Wireless trigger or additional flash?

Lighting newbie here. :-(

I have one flash which I trigger with the camera's pop-up flash since the flash has the built-in optical slave and was wondering if I should get another flash with optical slave or if I should get a wireless radio trigger? Just trying to improve kids portraits I try to make around the house; not building a home studio. Can only get one of the two at this time and I'll probably be able to get the other one in a few weeks. What's better for my situation - two flashes that can only be triggered via optical slave feature or one flash that can be triggered from anywhere?

Any input is appreciated. Thanks.

Get a second flash. You will get real use out of a second flash and can expand your skills and quality of lighting. In most cases remote triggers are a just a convenience, especially if you are just a home hobbyist.
--
Mike Dawson

What camera and flash do you currently own?
--
http://www.nathanparkerphotography.com

@Quantum Help - I think manual control is fine... even when using TTL I end up modifying flash output level most of the time anyway.

@Mike - Thanks, I was leaning towards the second flash... as that's one more light source I can play with vs. the only one I would have if I got the trigger. I was just wondering if there are some cool techniques using triggers that would make it worth getting them instead of an additional flash.

@lightp8nter - I have a D40 and a YN-467. I was thinking about getting either a YN RF-603 or YN-460 II.

(On a side note - I am aware of the capabilities of Nikon's CLS and the cameras with flash commander mode, etc. but I am not planning on upgrading my camera or getting a SB-xxx; my question was not so much about what brand/model equipment to get but rather which of the two types of equipment would enable me to make my photos better.)

whiggy said:

(On a side note - I am aware of the capabilities of Nikon's CLS and the cameras with flash commander mode, etc. but I am not planning on upgrading my camera or getting a SB-xxx; my question was not so much about what brand/model equipment to get but rather which of the two types of equipment would enable me to make my photos better.)

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I really don't see how you can equate the function of a trigger or another flash. These are very different jobs.

The Nikon Commander system is controlled by a minimum power level flash, and it is also a complex signal which must be decoded accurately. It generally works in the living room, but it is line of sight and limited range.

But optical slaves are very different. Manual flash of course, but they are triggered from the full working power level of any one of the other flashes, and is a very simple signal, either there is light or there is not. The difficulties are vastly fewer. Indoors in the living room, these seem to work anywhere anytime, no matter how you orient or position them.

Brands of these optical slaves do vary - there is a difference in quality vs cheapest, and another difference can be the sync voltage of the flash it is to trigger. One built into a flash ought not have any sync voltage issues. But even the cheapest usually work pretty well. Here is one look at some: http://www.scantips.com/lights/slaves.html

Radio triggers - have more range, and obstacles or sunlight do not bother them much. Seems like more connections and more batteries to worry with, and seems gross overkill in the living room, but of course, they still work there. The one advantage is they provide that first camera to flash link, whereas optical slaves need a way to trigger that first flash (could be radio, could be a PC sync cable, could be a flash on the camera).

WFulton said:

I really don't see how you can equate the function of a trigger or another flash. These are very different jobs.

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I never did. Thanks for the detailed explanation, though.
Maybe this will help clarify my question:

Imagine this - you have these 4 pieces of equipment:

• a D40
• a flash with a built-in optical slave
• another flash with an optical slave
• a wireless trigger system (TX/RX) for one of the flashes

You are going somewhere to take kids portraits but you can only bring 3 out of the 4 things listed above - which 3 do you take with you?
My question is as simple as that.

whiggy said:

Imagine this - you have these 4 pieces of equipment:

• a D40
• a flash with a built-in optical slave
• another flash with an optical slave
• a wireless trigger system (TX/RX) for one of the flashes

You are going somewhere to take kids portraits but you can only bring 3 out of the 4 things listed above - which 3 do you take with you?

Click to expand...

That obviously depends on where you're going!

If you're going somewhere you can't use optical slaves (e.g. no optical line of sight nor usable bounce surfaces, or a lot of paparazzis firing their own flashes) you need to bring a wireless radio trigger system if you want to use flash.

On the other hand - if you're going somewhere you where can use optical slaves, then two flash units with built-in optical slaves obviously gives you most flexibility than a single flash with a built-in optical slave, and a radio trigger that you can leave in the bag.

For manual flash, built-in optical slaves is simpler to set and use than poverty wizards type radio triggrs (with built-in optical, there is no extra device to mount, no non-standard batteries, and no tiny channel switches to fiddle with). You only resort to radio if, for some reason, you can't use optical.
--
– gisle [ See profile/plan for equipment list ]

whiggy said:

Imagine this - you have these 4 pieces of equipment:

• a D40
• a flash with a built-in optical slave
• another flash with an optical slave
• a wireless trigger system (TX/RX) for one of the flashes

You are going somewhere to take kids portraits but you can only bring 3 out of the 4 things listed above - which 3 do you take with you?
My question is as simple as that.

Click to expand...

Well, the two flashes (for main and fill) are more nearly required for the lighting, whereas we have options regarding triggering them. We do have to trigger them however, and it does seem good if your budget were expanded very slightly.

We can always use one flash with a reflector (see Google for One Single Light Portrait, for tips), which works well, and might be considered as a good learning exercise, but two lights are much more versatile, and easier.

If for some reason you cannot use optical slaves, and must use radio triggers, then you will likely need two radio receivers in that case. If using optical slaves, we do still have to trigger one light, some way, which could be radio, as one choice, but it is not the only choice.

Radio is good in sunlight, or at great distance, or around unusual obstacles, etc (the heroic stuff), but my own strong preference (indoor portraits) is optical slaves and one PC sync cord. When not needed, I turn up my nose at the radio extra connections and batteries. Just more junk to be concerned with, for no good reason indoors. Just one opinion, but KISS always applies.

The fill light (nearly by definition) really needs to be near the camera lens axis, which in order to see around it, needs to be very near the camera location. Assuming camera is on a tripod, this means a sync cord is fairly short (I use 15 feet however), which is no bother and not in the way, and normally very reliable. That fill light is more or less aimed at all the other lights, and so optical slaves are normally no issue at all indoors (speaking of living rooms, instead of gymnasiums).

Thanks everyone!! I appreciate your input.
I am getting another flash and probably a 10ft sync cord

whiggy said:

WFulton said:

I really don't see how you can equate the function of a trigger or another flash. These are very different jobs.

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Member said:

I never did. Thanks for the detailed explanation, though.

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"Wireless trigger or additional flash?"

Yes, you did.
--
Ross Attix

ross attix said:

whiggy said:

WFulton said:

I really don't see how you can equate the function of a trigger or another flash. These are very different jobs.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Horiz Opposed said:

I never did. Thanks for the detailed explanation, though.

Click to expand...

"Wireless trigger or additional flash?"

Yes, you did.
--
Ross Attix

Click to expand...

Nope, never "equated the function" of the two; I never said they performed the same function. I just asked which one I should get.
Thanks for your "valuable" input, though.