Anyone into Yongnuo strobes?

[Kaido]

Decided to finally splurge on a budget strobist setup. Currently using a Canon T2i (550D) and a Nikon D90. I want to get a setup with three remote-controlled strobes (separate, that is - not on a single triple-bracket). The plan is:

1. (3) off-camera strobes
2. Nikon transmitter (D90)
3. Canon transmitter (T2i)

The Yongnuo YN 560 III was released last year & has radio receivers built-in. Here's a review:

http://flashhavoc.com/yongnuo-yn-560-iii-review/

Only $68.23 each:

http://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-Profes...dp/B00BXA7N6A/

The Yongnuo YN560-TX transmitters are available in both Nikon & Canon flavors: (adds remote manual power control for the 560 flashes)

http://flashhavoc.com/yongnuo-yn560-tx-now-available/

The Nikon version is $50:

http://www.amazon.com/YONGNUO-YN560-...dp/B00MUNRSVO/

The Canon version is $58:

http://www.amazon.com/YONGNUO-YN560-...dp/B00KM1QZRY/

Some cheap 72" tripods for $30 each:

http://www.amazon.com/Professional-P...dp/B002ONSZPI/

So the shopping list would be:

1. (3) 560 III strobes @ $69/ea = $207
2. Nikon transmitter $50
3. Canon transmitter $58
4. (3) 72" tripods @ $30/ea = $90

Grand total = $405, which is about what my SB-800 cost several years ago - a killer deal for something that has been reviewed as being pretty decent equipment. I'm still doing research on different budget strobes & triggers, but was wondering if anyone had some input on it. I'd probably have to get some kind of shoe adapter for tripods too. Shanny has some nice competition coming out next month:

http://flashhavoc.com/category/brands/shanny/

And Yongnuo just released a new $179 flash, the YN600EX-RT:

http://flashhavoc.com/category/brands/yongnuo/

I don't really have any set budget & don't mind spending a bit more, but I don't feel the need to get the official gear from Canon, Nikon, PocketWizard, CyberSync, etc. since this is more just to learn on for a hobby, with the occasional amateur shoot (mostly with small groups...individuals or families, outdoors primarily), and these have such good reviews that I feel pretty confident in going with a knockoff system like this. I'm also open to suggestions on umbrellas, softboxes, diffusers, etc.

 

[CuriousMike]

I'm way naive when it comes to flashes; I rarely use my little SB400 (but have seen the benefits of bounce flash).

Keep this thread alive and give us feedback on how the setup works, the results you get and if you're happy with the results.

Would you want umbrella's to shoot the flashes thru? I've heard monoprice has decent umbrella's for < $20.

 

[fralexandr]

I don't even have an off camera flash yet .
I do know that flash recycling time is heavily based on the battery used. You might want to pick up some lithium AA batteries if flash recycling time is important to you, and/or get the external battery pack.

I kinda like the sigma flashes, based on feature set/price, they seem to have poor recycling times though
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/flashes

 

[blastingcap]

Decided to finally splurge on a budget strobist setup. Currently using a Canon T2i (550D) and a Nikon D90. I want to get a setup with three remote-controlled strobes (separate, that is - not on a single triple-bracket). The plan is:

1. (3) off-camera strobes
2. Nikon transmitter (D90)
3. Canon transmitter (T2i)

The Yongnuo YN 560 III was released last year & has radio receivers built-in. Here's a review:

http://flashhavoc.com/yongnuo-yn-560-iii-review/

Only $68.23 each:

http://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-Profes...dp/B00BXA7N6A/

The Yongnuo YN560-TX transmitters are available in both Nikon & Canon flavors: (adds remote manual power control for the 560 flashes)

http://flashhavoc.com/yongnuo-yn560-tx-now-available/

The Nikon version is $50:

http://www.amazon.com/YONGNUO-YN560-...dp/B00MUNRSVO/

The Canon version is $58:

http://www.amazon.com/YONGNUO-YN560-...dp/B00KM1QZRY/

Some cheap 72" tripods for $30 each:

http://www.amazon.com/Professional-P...dp/B002ONSZPI/

So the shopping list would be:

1. (3) 560 III strobes @ $69/ea = $207
2. Nikon transmitter $50
3. Canon transmitter $58
4. (3) 72" tripods @ $30/ea = $90

Grand total = $405, which is about what my SB-800 cost several years ago - a killer deal for something that has been reviewed as being pretty decent equipment. I'm still doing research on different budget strobes & triggers, but was wondering if anyone had some input on it. I'd probably have to get some kind of shoe adapter for tripods too. Shanny has some nice competition coming out next month:

http://flashhavoc.com/category/brands/shanny/

And Yongnuo just released a new $179 flash, the YN600EX-RT:

http://flashhavoc.com/category/brands/yongnuo/

I don't really have any set budget & don't mind spending a bit more, but I don't feel the need to get the official gear from Canon, Nikon, PocketWizard, CyberSync, etc. since this is more just to learn on for a hobby, with the occasional amateur shoot (mostly with small groups...individuals or families, outdoors primarily), and these have such good reviews that I feel pretty confident in going with a knockoff system like this. I'm also open to suggestions on umbrellas, softboxes, diffusers, etc.

Those YNs you listed are good. If you don't need HSS or TTL then YN560III with or without TX, are some of the best bang for the buck speedlites out there. If you don't need portability then look into Alien Bees or some other "real" strobe setup and an umbrella.

 

[iGas]

Could looking into getting a few used Vivitar 285 or 283 flash, and optical wireless triggers for less than $100 if you don't need HSS or TTL.

IMHO, you might as well go for a studio lighting kit if you are getting into off camera lighting with that kind of money, such as 660W Studio Flash Strobe Light Kit (180w x2 + 300w) [110V], or Studio 3x 800W Continuous Red Head Halogen Light Kit [110V]. You can also step up to more powerful 220V system for a bit more money, or step up to lighting power pack if you are serious about having a studio.

 

[Kaido]

I'm way naive when it comes to flashes; I rarely use my little SB400 (but have seen the benefits of bounce flash).

Keep this thread alive and give us feedback on how the setup works, the results you get and if you're happy with the results.

Would you want umbrella's to shoot the flashes thru? I've heard monoprice has decent umbrella's for < $20.

I haven't delved too deeply into strobist gear yet, but I have some holiday breaks coming up & would like to spend some time playing with some entry-level gear. Umbrellas look pretty cool (and cheap). We have an SB-800 (awesome) with a basic diffuser on top that we use occasionally with good results (my wife does photography on the side, I just do it for fun).

 

[Kaido]

I don't even have an off camera flash yet .
I do know that flash recycling time is heavily based on the battery used. You might want to pick up some lithium AA batteries if flash recycling time is important to you, and/or get the external battery pack.

I kinda like the sigma flashes, based on feature set/price, they seem to have poor recycling times though
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/flashes

Yeah, I have a huge Maha charger & a ton of rechargable AA's for all of my gear. Thomas Distributing is like the Newegg for batteries:

http://www.thomasdistributing.com/

Flashes eat batteries like crazy. We burned through a huge pack of disposables at a wedding a few weeks ago. It should be fun to manage two or three flashes at the same time :biggrin:

 

[Kaido]

Those YNs you listed are good. If you don't need HSS or TTL then YN560III with or without TX, are some of the best bang for the buck speedlites out there. If you don't need portability then look into Alien Bees or some other "real" strobe setup and an umbrella.

Yeah, I considered those, but we travel a lot for shoots & something more portable would be a lot easier, which is why I'm thinking some cheap tall tripods with battery-powered speedlights that can sync up to the main camera. Portability is a big deal for us, especially since my wife hates indoor studio shoots

 

[Kaido]

Could looking into getting a few used Vivitar 285 or 283 flash, and optical wireless triggers for less than $100 if you don't need HSS or TTL.

IMHO, you might as well go for a studio lighting kit if you are getting into off camera lighting with that kind of money, such as 660W Studio Flash Strobe Light Kit (180w x2 + 300w) [110V], or Studio 3x 800W Continuous Red Head Halogen Light Kit [110V]. You can also step up to more powerful 220V system for a bit more money, or step up to lighting power pack if you are serious about having a studio.

The downside is the extra hassle those entail...having to run wires, lug a battery around, etc. Although having the extra power, carry bag, and of course the bundle pricing is really nice. But I think the portable strobes would be a better choice, especially since I have to play bagboy for my wife's paid shoots :biggrin:

 

[Kaido]

I picked up the Speedlighter's Handbook for Kindle: (lets you read in a browser)

http://www.amazon.com/Speedliters-Ha...dp/032171105X/

Strobist has an excellent introduction as well:

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html

David Hobby of Strobist also has some tutorials on Lynda, which I have a subscription to:

http://www.lynda.com/David-Hobby/2042130-1.html

So plenty of stuff to get started!

 

[OctaneZ]

Batteries Batteries Batteries.

They are not a panacea but moving from alkaline to high quality eneloops helped me a bit.

The maha charger is a good, I settled on the La Crosse Technology BC-700 and it works well, charges each cell.

 

[Kaido]

Batteries Batteries Batteries.

They are not a panacea but moving from alkaline to high quality eneloops helped me a bit.

The maha charger is a good, I settled on the La Crosse Technology BC-700 and it works well, charges each cell.

Yeah, the Eneloops are awesome. I've probably spent more on those than a single Yongnuo :biggrin:

 

[Kaido]

OK, placed my first order. I found a combo deal for the Canon transmitter with two 560-III strobes for $200 shipped via Prime: (sellers change all the time, so the Prime bundle comes & goes - it's cheaper separate, but more expensive to ship, so I ponied up the extra few dollars for free 2-day shipping)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LSGDHNC/

I will add on a third strobe & the Nikon adapter once I get the hang of the system ($120 together). I primarily shoot with manual lenses on my Canon, so I figured this would be a good starter kit, and then it won't be too expensive to pick up a third flash, the Nikon transmitter, and some other misc gear like light stands & softboxes down the road. I did pick up a couple cheap diffusers since those have come in handy in the past on my SB-800:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EE1ZH6I/

I opted to use the existing tripod gear I have for now because Manfrotto has some stands that I'd like to get in the future if I get more into flash photography. $115 for a 12-foot light stand: (they also have a nice stacking feature for transport)

http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-1004...dp/B0023RRPE2/

I have a couple of metal tripods, a cheap plastic tripod, and pretty much the whole line of Gorillapods, so I ended up getting a 1/4-20" to shoe adapter for the small flexible tripods: ($5)

http://www.amazon.com/Limostudio-Bra...dp/B009J05340/

I found a nice swivel/tilt bracket for my tripods as well: ($15)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0034WR71G/

It has an umbrella mount built-in, so I got a nice basic model: ($21)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009UTZA/

It double-folds into a compact size, so that will be nice for portability. Total for everything was under $250 shipped, crazy! Still a bit pricey, but so much more affordable than it used to be!

 

[Aharami]

let us know how you like the sppedlites. I am interested in this setup also. I do a lot of party booths for my photography business and need something more powerful than the 2 430EXII I am using now.

 

[Kaido]

let us know how you like the sppedlites. I am interested in this setup also. I do a lot of party booths for my photography business and need something more powerful than the 2 430EXII I am using now.

In a nutshell:

1. Got everything in, works great OOTB (thankfully)
2. Hotshoe transmitter is large but super lightweight, uses 2xAA batteries
3. Strobes use 4xAA batteries (alkaline or NiMH only)
4. Strobes include feet for flat surfaces, which includes a tripod screwhole
5. Super nice deal for the price. Setup was easy, didn't even refer to the Engrish manual. Radio transmitters work perfectly. So nice to have everything bundled in a simple plug & play config.

I'll have more time to play with them over the Thanksgiving break; started working through the Speedlite book last week. I definitely want to pick up three of the 12-foot lightstands...being able to quickly relocate them & adjust the height is huge. I'm also going to snag the Nikon transmitter & a third strobe, now that I'm confident the hardware is acceptable.

 

[Kaido]

let us know how you like the sppedlites. I am interested in this setup also. I do a lot of party booths for my photography business and need something more powerful than the 2 430EXII I am using now.

Also, I was thinking the same thing...my wife does a few weddings a year & I'm B-cam. Sometimes we'll do like a photo booth type of deal or do something with props to keep me busy while she's doing group shots at tables, so having access to controllable light would definitely be a good thing! Especially if I can tie down the shot to a booth-type of setup & just click away with perfect results every time :thumbsup:

 

[Aharami]

Yep. Photobooths have been a big hit for me.

 

[Throckmorton]

My neighbor, who's a wedding photographer, has a few. They feel solid, like better quality than my Sigma. They're also significantly cheaper and have more advanced features like manual zoom and manual power control.

 

[CuriousMike]

I'm getting more serious about buying a basic setup.
$120 for a basic rig; adding a bigger softbox puts it into $160 range.

I'm thinking:
Yonguo 560 ( http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I44F72U/...6LVIWC9X&amp;psc=1 )

Trigger/Receiver: ( I think one can be the trigger, the other the receiver ?) :
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I44F19O/...U6I2U3PN&amp;psc=1

Umbrella + Stand
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002DDZ7OG/...=IWO3UEAADMFMW

Softbox maybe
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003C0ZG2W/...R28Z36I2&amp;psc=1