Off camera flash questions

[shortpants]

Sorry if this is the wrong forum.
I'm wondering how I can use my old Vivitar auto flashes with my 60D. I wouldn't dare put them right on my camera. Eventually I will buy some better flash units but I'm trying to work with what I have for practice. Basically I want to set them up on light stands to use for environmental portraits.

If I bought a slave for each unit and set them off camera, would my popup flash set them off? Or how else could I trigger them without the popup. I used to work with off camera flash a lot with a pc cord, and I'm just having trouble remembering how to do this other ways. If I'm way off track please help me out with a setup on a budget. I'm just a tad confused Thanks!

 

[Village Idiot]

Radio triggers. Cactus, Yong Nuo, Paul C Buff, Elinchrom, Radio Poppers, Pocket Wizards and other can do this.

On what budget? Two pocket wizards to fire one flash will cost you $350. A E-bay trigger and receiver may cost you $30.

 

[shortpants]

Thanks. Definitely on an ebay budget. I still need stands, diffusers, etc. So I think I was looking at optical triggers before, in that case I would need a master flash to fire correct? But if I use a radio trigger plus a receiver for each flash I'm good to go? Am I understanding this right?

 

[KmH]

You can use an optical trigger added to the shoe of the strobe (flash) so the off camera strobe will fire when the camera pop-up unit fires. FlashZebra.com: Optical Slaves

But yes, you can also use radio triggers. Plus radio tiggers have way more range, won't be set off by someone elses strobe, and won't be limited to line of sight.
StudioHut 4 channel Wireless Radio Hot Shoe Flash Trigger Kit for Canon EOS, Nikon, Olympus & Pentax Flashes with 2 Receivers

That kit has 4 channels, so you and 3 other photographers could be shooting in close proximity and not be triggering each others lights.

 

[shortpants]

Thanks! I ended up ordering the Studiohut kit with the light stands and umbrellas.
I definitely had a duh moment today, I don't know why nothing was making sense to me.

 

[table1349]

Start here: Great site for they things you are asking. Strobist