Building my list of macro essentials.

[CobraMisfit]

Your flash set-up sounds interesting. Would it work on the D5100 (i.e. the lacking the D7000 flash commander, etc)? I was debating between the D7000 and D5100 and chose the latter so I could invest in qulity lenses with the understanding that I'd swap the body out down the road. As you point out, I'm still learning, so varsity-level accessories can wait in favor of essentials that will get the ball rolling. Quality lens, flash, tri/mono pod, etc.

Also, thanks for the info on 2.8 vs 3.5. It was a question that came up as I compared the Sigma 150 f/2.8 to the Tamron 180 f/3.5.

 

[jriepe]

Nikon Su-800 Commander - Adorama.com

Check out this link. For the D5100 you could buy the Wireless Commander SU-800 to trigger certain Speedlights such as the SB600 but if you don't already have the speedlghts going with the R1C1 lighting system would probably be your best bet as far as macro lighting. The costs of the SU-800 plus two SB600's plus the macro flash bracket would be more or about the same than the cost of the R1C1. If you want flash units for other purposes other than macro I honestly don't know if the R1C1 would suffice for portraits. I don't have that much experience in portrait photography but there are others here who could give you an answer on that. Or you could probably also reasearch it.

Jerry

 

[Judobreaker]

@Judo: Appreciate the tip about the R1C1. That might be a good option for me down the road. I like the "twin" flashes concept of it and assume that you can control the "sides" with the 800 unit. Is that right?

Yes.
This kit can basically control 3 different groups. You set the individual flashes into a certain group and you can then control these groups with the commander.

I find that the R1C1 kit is pretty handy when it comes to portraiture as you can use them for a studio-like setup too.
The kit includes 2 small bases for the flashes so you can simply put them on the ground or on a cupboard.
These bases also have a screw hole so you can place them on a tripod. They can basically be used as normal flashes and are easily controlled from the commander unit.