PhotosByStorm wrote:
I just spent 2,000$ on my lens and monolights..  The lights has the optical photolight cell but im sick of having to use my 430ex flash just to set off my monos, (yeah i just bounce it off a wall or soemthing behind me so it doesnt effect the photo AS MUCH but regardless)  plus it throws off the full effect of my monolights. 

Now, since im out 2k whats the cheapest best trigger out there? I'll need 3 btw.  I wanted to get pw's but pheww, their to expensive for me right now.  I was looking into those ''ebay'' triggers and im still kind of skeptical on those.  If anyone uses those then please fill me in on there reliability, range, durability.

pw's are out
elinchroms im pretty sure are out as well.

Any other recommendations (price, good ''decent'' range).  Im most likely gonna just use these till i get more $$$, then hopefully move to pw's.

I use the eBay ones, they cost me like 20$ and they work great, I haven't had any problem with them and I use the to fire the strobes very often, Sometimes I carry my 285 Vivitar to shoot outdoors and they work fine, I use a Velcro to stick them to the flash. Until you get more money and buy the ones you want, I think these are a good solution. T

PhotosByStorm wrote:
Whatta blonde moment-__- my mistake!, makes it even worse when i said that my lights has photolight cells! haha.  Well, one less trigger will save me 60$ if i buy AB's.  do i need Alienbee monos to use there triggers?

If you don't care about being wireless, some $5 household cable from home depot works fine. (get a PC-household or Hot Shoe to Household adapter.)   Good chance your monolights already have a household socket.

Or get a set of these http://www.mpex.com/browse.cfm/4,11447.html for $35.  Not super reliable, but better than nothing.

PhotosByStorm wrote:
Whatta blonde moment-__- my mistake!, makes it even worse when i said that my lights has photolight cells! haha.  Well, one less trigger will save me 60$ if i buy AB's.  do i need Alienbee monos to use there triggers?

If you strobes are either 1/4 or 1/8 phono you are good to go. but like all radios you need the proper cord.

Lorin Edmonds wrote:

If you strobes are either 1/4 or 1/8 phono you are good to go. but like all radios you need the proper cord.

I got Bowens Calumet monos. Nothing fancy but there cheap and do a hell of a job.

Im afraid that my flash wont be able to give off enough light to set off the photo cell in my monos, ive tried shooting like 8 feet from my monos using my 430ex to set it off...didnt fire everytime, really frustrating. 

I dont have a hot shoe adapter to... i hate cords btw, for the night club shoot ima have to bring a lot of extension cords>.

PhotosByStorm wrote:
Ill use the money from the shoot for the pws.

Why PWs when there are much cheaper products that do the same thing?

KEKnight wrote:

Why PWs when there are much cheaper products that do the same thing?

Well, why spend 30-50$ on ebay triggers..shipping and all, just to have um break down in who knows how long.  I really dont like to spend money on cheap things to have in the mean time till I get the better things, while i coulda been saving the money for the better the whole time.

Constantin Iosseliani wrote:
I always used 10$ ebay triggers, and they works well 90% of time... However, sometimes they do go out of control (not sure why), and then I have awkward moments with my models, trying to explain that the burst of 100 flash shots in the last few seconds is not my fault

So yes, it works pretty well... But better trigger is down on my next purchases list, still..

This is how I play it off:  "I want you to pose like you are dancing at the club...so I thought I'd set the mood" 

I use E-Bay triggers as well, they work well most of the time, and for the price you can't go wrong.  Worst case senerio, you keep them as back ups when you get PWs. 

Tito Trelles-MADE IN NY wrote:
I use the eBay ones, they cost me like 20$ and they work great, I haven't had any problem with them and I use the to fire the strobes very often, Sometimes I carry my 285 Vivitar to shoot outdoors and they work fine, I use a Velcro to stick them to the flash. Until you get more money and buy the ones you want, I think these are a good solution. T

I use these as well and I have a couple sets. They are hit and miss. Some work fine but others have syncing issues where they may be too slow for the cameras shutter. Others have issues making contact with the cameras contact points. They are a great alternative to a cable. Cables can cost you money when you accidentally have someone trip over the cord and cause you to drop your camera. I've been thinking about upgrading to the Alien bee models myself to go with my lights.

PhotosByStorm wrote:
So better to get the battery op reciever since I don't have to worry about plugging it in to my monos, I cann just Velcro it to my monos.

Yes. Get the battery powered version. The inline one is specific to Alien Bees monilights.

The cybersyncs are inexpensive enough that I would skip past the Cactus remotes to something you may never have to upgrade from.

PhotosByStorm wrote:

Well, why spend 30-50$ on ebay triggers..shipping and all, just to have um break down in who knows how long.  I really dont like to spend money on cheap things to have in the mean time till I get the better things, while i coulda been saving the money for the better the whole time.

I've never had one crap out that wasn't my fault. Have even recovered one from a dunk in salt water (flash wasn't so lucky). I'd have been a bit more upset if I had dunked a PW in the ocean.

Have very few misfires from them. Moreso, I have misfires from not letting the flashes recycle.