Inexpensive Flash Stand Recommendation?

Mystwalker · Sep 30, 2008

Yikes - glad I read this before diving in.
Think I'm going to go to Sears and have them do my daughter's portraits.

This "lighting" thing is much more complicated then I thought

JerryPH · Sep 30, 2008

OMG, no its not complicated at all!

All it takes is a little patience, reading and practice... just like any other aspect of photography!

JerryPH · Sep 30, 2008

Big Mike said:
I remember that was a nice little video that was posted on Strobist, which explained the basic set up and equipment...

Do you have a link? If that was the exerpt from the Strobist DVD, it may be incomplete. I am seriously considering making a little video that explains the bare minimum and how to just "evolve" from an on camera flash to a single lightstand/umbrella/strobe setup.

People seem to be afraid of something that REALLY isn't all that difficult.

Big Mike · Sep 30, 2008

It might be the video on this page of Lighting 101...I'm not sure, my firewall won't let me view most videos anymore

JerryPH · Sep 30, 2008

I made a little short strobist video (more joke than serious), and uploaded it to youtube (first time I tried doing this). You can see it [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFjzgO8AUh0"]HERE[/ame].

manaheim · Oct 1, 2008

This has all been great, guys. Thank you. I apologize for not responding more. I'm basically digesting the information and coming up with a plan for what I want to do.

Again, thanks very much!

chrisburke · Oct 1, 2008

i've used a hot sync adapter, and because its the same thread as the base of the camera, i've mounted the flash right onto my other tripod... it can be cheap, depending on your tripod.. I have an extra one lying around which i think cost me about 15 or 20 bucks.. it works great.. because it has the wide base, its very stable....i'm sure if you needed a umbrella, you could rig something up with good ol duct tape

Tolyk · Oct 1, 2008

Nikon has a light stand kit all bundled up that comes with the stand, the hot shoe/umbrella adapter and a convertible umbrella for around 180 Canadian, it's got your whole kit and caboodle and I believe the stand gets to 9 or 10 feet.

What exactly are you intending to do with the light stands? Some people like to buy Gorilla-pods to get creative with their lighting options.

manaheim · Oct 1, 2008

Tolyk said:
Nikon has a light stand kit all bundled up that comes with the stand, the hot shoe/umbrella adapter and a convertible umbrella for around 180 Canadian, it's got your whole kit and caboodle and I believe the stand gets to 9 or 10 feet.

What exactly are you intending to do with the light stands? Some people like to buy Gorilla-pods to get creative with their lighting options.

Oh... gorillapod. That's an interesting notion. I even have one of those.

I'm trying to do some basic stuff at home shooting pictures of the kids and the wife and various objects, but also mainly looking for a versatile and portable setup I can drag around with me as I shoot the interiors of commercial buildings. I need it to be reasonably stealthy and very easy/fast to setup and breakdown.

Tolyk · Oct 2, 2008

manaheim said:
Oh... gorillapod. That's an interesting notion. I even have one of those.

I'm trying to do some basic stuff at home shooting pictures of the kids and the wife and various objects, but also mainly looking for a versatile and portable setup I can drag around with me as I shoot the interiors of commercial buildings. I need it to be reasonably stealthy and very easy/fast to setup and breakdown.

Well, if you try out the gorillapod let me know how it goes

I've yet to hear any feedback on it. It does seem like an interesting idea.

Village Idiot · Oct 2, 2008

Yay. I'm buying more lightstands. My tripod can go back to being stored in my closet.

manaheim · Oct 12, 2008

EDIT:

Ok, here is what I was thinking...

1 SB-800 (I already have 1 SB-600) ($300)
2 Impact 6' Light Stands ($40)
2 Impact Swivel Mounts ($26)
2 Umbrellas ($20)
1 Cactus Trans/Receive ($32) (this looks like it has transmitter and receiver, yes?)
1 Cactus Receiver ($20)

I can't quite seem to find those hotshoe adapters that you have (and I like them from what I see). Do you happen to have a part/mfg number?

Did I miss anything else?

EDIT: Also on the wireless sync... are those PocketWizards really as expensive as they appear to be? Almost looks like I'd need to have a $200-300 unit for each flash??? That can't be right.

K_Pugh · Oct 12, 2008

An old microphone stand and a spare tripod shoe attached to the end, Nikon stand/adaptor thing that comes with the SB-600.. doesn't look too bad either.. i'm too cheap to buy especially when i can bodge.

KD5NRH · Oct 13, 2008

#10 can, bag of Quikrete, an 8' 1x2, and some of these. Gather several cans and 1x2s so you can use up all the concrete at once; it doesn't keep well once it's mixed.

What? They work quite well for a relatively stationary setup. If you're going to use umbrellas, though, you might want to go with something stronger than 1x2, like 1" pipe, and a C-clamp based mount rather than the spring clamp.

manaheim · Oct 13, 2008

KD5NRH said:
#10 can, bag of Quikrete, an 8' 1x2, and some of these. Gather several cans and 1x2s so you can use up all the concrete at once; it doesn't keep well once it's mixed.

What? They work quite well for a relatively stationary setup. If you're going to use umbrellas, though, you might want to go with something stronger than 1x2, like 1" pipe, and a C-clamp based mount rather than the spring clamp.

Oh the clamp thing is actually quite cool... but I don't see anything about quickrete there?