CLS Compatible Flash Recommendation

[BLBJBranch]

Hey all, I've researched this for a couple of days, but I'm more confused now than I was at the start, so I'm turning to the experts here.

I'm building some home studio capability (strictly as a hobby at this point). So far, I have a black and white muslin background system, and umbrellas for lighting. I have a D90 with now 2 SB-600s.

I'm currently focusing on the speedlight strobist thing because I currently live in Europe and don't want to buy 220v strobes, which would be useless after I move back to the states.

My original plan was to use 1 speedlight for key, a reflector for fill and the 2nd speedlight for illuminating the background (for pure white background; and with a gel to get color highlights on black background).

But I've decided to add another flash for use as a hair light, using a snoot for focus.

Anyway, I'd like to buy a cheaper flash instead of another SB-600 or even 900, just because of price. I figured I could use it as the background light and really didn't need the iTTL capability for that. But, I'd like to have the CLS compatibility in the flash.

So, I've been looking at the Lumopro LP120.

Can anyone recommend a better flash for this, or a better setup (such as optical slave on any cheap flash)? Or is that the best bet to go with.

Optimally, I'd like to be sure that whatever I get doesn't fire with the CLS pre-flashes.

Thanks for your inputs.

[OsmosisStudios]

If you're shooting the flashes in manual (NOT iTTL) then you can use any flash with an optical trigger. If you need iTTL, though, you'll need a Nikon SB flash.

That being said, there are older SB-series flashes that are CLS capable exactly as the SB600, 800, and 900 are. I believe you're restricted to the SB-26 and SB-28, though it could just be the SB-28. Just dont put it on your hotshoe.

[BLBJBranch]

Osmosis,
Would the optical trigger fire from the CLS pre-flashes?

Also, do you think I'd need TTL on the flash if I'm just using it to light the background? I don't think so, but I'm new to this.

Thanks.

[zona5101]

There are optical slaves that can be set to ignore pre-flash. Morris DS-1 is one.

[candleman]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

If you're shooting the flashes in manual (NOT iTTL) then you can use any flash with an optical trigger. If you need iTTL, though, you'll need a Nikon SB flash.

That being said, there are older SB-series flashes that are CLS capable exactly as the SB600, 800, and 900 are. I believe you're restricted to the SB-26 and SB-28, though it could just be the SB-28. Just dont put it on your hotshoe.

i have an SB28 and it doesnt do CLS,
IE no off-camera TTL


all i know is that the SB26 has a built in optical triger.. so that would be your best bet.
OR any old flash with an optical trigger attached to the foot of the flash.

[inkista]

If you're shooting with the flashes in Manual, the pre-flash doesn't occur (I think; I'm a Canon shooter, so...), that's why a "dumb" optical trigger should work, otherwise, you might need an optical trigger with a delay on it, so it ignores the pre-flash and only registers the main burst.

The SB-26 has an optical trigger and also a delay mode (although, it's a dumb delay mode, it just waits to pop the light, it doesn't ignore one flash and go with the second, so it may only be useful for longer shutter speeds. Not sure). The SB-50DX and SB-80DX also have an optical trigger built in.

But those both go for around the same price as the LP-120, which also has a built-in optical trigger, so I'd say that might be your best bet.

[BLBJBranch]

All,
Thanks for the info.

Something just occurred to me. If I had 3 flashes, and 2 of them are controlled through the camera, does having a third flash throw anything off?

In other words, is the computer smart enough to adjust brightness levels based on its knowing there is more than one flash; and then it gets messed up because a third flash it doesn't know about is firing?

Thanks.

[dakwegmo]

Adding a third flash is likely to throw off the exposure. The TTL system won't have known about the third light and therefore couldn't have figured it in the exposure calculation, so when it fires it could cause your shot to be overexposed. That does depend a lot on its placement and power relative to the CLS controlled lights, though. If you're using the third flash as a background light, it's not going to be as important as if you're using it for fill on your main subject.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by BLBJBranch

Something just occurred to me. If I had 3 flashes, and 2 of them are controlled through the camera, does having a third flash throw anything off?

The scenario we're describing with a dumb optical trigger means that nothing's being controlled through the camera--you're the one controlling everything by setting the power levels on the individual flashes manually.

I was wondering if you really did mean CLS. Since you really do mean CLS and iTTL control, you're not going to get that without using all Nikon equipment, for the most part. Most of the iTTL-capable 3rd party flashes may only do that on-camera, and may not necessarily understand the Nikon signalling system. It's hard a lot of the time to figure out from the specs and descriptions of the flashes, and your best bet is to do a search on the Flickr Strobist group discussions. But few people there tend to use i-TTL with CLS.

In other words, is the computer smart enough to adjust brightness levels based on its knowing there is more than one flash; and then it gets messed up because a third flash it doesn't know about is firing?

No, it's pretty dumb. Here's how iTTL works: the camera sends a signal to the flash for it to throw out a burst of light of a predetermined brightness (the preflash). This preflash is then metered, and the camera adjusts the power level, depending on how the flash metered: if it was darker than the predetermined brightness level, it ups the power, and if it was lighter, it lowers the power. That's about it.

But because an optical slave can be triggered by the pre-flash, you either a) have the right readings, but the slave has blown its wad and can't recycle in time for the main burst, and b), it can skip the pre-flash, but then it didn't add its light to the metering, so now the other lights are too hot. Which is why we say, "use it in manual."

It's not as hard as you'd think to shoot with the flashes in manual and adjust--it's a lot like learning to shoot with the camera in Manual. After a while, the control and consistency are things you like to have.

[BLBJBranch]

Thanks guys. That was some good info. I particularly liked the "blow its wad" reference

You guys saved me hours of researching this stuff.

I think I'll probably just pick up another SB-600. I'm usually very frugal and don't go for name brand, but with electronics I don't mind spending a little more for good quality stuff, especially if it will save me a lot of heartburn in the process.