Let there be light! Pt. II - You ask, we answer

[Samanax]

I was shooting indoors, so I thought that maybe the flash made the scene so bright all of a sudden that my camera metered incorrectly.

I guess it's possible since you were shooting in AUTO...but not really sure.

 

[inTempus]

So here's a question.

When using my 580EXII and 430EXII, the 580 tells the 430 what to do in terms of adjustments for exposure. I can control everything from the 580 while it's mounted to the camera.

If I go with wireless triggers, do I lose the ability to control all the flashes from the camera? I assume so since there's no menuing system on the wireless transmitter. Will the camera still intelligently expose properly with two remote flashes being triggered by a wireless setup? Meaning, does the camera still know it has two flashes working for it?

I ordered a Cactus wireless trigger set just to play with, at $30 I figured it would give me some experience with wireless triggers. Next I'll buy a nice setup like Skyports.

 

[Samanax]

If I go with wireless triggers, do I lose the ability to control all the flashes from the camera? I assume so since there's no menuing system on the wireless transmitter. Will the camera still intelligently expose properly with two remote flashes being triggered by a wireless setup? Meaning, does the camera still know it has two flashes working for it?

You'll have no E-TTL control if the flashes are off-camera. I just go full manual (Speedlites and XTi) when I'm doing strobist shots. I plan to get a Sekonic flash meter to help me with that.

I ordered a Cactus wireless trigger set just to play with, at $30 I figured it would give me some experience with wireless triggers.

You'll have fun with those as long as you get working ones.

Next I'll buy a nice setup like Skyports.

I'd pass on the EL-Skyports and get something with E-TTL control like the new PocketWizards.

 

[Kegger]

The new PWs, would work great as would Radio Poppers. But who shoots full time TTL anyway, lol.

 

[Samanax]

The new PWs, would work great as would Radio Poppers. But who shoots full time TTL anyway, lol.

I look at it like this...would you rather have it but not need it? Or need it and not have it?

 

[Kegger]

I have the exact same viewpoint. Not bashing anyone in the slightest, or anyone's style. I've just come to find TTL a little lacking. So I throw down in full manual. But that's me.

 

[Samanax]

I have the exact same viewpoint. Not bashing anyone in the slightest, or anyone's style. I've just come to find TTL a little lacking. So I throw down in full manual. But that's me.

I do the same...TTL has it's place but when using a Speedlite (on or off camera) I tend to shoot full manual most of the time. But others may prefer to use TTL flash metering so I figured no harm in providing info about TTL capable triggers. I totally forgot about the Radio Poppers though.

 

[tsaraleksi]

To add some info to the discussion about hotshoe strobes vs. monolight strobes, the reason that monolights are so named is that there is a third alternative, that being a pack-and-head set up that uses power packs that control several flash heads. You control the flash output from the pack, rather than the head. You're will most likely see a pack-and-head system in use in a studio, though they can be used on location without any real problems. They offer a fair number of advantages, particularly in that the heads themselves are quite lightweight, making them ideal for putting on booms or in other situations where you might risk a stand tipping over. The disadvantage is that you are a little more limited with where you can put them-- if you had 5 monolights you could put them anywhere you have plugs, if you had 5 heads and a pack, everything would need to plug into the pack.

 

[Village Idiot]

To add some info to the discussion about hotshoe strobes vs. monolight strobes, the reason that monolights are so named is that there is a third alternative, that being a pack-and-head set up that uses power packs that control several flash heads. You control the flash output from the pack, rather than the head. You're will most likely see a pack-and-head system in use in a studio, though they can be used on location without any real problems. They offer a fair number of advantages, particularly in that the heads themselves are quite lightweight, making them ideal for putting on booms or in other situations where you might risk a stand tipping over. The disadvantage is that you are a little more limited with where you can put them-- if you had 5 monolights you could put them anywhere you have plugs, if you had 5 heads and a pack, everything would need to plug into the pack.

Plus, aren't pack and head systems generally more consistent because all the juice is coming from one location where as monolights have individual power sources which could differ in manufacturing tolerances.