Hello to the PhotoForum! Anyone know about strobe lighting?

[DebSturm]

I'm a second year photography student, just getting ready to take a studio photography class in a few weeks. Got my (2) strobe light kit, a "hot-shoe" for my NikonD3100 and NikonD5100 although I had a hard time finding out just what these were and what they were for. My disappointment grows as I try and try to get answers about initial hook-up and synchronization of my cameras and strobe lights. Most sites I've been to are so advanced I'm treated like an idiot. I'm hoping that my stumbling on this site might prove beneficial. So, does anyone here have experience with strobe lighting, or can you guide me to an informational website I might look at? Thanks to everyone who reads and considers. Happy photographing! Deb Sturm

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[Designer]

Hi, Deb. Yes, there are many on this site who have extensive experience with strobe lighting, although I'm not one of them.

It will help quite a bit to tell exactly what your strobe units are, and how you intend to use them.

[amolitor]

Are you having trouble connecting strobes to your cameras?

I have a little cube-shaped widget that slips into the hotshoe. On one side of the cube is a little metal peg with a hole in it -- this is a PC cord socket. From this I run a PC cord to whatever I like. When the camera's shutter fires it indicates this fact on the PC socket, firing the strobe(s). Done and done!

There are radio-based solutions as well, which perform some equivalent task, but those are for modern people and I don't know how they connect to a D3100 or a D5100. Someone else does, and they will surely chime in soon, however!

[DebSturm]

Thanks amolitor, you are so kind to take the time to help. I'm clear so far on your explanation, but I have (2) strobe lights and will soon have a total of (4) strobes. How are they connected to control at the same time? My kit did come with a remote control capable of handling (7) lights. Is this where I need to concentrate? Thanks again, Deb

[DebSturm]

I'm a student, so I had to start out small, so my first purchase is an Impact VC-500LR 500w MONOLIGHT 2-LT KIT . 250watts each, and I just ordered the hot shoe adapter for my cameras. I will be using the strobes for studio lighting (mostly portrait work) and whatever else my school decides I need to use them for. Sorry to be so stupid, my background is in graphic art and I've only been using DSLR for a couple years now. I've already taken over 30,000 pictures and have learned a lot but now it's time for my next class which is Studio Photography. I will be adding an addition Impact VC-500LR 500w MONOLIGHT 2-LT KIT in the near future for a total of (4) strobe lights necessary for Portraiture Class. The instructions that were included with the kit are poor at best. They are designed for seasoned professionals who know what they are doing. I hope this helps, I appreciate your time and expertise. Deb

[amolitor]

My solution, which is pretty ghetto and not up to date at all, is to optically slave my strobes.

Many strobes have an optical slave function built in -- when the appropriate switch is flipped or button is depressed, the strobe will fire whenever it detects ("sees") another strobe firing. For strobes that don't, I have a handy little device that "sees" other strobes going off and fires whatever strobe it's plugged into the PC socket of.

There are, I think, better ways to do this! It seems to me there OUGHT to be a a little box where you plug the cord from the camera in, which has 4 PC sockets on it, but I've never seen one and I don't know for sure if it exists.

Someone is sure to mention Pocket Wizards pretty soon, which are the standard radio-based solution.

[jwbryson1]

Deb, welcome to the forum.

Find Derrel and send him a PM. He will answer your questions. Amolitor is right that PW's are the "standard" in terms of radio triggers, but I'm not familiar enough with your lighting set up to be 100% certain that they work with radio triggers.

Good luck!

[rtr]

hey deb, do a search for ... the strobist...dave hobby ... he's also has a blog ...google plus... he is THE Authority... if it's not on his site ... it ain't important...all kinds of tutorials , examples, info... and much of it geared for low budget...radio triggers, flash slaves, etc. covered...

[Robin_Usagani]

The remote you are talking about is just a remote to control the settings of up to 7 strobes. It will not trigger them. So you can control the power of each 7 strobes without walking up to each of them. You have to connect ONE to your camera via radio trigger OR PC cable. This one strobe will trigger the rest. You can also trigger them with your speedlite or internal flash probably.

[DebSturm]

Thanks again amolitor, my best to you. Deb

[cgipson1]

According to the info on B&H, the remote control will allow you to set the various controls, light output, etc.. on the monolights and that is it, although it is a very nice feature. That remote has nothing to do with actually firing the flashes though.

They do have optical slave capability, and appear to have the standard 1/4" female jack on them for remote actuation. They do come with some 1/4" to PC sync cords... which will probably work fine with the hotshoe adapters you picked up, so that is one solution.

What I would suggest is to pick up some wireless remotes (pocket wizards (maybe plus 3?), calumet litelinks, or any of the positively reviewed 3rd part wireless remotes like the Yongnuo's or similar (see Amazon.. search on wireless flash trigger) .... and get the appropriate cable to attach them to the monolights (there is one list on B&H under the Accessories tab 1/4" to 1/8" mono). This will allow you to use the lights, without having worry about tripping over cables... very simple and easy to use!

[DebSturm]

AH-HA! An explanation! You have NO idea how much this has helped me. My "lightbulbs" are going off now and I would sure like to thank you. This makes complete sense to me now. THANKS! deb

[DebSturm]

Hi Charlie, I'm Deb. Thanks for the info. everyone here is being SO helpful and kind. I'm impressed. I'm so tired of people who are condescending and stingy with their experience, this place is a breath of fresh air. I will check out the pocket wizards for remote, and again, thank you. Deb

[Robin_Usagani]

Deb, go set these strobes to SLAVE mode. Then try snapping pictures with your internal flash. See if that will trigger them.

[jwbryson1]

this place is a breath of fresh air.

Give us time! We're like fish and visitors in the home---both begin to stink after 3 days...