steevo8
11-25-2008, 04:20 PM
I get some newbs asking me advice on gear pretty often and since I have no clue what I'm doing with this whole photography thing I really can't give advice on gear for the most part as everything is so much money I don't want to ill advise someone and have them be pist.... Anyways.....
So I have spent the last couple weeks researching lighting(flashes/strobes/etc). I was at the point where I really wanted to get a new lens as my f/3.5-5.6 is a pita in low light. I figured on spending at least $500+ for a nice 2.8 until a friend suggested some off camera lighting instead. He is shooting a 20D, with speedlight 550ex, and vivitar 285 triggered by some cactus v2s(eBay) triggers. And his shots through a 18-55 kit lens look 10x better then mine in anything but perfect light.
So here's how it brakes down.
Vivitar 285 flash for slave($100)
Cactus v2s. Two recievers one transmitter($70)
Canon 580ex II for master($350)
Light stand($30ea)
Head for umbrella+hotshoe mount($30ea)
Shoot through umbrella($30-$50ea)
With the list above you should easily be able to shoot a garbage kit lens at f5.6 to f8 in most indoor situations with far more versatility then any 2.8 lens will give you. Granted it's not something you can just walk down the street with but it does open the door to a lot of other things that are cheap or free like snoots, gobos, gels etc and they will have a huge effect on your shots much like a filter does but for A LOT cheaper.
I know most of you experienced guys already know this but I figured I would throw it out there since there's a lot of guys like me that think they need to spend bank on a new lens to get what they are after when you don't. It can also open the door for shooting stuff that's out of your comfort zone. For example, I get some of my slut friends asking me to take pics of them for modeling and all that stupid girl crap, without proper lighting the shots will be crap. I don't know about you but I wouldn't mind taking pics of sluts :lol:
So I have spent the last couple weeks researching lighting(flashes/strobes/etc). I was at the point where I really wanted to get a new lens as my f/3.5-5.6 is a pita in low light. I figured on spending at least $500+ for a nice 2.8 until a friend suggested some off camera lighting instead. He is shooting a 20D, with speedlight 550ex, and vivitar 285 triggered by some cactus v2s(eBay) triggers. And his shots through a 18-55 kit lens look 10x better then mine in anything but perfect light.
So here's how it brakes down.
Vivitar 285 flash for slave($100)
Cactus v2s. Two recievers one transmitter($70)
Canon 580ex II for master($350)
Light stand($30ea)
Head for umbrella+hotshoe mount($30ea)
Shoot through umbrella($30-$50ea)
With the list above you should easily be able to shoot a garbage kit lens at f5.6 to f8 in most indoor situations with far more versatility then any 2.8 lens will give you. Granted it's not something you can just walk down the street with but it does open the door to a lot of other things that are cheap or free like snoots, gobos, gels etc and they will have a huge effect on your shots much like a filter does but for A LOT cheaper.
I know most of you experienced guys already know this but I figured I would throw it out there since there's a lot of guys like me that think they need to spend bank on a new lens to get what they are after when you don't. It can also open the door for shooting stuff that's out of your comfort zone. For example, I get some of my slut friends asking me to take pics of them for modeling and all that stupid girl crap, without proper lighting the shots will be crap. I don't know about you but I wouldn't mind taking pics of sluts :lol: