Larry R Harrison Jr wrote:

My brother-in-law is getting married in September. I couldn't afford to
travel to where he is at, but he agreed to pay our way if I photographed his
wedding. I know, they always say--DON'T DO IT--but honestly enough things
have happened in my life that the fear of blowing someone's wedding doesn't
make me shake in my boots all THAT badly (though I do want to do a good job
of course).

Nothing wrong with low budget. If nothing else, it would beat the hell out of
the wedding guests all taking shots with disposable cameras, though you might
recommend that they do that anyone . . . just for some fun.



Thing is, for my N80--and I may tag along an N65 as a backup (although I'll
also have a Coolpix 5700)--I need a shoe-mounted flash. For all those
cameras I mentioned all I have is the built-in flash--not what you want for
an occasion like this. So I've been looking into flashes.

Ideally, you need two flash units, and you should concentrate on using two
cameras at a time.



I want to do more than just have the flash on the camera, though--for better
results, I want it mounted off to the side or whatever.

Actually, if you get a StoFen Omni Bounce that fits over the flash, that should
soften the light up enough to give good results. It cuts up to three stops of
light from the power at average people photographing distances. If you are
getting two flashes, then get two of these. They also provide a small amount of
protection to the flash head, since they are rugged plastic.



With the N65/N80--which are the cameras (along with the N75 I'd say) that
the SB-50DX is meant to interface with--you can use them in conjunction with
the built-in unit to boost its GN from 72 to 82. I am considering doing that
with the SB-50DX mounted off to the left. I know direct flash is harsh, but
I figure the SB-50DX will provide the bulk of the lighting, and the pop-up
will be more of a "fill" unit.

Okay, the pop-up flash on the cameras should work okay as a fill-in, though you
may want to mix the usage a bit. The pop-up flash is somewhat weak, so it is
not going to add much in comparison to a good Speedlight. Also, you actually
might find that you don't like the fill-in results in some of the photos. Just
mix it up, and take plenty of shots.

In the past, I've noticed a tendency for
there to be shadows with off-camera flash to the left, and I'm thinking that
the pop-up can help fill them in, but again hopefully won't be overpowering
and make it look like total direct flash since the SB-50DX will provide much
more lighting.


The SB-50DX is really not strong enough for most group images. Also, an easy
way to get rid of some of the harsh shadows is to use a lower sync speed, thus
allowing more ambient room lighting to also expose the film. This can give a
warmer feeling to the background, though it takes some experience doing this to
get good even results. My suggestion is that you practice a bit on a roll of
film (or two) and write down some notes. Also, a light blue filter can
sometimes help give a more natural and even look, so that might be something
else you add to your kit.


Does this sound feasible to you? Does it make sense or am I off-base?

Will this work with the Coolpix 5700 as well, using the internal & external
together?

One issue with the way Nikon publishes Speedlight data is that they rarely list
which older units work with which newer cameras. The big thing to watch out for
is voltage ratings, though with most of the Speedlights since the SB-24, this
is more of a concern with multiple lights off one camera body. Read the manual
for the Speedlight carefully about that.



Note: I don't have much money to spend, so these other options I'm mulling
over may sound crazy. Hear me out.

Not much money I think your choices would be better with used gear. You need to
budget for two flash units to really cover a wedding without driving yourself
(and the guests) crazy.



If that isn't the way to go, I'm thinking maybe buying two older SB-15s and
having 2 flashes--one to the left and one to the right. In that case don't
use the internal at all. I also assume that in that case the N65/N80 won't
give "Matrix" or "3D Matrix" TTL flash, but rather just conventional TTL
flash. I don't know how the Coolpix 5700 would handle that either, as it's
more "quasi-TTL" (meaning it uses a sensor in the external flash to measure
lighting rather than actually going through-the-lens).

So I guess my questions a

(1) How does the setup vis-a-vis a single left-mounted SB-50DX--how does
that setup sound for the N65/N80 and the Coolpix 5700? Should I use the
pop-up to fill in shadows, or would that override the superiority of a
bracket-mounted flash altogether?

Unless you have used a bracket, or handle mount flash previously, I don't
recommend getting a set-up like that. This greatly unbalances the camera. Some
of the more expensive units can be okay on balance, but the money could have
bought another used Speedlight. Skip the brackets, and spend the money on a
couple StoFen Omni Bounces.



(2) If not that, how does the two SB-15s setup sound for all 3 cameras?

Slightly weak, and a bit limited on settings. I recommend the SB-25, which you
should be able to find used around $100 each. The slightly older SB-24 is
similar, though a few less settings choices. The SB-26 is nearly the same as an
SB-25 in use and power rating, though it is newer and costs a bit more.



(3) If not that, what do you recommend?

Two SB-25 with StoFen on each. No bracket mount. Use pop-up on camera flash
only occasionally for fill in light. Use a 1/30 sync (you will need some
practice to steady shoot at that setting) to allow ambient light to knock down
the harsh shadows a bit. Get an 82A or 82B (light blue) filter, or both of
these, to slightly improve the ambient light colour to a more normal
appearance.



(4) Also, how important is having matrix TTL flash as opposed to regular TTL
flash? Would I be better off, say, pairing up two Sunpak PZ4000AFs and using
regular TTL? (You can get a PZ4000AF for much of nothing.)

Regular TTL is quite alright. With either TTL flavour, there can still be a bit
too much light. If you have time to get use to the Speedlight, then find some
settings adjustments that give more balanced results. Also, the auto setting is
not a bad choice, and often the results can be very good.

Nikon Speedlights are very good units. Many of the later ones are easy to
adjust, and the displays are very accurate for adjusting results prior to
shooting. Always practice first, and take notes.



Tips?

Take extra batteries for the Speedlights. Go to the rehearsal, and figure out
where you will need to stand to make your shots. Use your digital Coolpix 5700
like a Polaroid test when doing set-up or tripod shots. Make sure your lights
are working well and then switch the Speedlight to your film camera. Take many
photos. If you have some time, and are not too tired, try to shoot at least one
roll of B/W film (recommend AGFA APX100 for nice skin tones). Don't drink too
much.

Options include getting a used SB-27. This is somewhat lightweight, and still
powerful. The SB-27 is also great for vertical shots, since the head rotates to
allow for better positioning than with regular Speedlights. There is also an
SU-4 unit from Nikon that allows remote TTL flash control, and could work as a
fill light for group or set-up shots. The SU-4 is not cheap, and only
occasionally found used. Wein make some small slave flash adapters that cost
less, though these require some practice for good results. If you have trouble
finding a StoFen unit, then get one of the Lastolite bounces. The Lastolite and
StoFen costs are similar, though the StoFen is small when mounted on the flash.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio
http://www.allgstudio.com
http://www.agstudiopro.com Coming Soon!