af330ftz/istds/off camera?

I have an af330ftz, which i sometimes use with the istds and was wondering if it can be used off camera with some sort of connecting cable? I know there are better flashes available with slave modes etc but my budget cannot stretch to that at the minute- are cables an option?

You can use all of the features of the flash by connecting it with 5P cables and connectors. You need the hotshoe adapter Fg, the cable itself (they came in various lengths, one of which is three meters, and the off-camera adapter F for the gun (or a hotshoe adapter F).

It works fine, but you often wish for a longer cable, and the total cost is not inconsiderable.

Since by its nature a set-up using cables is fairly static, you might just as well use a bog-standard remote trigger and manual exposure setting like a normal studio set-up. Cheaper, and, given the problems with digital cameras and flash, probably better.

G

Hi George, thanks for your swift reply. Could you expand on this a little?

you might just as well use a bog-standard remote trigger and manual exposure setting like a normal studio set-up

In all honesty I have never been near a studio, and so have no idea what a normal set up is. By remote trigger are you saying infra red? would it fire camera and flash together?

In studio photography, one usually uses large studio flash heads on heavy tripods, and these are fired by wire or camera flash or infra-red trigger. You adjust their light output to give correct exposure at say f11 or f8, and then shoot at your flash speed.

I was suggesting you do the same with your flashgun. Set it to manual, and find the correct aperture to use, either with a flash meter, or by experiment using the DSLR.

To trigger the flash, you can buy little flash triggers which operate when they sense the flash on your camera. If you don't want to use the on-camera flash, tape a bit of white card over it to divert the light away from the subject and towards the flash trigger.

http://tinyurl.com/chuft

Obviously this suits fairly static subjects best, like someone sitting for a portrait. Some movement is OK, provided it is within the circle of light provided by the flash gun, and at a more or less constant distance from the gun (or the exposure will be out).

G

I use an AF400FTZ to good effect (especially with macro) off-camera with my DS. I use the Pentax hotshoe adaptor and cable to connect the flash and the camera and this still gives full TTL functionality.

Thanks very much for the advice, I've bid on a flash trigger, so I'll let you know how i get on.
just planning some portrait practice which is a bit of a diversion from my normal, sports, wildlife, architecture shots, so hopefully this will help.

I started off using TTL flash off-camera for portraits, however I eventually bought a Jessops studio flash system and it does make a big difference.

You can get useable portraits using just a single flash unit, however a lot of the mainstream techniques require additional lights and/or reflectors both to balance shadows and to either light or provide seperation from the background. In particular if you want to do high-key stuff you'll usually need plenty of flash power to wash out the background - as in this shot:

Steve,

I fully agree. Nice pic.

No doubt if John enjoys this aspect of the game, that's the route he'll take (buying studio flash).

Meanwhile, in the interests of economy, it's worth pointing out the value of reflectors.

A reflector placed on the other side of the face, so that the flash, the subject, and the reflector form a shallow V, will act as a second (weaker) flash unit, and will fill the shadows on that side. You can use almost anything as a reflector, including white paper, a sheet, and aluminium foil.

And of course, you can use several.

G

Thanks again guys. I've made myself a couple of backgrounds, one in matt black and one in a creamy/sandy colour, both approx 2.5metresx3metres with fabric from a local shop; cost less than £15 for the two. My wife bought me an 80 cm reflector for christmas which i am hoping will come in handy.
I want to try natural (window) light for head and shoulders shots with a black background, but figured it would be interesting to try the flash from various angles too.
I would like to go down the studio lighting route, but need to convince the wife (and to some extent myself) first, as I have other expensive hobbies, including Koi carp, motorcycles and football as well as photography. and all on a poor nurse's pay........

My very first "Pro" studio set-up...
I remember it well.
1 ceiling planter hook.
1 piece of white foamcore.
tin foil.
tape.
I affixed the hook at a 90 dergree angle to the edge of my largest north facing window, exactly the same distance as my curtian rod. I'd unhook one end of my curtian rod and swing it out and hang it from the hook to use my curtian as a backdrop.
White foam core with tinfoil taped to one side = 2 sided reflector.
Viv 285 for flash/hair/back/fill/colored gel effects.
Large north window = softbox.
White curtians.

After reading all these clever tricks, I've a (less) clever one of my own - those collapsible reflectors sold in car accessory shops to keep your car cool when parked in summer sunshine. Main drawback is that while most have a silver side, their other side is usually black, not white.

A lot of folks recommend white polystyrene tiles for reflectors - that can be a cheap way of putting together something large and effective.

Ordinary window screens (used at garage sales)( can be fitted with taffata, white cotton, white plastic) make great scrims and diffusers. cheap.