Are you a strobist

[Jim Bryant]

For portable studio work I have four Canon 550EX's that I use with an ST-E2 transmitter. For indoor studio , I have a four light setup.........Speedatron 812 blackline with Photoflex softboxes and umbrellas (white, sliver and gold).

[jdepould]

I tend to go with whatever is appropriate for the given situation. I've been shooting full-blown studio stuff lately, which means 1200w/s speedotron packs, giant octodomes, grids, seamless, etc.

That said, the minute I'm out and about it's speedlights and reflectors. We have dynalite kits, but I hate them.

[mpf777]

I use my SB800 all the time. For a lot of stuff the Nikon CLS system has worked great for me. I have an SB28 I used with my F100 that I would use for a second light at times, the only draw back I have with that is when I use it is I do not have any wireless trigger for it so the flashes have to be connected to the camera by cord. The older flashes can be a cheap option for more flash units though.
I would totally suggest getting an umbrella and stand to use with your flash unit, I have used this type of setup for over 5 years and it can come in really handy plus it is relatively cheap. The more I get into photographing people the more I want something like alien bees but for now my flashes work great.

[Jim Poor]

I've been using 2 SB900 and 2 SB800 for my on-location work, but I just pulled the trigger on two different sets of lights. Elinchrom Ranger Quadra and a Set of Alien Bees.

[sarahgirl777]

I use only the hotshoe strobes and they work great for me. I have an SB-600, 3 sb-24's (usually can find them on e-bay used for less than $100) and a sunpak which I bought new for cheap and I really like it, seems to work just as well as the sb-600 with the TTL. I use my sb-600 mostly on camera with the TTL and use my older used lights in my umbrella set up's. My wireless system (cyber sync) requires a PC sync plug on the light itself and the SB-600 doesn't have one (I do have an adapter though) but the sb-24's do have the plug. I started with just one flash and quickly bought a second. I mostly just use two, only use the third on ocassion to light a background or hairlight, but two should do most of what you might want.

[candleman]

Originally Posted by sarahgirl777

I use only the hotshoe strobes and they work great for me. I have an SB-600, 3 sb-24's (usually can find them on e-bay used for less than $100) and a sunpak which I bought new for cheap and I really like it, seems to work just as well as the sb-600 with the TTL. I use my sb-600 mostly on camera with the TTL and use my older used lights in my umbrella set up's. My wireless system (cyber sync) requires a PC sync plug on the light itself and the SB-600 doesn't have one (I do have an adapter though) but the sb-24's do have the plug. I started with just one flash and quickly bought a second. I mostly just use two, only use the third on ocassion to light a background or hairlight, but two should do most of what you might want.

prettymuch exactly the same
use the sb600 on camera, and have an sb24 and 28 which i use radiotriggers with.
studio stuff i use all three off camera.. but mostly just two strobes.

feeling an itch for a fourth strobe so i can have a hair and background light.. but its not essential

[Car2n]

A 580EXII and a 430EXII stay in the camera bag along with a Cybersync transmitter and 2 recievers. The 430 needs to use a hot shoe adapter or can be fired via the 580.
I use 4 Opus studio strobes that were bought as kits of two that include stands, reversible umbrellas, barndoors, grids, snoots, jels and storage bags.
I can use the speedlites with the studio stands and umbrellas if I want to travel light.
,,, and reflectors/difusers