[dugrant153]

Hey guys,

I’m thinking of getting more into higher end flash photography. My recent outings with my Pentax AF540FGZ with bounce flash have me convinced that you can make some awesome pictures with flash, and I think that this is a perfect creative vent for my type of photography, outdoors and indoors.

My question is equipment. I currently have a Pentax K100D, a few lenses (current faves: DA 40mm Limited and Pentax DA 16-45 F4), and one Pentax AF540FGZ. I had problems with the first 540fgz I bought, so I’m aware of the Pentax flash issues. My second unit has been flawless so far.


My questions:

1) What’s the next step up? I’m hoping to go wireless and maybe buy an umbrella, and maybe an AF360FGZ or two… but I’m not sure exactly. I’ve done some reading on Strobist.com (an inspiration) and have some ideas as to what I’d need. I’m hoping for something portable (not a full studio setup yet). However, there’s so many options that my head is spinning!

2) Given my experience with Pentax flash units, I’m wondering if there are any alternatives to a 2-3 flash setup? My primary would be the Pentax AF540FGZ I have right now. Other than Pentax AF540FGZ and the AF360FGZ flash, what other units would work?

Thanks in advance!

[and]

You could get more pentax flashes and use the pentax wireless system, but that will waste one expensive flash on your camera to trigger, assuming you dont want the flash on the camera to contribute to the exposure, so you get real off camera flash.

You can get a radio trigger, such as expensvie pocket wizard or cheap poverty wizard (cactus v2) or wait for radiopopper. then you can move your 540 off camera and use it in manual, manual flash is no big problem and all the strobist writing is about manual flash. I use my flashes in manual even if I have a 540 on camera, its quite easy.

then if you go that route, you dont have to get 360 flashes or 540 to complement, these are expensive because of pttl and wireless and whatnot. I picked up 2 cheap used nikon sb 26 flashes, these are great and they have built in optical slaves and you can get 4-5 of them for the price of one 540.

[pentkon52]

If you can wait, i just bought some of those triggers V2s from Gadgetinfinity. I should get them early in January and will test them asap.
Inexpensive studio, I hope.

Dave

[jfdavis58]

Truthfully?!

Strobist is great for what it is. In fact the 101 stuff and the early on scene examples are outstanding. After that it gets a little dicey...

Considering the cost of flash, wireless controllers, cables, adapters, light stands, light modifiers, blah, blah, blah; I'd say you might actually be better off with a low end/low power studio set-up. Something from the SP systems line such as the studio starter or the home studio. If you are inclined to be mobile look at battery powered monolights such as the same makers LancerLight Excalibers. These kits are complete as to light, umbrella, stand and cabling; the cost of additional light modifiers such as softbox, snoot etc is very affordable.

Hey guys,

I’m thinking of getting more into higher end flash photography. My recent outings with my Pentax AF540FGZ with bounce flash have me convinced that you can make some awesome pictures with flash, and I think that this is a perfect creative vent for my type of photography, outdoors and indoors.

My question is equipment. I currently have a Pentax K100D, a few lenses (current faves: DA 40mm Limited and Pentax DA 16-45 F4), and one Pentax AF540FGZ. I had problems with the first 540fgz I bought, so I’m aware of the Pentax flash issues. My second unit has been flawless so far.


My questions:

1) What’s the next step up? I’m hoping to go wireless and maybe buy an umbrella, and maybe an AF360FGZ or two… but I’m not sure exactly. I’ve done some reading on Strobist.com (an inspiration) and have some ideas as to what I’d need. I’m hoping for something portable (not a full studio setup yet). However, there’s so many options that my head is spinning!

2) Given my experience with Pentax flash units, I’m wondering if there are any alternatives to a 2-3 flash setup? My primary would be the Pentax AF540FGZ I have right now. Other than Pentax AF540FGZ and the AF360FGZ flash, what other units would work?

Thanks in advance!

[dkittle]

I'm trying the 'strobist' route, and trying to do it on the cheap.

I bought a AF360FGZ as my main flash. I figured if I need to swivel I'll get the cables and just use it off camera.

I then bought a Vivitar 285HV (advocated by the strobist blog) and use that as my main off-camera flash. I mount it on an extra tripod, wired to my K10D. The 360 I can use (on yet another spare tripod) as a wireless slave to the 285 and it works great. I usually fill with the 360 'cause I can dial it down to 1/32 power!

Next on my list is an umbrella and a softbox. What fun!

[Mike Cash]

If you want to do it on the cheap, there are plenty of $20 vintage flash units out there which will serve your purposes perfectly.

All of these and these were shot strobist style with flashes that cost no more than twenty bucks.

[stewart_photo]

I’m thinking of getting more into higher end flash photography. (snip)

Okay, there are really only two basic options with portable strobes used off-camera as a studio setup. The first is a set of manual flash units (such as the Vivitar 285HV), optical slaves, a light meter, and your on-camera flash as the trigger. You can vary this option by using either radio or infrared slaves, but the idea is fundamentally the same. The second option is a set of Pentax wireless compatible flash units. Of course, both options require additional accessories (stands, etc) to be effective.

The first option provides manual exposures determined by the light meter. A three light setup like this, with two bounced into umbrellas and the third used as a hair or background light, offers a wide variety of lighting possibilities both in the studio and on location. The second option offers the same capabilities with the addition of P-TTL auto flash control.

I recently selected the second option. In fact, here is exactly what I purchased...

- 3x AF-540FGZ flash units.
- 3x TR Power Pack III battery packs.
- 2x silver umbrellas (Interfit/Paterson 36" Silver).
- 3x lightweight light stands (Bogen/Manfrotto 001B Nano).
- 1x small boom for hairlight (Sunpak Boom Arm w/Clamp).
- 3x umbrella/flash brackets for stands (Impact Umbrella Bracket).
- 3x better shoe mounts for brackets (Stroboframe Mount Adapter)
- Pentax cords and hotshoes to use this as a wired setup instead of wireless when necessary.

The on-camera flash of my K10D acts as the wireless trigger (not firing during exposure) or trigger and fourth light source (firing during exposure) when desired. The AF-360FGZ flash unit could easily be used instead, but I prefer the extra power provided by the AF-540FGZ flash units. Silver umbrellas were chosen over white to offer the more directional lighting with moderate shadows I prefer (have two white umbrellas for other occasions). Recycling times with the power packs are extremely fast (±1 second) in this lighting environment (lights placed 3-8 feet from subject), with the flash units without battery packs or white umbrellas slightly slower (±1-3 seconds). Of course, the power packs last longer than the in-flash batteries, providing more consistent recycling times over much longer periods.

For more creative light control, I cut two small black plastic flaps (3.5 x 4 inch, with the longer length mounted to the flash with velcro) to act as barndoors on the sides of the hairlight flash unit. The addition of two more plastic flaps cut the width of the flash head, mounted on the top and bottom of the flash head with the barndoor flaps still mounted, act as a basic short snoot. I also cut out a longer snoot using the same black plastic material (also attached with velcro). The thick, rigid, easily cut, black plastic material used for the flaps and snoot were cut from a black Avery-Dennison Poly Binder (flexible school binder) found at most office supply stores. In my opinion, this particular binder offers the best plastic material for this purpose. By the way, if you don't know what snoots and barndoors are, or how useful they can be for light control, search the internet for those words.

Conventional booms (w/side bracket) were not designed to be repeatedly installed and removed, while the boom above works well in this regard on stands with a top stud such as the ones listed. I cut the length of the boom arm down (hacksaw) to better fit into a case. Actually, cutting the boom shorter is not a bad idea anyway since the light stands are not strong enough to truly support a longer boom. But that's not a bad thing either since the only purpose of the boom is just to get the hairlight up and behind the subject a bit more.

The entire lighting setup fits comfortably into two small cases. The light stands, umbrellas, and boom all fit into a standard tripod bag. The flash units, battery packs, brackets, and cords, go into a foam padded case roughly the same size as a standard thick business briefcase. The tripod and light cases are not listed above since they were purchased locally and not likely available in your location. But, after measuring your equipment, you shouldn't have any problems finding a tripod bag and case either locally or off the internet.

In my opinion, the notion of an entirely portable, battery powered, wireless flash system is very appealing, offering studio-like lighting capabilities virtually anywhere. The P-TTL exposure control is simply icing on the cake. I've just started experimenting with this relatively new setup, using it a few times in the studio for model or product photography, once on a downtown street in early evening with model placed in front of a lighted fountain, and once inside a castle with model standing in front of a window overlooking the nearby river and hills. Other than occasional oddball quirks in operation or performance (all easily resolved so far), this setup has worked just fine overall.

Well, there you have it. Hopefully something here provides a few of the answers you seek.

stewart

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Last edited by stewart_photo; 12-21-2007 at 09:26 PM.

[dugrant153]

Wow! that definitely gives me a huge scope as to what I'm getting into. thanks! I'll have to re-evaluate my options (and my budget) and determine from there.

I'm thinking of putting my AF540FGZ in wireless with my K100D. unlike the K10D, I know the built-in flash cannot be used wirelessly with my AF540FGZ... apparently I need an AF360FGZ or another AF450FGZ to go wireless...

My question is... I found an AF220T flash and am wondering if I could use this to 'give' my K100D the ability to use the AF540FGZ wirelessly?

[egarrard]

In my opinion, the notion of an entirely portable, battery powered, wireless flash system is very appealing, offering studio-like lighting capabilities virtually anywhere. The P-TTL exposure control is simply icing on the cake. I've just started experimenting with this relatively new setup, using it a few times in the studio for model or product photography, once on a downtown street in early evening with model placed in front of a lighted fountain, and once inside a castle with model standing in front of a window overlooking the nearby river and hills. Other than occasional oddball quirks in operation or performance (all easily resolved so far), this setup has worked just fine overall.

Any samples of the kind of shots you were able to do with this set-up?

[stewart_photo]

(snip) My question is... I found an AF220T flash and am wondering if I could use this to 'give' my K100D the ability to use the AF540FGZ wirelessly?

As far as I know, only the Pentax AF-360FGZ and AF-540FGZ provide wireless control capabilities. At least those are the only two listed in the owners manual for the K10D. Pentax has released the AF-200FG since that manual was printed, but it doesn't appear to be wireless compatible, either as a controller or slave.

stewart

[stewart_photo]

Any samples of the kind of shots you were able to do with this set-up?

Because I'm in the business of selling images and clients generally don't buy images freely floating around the internet, I usually have a firm rule against posting images. Regardless, the next time I'm shooting with the setup, I'll try to remember to take a few throwaways to post in the "Post your photos" sub-forum. However, don't expect to see anything especially unique since the resulting images look just like any other images taken with studio lighting.

stewart

[dugrant153]

another question for the flash experts out there... I was doing some browsing on the web and saw some studio kits that come with flash strobes (+ umbrellas + stands)...

My question is... how do these flashes fire at the same time as the external flash on your camera? (Which is what I'm thinking of doing: Fire my main AF540FGZ flash with the strobes at the same time). Are we talking $$$$ for Pocket Wizards on each strobe? Supposedly these strobes may fire because... your... own flash fires? or something like that?

Thanks in advance. All this info really helps me out.

[Mike Cash]

They're probably equipped with optical slaves. The slave senses original flash firing and that triggers the flash it is attached to.

[kay]

Because I'm in the business of selling images and clients generally don't buy images freely floating around the internet, I usually have a firm rule against posting images. Regardless, the next time I'm shooting with the setup, I'll try to remember to take a few throwaways to post in the "Post your photos" sub-forum. However, don't expect to see anything especially unique since the resulting images look just like any other images taken with studio lighting.

stewart

Hi Stewart,

Thanks for sharing your setup details and experience! How are you finding having P-TTL on your remote strobes? Is it worthwhile? Do you generally run P-TTL with FEC on individual flashes, or do you shoot manual mostly? I currently have the first type of setup you described (radio triggers and manual flashes) and it works fine for me, but I'm wondering if there are any control benefits of going P-TTL? Also, is there much you can do from the camera, or does changing settings like power of individual flashes still require you to walk to that flash and fiddle with its controls?

Regards,
Pavel

[tranq78]

If you can wait, i just bought some of those triggers V2s from Gadgetinfinity. I should get them early in January and will test them asap.
Inexpensive studio, I hope.

Dave

I'm looking forward to your report! Definitely cheaper than Pocket Wizards.