need help with a new lighting

[laurence_nyein]

<p>hello everybody,<br>

i am a newby to lighting.. currently i got Nikon D90 and SB600 Speedlight. I often use SB600 as a remote flash by setting the builtin flash as a commander. Now i am thinking to buy a starter studio lighting kit. I found Interfit INT182 EX150 Mark II Two Head Kit for 200 Pound. I read few reviews and not bad for a beginner like me coz i also got limited budget.<br>

My question is can I use Interfit INT182 EX150 Mark II Two Head Kit with my D90, setting my D90's builtin flash as a commander, working together with my SB600. Or is that Interfit kit is a continues lighting ? so i don';t need to worry about how to triger the Kit wirelessly.Or what else i need to use the interfit kit with my D90 to have Wireless ability. I do Not have a Infrared Unit like SU800.<br>

My second question, one more thing i can think is , if i buy a sort of Strobist kit (assuming an umbrella and a softbox to use with speedlight units) and one more SB600 unit (or may be SB900). So that i can get more flexibliity , meaning that i can take those to shoot outdoor photography when i need additional lighting without AC power. what is the quality different using multiple flash units or using studio lighting kit?<br>

Pls advice me what should i do and my options. I wanna spend less then 300 quids. My main purpose is to practise portriate photography with some lighting (mainly indoor). I am sorry if my questions may look stupid to u. thanks.</p>

[devon_mccarroll]

<p>Hi Laurence,<br>

First of all, no question is stupid when you are trying to learn! That's what we're all here for.<br>

I'm not familiar with the Interfit kit, but I can tell you that your D90 will not trigger any lighting together with your SB600 in Commander Mode. Commander Mode can only be used with Nikon Speedlights (SB600, 800, 900, etc.).<br>

You can use your D90 flash to optically trigger the Interfit lights if they are strobes, but I'm not entirely sure with continuous lighting. If you want to use your SB600 with the Interfit lights, then you'll need to get a wireless trigger for your camera's hotshoe, and receivers for your lights, including a receiver for your SB600.<br>

Hopefully others can post with more information than I have here, maybe someone who is familiar with the Interfit lights that you're referring to.<br>

As far as using multiple Nikon speedlights vs. buying a studio kit, it depends alot on how large the groups of people are that you're planning to photograph. For 1-3 people, you could get two or three speedlights and umbrellas and work with that for awhile. That's what I did. But if you ever take it outside, the sun can overpower both the lights and the optical triggers.<br>

With your limited budget, I'd start with another speedlight and some umbrellas, or one good studio light, at least 300 watt seconds. Then you can build up from there.</p>

[garry edwards]

<p>You can use hotshoe flashes at the same time as studio lighting, no problem.<br>

Or you can use the Nikon CLS system instead of studio lighting - it's a very expensive option and a limited one, because you can't get a range of effective light shaping tools for hotshoe flashes - and it's the light shaping tools that are important. But hotshoe flashes have the advantage of portability.<br>

Most people use radio triggers to fire the flashes, as Devon says, your Nikon commander mode will only fire Nikon hotshoe flashes. Radio triggers can be used with any type of flash and are much more reliable because they rely on a simple radio signal.<br>

See <a href="../learn/lighting/choosing-studio-lighting/">this article on how to choose studio lights</a> . The Lencarta flash heads shown in the article have a little brother, the <a href="http://www.lencarta.com/smartflash-mains-powered-flash/index.php">SmartFlash 200</a> , that you may want to consider.</p>

[laurence_nyein]

Thanks to Garry and Devon for your advice.

 

As i said I bought the Interfit 150 Mark 2 studio lighting kit today. And as the shop adviced me, I also bought one radio trigger with the kit. But when i actually set up my lighiting, the interfit lights fire when they see a flash light. It's not about the commander mode in my camera, they fire even i press test flash button on my speedlight or when they see the builtin flash from my camera. They also fire when i use my builtin flash as a commander with the speedlight.

 

So i got confused. Does that mean I don't need to use the radio trigger? Can i refund it? or i don't know. Once again, thanks alot for your help-s and if u got some spare time, pls explain me more. ;)

 

(PS. I don't worry about the built in flash will effect on the object, i can cover with my hand or i can set it to Manual 128/1 so it won't effect on the object that much)

[kevin_delson]

<p>It sounds like your Interfit lights have a optical slave built in. No big deal, find the slave sensor and cover it with a piece of black tape.</p>

<p>Many people do not use radio triggers and still use their hot shoe flash (sb-600) in your case. Simply re-aim the sb-600 if you do not want it to contribute to the exposure or adding another catch light.</p>

<p>If you are useing studio strobes now, there is no reason to have your camera set to commander. Even in commander operation, a flash will still be emitted.</p>

[garry edwards]

<p>It isn't that simple. If the hotshoe flash fires a preflash then the preflash will set off the studio flash before the camera shutter has opened, which will give exactly the same result as the flash not firing at all.<br>

It may be possible to disable the preflash, you will need to check in your camera manual.<br>

Personally I would use the radio trigger whether or not you can fire the flash without it</p>