S'pore Strobists?

[flipfreak]

hohoho! green strobist wannabe here! :sweatsm:

so decided on where to get them? :devil:

 

[hazmee]

Type of Radio Trigger used

Skyports
1. Hazmee
2. Janrystar
3.

Pocketwizards
1. flipfreak
2. XL1
3.

E-bay triggers
1. whoswho
2. XL1
3. metallilan (and occasionally CLS and TTL sync cords)
4. paperkurt
5. Tim

Bowens Pulsar
1.
2.
3.

Nikon Creative Lighting System - AWL (Advance Wireless lighting)
1. AlvinZ
2.
3.

Canon's Wireless flash
1.
2.
3.

 

[CasualSnaper]

i do not own any radio trigger yet. for the benefit of people like me, maybe radio trigger owners can join in discussion on the pro and cons of their respective radio triggers.

Below are some points i am considering:-

1) ebay trigger : use with main flash and brolly, i dont think it is suitable because the flash is placed on top of the radio receiver, therefore it is hard to point the flash downwards to illuminate the whole brolly evenly. however, it can be used without brolly.

2) radiopopper : this system support TTL flash. it is mention in strobist that pop up flash/another flash/SU800 is mounted on top of the camera for this system to work. most camera has pop up flash, my question is how to block the flash and still be able to use radiopopper(my camera cant control flash power of the pop up flash).

3) pocket wizard : it is the most reliable system. in my experience with main flash and brolly, manual flash is very reliable so long as the shooting distance and flash power, flash zoom, aperture is kept constant. we may miss some shots because we are slower without TTL flash.

4) skyports : it is cheaper the PZ. a pair may cost $500-$600.

Owners of radio trigger, have you try to sycn flash higher than camera maximum sycn? when do you sycn higher and how are the results?

 

[whoswho]

i do not own any radio trigger yet. for the benefit of people like me, maybe radio trigger owners can join in discussion on the pro and cons of their respective radio triggers.

Below are some points i am considering:-

1) ebay trigger : use with main flash and brolly, i dont think it is suitable because the flash is placed on top of the radio receiver, therefore it is hard to point the flash downwards to illuminate the whole brolly evenly. however, it can be used without brolly.

Owners of radio trigger, have you try to sycn flash higher than camera maximum sycn? when do you sycn higher and how are the results?

As I only have the "poor man" trigger and a PC Sync cord, I can only answer the first question.

The "poor man" trigger comes with PC Sync. As such, what I do is connect the trigger to my flash via PC Sync cord. So effectively, I'm actually attaching the flash directly onto the umbrella holder.

Yes you are right about the flash being too high and not illuminating the brolly evenly if it's attached on the hotshoe connector of the trigger. However, the trigger comes with an adjustable bracket that you can tilt the flash to the appropriate angle (like aiming the centre of the brolly).

Regarding syncing flashes to higher shutter speeds (greater than 1/250 or 1/500), it's a bit tricky. For me, 20D with the "poor man" trigger, i can only effectively sync to 1/250. Faster than that, I'll have a "black" plane across the picture. So far, what I have researched is, electronic shutter cameras (Nikon D70 and etc) can achieve higher speeds than Mechanical Shutter cameras. For compact digital cameras, I can even sync perfectly at 1/800 of the second.

 

[sexalicious]

Type of Radio Trigger used

Skyports
1. Hazmee
2. Janrystar
3.

Pocketwizards
1. flipfreak
2. XL1
3.

E-bay triggers
1. whoswho
2. XL1
3. metallilan (and occasionally CLS and TTL sync cords)
4. paperkurt
5. Tim

Bowens Pulsar
1.
2.
3.

Nikon Creative Lighting System - AWL (Advance Wireless lighting)
1. AlvinZ
2.
3.

Canon's Wireless flash
1.Sexalicious
2.
3.
__________________

 

[hazmee]

Heya Casualsnaper,

You might want to start a new thread on that. Its getting really messy here.

 

[J-Chan]

Type of Radio Trigger used

Skyports
1. Hazmee
2. Janrystar
3.

Pocketwizards
1. flipfreak
2. XL1
3.

E-bay triggers
1. whoswho
2. XL1
3. metallilan (and occasionally CLS and TTL sync cords)
4. paperkurt
5. Tim
6. J-Chan

Bowens Pulsar
1.
2.
3.

Nikon Creative Lighting System - AWL (Advance Wireless lighting)
1. AlvinZ
2.
3.

Canon's Wireless flash
1.Sexalicious
2.
3.

 

[CasualSnaper]

From your text, i imagine that the receiver is hang loose from the flash using PC sync cord.

adjustable bracket(now i see it!). the hotshoe plate must be strong if the flash is tilt.

how is successful trigger rate?

i am using mechanical shutter :cry:

thanks for your useful information.

anyone tried Hotshoe Optical Slave Flash Trigger http://store.tagotech.com/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=43

how is successful trigger rate and working distance? i am using TTL cord on the main flash and considering using Hotshoe Optical Slave Flash Trigger for the second flash. more "poor man" than you. i imagine my second flash(where to buy sunpak flash, any recommendation?) will be flashing a lot in group shoot.:bsmilie:

Organiser, can reveal details on the 30th march shoot?

As I only have the "poor man" trigger and a PC Sync cord, I can only answer the first question.

The "poor man" trigger comes with PC Sync. As such, what I do is connect the trigger to my flash via PC Sync cord. So effectively, I'm actually attaching the flash directly onto the umbrella holder.

Yes you are right about the flash being too high and not illuminating the brolly evenly if it's attached on the hotshoe connector of the trigger. However, the trigger comes with an adjustable bracket that you can tilt the flash to the appropriate angle (like aiming the centre of the brolly).

Regarding syncing flashes to higher shutter speeds (greater than 1/250 or 1/500), it's a bit tricky. For me, 20D with the "poor man" trigger, i can only effectively sync to 1/250. Faster than that, I'll have a "black" plane across the picture. So far, what I have researched is, electronic shutter cameras (Nikon D70 and etc) can achieve higher speeds than Mechanical Shutter cameras. For compact digital cameras, I can even sync perfectly at 1/800 of the second.

 

[flipfreak]

i do not own any radio trigger yet. for the benefit of people like me, maybe radio trigger owners can join in discussion on the pro and cons of their respective radio triggers.

Below are some points i am considering:-

1) ebay trigger : use with main flash and brolly, i dont think it is suitable because the flash is placed on top of the radio receiver, therefore it is hard to point the flash downwards to illuminate the whole brolly evenly. however, it can be used without brolly.

2) radiopopper : this system support TTL flash. it is mention in strobist that pop up flash/another flash/SU800 is mounted on top of the camera for this system to work. most camera has pop up flash, my question is how to block the flash and still be able to use radiopopper(my camera cant control flash power of the pop up flash).

3) pocket wizard : it is the most reliable system. in my experience with main flash and brolly, manual flash is very reliable so long as the shooting distance and flash power, flash zoom, aperture is kept constant. we may miss some shots because we are slower without TTL flash.

4) skyports : it is cheaper the PZ. a pair may cost $500-$600.

Owners of radio trigger, have you try to sycn flash higher than camera maximum sycn? when do you sycn higher and how are the results?

i am using option 3. so far so good. only have problem with a faulty pc sync cord.

 

[peapilot]

Type of Radio Trigger used

Skyports
1. Hazmee
2. Janrystar
3.

Pocketwizards
1. flipfreak
2. XL1
3.

E-bay triggers
1. whoswho
2. XL1
3. metallilan (and occasionally CLS and TTL sync cords)
4. paperkurt
5. Tim
6. J-Chan
7. peapilot

Bowens Pulsar
1.
2.
3.

Nikon Creative Lighting System - AWL (Advance Wireless lighting)
1. AlvinZ
2.
3.

Canon's Wireless flash
1.Sexalicious
2.
3.

 

[peapilot]

I'm using a combination of ebay radio triggers and slave flash function on the various flashes I have and whatever I can borrow on my shoots. It's strange but I found that I couldn't only sync reliably up to 1/160 on a 350d and a 1dm3 but on a 30d 1/250 is no problem.

I also have a hotshoe optical slave trigger but imho that is a last resort because I found it the least reliable method of triggering even when it's within line of sight. I have a feeling it's probably because I have the red-eye reduction model and I'm using the wrong tool for the job. Nonetheless it gets the work done at a fraction of the price compared to pocketwizards so it's staying in my bag for now.

 

[CasualSnaper]

do you mean hotshoe optical slave trigger(red-eye reduction model) ?
is slave flash more reliable than hotshoe optical slave trigger ?
if i dont use the hotshoe optical slave trigger, i cant attach flash to light stand. is there other device just for mounting flash on top of light stand.
not all flash has a mini stand like SB800 which can be attached to the light stand.

I'm using a combination of ebay radio triggers and slave flash function on the various flashes I have and whatever I can borrow on my shoots. It's strange but I found that I couldn't only sync reliably up to 1/160 on a 350d and a 1dm3 but on a 30d 1/250 is no problem.

I also have a hotshoe optical slave trigger but imho that is a last resort because I found it the least reliable method of triggering even when it's within line of sight. I have a feeling it's probably because I have the red-eye reduction model and I'm using the wrong tool for the job. Nonetheless it gets the work done at a fraction of the price compared to pocketwizards so it's staying in my bag for now.

 

[catchlights]

.........................

4) skyports : it is cheaper the PZ. a pair may cost $500-$600.

Owners of radio trigger, have you try to sycn flash higher than camera maximum sycn? when do you sycn higher and how are the results?

Skyport is about S$350.00 only.

what happen if your shutter speed higher then camera max sync speed?

black out lor.

 

[catchlights]

I'm using a combination of ebay radio triggers and slave flash function on the various flashes I have and whatever I can borrow on my shoots. It's strange but I found that I couldn't only sync reliably up to 1/160 on a 350d and a 1dm3 but on a 30d 1/250 is no problem.

I also have a hotshoe optical slave trigger but imho that is a last resort because I found it the least reliable method of triggering even when it's within line of sight. I have a feeling it's probably because I have the red-eye reduction model and I'm using the wrong tool for the job. Nonetheless it gets the work done at a fraction of the price compared to pocketwizards so it's staying in my bag for now.

optical slave only work with master flash set at manual or auto mode, you can't have pre flash, or redeye reduction mode on, cause it will trigger the slave flash prematurely.

 

[CasualSnaper]

$350 for 1 or 1 pair. if $350 for 1 pair, i dont mind getting.:bsmilie:

Skyport is about S$350.00 only.

what happen if your shutter speed higher then camera max sync speed?

black out lor.

 

[flipfreak]

$350 for 1 or 1 pair. if $350 for 1 pair, i dont mind getting.:bsmilie:

its 350 for a pair of transmitter and receiver. subsequent units are like 300 or something for 1. the receiver only if i am not wrong.

 

[catchlights]

its 350 for a pair of transmitter and receiver. subsequent units are like 300 or something for 1. the receiver only if i am not wrong.

IIRC, steve told me $180 for additional receiver.

 

[flipfreak]

IIRC, steve told me $180 for additional receiver.

issit? the auntie must be trying to chop my carrot head then. :dunno:

 

[Dream Merchant]

Flipfreak looks too much like a rich young thang! :bsmilie:

 

[catchlights]

you call her auntie? no wonder lar,