I have just bought a cheapo wireless transmitter off ebay to trigger my 580EX flash from the PC out on my 20D body. I know that ETTL will not be transmitted and that i have to put the 580EX into manual mode.
I'm now want to have another flash unit triggered by my 580EX. My question is; Can this be done? Can i set my 580EX as a master (being triggered by a PC cord wireless transmitter) and have another slave unit being fired off by the 580EX?
If so, what are some compatiable cheap flash units with the 580ex(apart from the canon range 420ex - 580ex) that i can use as a wireless slave? I've found a cheap SUNPAK auto30SR...is this compataible?
Any help greatly appreciated...major flash newbie!!!
I don't think it's gonna work that way, no. There are a few options:
1) Get another receiver for the wireless system to put on the new flash.
2) get an optical hotshoe slave for the new flash.
3) Get cheap dedicated slae flashes.
I personally like the first option. The relievers are cheap enough and you can get the Sunpak 383's pretty inexpensively.
I know that the Sigma 500 has an optical slave mode built in. If it's set to that, the flash will fire when it 'sees' the 580 fire. May not be all that cheap as a solution, though.
I have a 580 and a 550, 2 pocket wizards......couldn't I use the PW's on the camera as a trigger, the other PW on the 580 (set to master) and have the 550 set to slave? Would that work?
I have a 580 and a 550, 2 pocket wizards......couldn't I use the PW's on the camera as a trigger, the other PW on the 580 (set to master) and have the 550 set to slave? Would that work?
I wouldn't have thought so, as the 'master' flash would not be connected to the camera and would not be able to use E-TTL and therefore couldn't fire the slave. You could use an ST-E2, though, although this would give limited range outdoors, where there is limited scope to bounce the triggering light signals around. You would really end up needing line of sight between ST-E2 and flash.
Don't forget that the ST-E2 will give you E-TTL control of the flashes, whereas you'll have to use the flashes in manual using the PWs. It all depends upon where you want to use them. If it's indoors, then there'll be no problem getting the flashes to trigger with the ST-E2 and you won't have to keep traipsing over to them to adjust power output.
Don't forget that the ST-E2 will give you E-TTL control of the flashes, whereas you'll have to use the flashes in manual using the PWs. It all depends upon where you want to use them. If it's indoors, then there'll be no problem getting the flashes to trigger with the ST-E2 and you won't have to keep traipsing over to them to adjust power output.
Thats a good point, but then line of site comes into play....
Indoors, I've not found a problem yet i.e. not had to set up line of sight, as the light signals can bounce from walls etc. Outdoors, it can certainly be a problem. The other day, I was shooting in portrait orientation with a flash held out to the right. No matter how much I turned up FEC, fill was non-existent. I then realised that the ST-E2 was on my left with the flash on my right, and the light signals were blocked by virtue of the fact that the camera body was in the way. I had to turn the camera over to get the flash to trigger.
I have a 580 and a 550, 2 pocket wizards......couldn't I use the PW's on the camera as a trigger, the other PW on the 580 (set to master) and have the 550 set to slave? Would that work?
I set this up and tried it, the 550 set to slave did end up firing, but a second after the master....
