What Do I Need To Attach To A Camera To Make Umbrella Lights Go Off? Are All Umbrellas The Same? Home Studio?
September 19th, 2009 | 
Author: So I am wanting to surprise a friend of mine with a basic home studio and I don’t know very much about what is needed to do this.
What add on would I need to put on the camera to make the umbrella lights go off? (It is an Olympus Evolt SLR)
Is it better to get umbrellas that are activated without wires?
Here is an umbrella set I am considering (not to bid on this auction, but maybe something similar): http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-PHOTO-STUDIO-FLA…
If I were to buy umbrellas similar to these, and had an add on to the camera, as well as a backdrop…is there anything else really needed for a basic home studio? Any links for products and suggestions would be so appreciated!
Please experienced photographers help!
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Your buying this for your friend as a surprise..?? WRONG…!!!
Studying up is a good answer on the camera and it’s ability for studio functions and the flash units you want to get to do what your suggesting…
Questions..
Do your strobes take slave eyes..? (seem built in on each)
Can they be wired into 1 slave eye..? (no need to it seems)
Can they be wired in to a Y jack, meaning the 2 lights into 1 wire then the 1 wire to your camera or slave eye..? (again, no need to)
What is a slave eye..?? (in this case, it’s built in the flash heads and sees the flash from another source and fires the flash it is hooked to)
Does your camera have a on board flash to make the slave eye work..?
If so, the pop up flash going off makes the 2 other studio lights go off, but…… Your still suppling a 3rd bright light source and this may NOT be wanted or desired in your pics, but can you change it..? Maybe not..
Does your camera have a PC socket for external flash hook up..? Do the studio lights TAKE a external wire to the camera and not need the flash..?
Hmmmm, a flash set for $89.00 .. To be truthful, I am NOT impressed. They will have no power and you will have to use a ISO of a gazillion to get pics. Ask the seller what the – watt second – rating is, or.. ask what the – Guide # – is…..? Google these comments to understand.
Don’t get me wrong, they will “work” but you will have to use high ISO settings and wide open lens settings most of the time, unless your 5 ft. from your subject. The pics and statements are deceiving, they are NOT that bright. Not for $89 bucks… I can take an exposure of a candle so bright the room is totally “white” and over exposed….
I work with 500 watt second flash heads in my home studio. They are as large, each, as a large long shoe box. They have ‘just enuf power’ when used in conjunction with the 48″ soft boxes that came with them. I should have gone with the 1000 watt second units.
I’m sorry, the ones shown here, while may work, will be a sorry disappointment in a VERY short time as you learn how to use them, and learn that they work, bad…
Just IMHO here by experience. You, or your friend, will be buying again and spending more hard to get $$. Try to double or triple your cost and get something with a advertised power rating and – a name brand…! OR.. in a case like this, talk with them and work together in getting what – they – want..! (unless this is it, then buy and run).
Other add on’s tho could be simple chairs or stools from the 2nd hand store. Colored or patterned sheets of material or drapes as body or backdrops. Cheap junk costume jewelry. Articles of clothing from the same Dollar or 2nd hand stores. Colored gels or filters to put over your lights. Other pieces of furniture or make – flats – like used in school or stage plays. You are totally unlimited here in your imagination and scope, limited only by the size of the room you have, storage if you want keep things for future shoots and a budget for each shoot you dream up.
Bob – Tucson
Study uphttp://photo.net/photography-lighting-eq…
before you purchase frustration
Another resource you should check out is David Hobby’s “Strobist” blog. Pay particular attention to “Lighting 101.” (link below)
A few things.
At most, this will be good for portraits. No 3/4 or full length shots.
You should find out what power these units are – mentioned in watt-seconds or Guide Number. Very surprised that in all the description that this was not mentioned.
How to trigger it? If you don’t have a PC socket, you can still use a PC cord to trigger one light – the other uses an optical slave, and when it sees the first strobe flash it will go off. You would need to purchase an adapter that fits in your hot shoe and has a PC socket in it. Around $10 on eBay.
You can also buy a wireless outfit. If you buy one trigger and one receiver at a place like http://www.gadgetinfinity.com, I think you’ll spend about $40 (not much compared to pocket wizards, which might be $500, but a lot compared to the kit you are considering).
It is up to you as to whether you will get your monies worth out of this. I just used this example to someone looking at inexpensive starter kits: The local community college charges about $300 for a photography course. If you buy this equipment with the intent of learning about lighting, and you actually put it to use and learn alot, well then just like a college course, it will be money well spent.