Advise for 1st Nikon D3200 flash?

[Broke]

This is my first post so let me start by saying hello. My name is Tim and recently I've taken photography back up as a hobby. I've been looking into getting a speedlight but am clueless where to start and my searches have always led me to Nikonites... so hopefully ya'll can help me out with my questions.

Since this is pretty much like a hobby errr lets just say I've only sold enough photos to pay for my camera equipment in the last year and a half I'm looking at third party speedlights rather than jumping on name brands. First I thought I was going to buy two Altura Photo Speedlight kit off amazon ($150 with pretty great reviews, remotes and triggers included) but all my searches led to forum posts of people saying they never heard of it try Yongnuo's.

So here's my questions and where I'm at... I will be using a Nikon D3200, 18-55 & 55-200 kit lenses plus a Tamron 90mm Macro lens to be shooting indoors with the flash off camera. Mostly still life's, abstract photo's, macro, and of course the extremely original water drips and splashes that I'm sure everyone does with their first speedlight. My budget is around $150-200.

Does anyone have any experience with the Altura Photo® Professional Speedlite Flash #AP-N1001)? I'm worried that the price is to good to be true...

Plus all my research has led me to Yongnuo. Leaning towards a Yongnuo YN568EXN-USA i-TTL with Yongnuo RF-603 N3 2.4GHz Wireless Flash Trigger. If I go with this set up will this be everything I need to get started? Such as If I set it up and use my Nikon wireless shutter remote to trigger the camera to trigger the flash through the RF-603 N3 or will I be missing some pieces? Also is the Yongnuo YN568EXN-USA i-TTL a good model to go with while giving me room to grow with and move to other Nikon bodies in the future?

Sorry that I rambled so much is my post, as you can tell I really am clueless about speedlights and options. All I know so far is that I'm stuck using the flash in manual off camera but all the other details are pretty much sound like elevator music to me but that's what trial and denial is for!

Any advise and suggestions would be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance!
-Tim

 

[Whiskeyman]

Hi, Tim. Welcome to nikonites.com. What do you want to do with the flash? It will help a bit to know a bit more about what type of shooting you need the flash for.

WM

 

[RocketCowboy]

Howdy Tim and welcome to Nikonites!

I'll echo Wiskeyman's post ... what are you trying to accomplish with flash? Beyond the basic "add light to a composition".

I'm a fan of both the Nikon and Yongnuo flash heads, but which one might be best for you depends a lot on what you're trying to do.

 

[Broke]

Thanks for the quick replies and welcomes. I will be using the flash indoors during winter seasons for still lifes since I can't do much landscape photography. Anywhere from normal objects to experimenting with abstract images (water refractions, water oil mixes and freezing water drops/splash shots). Also I will be using it to photograph other works of art I make and sell online during the holidays. Lastly I will be using it for macro although I realize I will have to rig it up with reflectors to get the light in front of the lens. Here's two examples of some still life I've played with but had to set up outside during a brutal winter due to a lack of light inside.

 

[RocketCowboy]

Starting off, I would look at either the Yongnuo 560 or 565, depending on whether you want TTL or not. Inexpensive, and an easy way to get started with a single light source.


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[WayneF]

I have a Yongnuo YN565EX, and I like it fine. Mine is nearly two years old and the battery door just broke, tiny tabs that hold door closed stripped off. Turns out this is a problem for I think all Yongnuo models, but it is said to be fixed in recent models. Ebay is full of inexpensive battery doors from Yongnuo for this, and I ordered one, which probably takes two weeks from China. I still am very pleased with the flash. The Amazon link where I bought mine says Discontinued by Manufacturer now, but several other Amazon links don't say it. Making things up, but there is a YN565EX II model for Canon, perhaps that is coming?

A review is at Review of the Yongnuo YN565EX Speedlight

The Yongnuo YN568 is similar, with a HSS option that the D3200 does not support, but it can be ignored.

Also the Neewer VK750 II is similar (a little less power, comparable to SB-700 power) and is only $53 at Amazon. It is very nice too, esp considering the price. Review of the Neewer VK750 II Speedlight

 

[Don Kuykendall_RIP]

I started out with the very expensive Nikon SB700 which in the the neighborhood of $320 or so. I decided I wanted ot get back into multiple flash so after doing a lot of research I decided on the Yongnuo YN-565EX I-TTL and the Yongnuo 1 x YN-622N-TX + 2 x YN-622N RX i-TTL LCD Wireless Flash Controller Wireless Flash Trigger Transceiver to fire both of them and allow me to control them from the camera.
After using it and the Nikon SB700 I think I like the Yongnuo YN-565EX I-TTL better and it only cost $84.00. I could have bought 2 of these and the triggers for the price of 1 Nikon Flash.

 

[Michael J.]

the yongnuo 568ex is great on my D7000 and the D5100


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[Broke]

Thanks for all the responses. So I guess it's between a 565EX and 568EX. Now what all do I need to trigger the flash? Sorry about my lack of knowledge here, I tend to jump head first into things and it seems all the articles I find are geared more towards somebody already experienced in flash photography. So besides the flash itself what do I need to buy to make it work off camera on my D3200 if I'm just using my cheap Nikon wireless shutter button?

Also I did notice a few amazon listings for the 565EX say discontinued like WayneF said and the Yongnue Usa website lists it out of stock which is a little concerning. I'm just trying to understand why if its only 20 bucks more for HSS are the reviews not as good as the 565? If that's the only real difference I may just pay the 20 bucks to future proof the flash incase I upgrade to a higher level camera and not have to worry about finding discontinued parts in the future.

Thanks again for all the advise, I'm going to sleep on it and check throughout the day tomorrow at work to see what people suggest to buy to trigger the flash then decide.

 

[WayneF]

So besides the flash itself what do I need to buy to make it work off camera on my D3200 if I'm just using my cheap Nikon wireless shutter button?

To trigger the flash off camera in Manual flash mode, you can use

1. PC Sync cord (you have to provide a hot shoe accessory to add PC sync connector to the camera)

2. These flashes have an optical slave (called S1), which is triggered in sync by the flash of any other manual flash. Which could be the camera internal flash, set to low manual power level.

3. You can add a radio trigger, transmitter in camera hot shoe, receiver on flash foot.
Yongnuo RF-603 II has been a popular inexpensive one.
There are many others.

All of these are manual flash mode only... NOT automatic. YOU select and set the appropriate flash power.

See How to trigger speedlights Off camera

If you want remote TTL operation, there are other more expensive options in radio triggers. Don mentioned the YN622 for one.

 

[Whiskeyman]

Ok. You've got a lot of recommendations for Yongnuo flashes, and if you go that route, you might as well get Yongnuo triggers for them. I can't argue against that, although I've got a couple of Nikon SB's (700 and 910) and Pocket Wizard triggers and receivers.

You might also benefit from light modifiers such as the DMSV Speedbox or the XP Photogear Speedbox or the Westcott Rapid Box to soften the light and a light stand. Some small reflectors would be handy for some of your tasks. In addition, some of what you want to do will require some sort of camera/flash trigger to execute the shot. Motion- or sound-activated triggers would seem to fit your needs best. For that, I use my iPhone and the Trigger Trap module and cables for my cameras.

WM

 

[aroy]

Thanks for the quick replies and welcomes. I will be using the flash indoors during winter seasons for still lifes since I can't do much landscape photography. Anywhere from normal objects to experimenting with abstract images (water refractions, water oil mixes and freezing water drops/splash shots). Also I will be using it to photograph other works of art I make and sell online during the holidays. Lastly I will be using it for macro although I realize I will have to rig it up with reflectors to get the light in front of the lens. Here's two examples of some still life I've played with but had to set up outside during a brutal winter due to a lack of light inside.

I my opinion is you are going to shoot mainly still life at home, a couple of LED lights would be a better (and may be a cheaper) option. Mount the LED on stands. Mount camera on tripod use the aperture to define the DOF and then shoot at what ever speed required.

For remote triggering, you can investigate old time "manual" flash which have "slave" mode. They are extremely inexpensive and the flash will fire in response to any flash it can detect.

 

[SteveH]

I would recommend the Yongnuo flashes too - I have a 565EX and works great for the price... In fact I am also now looking at adding a second 565 with the 622N transmitter + 2 x transceivers. I have never used LED lights, but Like @aroy says, it could save you a bundle of cash for still life, however I'm not sure the light is as controllable as flash.