phantomdancer Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 <p>I have a Nikon D60 and am thinking about getting 2 slave flashes to act as strobes so I can do more indoor portraits. Has anyone done this before? Which slave flash would be best for D60? Thanks!!<br>BTW, by slave flash I mean a flash that I can mount on either side of my subject that triggers when my built in flash fires.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hal_b Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 <p>Budget? If there's no limit, then get the SB900 for a controller and a pair of SB600's for slaves. You can use Nikon's built-in commander mode to control all the flashes from the SB900. This is the best and easiest way to get full control.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomdancer Posted February 10, 2010 Author Share Posted February 10, 2010 <p>Nothing too expensive...it would be my first set of lighting. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hal_b Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 <p>The SB900 is only $465. Add a pair of SB600's for $220 each, and you've got 3 high-quality lights for about $900 that will last for years and retain their value reasonably well.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin_delson Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 <p>Probably the most inexpensive way would be to get (2) flashes off ebay.<br> Then yuo could purchase (2) optical slaves to trigger from your D-60 pop-up flash.<br> You caould do this for about 100 bucks.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hans_janssen Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 <p>You have a studio flash set for less than a SB900(2 flashes, softbox, umbrella, stands and trigger cable with a SR 3IR on your D60 you can trigger most of them wireless with IR).</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_brock1 Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 <p>Kevein is right! Thats the cheapest way I know of. And thats the way I started off too LOL.<br> Works great!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomdancer Posted February 10, 2010 Author Share Posted February 10, 2010 <p>Has anyone heard of the Zeikos DS12 (or similar)? I have a friend who uses it and likes it but I don't know how powerful it would be. It is super cheap which scares me.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hans_janssen Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 <p><a href="http://www.testfreaks.com/digital-camera-accessories/zeikos-ze-ds12/">http://www.testfreaks.com/digital-camera-accessories/zeikos-ze-ds12/</a></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sebastianmoran Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 <p>Hmm... Kristi, the big question is whether you want to use the Nikon flash exposure automation or you want to do it the old way, set the flashes manually and just trigger from the camera. </p> <p>For Nikon flash automation, Hal's suggestion is on target. And, other Nikon bodies (but not D60) can act as the controller; that would eliminate the need for one of the units. </p> <p>For manual, most any flash pointed into an umbrella or home-made softbox will work. You want one that allows you to control the output (full, 1/2, 1/4, etc.). Use a light trigger, set your camera flash to manual, with minimal output like 1/64 or 1/32, and use a flash meter or your camera histogram. </p> <p>I like a reflective umbrella on a stand. I also use two big home-made softboxes (big cardboard boxes, lined with foil, two layers of white sheer curtain material over the openings). I used these to light a family photo of 15 people every year for almost 20 years. </p> <p>Vivitar 283 and 285 are fine. Metz 45 units will serve as a good, portable, battery powered slave flash with a lot more power. 45 CL-4 has more features and might be more useful, 45 CT-1 is cheap. Only plug these into a slave trigger, not to a modern camera, because of the trigger voltage issue. Wein slave triggers work well.</p> <p>Hope this helps.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hal_b Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 <p>Just for the record, I acknowledge that $900 is alot of money for some people (myself included). However, the OP has yet to state any budget whatsoever beyond "Nothing too expensive". I have no idea what is too expensive for you, but I wouldn't recommend you buy the cheapest flashes possible unless you truly are limited to under $100 total. I would think a reasonable setup might include some Chinese wireless triggers (PT-04's) and used Nikon flashes for around $125 apiece. Add some modifiers, and you're in for $300-$400. Of course, you won't have NEARLY the flexibility you would with Nikon's latest crop of flashes using the wireless commander system, or nearly the power you would with studio monoblocks.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray House Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 I bought a couple of cheap ($20 each) slave units that I used to use in my film days, and with my Nikon digital D80 I run into the problem of the preflashes firing them. I don't know much about off camera trigering other than using my built-in commander mode, so I'm just mentioning this as a potential problem with some slave units. Is this an issue Kristi should be considering? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hal_b Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 <p>Ray: yes, I think that is an important point to bring up. Using the built-in flash as an optical trigger is not a great idea, unless the flash is set to manual mode. I'm not sure about the D60, but my D70 can set the flash to manual mode from full down to 1/16 power. This can limit its effect on the photo, eliminate the pre-flashes, and still power any optical triggers. Using the flash in TTL mode, however, fires pre-flashes that will drain the charge from my off-camera flashes before the photo is taken.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomdancer Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 <p>Not too expensive is nothing over $150. I am new at this whole thing and am trying to learn how to use lighting for indoor portraits. A friend told me of the Zeikos DS12 and just want opinions if that kind of equipment (or something similar) is putting me in the right direction.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomdancer Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 <p>Thank you Hans for the link. You guys have some great suggestions...just a bit over my head since I am still learning. I am researching everything you are telling me...that's how I learn. Thanks!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sebastianmoran Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 <p>If you use a simple slave flash you must put the DSLR camera flash in manual to eliminate the pre-flashes. </p> <p>If light from the camera flash on 1/16 is a problem, block it from hitting the subject directly... Nikon used have have a little white dangle that came with the SU-4. I sometimes hold a white card or tape it in place. Just so the light doesn't hit the subject directly. Indoors, it will still trigger the slave.</p> <p>Images vs. words... Here's the Nikon gadget... Put it on the hot shoe with the built-in flash raised and it blocks most of the direct light. Create similar from a white card if needed.</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hal_b Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 <p>I just looked at the Zeikos thingy. It looks REALLY cheap, and the reviews are terrible. I would look on eBay for the Yongnuo YN-460. These are as low as $40 each and include full manual controls and optical triggers. They are a little cheap, of course, but are fully featured and powerful enough to do some real lighting work.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sebastianmoran Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 <p>For a cheap slave flash, manual only, why not go with something known. Vivitar 283 or 285? And the Wein flash triggers. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomdancer Posted February 12, 2010 Author Share Posted February 12, 2010 <p>Thanks again guys! Hal, I will look into that! </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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