Speed Lights
Alright peeps, in the market for some flashes/speedlights to use on and off camera. Mostly skate photography.
Using canon 650d.
Pretty lost where to start, so any advice will be helpful.
I got the canon 430EX II a few years ago.. (I didn’t feel the need for the 580, as I primarily shoot out doors of a day.. So would be using it that much) But this flash is pretty decent, it can be used on the hot shoe or off the camera (comes with its own “feet”) and a case for it, has enough settings to play with, and recharges between bursts quite well (except when the batteries are low) and you can pair 2 from memory, (one on the camera and a ‘slave’ one off the camera,)
hope this helps a bit!
I would think the biggest thing you have to consider (especially for skate photography) is distance.
What distance will you realistically be shooting from?
Cheers h0z.
Oz, distance can be camera anything from 30cm from skater to 10 or more meters doing wider framed shots with a 18-55mm lens.
Flashes working with in that distance, as some times I want to highlight the skater but be taking a photo from further away
See i am not sure what the maximum distance for a speedlight is.
But def 10m away is going to require specialist lighting in the region of lamps.
Oh and in the debate of Nikon vs everyone else.
Nikon call them speedlights… everyone else calls them Speedlites. 
Might help with your googling!
See i am not sure what the maximum distance for a speedlight is.
But def 10m away is going to require specialist lighting in the region of lamps.
Im not having the actual light that far away from the subject. Thats how far I might be away from the flash or skater!
I dont expect a speed light to light up a football field 
Oh and in the debate of Nikon vs everyone else.
Nikon call them speedlights… everyone else calls them Speedlites.
Might help with your googling!
Yeh I know that, Im canon, so doesnt really matter. I know they go by different names, its just what I typed 
See i am not sure what the maximum distance for a speedlight is.
But def 10m away is going to require specialist lighting in the region of lamps.
Im not having the actual light that far away from the subject. Thats how far I might be away from the flash or skater!
I dont expect a speed light to light up a football field
Just checking!
So the biggest thing you need to consider is how far the speedlight will go and be able to “talk” to the camera.
Other than the Canon branded ones, what does everyone else use?
Any experience with Yongnuo?
Is it best to try to utilize my camera’s TTL wireless system, or get a set up with seperate recievers/remotes/triggers
I would think using your wireless system would be the go. I couldn’t imagine you want a cable running across a skate bowl.
haha. very true.
I should clarify my question a bit more. I mean use a flash that is compatible with my 650d built in wireless, or get the external wireless triggers (one for the cam,one for the flash/s) and get a non canon-wireless compatible flash that may be better.
Will I be restricted by using the in built system
pocket wizards were all the trigger rage in my photog days, not sure if they still are or not
the new pocket wizards are way cheaper than before. There are some other wireless triggers now though that are cheaper I think.
First stop for you should be the strobist site.
Look for used old Nikon flashes. Sb-26’s have an optical trigger too, which is good for at night. useless during the day though. sb-28’s don’t have an optical trigger but are smaller. sb-80dx’s are better but are pricey. Usually I run across one of those 3 once or twice a year for $50 or less. On the auctions they are more like $80.
So, if you mostly shoot at night, get an sb-28 (with a pocket wizard or other trigger), an sb-26 to be triggered off the sb 28’s flash and one more pocket wizard for the camera. It does help to have a third pw for the sb-26 though, when you are setting the flash power.
Also, I would suggest a flash meter. I think the one to get is the sekonic l-358 with the pocket wizard module. With it, you can test any pw to see the flash power. With a meter it becomes so easy to set up your flash ratios. Otherwise you will sit there for at least 30mins chimping (at first).
Then you need light stands/cheap tripods.
actually you should have 3 flashes: main, fill and rim
Thanks heams Marc, this is the kinda info I was after. I will start looking around and get back to here when I find a few things and mite have more questions 
+1 For PocketWizard.
I run the MiniTT1, 2x FlexTT5’s and an AC3 controller. All work really well.
I’ve read nothing but good things about the yongnuo flashes. Especially on a consumer level. They should work with the pocketwizards also.
Just be wary about buying pocketwizards online if you’re looking at second hand units.
You need the CE units, not FCC. The FCC units (american frequencies) are illegal to use in Australia.