in to camera or attached SBxxx speedlight?
 
minnnt said:
Cheers mate, appreciate it. What camera is this with? I've loved looking at your portraits that you've been uploading to flickr over the last few days. :)
Click to expand...

Hi

Have used cls with both the d90 and d800 (the d90 is slightly better in this respect as you can control three groups of lights as opposed to two with the d800).

Edit : control it using the pop up flash

Try it out and see what you need?

With the studio lights (didn't have a light meter) the yongnuo triggers were very reliable and I used the speedlights as dumb slaves.

Thanks for looking at my Flickr stuff!

Shaheed
 
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Just remembered I had a pic on the phone (excuse the quality) of a set up using CLS and a single light. View attachment 10153

So, speed light in softbox, cls controller via pop up (there's an ir plate in the hotshoe)

S
 
That's a massive help. Thanks.

What softbox are/were you using? I just want to have a go at some posed type shots of the daughter and don't think I'll be going down the studio lighting route. Any chance you could post a few shotsyou have got with just the flash? Did you have more than one?

Many thanks,
David.
 
I've done quite a few with just one flash and a reflector.......I'll have a look and post back

S
 
So the softbox i used was a cheap one from amazon......around 25-35 quid, konig lightstand (around a tenner). The reflector in the pic is a cheap 5 quid jobby from 7dayshop. I also occasionally use a triflector (about 100 quid). The other modifier i like is a bessel beauty dish (70 quid) and an adaptor that lets you attach it to the speed light (15-30 quid). I have used up to 4 speed lights in pics but in the main, two of those were used for the background.

So this was an SB900 through a beauty dish and a triflector against white vinyl backdrop (could easily be done with soft box/reflector), triggered By CLS

Cheeky Geeky by Sir SR, on Flickr

The next two were actually taken at the same time as the set up pic above (amazon soft box with SB900, silver reflector, black pop up photosel backdrop and CLS trigger)

Dad's Hat edit by Sir SR, on Flickr

Sophia Hat edit by Sir SR, on Flickr

Hope that helps

S
 
That's great mate, love em! So I think I need to invest in backgrounds and light stands next.

Will a softbox be better than an umbrella? Been looking at home made beauty dishes, might give one a go. I've got a reflector coming, one of those 5 in 1 jobs from Amazon. Was about 12 quid.
 
minnnt said:
That's great mate, love em! So I think I need to invest in backgrounds and light stands next.

Will a softbox be better than an umbrella? Been looking at home made beauty dishes, might give one a go. I've got a reflector coming, one of those 5 in 1 jobs from Amazon. Was about 12 quid.
Click to expand...

To be honest, a black sheet would probably have done the job as well in those pics (it's easier if you can get some distance between subject and backdrop)

I started with an umbrella and it's a great cheap way to start. You don't need to spend a fortune to get good results!

S
 
Thread resurrection!!

So after my initial purchase of the Meike and gathering info, I was quite disappointed when it never turned up. :( kind of fell out with the idea but thought I'd give it another go. So I ordered ANOTHER Meike and this time it actually turned up!! :D must say I'm impressed with the look of it (looks like a SB910) and the quality seems great for the price point (£75) so I'm wanting to try a few ideas out. Going to order a set of the 622's and the controller next time I get paid but in the mean time I'm going to give the CLS a go. :)

Any recommendations for a softbox/umbrella and a stand? Preferably cheap too. :LOL: is an umbrella or softbox best?

Thanks again.
David. :)
 
David,

I bought this one and no complaints

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0011363NS?vs=1

It is fine for indoor but not good for outdoors. With regards to a soft box and brolly I bought both and have only used the soft box once.

Try and get one which can be used as an umbrella and soft box as it is easier to put up and also to put away.

You will also have to get an umbrella holder as it does not come with the stand.

Let me know if you want links to the umbrella and soft box. Using the phone app so a bit difficult to find the right one and link.
 
Hey Kev, thanks for the reply. Links would be good but I'm in no rush tbh. The stand looks good so will get one of them ordered. :)

Do you mean that you have used the softbox once because you use the umbrella all the time? A link to the one you suggest would be great too.

What do you use yours for?

Ta. :)
 
David

Will try and get the links when I am on the pc during the day. The reason for not having used is because of being lazy putting up the soft box. Not used the umbrella at all since I have bought it.

I think the umbrella type soft box are easy to put up which is why I am saying to get one of those as opposed to the standard soft boxes.
 
I got the on camera controller and a pair of transceivers from amazon - I don't use eBay - seemed reasonably priced!
 
David,

I know you have ordered but this is what I have:

1.Westcott 2011 43-Inch Optical White Satin Collapsible with Removable Black Cover Umbrella (Black)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001OKBLEE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

2.Bracket ( I had to make the hole larger for it to work with the westcott:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004EK56LA/ref=ox_ya_os_product_refresh_T1

3.Light Stand
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0011363NS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

4.Softbox
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Flash-Sof...trols_Softboxes_Diffusers&hash=item23321ef922
 
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That softbox looks brill. Just watched a gavin hoey vid on youtube and he uses one from smick which looks exactly the same.

Thanks for the links mate, I'll get the softbox bought too! :)
 
sep9001 said:
David,

As opposed to the softbox I have linked to have a look at these type ones:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Generic-Diffuser-Protector-Octagonal-Reflector/dp/B00IRX5RBE/ref=sr_1_17?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1404549752&sr=1-17&keywords=octagonal softbox

You can buy a hockey bag and put OCF kit in that bag for easy transport and safe keeping. The ebay is round when folded and can be a pain to fold away, until you get the hang of it.
Click to expand...


The problem with those is the lack of downward tilt. I do have one, and like it, but I' recommend to you ...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110cm-43-...trols_Softboxes_Diffusers&hash=item4862eafb68

as a better general usage half softbox / half brolly, with a great deal more tilt control.

I wish they imported the 60" version into the UK, but the US market seems to have a monopoly on them, the buggers.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/60-Softbo...039?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35cceb340f

Personally, beginners (IMHO) should really just use and abuse a standard convertible umbrella and gain knowledge through that.
 
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Hi Kris, thanks for the reply. Having ordered the stand, bracket and brolly i linked to, will i need the above in your first link? Will it do the same job as a softbox? I'm pretty sure the answer will be yes but just thought i'd ask as i'm extremely new to this flash malarky.

Ta.
 
Do you mean..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/60-Softbo...039?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35cceb340f

?

Need? No. When you become more proficient, you realise that what's in your head is more important than your gear bag and you can do a surprising amount with just one remote light and one soft modifier (of any sort). But that's never stopped me spending before. :)

What beginners need is time learning rather than money spending.

If that kit from post #27, the stand will be fine (and will always come in useful for things like flags and gobos in the future if you get more serious), the bracket is one design that I don't really like (I prefer... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FLH-E-Spe...hotography_Flash_Brackets&hash=item3cd3db1afd) and the brolly is disposable anyway and doesn't cost much. Some umbrellas have lasted me ten minutes before now. If I had just one, I would prefer it be convertible so I had the choice between shoot through (not often for me) and reflective (my MO). Softbox style brolly boxes are more a complement to your kit, rather than an either or. But yours will be fine for now.
 
That's a good tip David, will look into them.

Kris, yes, the link in #27. It should be with me tuesday or wednesday so will give it a go and i can always pick up the umbrella you linked to above afterwards if i feel the need to. Will see how i get on with the bracket but if it's crap i will go for the one you linked above too.

Had a play with the CLS and the flash today, I can see this is going to be a steep learning curve. And i also need to RTFM for the flash too! :D
 
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