Information overload... Help with simple setup.

[LauraM]

Hey everyone!

Okay so I've searched and searched and every single set-up seems different, and I'm just overwhelmed with info right now so I was hoping that you guys wouldn't toss me to the sharks for asking this question.


Existing Equipment: Canon 5D Mkii, 580Ex, Vivitar 285HV, Yongnuo 560.
Equipment I'm buying: Cactus V5 triggers/lightstands/grids/etc.
Goal: Better wedding reception lighting & Exit photos... I want to have one flash on my camera or on a cord connected to my hot shoe, and at least 1 flash on a stand by the dance floor, and I plan to expand that to two (I hate the yongnuo flash I have, it's super unreliable... so I plan to expand to two flashes on stands once I get another vivitar.)

I don't know what I need to get! I don't know anything about triggers! I don't know if I need 2, 3, 4, 8 triggers. Ick!

How many triggers do I need for 3 flashes? (one on camera/on cord connected to camera) Then do I need any other accessories to make this set-up work? Any cords or anything?

Then... what type of set-up do you suggest when I can't bounce/during the exit? Or should I just get some sort of modifier for my on camera/cord flash?

Anyone who read this much and can make 1/2 sense out of what I just said is my hero. :)

[David Whatley]

I dont know if the Vivitar has an optical slave built in or not, but if so, then you could use the 580 to trigger it and not need the remote triggers.
You have lots of options, depending on how you want to do your lighing and how may off camera flashes you want to use. With the current setup 1 transmitter on camera and 3 receiver attached to the 3 units you have would fire all 3 at the same time. Thats a lot of light, but you could do it.
For exit use a bracket and an "off camera shoe cord", Place the 580 on the bracket with some sort of modifier and your good to go.

[LauraM]

Your input is greatly appreciated!! The 285HV doesn't have a built in optical slave. Wein makes a microslave optical slave, but it doesn't work with the 580EX II flash.

I would only want to use the 3 light set-up for HUGE weddings. Mainly I want the vivitar to be used bare at receptions for a more light/rim light/hair light type of deal. Or possibly used with a grid to light people but keep the colored uplighting that weddings have... And then use my 580 on a shoe cord or bracket with some sort of modifier.

I love the ease of bounce flash, but I need to have a better set-up so that when bouncing isn't available, or I move outdoors for the exits, I'm not just stuck with harsh direct flash. Plus, of course I want more directional light to give my photos a better look and no raccoon eye shadows from bouncing.

[BRosePhoto]

For some non-wedding events, I've had very good results using a Lumiquest pocket bounce or similar mod on the camera flash (the 580 in your setup). There is a pretty decent DIY version (scroll down toward the bottom of the page) you can make in about 15 minutes with a couple sheets of craft foam if you want to do some test setups before buying anything.

[LauraM]

Thanks, Brett! I've actually already made one of those, and while it is nice for a scene with one or two people, it really doesn't work for large groups. I think I might pick up an 8x12 softbox or gary fong or something to stick on my flash.

[BRosePhoto]

Yes, for a group you would def want something bigger. Good luck!

[Snarfy]

Originally Posted by LauraM

Thanks, Brett! I've actually already made one of those, and while it is nice for a scene with one or two people, it really doesn't work for large groups. I think I might pick up an 8x12 softbox or gary fong or something to stick on my flash.

The softbox can be a bit of a pain if plan to put it on camera and move around with it. The gary fong lightsphere does a good job at imitating a larger light source with much softer light.

[Fireball]

Laura, go to Melissa Jill's blog Phoenix Wedding Photographer | Melissa Jill Photography and click the blog tab and then "for photographers". She just finished up a 13-part series on how to use speedlites for weddings. She is very, very informative and explains things that anyone can understand. Maybe it will help you.

[LauraM]

Thank you everyone for the tips! I'm going to check them all out. I'm buying a Lightsphere on eBay tonight and trying to find a good deal on a couple of light stands. :)

[Bruce M. Morris]

Laura, vivitar makes a slave that slides onto the hotshoe of the 285. It has a wide sensor area and two levels of sensitivity(set depending on ambient light). It also has a PC connector on it in case you had a flash with PC cord that needed to be slaved. Slave even has a threaded hole in the bottom to attach to a lightstand/tripod (standard 5/8").

[brad]

I absolutely would NOT use an optical trigger on any flash at a wedding. If you do, every guest using a flash on their camera is going to set it off and it won't be charged up for when you need it.

Now, if your goal is to make sure every guests' photos are overexposed... well, that might be worth doing.

The latest issue of PhotoVision had a great segment on reception lighting with Zach and Jody Gray. If you don't get PV, I highly recommend it. (Other PV subscribers, please note I didn't include my "sales link" here - it would be tacky to add yours.)

[KdLaneJr]

Laura, There are a lot of products out there competing for your equipment dollars.

From the equipment you have and plan on buying, it's not obvious (at least not to me) how you want to use all this equipment.

for example, if you want your off camera flash to fire in manual mode or auto thyristor, it's not readily apparent what you are doing with your 580ex. I mention this because it matters. When you say you want one "off camera flash" on a stand and later a second.., what are you doing with them, raising ambient?, lighting a specific area? Hoping they'll work in some sort of ETTL?

How are you planning on using your 580ex with the off camera flashes?

As far as triggers, that all depends are your goal and what kind of flash system you are willing to build.

[David Whatley]

Originally Posted by brad

I absolutely would NOT use an optical trigger on any flash at a wedding. If you do, every guest using a flash on their camera is going to set it off and it won't be charged up for when you need it.
Now, if your goal is to make sure every guests' photos are overexposed... well, that might be worth doing.

Brads right about the optical trigger at a wedding, my bad, I was thinking of a solution to firing and not thinking about the wedding part.
Brad, that would be a hoot wouldnt it. Set out 4 or 5 optical flashes just for the hell of it

[brad]

Honestly, David.. I've heard of a couple of photographers who actually do it for just that reason.... one in particular set it up in such a way that the ones on the optical trigger weren't lighting his subjects, but pointing back into the church.... so that family couldn't take flash pictures over his head during formals.

[sbp]

Originally Posted by Fireball

Laura, go to Melissa Jill's blog Phoenix Wedding Photographer | Melissa Jill Photography and click the blog tab and then "for photographers". She just finished up a 13-part series on how to use speedlites for weddings. She is very, very informative and explains things that anyone can understand. Maybe it will help you.

Great read. I like it.