Flash set up - first time purchasing

[sam_justice]

I want to get into flash photography to really start to understand lighting and to start taking good portrait photos.

I am after a cheap set up for my first one, I'm thinking a speedlight (Nikon), umbrella (with an option to be translucent as well as reflective), light stand, umbrella clip and coldshoe with probably just a sync cable (since it's my first set up). Does anyone have a similar set up that cost them under $300? And what would be the best speedlight that is reasonably priced (around $150 second hand on ebay?) for this?

 

[tirediron]

Nikon makes a nice little speedlight stand with umbrella (not sure if it's shoot-through or only bounce) which retails for around $125 or so. Used SB600s can usually be found for around $250, and if your camera is Commander-capable you won't even need sync cords (I'm assuming it is since they don't put sync ports on the lower end bodies).

Alternatively you could looke for a used Vivitar 283/285, great strobist flashes, but not so good for on-camera work.

 

[sam_justice]

I'm currently using a Nikon D50 (old school) but am looking at either the new D7000 (when it gets announced) or even the D90 if it falls a lot in price when the D7000 is announced.

Nikon makes a nice little speedlight stand with umbrella (not sure if it's shoot-through or only bounce) which retails for around $125 or so. Used SB600s can usually be found for around $250, and if your camera is Commander-capable you won't even need sync cords (I'm assuming it is since they don't put sync ports on the lower end bodies).

Alternatively you could looke for a used Vivitar 283/285, great strobist flashes, but not so good for on-camera work.

I'm liking the price of the Vivitar, are they easy to program in manual mode?

 

[mrpink]

Used SB600s can usually be found for around $250

NEW Sb-600's can be found for $220.00, refurbs $190.00, I have seen them on CL for around $150-$175 complete.




p!nK

 

[sam_justice]

One other thing, I've been watching various DVDs and such on flash photography. But it's mainly for studio flash, I've heard the SB-600 is a nice unit and I am looking at that currently because apparently it's a good on cam one as well.

The only thing I want to know is, what kind of situations would photographers use an on camera flash for? By the sounds of things never for portraiture but Tom Bricker posted this

which I believe is on camera flash is it not?