Considering some lens possibilities

LOL very true ryan..the voice of common sense and reason! I 'KNOW' I don't NEED one but wheres the fun in that! I do agree that as far as needs outweighing wants I really do need a flash unit. I do think the 42 would meet all the needs I have for a flash, but then I think the 58 would meet all the needs and wants I could EVER have in a flash unit! Maybe start with the 42 eh it does 'marry up' with the 58 right?

Yes, it participates in "Flash groups", unlike the '56 or '36.

Yeah, I was thinking of adding a 42 later on down the road. There are some with like 4-5 58's that I've seen on flickr, but that's insane.

I had four flashes at one time ... all cooperating with one another. It's more work than it is worth, in my opinion.

Heck, I loaned out my SLAVE flash because I, frankly, don't use it enough. Like all thing, you try this, you try that. Studio strobes are a bigger commitment to artificial lighting and, personally, a heck of a lot more useful. Again, my opinion based on my needs.

Each 750W strobe is about the same price as a '58. They don't use battery and are easier to "shape" than the little elex units are, with soft boxes and umbrellas. I suggest a MASTER and a SLAVE portable, but stop there. If you need more flash, start getting studio lighting and RF remote triggers. If you really need portability, they do sell those lead/acid batteries. Having four elex flashes is just tying up 16 rechargeables.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DonSchap

Studio strobes are a bigger commitment to artificial lighting and, personally, a heck of a lot more useful. Again, my opinion based on my needs.

Each 750W strobe is about the same price as a '58. They don't use battery and are easier to "shape" than the little elex units are, with soft boxes and umbrellas. I suggest a MASTER and a SLAVE portable, but stop there. If you need more flash, start getting studio lighting and RF remote triggers. If you really need portability, they do sell those lead/acid batteries. Having four elex flashes is just tying up 16 rechargeables.

---

true. horses for courses. you shoot alot of stationary stuff in a makeshift studio i have 6 strobes and 4 mini's, (sbr-200's), and i can take the whole lot with me in nothing more than a backpack. trying to compare that, (in the context of portability), with large strobe heads and lead batteries is quite impossible.

dont quite get how you can say its more work than its worth. all you have to do is turn them on. what else is there to do ? they are infinately easier to use.

Look ... you need what you need. After my indoctrination to having all that "portable" stuff ... the recharging and all the other nonsense. Pffft, "No more", I say!

I guess if you are taking the show on the road, perhaps ... but, having the strobe heads and stands usually in the back of the truck ... positioning them "properly", instead of ad hoc-ing my way through, trying desperately to have enough light from small strobes.

I tell ya, the raw power of that studio light versus the subtle splash of the elex flash ... no, I made my call. I won't throw $1500 into compatible portable strobes and the associated synchronization issues. I learned my lesson with Canon ... and sold it all.

I got all this (minus my rig and all) for the same price as four '58s.

Attachment 45731

A heck of a lot more useful, in my estimation, and the batteries do not fail at the worst possible time! :eek: :mad:

Hey, it's not for everybody .. but, then again, what the heck is? Oh yeah, air and water ... food ... sleep ... and a few other things.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DonSchap

Look ... you need what you need. After my indoctrination to having all that "portable" stuff ... the recharging and all the other nonsense. Pffft, "No more", I say!

---

charging ? they're AA batteries. easy peasy.

Quote:

---

I guess if you are taking the show on the road, perhaps

---

isnt that what portability means ? yoiu said if you want your heads to be portable you can add a lead battery. lol HARDLY portable Don. besides its not just about taking it "on the road". i can move my gear to any room or on the balcony very easily. cant do that with your setup.

Quote:

---

positioning them "properly", instead of ad hoc-ing my way through, trying desperately to have enough light from small strobes.

---

what does properly mean ? ad hoc is the beauty of light. its the creative side as opposed to the "set it all up on full power, aim at 45deg and blast the shit out of it." style.

i have no problem gettign enough light at all. even with 2 remote strobes i can get enough light.

Quote:

---

I tell ya, the raw power of that studio light versus the subtle splash of the elex flash ... no, I made my call. I won't throw $1500 into compatible portable strobes and the associated synchronization issues.

---

you learnt your lesson with an ancient canon system, a 20d if i recall, and i suspect you probably used cheapo triggers. i just use the nikon cls system. easy to set up, never have any sync issue at all.

Quote:

---

I got all this (minus my rig and all) for the same price as four '58s.

---

not a hell of alot of creative latitude in that setup though Don. its point and shoot photography.

Quote:

---

A heck of a lot more useful, in my estimation, and the batteries do not fail at the worst possible time! :eek: :mad:

---

i would say the opposite. your setup is a speciality setup. only good for one purpose. strobes are acrually the useful setuip cos they can be used in a shitload of applications and give you flexibility.

i agree completey that it depends on the user. but you are basing your strobe experiences on a subpar system, (at the time), and you yourself having very limited skill in flash photography.

But Don they just WON'T let me set all that up at the basketball courts LOL!!
Now I do not claim to have ANY knowledge of flash units but at a couple of ball games I did notice this guy setting up his wirless flash unit off camera, he was setting it on top of the door jamb on the fire escape so its about what 7 or 8 feet off the ground angled towards the basket. He stood about half way between center line and the back court line and shot, pretty cool but I just kept waiting for a wild ball or someone to open the door!!

exactly sean. you can bungee cord em to a tree, stick em in a bush, tape em to a door, sit em on a shelf...the possiblities are endless. a look at strobist and mcnally is in order Don...

Really remote flash, you can always try and use the light of others! This shot was taken just as another guy standing only a few feet away from shot at almost the exact same time. Of course my camera wasn't set for flash!