Which gear is more important.

delko · Jan 20, 2012

Ey all

Please help an tell me wich of the following gear hold priority...

Im currently still a student so the gear will have to come one at a time.

Here are they.

Canon 430 ex flash.

Canon battery grip.

Manfrotto tripod with ballhead.

Cable release.

Thank you

Buckster · Jan 20, 2012

Depends on what you're shooting and what the conditions are. Without knowing that, and using only the list provided, I'll say the tripod/ball head.

xyphoto · Jan 20, 2012

Here would be my order:

1. Tripod
2. Flash
3. Battery grip (not as important as the other two above)

For the cable release, the cost is fairly low so you can pick it up when you buy the tripod.

Overread · Jan 20, 2012

Whichever is going to allow you to achieve what you want.

It's going to be a personal choice for everyone and the order is going to depend greatly on what and how they shoot. It might also depend on what your interested in right now - tripod or flash might well both have key uses for you in different interest areas- so whichever is the current focus would be the best.

That said maybe your gear does all you want, but is a little small in the hand; or maybe you need that portrait aspect a lot more and want a much more comfortable and easy way to hold the camera when shooting portrait aspect shots.

The release is cheaper and heck the self timer can replace the remote release a lot of the time, when its more about preventing shake than it is about timing.

delko · Jan 20, 2012

Any ideas for a tripod.

Looking at the manfrotto 055xdb
And the 190xdb or the 190xb

With a ballhead...

Will get together with cable realease.

Main focus...

Nature shots.
Portraits
People photography without a studio.
Not doing wildlife photography...

Overread · Jan 20, 2012

What's your total budget for all this roughly come to?

Also leg wise I would go for the 055XB series instead of the XDB. The XDB does not have the same central column and thus lacks the same low angle abilities that the XB has with its low angle central column option.
055XB ClassicTripod (Black) - 055 Series | Manfrotto
055 Basic Tripod (Black) - 055 Series | Manfrotto

The XB can go all the way down to just 7cm whilst the XDB can only go down to 48cm, which you are likely to find very limiting.

Bossy · Jan 20, 2012

I would get a flash first, then battery grip, then tripod if needed. I *rarely* use mine, actually I haven't used it for a year since I lost the mount >.< The flash provides light for faster shutterpeeds, the battery grip allows to shoot longer (and creates a nice grip) and the tripod will provide control for longer exposures like for landscapes or still life, but I personally dont shoot much of either.

MLeeK · Jan 20, 2012

For what you are doing-flash first. And there are rebates putting the 430EX II down to about $250 until 2/3. Check B&H for the best price I've seen.

memento · Jan 20, 2012

I would definitely get a flash first. I use mine all the time, in the middle of the day, at night and inside. I feel a flash is just as important as the camera itself.

Just the other day my brother was laughing at me because I had my flash on when we were at an outside ice skating arena.. on a bright sunny day. When I explained about silhouettes and showed him a picture of his wife and son, back lit by the sun and exposed perfectly by the flash, he said, "Oh, I see." (pun intended

)

Then a tripod and a shutter release.

Then a battery grip.

analog.universe · Jan 20, 2012

It does depend on what you shoot certainly, and also what your budget is. For me the tripod would be more important, I use mine a lot, more than flash. For some people the flash would be more important.

The tripod will be much more expensive than the flash though (or it should be anyway), so that may influence the decision as well.

2WheelPhoto · Jan 20, 2012

Off cam flash is most important to me by far. Not too often a pocketwizard isn't connected to my cam. 100 x 1 times my use of my tripod.

Even indoors bouncing at events I like the flash in my hand held out rather than mounted in the worse place - on the camera. When I'm really lucky my GF holds it for me and I say "point here and there". She deserves credit, she help me set up the lighting on this silly train car and jumped in the frame too working my Vivitars heh

Joey_Ricard · Jan 20, 2012

A canon 430 EXII

or

a lower end Manfrotto tripod/Ballhead/plate combo are close in price range

I do use tripod and flashes for portraits
I don't use flashes for landscapes, but I absolutely do use a tripod on all of my low light landscapes

Both are important for specific uses

People get lazy and don't use a tripod when they should (this is a fact)

Joey_Ricard · Jan 20, 2012

2WheelPhoto said:
Off cam flash is most important to me by far. Not too often a pocketwizard isn't connected to my cam. 100 x 1 times my use of my tripod.

Even indoors bouncing at events I like the flash in my hand held out rather than mounted in the worse place - on the camera. When I'm really lucky my GF holds it for me and I say "point here and there". She deserves credit, she help me set up the lighting on this silly train car and jumped in the frame too working my Vivitars heh

Nice looking conductor you have there!

DiskoJoe · Jan 20, 2012

Buckster said:
Depends on what you're shooting and what the conditions are. Without knowing that, and using only the list provided, I'll say the tripod/ball head.

I would ahve to say tripod as well. That was the first thing I bought but i like to nighttime hdr too so its kind of a requirement. But they are very handy.