Questions about flash

[MWG]

Ok guys, I have a few questions about flash photography and the gear I would need. It's all very new to me, but I did a search to learn what I needed. I recently purchased a Canon 270ex speedlight for my canon t1i and I like it, but It just isn't enough for me. My question is this, I have a few options. I can return the flash and buy its big brother the 430 ex or I can get a vivitar 285 hv and start compiling gear to start experimenting with off-camera flash. Basically, should I play with off-camera flash for awhile or is not worth the time? Also, how much better is the canon flashes compared to the vivitar flash. If i could afford the 580 ex thats the option I would go, so my last option is to keep my 270 and just play with it until I can afford a couple 580's with stands, PW's, umbrellas, etc.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[analog.universe]

The Canon stuff is nice if you use the TTL functions. Someone else here can explain them better, because I don't know anything about them actually

I do my off camera flash completely manual, with 2 LumoPro LP160 speedlights and Cactus V5 triggers. $1,000 less than canon's and pocket wizards. The LP160 has about the same power as the 580ex, but it's 100% manual. You can't control the flash from the camera, and there's no auto exposure adjustment. Lumopro also makes wicked cheap stands..

check out www.strobist.com
awesome blog about off camera flash (and all the associated gear)

 

[MWG]

That stands for through the lens I presume. I read something about it earlier, I understand it kind of. lol

So your setup has nothing to do with your camera, its controlled completely separately?

 

[analog.universe]

There's a transmitting trigger on the camera hotshoe that fires the receiving triggers whenever I click the shutter. Each receiver is connected to a flash, and on the flashes themselves are controls for zoom and power output. So the camera just tells the flashes when to fire, you tell them how bright and what shape.

 

[analog.universe]

Read the "Lighting 101" on the blog I linked, he goes over all this stuff in really good detail.

 

[MWG]

Gotcha, that feels out of my league seeing as I just got into flash photography last week. lol.

But I will keep the option in mind.

Thanks for your help.

 

[analog.universe]

That's my first OCF setup as well, it's not as hard it sounds once you understand the theory. Read the blog, I mean it, it's good stuff :lmao:

 

[KmH]

Actually, it is a lot easier to learn how to use flash manually, than it is to learn how to use it TTL.

TTL has a lot more nuances, settings, and variability than just doing it all in manual mode. The camera is making decisions for you, but the camera doesn't really know what it is you are wanting to accomplish, and often makes adjustments based on erroneous assumptions.

 

[Shadowbox]

The Canon stuff is nice if you use the TTL functions. Someone else here can explain them better, because I don't know anything about them actually

I do my off camera flash completely manual, with 2 LumoPro LP160 speedlights and Cactus V5 triggers. $1,000 less than canon's and pocket wizards. The LP160 has about the same power as the 580ex, but it's 100% manual. You can't control the flash from the camera, and there's no auto exposure adjustment. Lumopro also makes wicked cheap stands..

check out www.strobist.com
awesome blog about off camera flash (and all the associated gear)

thanks for the link suggestion, I love that lighting 101 blog- it really helped clear things up for me.

 

[kundalini]

If I knew then what I know now, I would have gone the Vivatar (or similar) flash route. All my Nikon flashes have TTL funtionality, but it is used only 5-10% of the time and hardly ever with OCF. With experience, you'll find that manual flash is more predictable.