I would like to hear about some of your setups. I'm thinking about investing in this route. Please include all materials if you don't mind. I can't decide on which brand of flash to go with, which receivers, stands, power source. Any help would be appreciated, just wanna get a feeler with some of your set-ups. I'm shooting with canon btw.
id say pocketwizards. miniTT1 and FlexTT5 combo.
i personally use the sb-600 and the onboard pop-up flash on the D90 to trigger it.
I own several systems for use in wedding photography including Radio Poppers PX, Pocket Wizard TT5s, and Pocket Wizard Plus II. I'm currently using the TT5 setting because it's an easier set up. But for reliability, it's the Pocket Wizard Plus II's all the way. They won't give you TTL or control over the light output, but they will fire each and every time!
Did anyone think it may be important to even ask the guys for a budget? Enough Pocket Wizards to trigger 2 lights will run you about $525 and that' with the basic PII models. You can purchase two lights, triggers, stands, and cheap modifiers for under $525.
Alien bee's are monolights, pocket wizards are radio strobe light (flash) triggering devices.
AlienBees: Illuminating the Galaxy with Professional Photographic Lighting Equipment
PocketWizard® - Remote flash and camera triggers for professional and advanced amateur photographers
You need to say if you want a strobist, on-location, minimalist type set-up that can still use TTL, or a studio type set up.
Alien Bees/Paul C. Buff makes triggers as well They can be used a dumb triggers that will fire pretty much any light or with the right models, can control the power of the Alien Bee monolights. PCB Cyber Syncs are cheaper than the PW's and a very good reliable option if your budget can't swing $175 a transceiver. You can purchase a basic transmitter and reciever for about $130, iirc. $60 a transmitter and $70 a receiver.
If the OP is just learning and doesn't have a huge budget, then check out triggers like the Yong Nuo (sp?) and cactus. They're cheap, not the most reliable, but undoubtably a good way to learn without committing to a set of triggers.
I use Pocket Wizards and I think like most PW users before the big bang of radio triggers, still use them because I have them. There are a lot of other options out there right now with pros and cons for each of the systems. You can Elinchrom Skyports, the Radio Popper system, the PCB Cyber Syncs, and others.
My setups consist of a Canon 580EX II and 2 Canon 430EX II's for when I need extreme portability and a set of packs and heads with a battery when I need better modifiers or more power. It's extremely un-portable (if that's even a word), but when you need the power or the right modifiers, you have to do what you have to do.
You'll want to really narrow down what and where you're going to shoot vs. your budget vs. your need for portability. If you're going to be on location and never near a wall outlet and you're going to need portability, then start checking out speedlights and triggers (unless you have $$2,300+ to spend on something like an Elinchrom Ranger Quadra). If you're confident you're going to access to power, need larger lights and better modifiers, have a slightly bigger budget, and don't need extreme portability, then you can probably find some monolights and a battery that will fit you well.
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