$&%*! I knew I should have sprung for that 580ex! HELP!

Justiceiro

So here's the situation. A few years ago I bought the 430ex (not the exII) because I didn't want to pony up the cash for the next coolest model.

Fire the flash off camera? Why would I want to do that? I'm not even good with flash yet!

Of course, 2 years later, having just read the hot shoe diaries, I have the wedding of a very dear and very old friend coming up in Prague in two weeks, and I want to get that flash off the camera.

So how do I do it? I borrowed some cheap chinese wireless transmitters from a friend, but the 430 ex lacks, I believe, a PC socket.

What can I use to fire this thing remotely?

O Gods of Photography, I call upon thee!

tijoseph

They make a simple adapter that mounts to the hot shoe of the flash.

Try here http://www.flashzebra.com/products.shtml

I tried those cheapos some time ago. They stick, are incredably unreliable. My advice is to order some cyber syncs.

Art Scott

here is what you are looking for on ebay most any photoshop will have these.............

hotshoe to pc sync cord adapter .............also a flash bracket would make your life easier.....by using an adapter like those in the link you will need to shoot in manual mode and use a light meter go get the best photos.....Mannheim is no small bratwurst in the road so hopefully there will be a shop you can rent what you need rather than have to buy it all for one wedding.........good luck and post wome pics please....if for no other reason than to make me miss Prague even more:D

If you are using this flash trigger (inexpensive Chinese) you should be ok, I have been usingthem (from this ebay seller) for over 3 yrs now and not has failed...I broke 3 by incorrectly pulling a pc cable from the socket but the light touch of a soldering iron and it was as good as new.......do work upto 150 feet........really like mine.

cmason

Justiceiro wrote:

What can I use to fire this thing remotely?

If it makes you feel any better, you can not get a 580 off camera any easier than a 430, and certainly not by itself. An ST-E2 will work fine with either, as will a 580EX.

If you really regret getting the 430, the buy a 580, where you can use the 580 on camera and the 430 off camera, slaved to the 580.

The chinese radio triggers work ok, just get the ones with the hotshoe adapters. I have had luck with 'cactus' triggers.

Scott_Quier

The 580EX does not have a synch port. The 580EX II, however, does and it works quite nicely.

I've used one of these with a 580EX - using a 1/4" to household plug wire between it and a PocketWizard. Works quite well - that is, after I bent up the flanges a bit to allow the 580 to slide on.

Justiceiro

Thanks a lot guys! I should have figured there was something like this out there.