RaymondC Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Hi, in 2009 my goal is to learn studio lights. The consumer SLRs do not have a flash sync port. I can work with the hotshoe with the Wein solution or othersvia radio or infra red. What are the cons of doing it this way compared to say getting a 2nd hand higher model SLR body that has theflash sync port. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beno_t_marchal Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 There are virtually no cons to using infra red or radio. Sync port and cables are a pain, stick to wireless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaymondC Posted October 20, 2008 Author Share Posted October 20, 2008 Even if the cheaper dSLR is going to use a radio / infra red via it's hotshoe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_hogan Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Ray - I use Pocket Wizards with all my studio lighting gear.. The PC port is for a cable that you (and your clients) get to trip over, reef your camera and/or pack.. The bad: Well PW's are not exactly cheap like a a simple synch cord - and they stick up on the top of your camera like a walkie-talkie.. They use batteries that can go flat during a shoot and otherwise malfunction. They can put kids off a little as the camera looks a bit menacing with a PW mounted.. Still way better than a synch cord.. I don't like any of the other solutions on the market (I have tried most of them at some point).. Stay away from Bowens Lite-Links – (Calumet have a re-badged version too) they are terrible (don’t ask me how I know).. If you are just starting out and are short on cash just a good sync cord and an AS-15 could be the answer too.. Just watch your step! I can't say enough good about Pocket Wizards – value for money.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beno_t_marchal Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 <p>Sure. At the end of the day all you need is a "fire" signal and you can capture the signal any way you like.</p> <p>I'd go one step further, I often use the build-in flash of my D200 to trigger the studio flash in infra-red mode. To avoid spoiling the picture, you need an infrared filter (Nikon SG-31R) <b>and</b> the flash must be in manual so as not to issue pre-flashes but it works brilliantly.</p> <p>I understand the question because I had exactly the same concerns but what you will find is that the sync cable is an incredibly unsophisticated piece of equipment. It's very old fashionned, not at all like a modern TTL cable. The sync only passes one signal "fire."</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beno_t_marchal Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Michael, I think that if Ray is short on cash infrared triggering is a better alternative. It is very reliable inside and it's cable free too. Most (all ?) modern studio flashes have the IR receiver built-in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two23 Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 I would suggest buying either a pair of Skyport triggers or a pair of CyberSync triggers. They are every bit as good as a Pocket Wizard, but just dont' have the 1,600 ft. range. You only need one sender and one receiver. The other studio flash should fire from their built in opticals once the triggered one flashes. Kent in SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaron l Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 I've used the on-board flash in manual mode firing off studio lights with great success. I put the power down to 1/128 and other than a small sparkle in the eye, I don't see any affect compared to the power out of the studio strobes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pge Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 I did it Aaron's way for a while. Unlike him I found it a pain. Then I got a cheap wireless trigger from the auction site, that was ok for a while then they started misfiring, then they stopped working. I did a bunch of research because I didn't want to be held up by the very high price of the pw's but did not find any inexpensive alternative. I finally decided on Elinchrom Skyports like Kent suggests and I have been very happy with them. I have never had a misfire now after several thousand shots. They are not cheap however, about $200 for a set and then more if you need more than one receiver. But for me, the fact that they shoot every time, and the fact that I am wireless is well worth $200. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soeren_engelbrecht1 Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 I've had good results using an SB-30 flash set to 1/32 manual power with the built-in IR filter, which simply slides up in front of the reflector. It goes on forever on a small lithium battery. <br><br> <a href=http://www.dpreview.com/news/0202/02022102nikonspeedlights.asp>DPreview</a> has the original press release, and I found a picture of the flash with IR filter in place on a <a href=http://www.paladix.cz/clanky/10941.html>Czech website</a>. Scroll down a bit to see it. <br><br> Cheers, <br><br> Soeren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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