Yonguo YN-560 ii?

[TheCameraLady]

I know absolutely nothing about flash photography. I have been using clamp lights and I'm ready to move on.
I have a Nikon D5100 and if I were to get the flash itself off of Amazon, would I need to buy the triggers immediately? Or can I just attatch it to my hotshoe straight out of the box?
Amazon.com: Yongnuo YN-560 II Speedlight Flash for Canon and Nikon. GN58.: Camera & Photo

 

[texkam]

Hotshoe will work, but getting it off camera with wireless triggers will give you wonderful results. Even hand held off camera using a cord will give you better results.

 

[TheCameraLady]

What wireless trigger should I get if I plan on getting a second flash in a month or so?

 

[texkam]

On the cheap, consider the Yongnuo or Cactus V5.

 

[davisphotos]

I highly recommend the Youngnuo YN-622 flashes, I have 4 of them, and I use them with Canon 430EX, 580EX and Youngnuo YN-560 flashes, and they work great.
The downside-I don't think they have a TTL version for Nikon yet.

 

[Buckster]

I highly recommend the Youngnuo YN-622 flashes, I have 4 of them, and I use them with Canon 430EX, 580EX and Youngnuo YN-560 flashes, and they work great.
The downside-I don't think they have a TTL version for Nikon yet.

There's no sense paying $90 for YN ETTL Canon triggers if you can't use the ETTL function on them with the Nikon D5100. Just get a set of YN-603 N triggers for Nikon at $32 a pair and save a bundle.

 

[jwbryson1]

YN 560 Mark II units are AWESOME! Fully manual, not i-TTL (e-TTL on a Canon), but they're cheap and work great!

 

[AaronLLockhart]

Yongnuo does make an i-TTL flash for Nikon. In fact, they make a couple of them.

They make the YN-568EX, which is an i-TTL flash meant to run in the same ball park as the Nikon SB-900. I wouldn't classify it as that great, but it's pretty much the same size, and it puts out a pretty powerful flash. Best of all, it appeases Nikon's i-TTL capabilities, making it an outstanding flash for the price range.

Amazon.com: Yongnuo Professional Flash Speedlight Yongnuo YN-568EX Wireless TTL Flash Speedlite for Nikon Camera Nikon cameras: Camera & Photo

I would recommend going with their less expensive alternative, which is also a Nikon i-TTL flash. I'm very experienced with this next flash model, as I use it on my D5000. The Yongnuo YN-468 II. It's not near as powerful as the YN-568 EX or the SB-900. However, it's a great flash, and it's 1/2 the price as the 568 EX. You literally cannot beat this flash for the price:

Amazon.com: Yongnuo YN-468 II i-TTL Speedlite Flash With LCD Display, for Nikon: Electronics


I would highly recommend going with a TTL flash, if you have never used manual flashes before. Even a cheap auto sunpack from walmart would be a more suitable alternative than an all manual flash for someone that doesn't know how to use one.

 

[Benco]

Hope the YN560 II is of some use, I've just ordered two of them.

 

[Qveon]

I use two 560 II's quite often as portable "studio" strobes. Also not to plug but i have 4x yougnuo RF 603-C3's that I would be looking to get rid of if you have interest, brand new and work excellent.