Radio Triggers - D90 & SB-700

[rgribbons]

I have started to mess around with off camera flash but I don't like using the onboard flash to trigger the SB-700. While cable connection may be cheaper I'm thinking it may be a pain in the ass hence my thoughts have turned to radio triggers.

Is anyone using this combination and if so what triggers do you use. i want something fairly straight forward to use without costing an arm and a leg.

 

[cgipson1]

I have started to mess around with off camera flash but I don't like using the onboard flash to trigger the SB-700. While cable connection may be cheaper I'm thinking it may be a pain in the ass hence my thoughts have turned to radio triggers.

Is anyone using this combination and if so what triggers do you use. i want something fairly straight forward to use without costing an arm and a leg.

Pocket Wizards are probably the best.. but aren't cheap! There are several threads on here ( a lot of them actually) on this issue... a quick search gives:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/lighting-hardware/259817-whats-good-cheap-wireless-system-flashes.html
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/lighting-hardware/263606-question-regarding-radio-slaves.html
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...confused-wireless-not.html?highlight=wireless
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...244451-cheap-triggers.html?highlight=wireless

and there are a lot more than that!

 

[KmH]

I have started to mess around with off camera flash but I don't like using the onboard flash to trigger the SB-700. While cable connection may be cheaper I'm thinking it may be a pain in the ass hence my thoughts have turned to radio triggers.

Is anyone using this combination and if so what triggers do you use. i want something fairly straight forward to use without costing an arm and a leg.

TTL functionality, or you be the boss - manual mode?

 

[jwbryson1]

I have the D90 and the SB-700. I also just got 2 of these through Amazon for X-mas:

Amazon.com: Yongnuo YN-560 Speedlight Flash for Canon and Nikon: Camera & Photo

I wanted a radio slave to trigger them. The PW's are TOO damn expensive so I opted instead for these:

Amazon.com: CowboyStudio NPT-04, 4 Channel Wireless Hot Shoe Flash Trigger Receiver: Electronics

I got one transmitter and 3 receivers "all in" for about $80. It's ALL manual, mind you, so you lose the ability to adjust the SB-700 through the D90's custom settings menu, but hell, I've only spent $80. That's cheap!

I got all of the speedlights (SB-700 and the YN 560s) to trigger with these and this weekend I plan to shoot them all at the same time to see how I do with 3 speedlights. I will post pics here.

So, I guess the lesson is that you can spend just a little bit of $$$ and get something that will "work" but no bells and whistles, or you can drop a TON on PW's (same set up with PW's would have cost about $700+), and get the bells and whistles. Until such time as I've "outgrown" the Cowboy units, I'll stick with cheap. If I get good enough and need the flexibility of the PW's, then I'll consider making the upgrade.

Hope that helps.

 

[mjhoward]

I like my yongnuo's. Havn't had a sync problem at 1/250s yet!

 

[D-B-J]

I love my SU800-- but that is not radio. I will one day spend the money and get radio-poppers.

 

[jwbryson1]

I was also eyeballing these which are not as expensive as the PW's but cost more than the Cowboy units:

Impact PowerSync16 DC Radio Slave System POWERSYNC16D B&H Photo

 

[rgribbons]

I have started to mess around with off camera flash but I don't like using the onboard flash to trigger the SB-700. While cable connection may be cheaper I'm thinking it may be a pain in the ass hence my thoughts have turned to radio triggers.

Is anyone using this combination and if so what triggers do you use. i want something fairly straight forward to use without costing an arm and a leg.

TTL functionality, or you be the boss - manual mode?

I would like TTL functionality if possible just to keep things simple until I get more comfortable.

 

[KmH]

That's just it. TTL is far from simple. It's quite a bit more complex than just using manual modes.

TTL does a lot of guesssing because it's has no clue what you are shooting, nor what your artistic goals are. It's just a not all that sophisticated software program that fires a couple of pre-flashes so the camea can mesure how much light gets reflected back. The software doesn't know if the reflected light came from a persons face, a tree, a park bench, a car, a forest, or clothes hung on an outside clothes line.

Consequently TTL flash has issues with consistancy.

 

[rgribbons]

That's a good point & well explained. As I said I am starting to explore this area and hadn't thought about it in that view. With that in mind would I be as well to go with something like the yongnuo s and mess around with different settings to learn what works or doesn't?

Anythign else i need to be aware of when buying these?

 

[kylehess10]

I wanted a radio slave to trigger them. The PW's are TOO damn expensive so I opted instead for these:

Amazon.com: CowboyStudio NPT-04, 4 Channel Wireless Hot Shoe Flash Trigger Receiver: Electronics

I use this exact type which I purchased from Cowboy Studio and I highly recommend them. I use a second one to set off 2 SB600's and they've never failed on me. It was a great start for my work with off-camera flash, and I plan on using them for a long time to come.

 

[jane_530]

As I knew that there a kind of High Speed Sync Radio Trigger for Studio flash, off camera Falsh and camera flash for sale. Competitive price, high quality. Brand: OJECOCO. Model: H550.

 

[kassad]

I wanted a radio slave to trigger them. The PW's are TOO damn expensive so I opted instead for these:

Amazon.com: CowboyStudio NPT-04, 4 Channel Wireless Hot Shoe Flash Trigger Receiver: Electronics

I use this exact type which I purchased from Cowboy Studio and I highly recommend them. I use a second one to set off 2 SB600's and they've never failed on me. It was a great start for my work with off-camera flash, and I plan on using them for a long time to come.

I'm also using the NPT-04 from cowboy studio. I'm happy with them. The only issue I have had is the sync speed drops when with I don't use fresh batteries. No the problem of the triggers, I just need to remember to turn them off when done.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Pocketwizards and manual mode. Achieve shutter sync speeds up to 1/8000th without TTL gimmicks such as firing a strobe many times at reduced power and horrid battery life.

Triggers are like any thing else, you get what you pay for.

 

[kassad]

Pocketwizards and manual mode. Achieve shutter sync speeds up to 1/8000th without TTL gimmicks such as firing a strobe many times at reduced power and horrid battery life.

Triggers are like any thing else, you get what you pay for.

Am I correct in understanding that the "HyperSync" is only available in the Flex and Mini models. It looks like the PW II, PW III, and Multimax are all limited to the camera sync speed. If the Hypersync feature is available in the new PW III's I would consider getting them.