Good strobe setup for photojournalism, events, and sports

[wmmk]

Hey everyone,
I am getting more serious about shooting whatever I can for my junior high that will make it into newsletters and onto the website so that I can build up a good reputation and be a staff shooter for the high school paper next year.
Anyhow, I use a single Vivitar 285HV with a cheap RF transmitter from gadgetinfinity.com, which if fine, but can be limiting (especially for sports) because of the fact that it's manual and the RF set can be finicky in low light.
Unfortunately, I'm 13, my parents are in journalism (a business that their more cynical colleagues say is going down the drain), and I'm saving all the money I can get from webdesign and recording local bands for photo classes and the new DA*16-50.

Regardless, I need to get to a point. I have a rather sizable problem with wordiness and writing in circles...

I'm wondering if there's an affordable shoe mount strobe out there that is easy to use off camera and can do TTL so I don't have to fiddle around with settings and possibly miss shots.

Thanks much!
-Will

[Mr CJ]

Flash is not going to do you any good for outdoor sports. And if the sport is indoors chances are you will not be allowed to use flash. you need to get a faster lens. Any of the FA* 2.8 lenses, or the Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 will do. You're looking at spending at least $1000 for a decent lens.

Oh yea! And since when do 13 year olds use words like cynical???!!!!!!!!

[wmmk]

Originally Posted by Mr CJ

Flash is not going to do you any good for outdoor sports. And if the sport is indoors chances are you will not be allowed to use flash. you need to get a faster lens. Any of the FA* 2.8 lenses, or the Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 will do. You're looking at spending at least $1000 for a decent lens.

I currently shoot basketball and am allowed to use my 285HV. I also shoot other school events indoors for which a small TTL lash could certainly be beneficial. I've been thinking of the DA*16-50, 50-135, and 200, but could opt for the EX 70-200 a opposed to the two Pentax telephotos. Because I'm more interested in events and photo journalism, I feel that the 50-135 and 200 combination will suit me best.

Back on the flash topic, I can get the following used flashes:
AF360FGZ-$180
AF400FTZ-$100
AF500FTZ-$100
Sigma EF500ST $90
Sigma EF430ST-$45

Originally Posted by Mr CJ

Oh yea! And since when do 13 year olds use words like cynical???!!!!!!!!

I tak wit wutevr wurdz I wann2. N dun b hatin.

[BrendanPK]

The Sigma dg 500 super is an option. good power to cost ratio.
for off camera flash though you are still best off using a RF transmiter system check out strobist for more info. I use pocketwizards, but I use them for more than strobes, and for further distances too but they are $$$
I would say for PTTL flash that you can also use off camera the 500 is good. The Pentax 540 is more power, has a battery-pack input, and is 100% with the K10D (the sigma is only about 90% and the wirless flash-ttl is off now w/ the new K10D updates.)

EDIT, you posted while I was writing this:
All but the 360 will not work fully w/ pttl with the new Digitals, *ist-DL and up (K100D, K10D etc)