[fortenndu]

So I've finally bought my own camera, after months of borrowing DSLR's or using my SLR from 1972 and developing my own film. I bought a Nikon D60 and I'm wondering if any of you have used or use this and have any idea's for a decent remote flash setup that isn't going to set me back a ton.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Transcend]

If you dont have an on camera flash yet, get an Sb 900 and use it for both with either a cable, pocket wizards, elinchrom skyport or alienbee wireless remote.

You NEED to have a proper on camera flash if you want to do anything serious, popup flashes are useless. So useless, they aren't even included on pro bodies.

Learn to use it on camera before you learn to use it off camera. It took me forever to relearn to use a TTL flash after using them off camera forever.

 

[binary visions]

...Nikon D60...isn't going to set me back a ton.

get an Sb 900

You could buy three SB-600s and learn to use them off-camera for the price of a SB-900.

Unfortunately, the Nikon D60 cannot be used in "commander" mode, nor can the SB-600 flashes. I'd probably recommend seeing if you can find an inexpensive, used SB-800 and add an SB-600 so you can have one on-camera commander flash (the SB-800) and an off-camera flash to experiment with.

Incidentally, the on-camera flashes for cameras like the D200/300/700 are extremely useful since they can be used as commander flashes.

 

[IH8Rice]

You could buy three SB-600s and learn to use them off-camera for the price of a SB-900.

Unfortunately, the Nikon D60 cannot be used in "commander" mode, nor can the SB-600 flashes. I'd probably recommend seeing if you can find an inexpensive, used SB-800 and add an SB-600 so you can have one on-camera commander flash (the SB-800) and an off-camera flash to experiment with.

Incidentally, the on-camera flashes for cameras like the D200/300/700 are extremely useful since they can be used as commander flashes.

the SB900 is a lot of money compared to what you can get the SB600's or SB800's for.

its like buying a 580EXII to go with a Rebel XSi

 

[Silver]

Incidentally, the on-camera flashes for cameras like the D200/300/700 are extremely useful since they can be used as commander flashes.

Oh yeah...as long as you can get away with using two flash groups, which sometimes is a bit limiting.

 

[Transcend]

You could buy three SB-600s and learn to use them off-camera for the price of a SB-900.

Unfortunately, the Nikon D60 cannot be used in "commander" mode, nor can the SB-600 flashes. I'd probably recommend seeing if you can find an inexpensive, used SB-800 and add an SB-600 so you can have one on-camera commander flash (the SB-800) and an off-camera flash to experiment with.

Incidentally, the on-camera flashes for cameras like the D200/300/700 are extremely useful since they can be used as commander flashes.

Heh - i don't know Nikon Flash model #s well. I mean the cheap one that all the action sports guys rave about.

 

[fortenndu]

So I could get a SB 600 and use it for both with either a cable, pocket wizards, elinchrom skyport or alienbee wireless remote?

 

[Transcend]

and on camera!

 

[fortenndu]

and on camera!

Sounds good, I'll post up some results.

 

[Silver]

So I could get a SB 600 and use it for both with either a cable, pocket wizards, elinchrom skyport or alienbee wireless remote?

The SB-600 doesn't have a PC port, so you'd only be able to use it on camera, unless you order one of these at the same time:

http://www.flashzebra.com/hotshoes-shoes/0065.shtml

The cybersyncs are great, btw, as long as you don't need to trigger further than ~350 feet.

 

[Transcend]

I can report that that hotshoe is fantastic. I use one almost daily all year on my 550ex. I also have one of the paramount cords ones and it also works really well.

I actually prefer them over a pc port as they don't continuously fall out.

 

[Silver]

I actually prefer them over a pc port as they don't continuously fall out.

Next time you're at the drugstore, pick up a pack of those cheapo black girls hair bands that they use for ponytails.

 

[Transcend]

Next time you're at the drugstore, pick up a pack of those cheapo black girls hair bands that they use for ponytails.

Gaffers tape and hot shoes for me.

 

[theg1ant]

i've got a sb800 for christmas and im using it on my d40 off camera with a cheapo 15$ quantaray.

you can use the popup flash to trigger the sb (and the quantaray) and you can turn the power down so much that you dont see the on camera flash in your shots but the downside is you can't use this when there are other photographers around because your flash will go off with theirs as well

 

[Atomic Dog]

If you're really on a budget, maybe look at Vivitar 285HV

Not much in the way of bells and whistles, but less than a hundred bucks new.

 

[blue]

Cybersyncs are good but don't have the range of the PWs...I've never had a misfire with my Cybersyncs.

The SB-26/28/80s are all good inexpensive choices for off camera strobes. I have a pair of Vivitar 283s with varipower adjusters (total cost with the varipowers is about $40 a strobe). They're okay, but I'd like to be able to dial them lower than 1/32.

 

[fortenndu]

Ended up getting a SB-800, found one on ebay for 200.

I've been messing around with it off camera.