TP: Cheap secondary wireless flash?

I just bought a new Sigma EF 500 DG for $225 to use with my5D and 7D, I don't think you can find a KM 3600 or a Sony 36 for less than that and since the Sigma is more versatile it is a better buy. Even if you buy used I do not think you will find anything cheaper that is fully compatible wired much less wireless.

Those flashes on ebay are pretty cheap, $30-$50, what I'm looking for. Not clear on how the exposure has set, I hope somebody out there has tried these and can comment...

chych,

I'm not completely clear about your wireless question, but, the studio type application lends me to suggest a cheap solution for you.

I have a 500 DG Super as well. I love it for portrait work both on camera and wireless. But if you want multi flash set ups you either have to buy more 500's or go in another direction. I wanted to have a main light, fill light, hair light and even multiple background lights. Well even at a 200.00 bargin you can easily spent a ton of money with all the lights, stands, and gear to set this up.

First:   I use my 500 DG as the onboard master (lets call it Fill Master). It is in wireless mode and it has a LumiQuest 90 degree bounce sytstem on it. It is called the 80/20 and I use a full white insert to bounce all the light toward the subject, thus the Fill Master title. The flash is pointing straight up with the bounch head attached. No preflash in this manner.

Second:   About 5 or 6 feet to my left is a light stand run up to about 6 feet with a Sunpak 433D (Main light) in A mode so the thrystor circuit is functioning. This flash has been turned 180 degrees facing into a 42" umbrella()I use gold/white comb for warmth) that is mounted on a hotshoe umbrella holder. Thrystor port and open side of umbrella facing forward toward subject. The flash is mounted on a optical slave hot shoe (very cheap on Ebay) then setting in the shoe/umbrella holder mounted on the light stand.

Third:   Approximately 4 foot to my right and slightly behind subject plane is my trusty Metz 32 Z-1 (Hair/Shoulder light)mounted exactly as the Sunpak on a light stand a full 7 foot high aiming straight at the head or shoulder of my subject in A mode with 1/4 power selected. I have a black construction paper snoot held on with a rubber band holding it in place. No umbrella.

Fourth:   Behind my subject(only when not shooting a black low key background) I have a short backlight stand with two studs with hotshoe holders. I have the same optical triggers on them and use two Nikon SB-20's (Background lights, one high/one low)that have excellant ability to truly light a background high and low.

This is all truly wireless. Not a single sync cord, no AC. I can do two modes of exposure manipulation. One I can shoot a few frames and adjust my exposure or the simplist, use my cheap flash meter and use M mode on my camera for absolutely stunning results. As you can imagine you can adjust each flashes output, tilt and swivel in any direction because of the hotshoe/umbrella flexable holders, and get simply any kind of exposure you desire because your shooting in manual.

I don't know what your skill level is with manual but trust me, your digital dslr suddenly is in your control not the other way around.

Cost: 2 light stands-8 ft tall with bags........46.00 with shipping
       4 optical hotshoe sensors from India......49.00 with shipping
       4 flashshoe/umbrella holders..............60.00 with shipping
       1 Sunpak 433d used ebay...................28.55 with shipping
       1 Metz 32 Z-1 used ebay...................18.00 with shipping
       1 Backgroung light stand double mount.....22.99 with shipping
       5 umbrellas 2 white, 2 silver, 1 gold.....38.65 with shipping
       2 Nikon SB-20 from KEH ugly...............40.52 with shipping
       1 Shepard (Polaris)flash meter(used)......41.57 with shipping

TOTAL COST:.....................................345.28

Highly portable, extremely powerful, low upkeep!!

Obviously you can use other name brands and perhaps even lower your cost by shopping better than me, but, I have the power and portabilty I was so looking for. You will want older auto thrystor flashes with tilt, swivel, and multiple power setting for the flexibility. The trigger voltages will not matter in this way. Don't buy those little low power slave flashes, too under powered and generally not enough A setting and no power settings. Besides you may need a guide number of 150 one day and those cheap things can't light up your dog house.

I may have taken up a lot of bandwidth and space to get flamed by many of you for lack of automation, but this truly works well for me. I shot 350 church league basketball players this past saturday with this rig and I don't need any retakes.

Good light writing, Aaron

PS: I used a black Walmart king size bed sheet duct taped to a concrete wall in the gym for a backdrop (9' x 9'6").... Cost...14.88!! LOL

PSS: This entire setup including the duct tape fits into the bag that came with the light stands. I can set the whole thing up in 5 minutes and be shooting. Also you can buy colored plastic folders for reports and cut them to velcro on your sb20's for colored backlight highlights on light colored backdrops (sheets), Nice effect. Cost fifty cents each. I can get 5 people grouped on this cheap backdrop system. HaHa

gian wrote: I'm referring to this: eBay id 140093412698. Radio wireless. It needs a PC Sync connection to work. Camera -> hotshoe-pcsync -> radio-transmitter -> radio-receiver -> pcsync -> manual-flash/studio-strobe. I'm not sure 100% that this will work on Minolta/Sony, but it should.

Hi gian,

I looked into these and talked to a good friend of mine who has a 7d. He said he encountered several consistancy problems with one he bought from B&H. I decided to go optics. the ones I bought evens work in daylight (up to about 20 feet)if the sun's not low on the horizon.

Aaron

gian wrote: Hi Aaron, your setup is brilliant :-) It's the best one to start with, imho.

Thank you!!!!

Hi Aaron,

Thanks for your post. Makes me wish had seen something like that before buying the 4 Minolta compatible flashes I have now...
I don't suppose there is are optical hotshoe sensors that have the Minolta flash mount? That would be perfect, I could keep the present setup and just ditch the cords.

Do you happen to know if such a sensor exists? I could not find any with quick look on ebay, I will have a look elsewhere on the web.

Dumont wrote: Hi Aaron, Thanks for your post. Makes me wish had seen something like that before buying the 4 Minolta compatible flashes I have now... I don't suppose there is are optical hotshoe sensors that have the Minolta flash mount? That would be perfect, I could keep the present setup and just ditch the cords. Do you happen to know if such a sensor exists? I could not find any with quick look on ebay, I will have a look elsewhere on the web.

I'll look around today and see if I can find a workable solution as well.