N00B here, need help!

[Matt87109]

First of all let me apologize for not knowing the "lingo". I'm just getting started in this hobby.

I've recently purchased a Canon Powershot G3. My main use for this camera is macro photography of small electronic devices and cat photography.

Optically I'm happy with the camera, but I'm in serious need of additional lighting both for the macro and cat photography. I've recently added a cheap hot shoe flash (given to me) and it helped quite a bit with the macro photography, but won't cut the cheese with red eye while photographing the cats.

With my limited knowledge I've come to the following conclusion: I want two lower cost (on a budget of ~300-400 dollars total) flashes that will fire as slaves via the output of my current hot shoe flash. I would then put these on table top tripods for my macro pictures, and regular tripods for the cat pictures. When taking pictures of the cats I would angle the on camera flash up to avoid red eye.

Can anybody advise a better way to do this and or suggest flashes that give me the best bang for the buck? Again I want the kind that "slave" as I understand it from other flashes...in other words they will trigger merely from seeing another flash. Also what are some great places to buy this stuff? I've browsed around and seen some sunpaks for 150 bucks, but since I really don't know much I'm hopping somebody can help me by saying "you want this and this feature and this is probably what you are looking for".

Thanks!

 

[Dew]

you can find a slave flash with umbrella on ebay (where we got our set) or b&h photo.. im sure there are other places

as an alternative, have u considered using a softbox without flash? .. that would eliminate your "red-eye" .. perhaps u'll have more control over the light ... something with continuos light?

 

[Matt87109]

I'm not sure I know what a softbox is, but continuous lightning makes sense. I was told that with animals (especially cats) and what I've experienced is that you need fast shutter speeds since they tend to move constantly.... that's what lead me to the strobe-flash solution. Thanks... I'll poke around on ebay.

 

[Matt87109]

This seems to be what I'm looking for... any comments?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2984899649&category=30087

 

[voodoocat]

With cats having that extra reflective surface in their eye, it doesn't matter the type of light, they'll get glowing green eye if there is a strong source of light hitting them head on. You'll want some fairly even lighting to avoid alien pupils.

 

[Dew]

cats move around a lot (i've owned one in the past) ... perhaps u can stalk the cat and wait around for a while ... they will "freeze" at some point ....

if u use the slave flash with an umbrella to diffuse the light, rather far away and bounce the flash off the ceiling ... this should do the trick

 

[Matt87109]

thanks! I think I'm going to buy the 199 dollar set I linked above and just continue to use aluminum foil and my hot shoe flash for the macro stuff.

 

[Matt87109]

Dew.... got my slave flashes today. They seem to be good. Thanks.

you can find a slave flash with umbrella on ebay (where we got our set) or b&h photo.. im sure there are other places

as an alternative, have u considered using a softbox without flash? .. that would eliminate your "red-eye" .. perhaps u'll have more control over the light ... something with continuos light?

 

[Dew]

 

[Matt87109]

Yeah they work great! 8) .... took about 100 pictures last night and they sync fine and the lighting is exactly what I wanted for less than I expected.