Doug52332

HI, everybody! I'm Doug, and I'm a photography addict. (Oops, wrong group!) Well, I wouldn't say that I'm an addict. I haven't shot anything since a couple of nights ago. :) I was testing out my camera and lights for an upcoming photo shoot in a couple of weeks. I started in photography at Sears Portrait Studio, in Olympia, WA. I did great there, but had a problem with my temper. Needless to say, it was a learning experience. Since then, I've worked for Olan Mills, a couple of church directory companies, and a local chain store, servicing five stores in two states. Say what you want about this type of photography, but it is an excellent way to gain experience quickly. Sales average is the all-important indicator in this type of work, and I was usually on the "honor roll."

I have been away from photography for about 15 years. I tried to get back in once, and bought a Nikon D3000. I still have the camera, and intend to use it next month. I read something in the literature and online that bothered me, so I thought I'd try it and see. All the literature I have seen on the D3000 says that the on camera flash will not fire off camera slaves. Mine does. I tried using an accessory shoe adapter so I could hook to one of my strobes via a PC cable. No go on that.

The literature says that I need to purchase a radio slave. I know where to go to get one, if I do need one, and I have time to order before the shoot. Has anyone else had any luck using "less than recommended" means to fire off camera flash?

WayneT Loc: Paris, TN

Welcome to the forum.

Doug52332

Thanks! I hearken from the days when film was plentiful, and digital photography was in diapers. I have since embraced digital photography and all it can do. It wasn't showing that much promise when it first came out. What I like best about it is that you don't have to shoot roll after roll and get them processed, to see what you have. Now it's shoot, preview, and either keep it or delete it. Some people may be concerned with the "post production." I'm just content to get a good looking photo.

photophly Loc: Old Bridge NJ

Welcome to the Hog

ebbote Loc: Hockley, Texas

Welcome to the Hog Doug, enjoy.

Nature_Shooter Loc: Chesterfield Missouri

Welcome! Looking forward to your posts and pictures. Happy shooting!

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Welcome to UHH Doug, glad you joined us. I shoot with the Nikon D7100 and the Nikon SB910 Flash unit. This combination allows me to fire the flash off camera using the on camera pop up flash as the trigger.
Have fun, learn and enjoy the forum.

Don

jpgto Loc: North East Tennessee

Welcome Doug, enjoy the journey

sirlensalot Loc: Arizona

Welcome Doug. Have used off-brand triggers/receivers with my Canons with good results. Unless you are getting back into it on a professional level, cheaper the better will do it for you. Cowboy Studios, Neewer. Yongnuo, all make inexpensive options.

Doug52332

Don, the more I use my D3000, the better I like it! I know it's an old camera, but 10 MP gives a very fair image, and very suitable for my needs. I'm running two small monolight strobes (they survived my forced move three years ago, when my house was damaged beyond repair by vicious storms), GN 160 and 120, respectively. They should be suitable for individuals and small groups.

I tried using my on camera flash to fire the strobes, with limited success. The light would fire, but I wasn't pleased with the results. I could see the lights fire, but the subject area was darker than it should have been. I put a shoe adapter into the accessory shoe, added a PC cord, and BINGO, it worked! I did what the literature said couldn't be done without a radio slave. I tried various f stops, (f/4, f/5.6, f/11 and f/16), and I believe that f/11 at 1/60 will work just fine. Shooting at f/11 yields consistent results, as long as I let the lights recharge.

I have my first shoot in about 20 years coming up in a couple of weeks, and I want to make sure that people are in the mood to buy when they see the results.

bobsisk Loc: Chandler, Arizona

First, welcome!

Second, I hearken from the film days too, but I won't bore you with the details. As you have discovered, all of the good basics you learned from film years are usable in the digital realm too. This site is for picking up on details about digital that didn't exist with film. For instance, the ISO range is astronomical (25,000+ on my camera). You can take photos with no flash and just a whisper of light. But if you take photos that way with the ISO on auto and it starts to go above 6,000 (I think) you run the risk of having electronically generated 'noise' in your photos. Not good, but thankfully, someone on this site with a generous heart wrote about it. Of course, there are some advantages to having the ISO that high. The usable range is still well above whatever the highest film speed was, and you can set it manually for whatever shooting situation you are in. Maybe you know all of this.

creativ simon Loc: Coulsdon, South London

Welcome and enjoy

DickC Loc: NE Washington state

Welcome to the forum!!!