Point and shoot that will work with pro lighting system?

My wife wants to replace her three or four year old Sony DSC-S85
camera mostly because we understand that newer cameras have eliminated
the annoying shutter delay of the older generation digital cameras.

As a graphic designer she also used the camera sometimes to take
commercial pictures and had access to professional lighting for fill
lighting. The Sony camera had a proprietary hot shoe so we were never
able to get it to interface with the lighting systems to trigger flash
fills.

So we want the next camera to have this ability. Is it necessary to
go up to the semi-pro level SLR cameras to get the trigger flash
interface? We'd really rather have a relatively inexpensive and small
camera for casual point and shot use that can be used once in a while
for external lighting shooting. Any recommendations?

Sorry if this sounds contridictory? Does it?

\Samson

In article ,
says...

My wife wants to replace her three or four year old Sony DSC-S85
camera mostly because we understand that newer cameras have eliminated
the annoying shutter delay of the older generation digital cameras.

As a graphic designer she also used the camera sometimes to take
commercial pictures and had access to professional lighting for fill
lighting. The Sony camera had a proprietary hot shoe so we were never
able to get it to interface with the lighting systems to trigger flash
fills.

So we want the next camera to have this ability. Is it necessary to
go up to the semi-pro level SLR cameras to get the trigger flash
interface? We'd really rather have a relatively inexpensive and small
camera for casual point and shot use that can be used once in a while
for external lighting shooting. Any recommendations?

Sorry if this sounds contridictory? Does it?

\Samson

One solution would be to trigger the studio rig with an optical sensor, like a
SuperSlave. HOWEVER, you will have to be concerned about the built-in flash
unit's "pre-flashes," which will likely trigger the studio unit(s)
prematurely, and then the ability to manually over-ride the exposure settings
for the built-in's strobe, and just let the output of the studio unit
overpower the built-in's lower power. Don't know which camera units will allow
for these circumstances.

One could also use "hot lights" for the studio setup, but if you have access
to studio strobes, it would be a shame to not use them.

Hunt

--
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Samson writes:
So we want the next camera to have this ability. Is it necessary to
go up to the semi-pro level SLR cameras to get the trigger flash
interface? We'd really rather have a relatively inexpensive and small
camera for casual point and shot use that can be used once in a while
for external lighting shooting. Any recommendations?

Sorry if this sounds contridictory? Does it?

There are special optical slaves you can get for digicams, that know
about the preflash and trigger the main strobe on the second flash.

See, for example: http://www.srelectronics.com

Paul Rubin wrote:


There are special optical slaves you can get for digicams, that know
about the preflash and trigger the main strobe on the second flash.


Also some point and shoot digitals do not use a pre-flash when
they're in manual mode. It's worth testing for that.
I find that I can use my White Lightning studio flash in slave
mode, triggered from a throttled down setting of the camera
flash, with the camera set in manual mode. I usually set the
camera flash for one-third of full -- which is the lowest it will
go. This technique also works when a Vivitar 283 flash is
coupled to a peanut slave trigger.
I suspect the no-preflash in manual mode technique is also
usable with later models of the Canon Powershot series.
A friend of mine has a Nikon P&S and he's also using it in
manual mode with a Vivitar 283 fired by a standard slave unit
(not the digital type) which is triggered by the camera flash .
This allows him to shoot fairly large groups, even in dark rooms,
with good lighting.

-- Ron

"Samson" wrote in message
...
My wife wants to replace her three or four year old Sony DSC-S85
camera mostly because we understand that newer cameras have eliminated
the annoying shutter delay of the older generation digital cameras.

As a graphic designer she also used the camera sometimes to take
commercial pictures and had access to professional lighting for fill
lighting. The Sony camera had a proprietary hot shoe so we were never
able to get it to interface with the lighting systems to trigger flash
fills.

So we want the next camera to have this ability. Is it necessary to
go up to the semi-pro level SLR cameras to get the trigger flash
interface? We'd really rather have a relatively inexpensive and small
camera for casual point and shot use that can be used once in a while
for external lighting shooting. Any recommendations?

Sorry if this sounds contridictory? Does it?

\Samson

My Sony V1 once focused is certainly plenty fast to take the shot and will
happily work with an external flash unit including standard non dedicated
studio flash units, all I needed was a basic hotshoe adapter.

"Samson" wrote in message
...
My wife wants to replace her three or four year old Sony DSC-S85
camera mostly because we understand that newer cameras have eliminated
the annoying shutter delay of the older generation digital cameras.

As a graphic designer she also used the camera sometimes to take
commercial pictures and had access to professional lighting for fill
lighting. The Sony camera had a proprietary hot shoe so we were never
able to get it to interface with the lighting systems to trigger flash
fills.

So we want the next camera to have this ability. Is it necessary to
go up to the semi-pro level SLR cameras to get the trigger flash
interface? We'd really rather have a relatively inexpensive and small
camera for casual point and shot use that can be used once in a while
for external lighting shooting. Any recommendations?

Sorry if this sounds contridictory? Does it?

\Samson

Using a radio slave unit, like Pocket Wizard, would work to trigger the
studio strobes. Sort of pricey, $375 or so, IIRC, for transmitter and slave
unit. The studio lighting she has access to may already have a similar set
up, check before you buy.
As far as a camera, as long as it has a hot shoe to communicate with the
transmitter, what ever camera you like will be suitable.

--
Skip Middleton
http://www.shadowcatcherimagery.com

In Australia you can buy a kit for $30 AUS that can be set to trigger your
flash from whatever number of flashs your camera puts out.
My Fuji can generate a single flash or one preflash we set to redeye
reduction.
I therefore set the slave flash switch to trigger on either one or two
flashes, depending upon what mode I am using the camera with.
It is not physically connected to the camera and can work with any camera
with a built in flash or a hotshoe flash.


"Samson" wrote in message
...
My wife wants to replace her three or four year old Sony DSC-S85
camera mostly because we understand that newer cameras have eliminated
the annoying shutter delay of the older generation digital cameras.

As a graphic designer she also used the camera sometimes to take
commercial pictures and had access to professional lighting for fill
lighting. The Sony camera had a proprietary hot shoe so we were never
able to get it to interface with the lighting systems to trigger flash
fills.

So we want the next camera to have this ability. Is it necessary to
go up to the semi-pro level SLR cameras to get the trigger flash
interface? We'd really rather have a relatively inexpensive and small
camera for casual point and shot use that can be used once in a while
for external lighting shooting. Any recommendations?

Sorry if this sounds contridictory? Does it?

\Samson