[cindaaalynnn]

I need a lesson in Flash 101... I've been sitting on Strobist and this forum all day today looking through thread after thread after thread. One would think I would take in information and begin understanding off camera flash, however I'm even more confused than before I started.

If anyone can help me with terminology (TTL, PTTL?), what to look for, what I would need to even attempt a strobist set up, I would buy you a cookie =D

If there's anyway to clear up all the information I obtain today... I would love you a bajillion times more.

Early thanks!!! -=D

PS... I hope I made some sense here.

[roscot]

For a Strobist setup, you need very little.

1. A compact light stand
2. A compact umbrella,
3. Umbrella adapter for the light stand
4. A relatively inexpensive manual flash.
5. Some method of triggering the flash off camera (sync cord or wireless)

The flash must have the ability to change output power. I use a Vivitar 285hv - about US$90.00 at B&H. The stand and umbrella should run about another $70 or so. The trigger will depend on how much you want to spend. I use Pocket Wizards. They are the most expensive option, but I use them in my studio, so they serve double duty. There are some cheaper ebay options, I think Cactus brand comes to mind. I don't know how well they work. Lastly you could get a hotshoe to PC adpater and a long sync cord (about $30.00).

If you have a K10D or K20D, you can fire an off camera Pentax P-TTL compatible flash wirelessly using the camera's built in flash, in commander mode. K100D-K200D you would need a 2nd compatible flash on the camera to serve as the commander. In either case, you would not need any other trigger device.

Personally, I use the strobist method, with the manual flashes. I find it easier to set up and use. Once you gain some experience using the gear, it becomes very easy to manually set exposure. Setting the proper exposure becomes intuitive.

I will use P-TTL with on camera flash, well sort of. I put the flash in P-TTL mode, and the camera in manual. It forces the flash to adjust power rather than the camera to change settings. One other thing, when using on camera flash, you should try always to either bounce the flash off a ceiling or wall, or use some kind of light modifier, like a softbox or diffuser. Direct flash is very harsh and unflattering, using a modifier or bouncing also will minimize or eliminate red eye/devil eye(animal version of red eye).

Just my 2 cents, hope it helps.

[leadbelly]

If you are on a budget, you can start with a cheap manual flash (like the Vivitar 285hv) and maybe an optical trigger (costs about $10 more or less. It triggers the off-camera flash when it "sees" another flash going off - an on-camera flash or the built-in flash). If you have a tripod, you can use that in the meantime instead of getting a light stand, and you can "live" without an umbrella if you can bounce the flash or at least have some sort of diffuser. This is how I first started. This is a bare bones set-up to introduce to you the wonderful world of off-camera flash. If you have the budget, go for the umbrella and light stand and radio or IR trigger (The ones on ebay are quite good. I have a cactus trigger and it misfires about once every 25).

With the "cheap" setup, you can at least find out if doing the strobist thing is your cup of tea without spending a fortune. Besides, if ever you do find the need to upgrade, your "cheap" setup will still be put to good use

[Steinback]

TTL stands for Through The Lens and it allows a TTL compatible flash's output to be controlled by a sensor in the camera's body that measures light entering the camera and shuts the flash off when the correct exposure is obtained. PTTL is Pentax's proprietary version of TTL that uses low power flashes before the main flash for light metering and wireless communication between multiple PTTL flash units (other manufacturers have their own versions - iTTL for Nikon, eTTL for Canon, etc.). The K10 doesn't have a traditional TTL sensor, and will only control flash output levels through the camera body with PTTL compatible flashes. Pages 180-185 in your K10 manual should explain more of the things that you can do with your camera and a PTTL flash.

You could still use an older TTL flash in manual mode with a K10, but you wouldn't be able to use the TTL capability.

I use manual flashes triggered by sync cables attached to the K10's hotshoe because I don't want to spend the money for wireless triggers or PTTL flashes yet. To hold the flashes I have an adaptor that lets me mount a flash on a regular tripod so that I can move the flash around and aim it as needed.

I'm sure you've already seen some of them, but there are guides and links on Strobist for making many of the basic accessories like diffusers and grids that you might want to use for off camera lighting when you're getting started and don't want to spend too much on equipment.

[BrendanPK]

Lets start off with you listing what you have, and a budget to spend. If you already have 2 hotshoe flashes the game changes etc.

[cindaaalynnn]

Lets start off with you listing what you have, and a budget to spend. If you already have 2 hotshoe flashes the game changes etc.

As for external flashes, I only have an old Vivitar 4600 and Pentax AF240 ft, which I just found in my dad's camera case.
As for budget, being a poor college student I would say give or take $200-$300. Maybe more in the summer when I have a mean of income, but for now I'm living off my winter break income... which isn't a lot. =/

And Thank you for everyone who has reply to the thread! You have been very much helpful, thank you again.

[clawhammer]

I just got a single stand setup locally for about 200 (w/o flash)... I got a sturdier light stand than is recomended on strobist, along with a rather expensive pc sync cord. if you can, get the Nikon AS-15 hotshoe adapter if you go the corded route. I bought a cheap $10 unit at the local ritz that is incredibly crappy- using that the flash only fires half the time. the Nikon is definately worth it. If the vivitar has manual controls (ie, will allow you to change the output on a range of 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32) but no pc sync you can get an adapter that will fit on the bottom of the flash and give you a pc sync cord socket.