**DONOTDELETE**
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04/13/15 02:03 PM
Learn me on flashes

So the little one means I'm taking a lot more indoor shots, and with her propensity to move, it can be hard to capture. More aperature works in some cases, but too shallow of DOF is limiting, and ISO of course comes with issues.

So I use the built in flash sometimes, but it's harsh, not powerful and dialing it down is limiting, plus it sucks on portrait mode.

Super casual photography just looking to get what amounts decent amateur shots, cannon 50D.

I'm thinking I want basic functionality, including off-camera? Shooting with a cannon. And what accesssories should I get?

First thoughts:
EX430
Lightsphere
Cowboy studio remote trigger

trench301
(Post Master)
04/13/15 02:31 PM
Re: Learn me on flashes

430exii should be just fine for your needs.
Lightsphere gets good reviews.
Look at Yongnuo 622 transcievers. Dirt cheap and I havent had an issue with mine in about two years of semi-regular use.

Senor Eduardo_82
(Post Master Supreme)
04/13/15 03:37 PM
Re: Learn me on flashes

A 430 (mk1 is fine) and a stofen will be good enough.

Skip the triggers and off-camera stuff. You'll never use them chasing a kid around.

chef
(Post Master Supreme)
04/14/15 12:12 PM
Re: Learn me on flashes

 Originally Posted By: eddie _82
A 430 (mk1 is fine) and a stofen will be good enough.

Skip the triggers and off-camera stuff. You'll never use them chasing a kid around.

This.

There are little devices that'll bounce the on camera towards the ceiling, that would improve the harshness a bit, but the 430 and a stoffen would be legit

The Stoffen will redirect light up and out. The up and out will diffuse and bounce the light making it more diffuse, which will improve the 'quality of light'. By bouncing off the ceiling and wall, you're making a larger light source for softer light, and also redirecting it, negating the 'need' for the remote triggers. It'll be a pain in the ass trying to place the light and keep positioning it as the tyke moves around. They're cheap, would be fun to play with, but not necessary.

Kierf
(Post Master Supreme)
04/14/15 12:25 PM
Re: Learn me on flashes

I have a Gary Fong Lightsphere I got about 8 years ago. It's a little big and unwieldy, but it works like a champ. I like that I can easily switch out the white top for a yellow top for different light.
http://www.garyfongestore.com/flash-diffusers.html

**DONOTDELETE**
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04/14/15 12:26 PM
Re: Learn me on flashes

Seems like some reviews say the stoffen is shit, that it's still quite hot/non diffuse and still cuts total output a lot.

Thoughts? Don't stress the minor shit on $12 part? The lightsphere isn't $40 better for what it does?

busfare
(Post Master Supreme)
04/14/15 12:32 PM
Re: Learn me on flashes

most simple setup...just get a 430 and bounce it off a white wall/ceiling. it'll soften it up enough for what you're looking for.

i've even held up a 4x6" index card at 45° in front of my old 20D popup flash to bounce it up to the ceiling. works in a pinch.

in terms of how hard or soft a light is...it's the size of the light relative to the size of the subject.

the tiny popup flash is tiny compared to a person = harsh light. bounce that up into the ceiling and the light source effectively becomes as big as the pool of light on the ceiling = softer light.

the far away sun is tiny and makes harsh light and hard shadows during a bright day. but stand close and the same sun is ginormous compared to you... and it'll produce all sorts of soft light/soft shadows.

stofen doesn't do much b/c it doesn't really change the size of the flash.

chef
(Post Master Supreme)
04/14/15 12:45 PM
Re: Learn me on flashes

 Originally Posted By: dirtyS13drifta
Seems like some reviews say the stoffen is shit, that it's still quite hot/non diffuse and still cuts total output a lot.

Thoughts? Don't stress the minor shit on $12 part? The lightsphere isn't $40 better for what it does?
Yeah the deal is that you're trying to spread out the size of the light source, make it larger, to make it appear softer on the subject. You can put a small cap on it for $60 or whatever the fong is, or you can put a little smaller cap on it for $12. Incremental gains I guess? You're spreading the output of the light around to more areas, so now the light is lessened, but bouncing around from multiple directions to fill in shadows. With both products. In my case, it'd be a lot more likely to be used if it was something small that I could just leave clipped on and not pack separately or something. I'm going to be doing some testing soon with my cheap modifiers and a friends slightly more expensive modifiers, and hopefully I can get ahold of some expensive modifiers. It'd be kinda fun to test these bits too.

I had the stiffen's for some older flashes, now I have the one that comes with the SB-910's. I also have that Rogue panel that velcro on and you can sort of direct it with the bendy wires inside. there's mini beauty dish bullshit things you can put on a speed light. You could look at the ring light attachments. I'd like to play with one of those

Senor Eduardo_82
(Post Master Supreme)
04/14/15 01:17 PM
Re: Learn me on flashes

There's a metric million flash modifiers out there. Some are better than others, and costs vary.

You can get a Sto-fen knock-off for about $10. It's small and effective versus a bare flash. You can spend more and get more complex systems, but they're bigger, take more time to set up (since most are adjustable in some manner) and odds are you'll never notice the difference.

KISS

**DONOTDELETE**
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04/14/15 10:49 PM
Re: Learn me on flashes

Get the stofen if you plan on pointing the flash at your subject. If you plan on bouncing it (which in general will look better), the stofen will just reduce your light dispersion and is not recommended.

Any hot shoe flash should work just fine.

If you want to do any off-camera lighting, look into the yongnuo flash guns and triggers. I've had mine for about 4+ years now and they're still working great.