Off camera flashtriggers.

oakfieldphotography.comoakfieldphotography.com Registered Users Posts: 376 Major grins
edited April 25, 2011 in Accessories
Heading to my first car show albet a small one tomorrow up in Co Donegal. But i need to buy some kind of off camera flash trigger as im fed up with using my flash on my camera. 5D 2 and 40D. All i have is a 580ex ii and if i purchase some remote trigger which one should i buy to future proof my self if i decide to buy any more flashes?
Some thing that i can add to if needed. Nothing too extravagant.

Regards
Patrick:D

Comments

  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,133 moderator
    edited April 23, 2011
    Heading to my first car show albet a small one tomorrow up in Co Donegal. But i need to buy some kind of off camera flash trigger as im fed up with using my flash on my camera. 5D 2 and 40D. All i have is a 580ex ii and if i purchase some remote trigger which one should i buy to future proof my self if i decide to buy any more flashes?
    Some thing that i can add to if needed. Nothing too extravagant.

    Regards
    Patrick:D

    The terms, "future proof" and "not too extravagant" are mutually exclusive. The most comprehensive solutions are very expensive and can get a little complicated, and the simpler, cheaper solutions don't cover as many situations and uses.

    To get a flash a little off camera you can use a simple sync cord or a more expensive E-TTL off-camera cord. The simple sync cord will work with a flash in manual or auto mode, but an E-TTL off-camera cord can give full flash automation from the camera.

    If you want to go wireless there are both optical and radio transmitter-slaves that can work.

    The optical systems, again, are either simple slaves from an externally mounted manual flash, or you can get digital slaves that will work with a pre-flash TTL external flash (or even from the built-in 40D flash.) In these cases you would set your 580EX II in either manual or auto mode.

    If you want full E-TTL II flash automation you can use an external flash with wireless master capabilities, and another remote flash with wireless slave capabilities. Your 580EX II could be the master and an EX 430 the slave, for instance. You could also use a Sigma EF 610 DG Super flash as master and your 580EX II as slave. You could use a Canon ST-E2 wireless transmitter on the camera, but the Sigma flash only costs a little more, and you can still use the Sigma as a flash.

    For radio, again you can have a simple master and slave system and use your 580EX II in either manual or auto mode. Or you can get radio flash control systems that support full E-TTL automation, but they are fairly pricey.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • Manfr3dManfr3d Registered Users Posts: 2,008 Major grins
    edited April 24, 2011
    I use Yungou 602 Recievers (RF) and Transmitters (RX) to trigger off camera flashes.
    It's a very affordable solution to trigger flashes remotely (wireless) but you need to
    setup the flash manualy (power, zoom etc.) the trigger just fires it. Do you know
    http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/ ?
    “To consult the rules of composition before making a picture is a little like consulting the law of gravitation before going for a walk.”
    ― Edward Weston
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited April 24, 2011
    you could investigate these, which I am using

    extra options, extra versatility to the Yn/RF/Cactus etc, work well, well made, look good, ~US$75

    http://www.phottix.com/en/phottix-strato-2-4ghz-wire-wireless-4-in-1-trigger.html

    http://flashraw.com/review-phottix-strato-flash-trigger/

    http://martybugs.net/blog/blog.cgi/gear/Phottix-Strato-4-in-1-Trigger.html

    no hassles service, ~2wks from order to arrival in Australia from HK

    Neil
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • time2smiletime2smile Registered Users Posts: 835 Major grins
    edited April 24, 2011
    Nothing too extravagant....

    my vote would be for the ebay RF-602 also, they are inexpensive, but not cheap, but manual only, they do work thru walls or car doors.
    Cool toy to play with, be prepaired to wait for shipping a few weeks.
    Ted....
    It's not what you look at that matters: Its what you see!
    Nikon
    http://www.time2smile.smugmug.com
  • oakfieldphotography.comoakfieldphotography.com Registered Users Posts: 376 Major grins
    edited April 25, 2011
    Thanks guys.
    These suggestion have given me plenty of food for thought. Sorry i could not answer sooner only i have been very busy as of late and i like to make hay while the sun shines. What ever option i will go with is down to cash reserves but i think i may buy a new lens first and then work towards a new off camera flash kit.

    Regards
    Patrick:D
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