What should i do?

oakfieldphotography.com

Hi Everyone.
I want to expand my working practise and hit a hard rock. 90 percent of my work is mainly in the automotive field, Shows, Articles and sales from my flckr albums. Just done my first wedding last saturday and came away with a new outlook on my work. I hit a brick wall when deciding on a second flash or a wireless system for the 580ex2 i am using on my 5d2 at the moment.
I would like to expand my portfolio so i guess what i want to know is.........If i buy another flash gun and dont want to buy another 580ex2 what would be the right gun for me to use as a slave?
Or if i go wireless with the one flash i have now which system should i go with?

Kind regards
Patrick.:dunno

ziggy53

First, let's talk about wireless technologies. The Canon 580EX series flashes have, built-in to the flash, an optical wireless system and they are capable of acting as either the controller/commander or as a slave.

If you use a 580EX on the camera, or using an off-camera cord, you can control another remote 580EX, or a 550EX, 430EX, 420EX or any of the Sigma DG Super flashes. (Both the DG and the Super are significant in this case.)

While an optical wireless system works best indoors, you may also find some use outdoors, but with greatly limited range and reduced reliability outdoors (IMO).

Radio wireless systems, compatible with the Canon wireless E-TTL, also exist.

Simpler radio wireless systems are also available using the remote/slaved flashes in manual mode, when the flash is capable of manual mode.

Radio wireless tends to be more reliable outdoors, but may require more setup for full automation versions (those that support the wireless E-TTL protocols.)

Which type of wireless system interests you?

oakfieldphotography.com

ziggy53 wrote: »

First, let's talk about wireless technologies. The Canon 580EX series flashes have, built-in to the flash, an optical wireless system and they are capable of acting as either the controller/commander or as a slave.

If you use a 580EX on the camera, or using an off-camera cord, you can control another remote 580EX, or a 550EX, 430EX, 420EX or any of the Sigma DG Super flashes. (Both the DG and the Super are significant in this case.)

While an optical wireless system works best indoors, you may also find some use outdoors, but with greatly limited range and reduced reliability outdoors (IMO).

Radio wireless systems, compatible with the Canon wireless E-TTL, also exist.

Simpler radio wireless systems are also available using the remote/slaved flashes in manual mode, when the flash is capable of manual mode.

Radio wireless tends to be more reliable outdoors, but may require more setup for full automation versions (those that support the wireless E-TTL protocols.)

Which type of wireless system interests you?

Thankyou for your responce. I would like a system that allows me to put the flash out of line of sight of the master controller be it the camera or flash. ie inside a car late in the evening. Behimd an object for back light.

Thanks
Pat.

Art Scott

Ziggy is the Man!!!!!

ziggy53

Thanks Art.

Patrick, I wish I had some sage, surefire advice to give, but my automobile photography background is extremely limited and restricted to my own cars.

Some cars are a problem with radio remotes because the car acts like a Faraday cage, especially cars with a windshield coated with material to either filter IR or some other conductive materials. You sometimes need to position the receiver away from the flash to place both in optimum positions for their duties.

Some cars are no problem at all, and I'm not completely sure why.

I did have good luck with simple optical slaves as long as they too were on a short cord so I could position the slave sensor for best trigger light.

On your question of what to get first, you can never have too many compact manual flashes. As long as you have good control over light output there are many applications in almost every photographic endeavor. Attaching Wein Peanut optical slaves are great as long as nobody else is around with "their" flashes to interfere.

If you do anticipate other camera/flashes radio master/slaves are generally much better for general photography, like events. Simple radio units also eliminate the problem of pre-flash, since the camera's flash has nothing to do with the radio triggers.

Automated E-TTL wireless flashes can come later, IMO.

oakfieldphotography.com

ziggy53 wrote: »

Thanks Art.

Patrick, I wish I had some sage, surefire advice to give, but my automobile photography background is extremely limited and restricted to my own cars.

Some cars are a problem with radio remotes because the car acts like a Faraday cage, especially cars with a windshield coated with material to either filter IR or some other conductive materials. You sometimes need to position the receiver away from the flash to place both in optimum positions for their duties.

Some cars are no problem at all, and I'm not completely sure why.

I did have good luck with simple optical slaves as long as they too were on a short cord so I could position the slave sensor for best trigger light.

On your question of what to get first, you can never have too many compact manual flashes. As long as you have good control over light output there are many applications in almost every photographic endeavor. Attaching Wein Peanut optical slaves are great as long as nobody else is around with "their" flashes to interfere.

If you do anticipate other camera/flashes radio master/slaves are generally much better for general photography, like events. Simple radio units also eliminate the problem of pre-flash, since the camera's flash has nothing to do with the radio triggers.

Automated E-TTL wireless flashes can come later, IMO.

Ok lets say i go down the road of master slave, which flashgun apart from the canon range would most suit the controls of the 580EXII. Something that i can control from the 580EXII as its master?

ziggy53

oakfieldphotography.com wrote: »

Ok lets say i go down the road of master slave, which flashgun apart from the canon range would most suit the controls of the 580EXII. Something that i can control from the 580EXII as its master?

Outside of Canon flashes, the Sigma DG Super flashes are very compatible with Canon E-TTL wireless. I won 4 - Sigma Super flashes and 1 - Canon 580EX. I can use them in pretty much any combination since they are all capable of working as either master/controller/commander or slave.

The current Sigma flash model is the Sigma EF-610 DG Super for Canon EOS E-TTL-II:

http://www.adorama.com/SG610EOS.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/741717-REG/Sigma_189101_EF610_DG_Super_Flash.html

These images used combinations of Canon and Sigma flashes in Canon optical wireless E-TTL (same location, different occasions and different setup, but wireless, multiple and mixed flashes):





The user interface is quite different for the Sigma versus the Canon flashes, but I didn't/don't have too many problems. I do make sure to rehearse the steps and settings before the event.

oakfieldphotography.com

ziggy53 wrote: »

Outside of Canon flashes, the Sigma DG Super flashes are very compatible with Canon E-TTL wireless. I won 4 - Sigma Super flashes and 1 - Canon 580EX. I can use them in pretty much any combination since they are all capable of working as either master/controller/commander or slave.

The current Sigma flash model is the Sigma EF-610 DG Super for Canon EOS E-TTL-II:

http://www.adorama.com/SG610EOS.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/741717-REG/Sigma_189101_EF610_DG_Super_Flash.html

These images used combinations of Canon and Sigma flashes in Canon optical wireless E-TTL (same location, different occasions and different setup, but wireless, multiple and mixed flashes):





The user interface is quite different for the Sigma versus the Canon flashes, but I didn't/don't have too many problems. I do make sure to rehearse the steps and settings before the event.

Thankyou Zioggy.
I think i will go down this road to expand my kit. Thanks for showing me the results. They look great.
Just one more question before i bow out of this tread. Can i control the power of the Sigma flash from my 5dmk2 attached to my 580ex2 whilst shooting? Ie. if i wanted to up the amount of fill flash without having to go over to the Sigma and manually adjusting it?

Kind regards
Patrick.:D

ziggy53

oakfieldphotography.com wrote: »

Thankyou Zioggy.
I think i will go down this road to expand my kit. Thanks for showing me the results. They look great.
Just one more question before i bow out of this tread. Can i control the power of the Sigma flash from my 5dmk2 attached to my 580ex2 whilst shooting? Ie. if i wanted to up the amount of fill flash without having to go over to the Sigma and manually adjusting it?

Kind regards
Patrick.:D

I only have the older and original Canon 580EX. With it and the Canon 5D MKII body I only have control over the ratio of the remote flash in Canon E-TTL wireless, and that ratio is set on the 580EX itself. I gather that the 5D MKII and 580EX II mounted can use the camera body user interface to control the flash ratios, but I cannot confirm that myself.

Dan7312

Controlling the 580EX II on the top of the camera from the back of the camera works on my 7D and I have seen it work on the 5D MKII. And, of course as a result, you can control the group ratios etc. of the remote flashes... it doesn't matter what the remotes are as long as they are Canon flashes that can be slaves. I've seen the 5D MKII with a 580EX II on it used just as master, not a flash, because it has longer reach than the ST-E2 does and can be aimed which also lengthens the reach.

Dan

ziggy53 wrote: »

I only have the older and original Canon 580EX. With it and the Canon 5D MKII body I only have control over the ratio of the remote flash in Canon E-TTL wireless, and that ratio is set on the 580EX itself. I gather that the 5D MKII and 580EX II mounted can use the camera body user interface to control the flash ratios, but I cannot confirm that myself.