Newbie to Strobist - Questions for gear purchase!

leoleo

leoleo

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Howdy all, I'm about to finally dive straight into off-camera lighting and I'm thinking of purchasing a strobist kit from midwest photo exchange - I live in the UK but I can't see a better way of getting started than their kit...

I do have a few questions though if anybody would be kind enough!

I have a Canon 450D and I'd like to get an SB-28 or similar from eBay, so I presume that I need the kit listed at the bottom of this message (SN2) - is this correct?

I'm going to replace the rechargeable batteries / charger with a Cactus V2 set (trigger + receiver?) - Will I have everything I need to be up and running with the kit and the Cactus triggers - or will I need any additional adapters or anything?

Also, there's no mention of an umbrella clamp (or whatever they're called) to attach the umbrella to the stand!? - Sorry, as you can tell I'm a bit of a newbie to all of this and need a little help.

Thanks in advance everybody!

***************************************

Starving Student No PC Kit (SN2)

For: Canon Rebel series, Nikon D40, D60, D70, D80, any other camera with a hot shoe.

Includes:
1 - Vivitar 285HV Shoe Mount Flash
1 - 8ft. Air Cushioned Light Stand
1 - 15ft. PC to household Male cord
1 - Multi-Purpose Hot Shoe Deluxe
1 - Wein HSH Hotshoe to household adapter
1 - Westcott 43” Compact Umbrella - Soft Silver
1 - Rosco Pro Color Correction Gel Pack
1 - DIY Grid, Barndoor, Snoot kit
1 - CTA Ni-MH 2700mAh AA 4-pack Battery w/Rapid Charger
1 - Bongo Elastic Ties (10 pack)
1 - Umbrella Swivel
1 - Nano Gaffer Tape roll 1"x8yds
 
cherryrig said:
Where are you buying this from??
Click to expand...

MPEX.

leoleo said:
Also, there's no mention of an umbrella clamp (or whatever they're called) to attach the umbrella to the stand!?


Oh yes there is Leo!....

***************************************

Starving Student No PC Kit (SN2)

1 - Bongo Elastic Ties (10 pack)
1 - Umbrella Swivel
1 - Nano Gaffer Tape roll 1"x8yds
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome,

First off, familiarise yourself with all the various bits and pieces by watching this viddie
this will help understand some of the varying names for the same bits of gear.
Also search through youtube for other demo vids, there's so many!

Now, It's not a bad kit at all, all the fundamentals are covered nicely apart from the radio triggers.
However, before you whip out the plastic, I would check what Speed Graphic, Photoskill and other various ebay traders are doing price wise on above too.
A light stand is a light stand and a shoot through umbrella is a shoot through umbrella at the cheaper prices anyway.

I have bought from MPEX before, great sellers and very quick delivery considering the distance.

You may struggle finding a Rosco colour correction gel set from anywhere else though, I bought mine from MPEX and it has saved my life countless times.

If you are interested in coloured gels buy a Rosco swatch sample book at $3.95 from Adorama, it's worth it's weight in gold!

Basically, you get all the colours Rosco produce in a small swatch book and the swatches pretty much fit over most flash heads too.
Well worth it.
But, I recommend buying a few incase you want to gel more than one flash with the same colour (y)

Any questions, don't hesitate.

T.
 
Thomas - Rather than the Rosco one, you can get a free swatchbook from Lee Filters.. no P&P aswell. Thats what I done, came within about 5 days I think it was and it has a good 200 different colours and styles.

Regards, James
 
Hi leoleo, I've got the Vivitar285HV's and they are great workhouses. Not hard to figure out how to set them up. The recycle times are not spectacular but you can add external power packs if you find it to be a problem (I don't). I find a good set of rechargeables do for a reasonable shoot before recharging them.

Have fun :)
 
Jamesbuk said:
Thomas - Rather than the Rosco one, you can get a free swatchbook from Lee Filters.. no P&P aswell. Thats what I done, came within about 5 days I think it was and it has a good 200 different colours and styles.

Regards, James
Click to expand...

I don't suppose you have a link to the free swatchbook do you? I can only find the online swatchbook.

Thomas, some good links posted up there (y)
 
Ah Im sorry Dal - Ive just searched around google for about 20 minutes looking for the.. I found out about it via this site as someone posted a link months back.. Ive searched here aswell and havent managed to find it. Ill have another go later and if I find it ill post it here.

Regards, James
 
woah, I must've somehow not've supscribed to this topic as I just popped back here on the off chance to see all of these replies! - thanks guys!

Ok so far, I've purchased the important bit - my strobe - I got a Nikon SB-28DX from eBay for £55 + £10 postage - its in perfect condition which is nice. I don't really know how the heck to use it though - I've got it set to manual and I've tested the flash with the little red button - but I'm not sure what the f.stop numbers mean on a flash as opposed to a camera - is this what turns the power down?

Hmm anyway, the rest of the kit i'm still not sure on - I've read of a couple of people who've bought from MPEX in the states and it's cost £35 to ship it here plus £25 import duty which I don't think is too bad considering their great prices and the dollar / pound conversion...

Part of what's stopping me buying either from MPEX or from looking around sites in the uk is that I don't know exactly what I need...

AFAIK I'm after:
a brolly (either silver or soft white or both if cheap enough)
a light stand / tripod
an umbrella clamp / swivel
a set of cactus V2's
a PC / Sync chord as a backup incase the cactus triggers die on set
a colour correction / gel pack
some ball bungees

I'm NOT sure which adapters and things I need though - I've got a Canon 450d which doesn't have a PC connector so does that mean I need a hotshoe to PC connector for the PC / sync (backup) method of firing my strobe?
and do I need any adaptors or anything for the Cactus triggers? - I'd like to have my receiver either hanging from the light stand or ball bungeed to it or something - I don't want to have it conneted straight to the stand / flash or whatever as I want the least possible strain on everything....


Man it sucks being new at things... I wish we were talking about audio! Still I suppose that's what places like this are good for. Thank you everybody
 
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