VWGolf

Don't rely on finding a second-hand Nikon flash at a good price on eBay - they always go for silly money. I know - I've looked often enough, in the hopes of finding one that I'm familiar with. I use one SB600 and one Jessops cheapie - this latter had no manual and I cannot find anything online, so it's always a matter of guessing. I was relying on using the Commander mode on my Nikon, but I'm hoping that having bought some Yongnuo controller/receivers, life will become a lot simpler for me, and they do all the hard work and it doesn't matter whether it's a Nikon flash or not. Well, in theory - still getting to grips with them (as well as saving up for even more rechargeable batteries - a total of fourteen required for both flashes and three Yongnuo thingies!)

I'm impressed by how organised you are, Graham. I want to be like that when I'm grown up! ;-) I have a Lowepro rucksack and a Lowepro shoulder bag (plus a small Manfrotto bag for the little camera). I find I am always swapping stuff out from one bag to another, depending on whether I'll be driving or walking to my photo destination. And invariably, I'll have left something critical behind in the bag I'm not using! I have a carbon-fibre tripod (as my hands shake), which I take almost everywhere. I [paid extra to get the c-f one, but that is negated by having a Manfrotto adjustable grip head for it that weighs almost as much as a small family hatchback - well, that's what it feels like after lugging it around for a couple of hours! I too have arthritis - quite badly in my knees, to the extent I cannot kneel, and also in my shoulders. As often as I can, I take my nephew or niece with me and give them a couple of quid to carry some kit for me. Other times I just struggle. Which is why I take lots of pictures of the cat and people at home, where I don't have to carry anything and all my gear is here (just a matter of remembering where I put it!). I think I might join a dating agency and get myself another husband. A strong one who doesn't mind carrying things! :-)

Today was the first chance I had to play with my new Yongnuo flash triggers. My first picture is over in the Pets thread http://www.tipf.co.uk/index.php/topic/9450-first-pic-using-flash-triggers/ as for some reason, I couldn't post it in here. Do the settings on the transmitter on the camera override the flash settings both on the camera and the flash guns? I've turned off the commander mode on my Nikon, but if I set, say Manual on the transmitter, does it override the fact that the guns are set to TTL? Or vice-versa?

Thank you - I will have a look

I'm excited - my wireless Yongnuo triggers have arrived. I bought the more expensive ones that also (reputedly) do ttl - they cost £75 for one transmitter and two receivers (or whatever they're called). Hoping to find time for a play with them tomorrow. The translated-from-Chinese instructions look amusing! Or should that be 'bemusing'? What I must remember to do today is buy more batteries! Two in each of the trigger thingies and four in each flash gun adds up to 14! Think I'll get some decent rechargeables. I'm really looking forward to being able to go out with a small bag containing my lighting kit, instead of a massive bag containing my studio lights, stands, extension cables etc. So watch this space. Although perhaps not for a while, whilst I work them out :-)

I bought a Wacom Bamboo second hand from eBay. Think I paid about £40 for it. The drawing area on it is about A5 size and I find it more than adequate - it means you don't have to stretch for far with your hand. I use a Windows PC. It takes a little time to co-ordinate your hand on the tablet and your eye on the screen, but after a while, it will come naturally. I've started doing compositing and I find the fine detail of using the graphics pen is so much better than doing the same with a mouse. I expect it's horses for courses, but I'm glad I bought mine and use it a lot - hope you enjoy yours :-)

Sorry - I missed that, Phil. Tried that, but it's a bit hit and miss. Found about four out of twelve I searched on. But so far, not found them to be anywhere they shouldn't be :-)

I don't get that option although I get most of the others. Would I have to use Chrome as my browser? (I use Firefox)

I've tried on FB, Flickr and on here, but I don't get the google search option either

Well done - it's so exciting getting published, isn't it? I'll look out for the magazine when I go shopping at the weekend :0(

That's the one store Scott Kelby recommends in all his books. Must have shares in it.

Done, but agree questions could have been better thought out. Good luck.

lol @ the argument - almost as good as the Nikon versus Canon one! For six years, on my Nikon D300 (DX), I used both the Nikon 50mm F1.8 and 35mm F1.8. Both affordable and both great, sharp lenses, the 50mm being slighter sharper in my experience. I couldn't afford big telephotos nor super-wide lenses (except a Tokina wide-angle bought second-hand). I found that the two Nikon lenses covered most of my needs - I mainly do portraits (human and pets) and candid/street photography. In March of last year, I treated myself to a D3300, but found it didn't meet my needs for the other type of photography I do: motorsport for my car club. And the (cheapish) Nikon F1.8 50mm wouldn't focus on the D3300 as it does not have a focussing motor, has to rely on one in the camera, which the D3300 doesn't have. So I bought a Nikon 50mm F1.4 (which does have a focussing motor). That cost about £280, I think. And what a cracker of a lens it is - well worth the money for the extra stop. So go for a 50mm and adapt how you take your pictures. A fast lens and beautiful bokeh - definitely worth a try, I'm sure you won't regret it, (Anyway, just before I lost my job in November, I swapped the D300 for a D750 full frame. It's like the D300 in terms of handling, but ten times better. And full frame with 24mp and the F1.4 lens - what a winning combination!)

That Flash accessory kit looks like a bargain. I was with a friend in Jessops recently and he bought a Lastolite softbox only for his flash gun and it cost him £50. Your kit has all the extras in - might look at treating myself too, come pay day.

Love it! :-)

love (appropriate for St Valentine's Eve?)

Well deserved winner! Excellent shot.

Help required for Saturday, please. when I'm going to take some important photographs inside a building. Sometime back, when I was enquiring about Pocket Wizards and suchlike, someone told me that my Nikon D300 can use Commander mode to trigger my SB600 flash gun off the camera. I've not had much flash experience but somehow I got not only the SB600 to fire but also a cheap Jessops flashgun that I bought on eBay. So thank you for that :-) However, particularly when using a backdrop, although I can reposition/change the power of the flash guns to what I like, I find that the on-camera flash that triggers them, is causing shadows. I have gone through my camera menus but can't work out how to alter the strength of the on-camera flash. I have gone into the custom settings/bracketing/flash/flash control for built in flash and then not sure what to do next. The options are TTL Manual Repeating flash Commander mode I am currently in commander mode with all the options (built-in flash/Group A/Group B) set to TTL If I change the Commander mode/built in flash to Manual and chose, say 1/16 - will that do it? If I lower the on camera flash, will it still be strong enough to trigger the two flash guns? Hope someone with some Nikon experience can advise. I've tried doing different things here at home, but becuase I'm in a small room, as opposed to a large Victorian/Gothic hall with wood-panelled walls and painted ceilings, it's a bit hard to tell exactly what difference it makes. Any advice gratefully received.