Off camera flash. 430EX + Pocketwizards

The clamps allow you to use an umbrella. It takes some doing, but it works. Use a smaller one. and those small, silver alu stands -manfrotto- are quite small, if wobbly with an umbrella outdoors. Anything heavier then a flash and it gets scary.

 

I don't have much to add other than I looked at some of those really cheap wireless transmitters and they don't support Canon's E-TTL system so won't auto-expose your flashes, you'll be doing everything manually.

I'd suggest the ones Johnny has suggested or the PWs are better investments and would actually be useful.

 

That's true of even the Pocket Wizards, though. Most people when they're shooting off-camera don't want TTL metering anyways, since your flash wouldn't be directed at what's directly Through The Lens. Although I REALLY wish I could use my exposure controls remotely, but oh well.


Lovah, you said the 285HVs don't work with the Skyports? Aren't the Skyports just another PC connection device? The high voltage connection should only affect the (burning-)hotshoe, not the PC port. But I only use the cheap ebay triggers through the hotshoe on the 580EXII, so I'm really working on theory.


How are you triggering everything? You're now listing three strobes. It sounds like your plan is to primarily use the 580II on-cam and the two 285's off, but I'm not sure how you're expecting to do that. Are you going to be using optical slave receivers to trigger the 285s via PC ports, or are you doing three wireless receivers and one transmitter, or just using either/or?

 

Oh, just to say I've used the 580EX (v1) and 430EX (borrowed) before with good effect but only indoors. And what I do if I want my 580EX off-camera is cable it. Unfortunately the (expensive!) Canon off-shoe cord is really short and too tightly coiled to be stretched very far without pulling the flash mount over, so I bought some cat6 cable and followed a guide on DIY extension cord for Canon off-camera shoe cord 2, and stuck another 6 metres of length in it. Sorted.

 

Well that's one way to do things. But usually when you want to take the flash off-camera, E/TTL metering is of very little importance. TBH, I just do things by eye and then dial it in to what looks right At least, when the unit is off-camera. When it's mounted, I tend to just stick my diffuser on top and dial it up to +1 1/3ev or so on E-TTL and aim the head up a bit. It's not great for creativity, but it adds light where you need it.

 

Oh yeah, I was just saying about a relatively cheap way to get your flash away from your camera.

 

I don't think any kind of TTL function works when using wireless triggers. Even PC cables don't let you use anything but Manual mode for off-camera flashes, iirc. Only the hot-shoe cable's keep all functions enabled, but those are indeed expensive as Hwulex pointed out, good idea to extend it though!

As of today I've just transfered money to some guy selling a 285. He was asking 25 Euro, he lives about 100km away from where I live, so he agreed to send it to me for 5 Euro extra. A bargain if you ask me! So by this time next week I should be the proud owner of a 285. I'm still on the lookout for a second one.

I'm indeed getting the Skyports with a second receiver. I'll end up getting it anyway so might aswell get it immediatly and save on shipping. I can then use bouth the 285 that I've just bouth and the 580II that I'm getting at the same time. The idea is indeed to use two 285's for off-camera flashes as they have the same power rating and don't cost 440euro... so if it falls of whatever I clipped it onto, I won't have a heartattack.

So the main idea is to use the 580 on camera, without off-camera flashing.
Or using the two 285's off-camera, without an on camera flash.

I have thought about using all three toghether, and I think it should work aswell, here is how:
580EX II on my 400D, 580EX II in Master mode
Skyport Transmitter, connected to the PC port of the 580EX II
Skyport Receivers to bouth 285's.

Body triggers 580, 580 triggers skyport system, skyport system triggers 285's?
(I'm assuming the 580 can transmit a signal in Master and accept one in Slave)

Will that work?

Thanks, Michiel

 

I just found my second 285.

I've been googling and just found some different responses to the 285's + skyports. Some say the new 285HV's and some of the older 285's don't work with the skyports. Some even report that some types of the 285's kan 'fry' your receiver . There is no real way to know beforehand, so I guess I better start learning how to measure that output syn voltange to see if they are safe or not.

I've also read that the Nikon SB-26 are also very popular flashes for off-camera use. Apparantly alot more accurate to manually select the power. And I've found a couple of those aswell, they are asking 75Euro for them, wich is still about double of the 285's, but if I fry one of those Receivers ...

Better not to think about it I guess.

L

 

The PC port on the 580 is in only, I believe. I don't think you can use it as an output to the Skyport transmitter.

Yes, the SB-26 is quite popular as well. I can't comment firsthand on it as the only flash I own is my 580II, but I'd expect it to have finer controls and such.

I think there's no risk of frying the transmitter through the PC port, so if you're connecting through that, no worries. I think if any of them would be problematic, it would be the 285HV model. I know it needs a special "V2s" eBay trigger (versus the normal V2 that most everything else uses), so use care. I wouldn't expect to be able to measure the output voltage accurately though unless you have very specialized equipment. At full power, the bulb is only illuminated for one millisecond, and the trigger signal is far faster than that. You just need to check spec sheets I think.

 

This is where I get to gloat a bit. With Nikon's CLS you get iTTL if you so want with remote flash compensation. Or full manual control from the master unit. From 1/1 all the way to 1/128. mmmmm. And they are broken into 4 independent groups, so you can really play around. Add to that the SU-4 mode, which is a simple optical (manual) slave and you can theoretically use 100's if flashes.

Of course the minute there is a radio trigger involved, I have to run around and set them all manually like everyone else. Right now there is no radio trigger out there that supports eTTL or iTTL, IIRC.

 

Just looked it up, Firehed is right the PC Port on the 580 is indeed IN only. But I could get one of those little hotshoe-shoe's that has a PC port and a hotshoe for a flash.. But I'm not too worried about that. If I really want to use tree at ones, I can always get an extra receiver.

Today there was a pro-photographer at my work, taking pictures, and he uses the Skyport system. He uses it with Elinchrom RX Studio flashes and really likes them alot. I got to see them aswell, they are really tiny! He does have Pocketwizards aswell though as they are still the defacto standard for wireless control. He had for about 20.000 Euro worth of lenses with him, lol.

L

 

[snip] ok I totally got that wrong.

Elinchrom does make very nice lights though. Very accurate ones, color wise.

Btw, 20k isn't very much when you consider a 400mm is 7k. if you carry 400, 600, and assorted smaller ones....voosh, you are suddenly carrying a years salary in glass plus bodies. If you stop and think about it, it scares the crap out of you.

 

Yeah 20K is not that much, but there weren't any tele's in the bag, except a 70-200 F2.8 IS.
But yeah, photography is bloody expensive. I hope I will beable to stop ounce I get:

5D Body (or upcoming FF)

16-35 F2.8 L
24-70 F2.8 L
70-200 F2.8 L IS

MP-E 65 F2.8 Macro 1-5x

14 F2.8 L
24 F1.4 L
35 F1.4 L
50 F1.2 L
85 F1.2 L
135 F2.0 L
180 F3.5 L Macro
200 F2.8 L
300 F2.8 L IS

Roflol, No I just wanna get the 5D + zooms and maybe the 85 F1.2. Thats not that bad...

 

What about the 50mm f/0.95?

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Canon-r...ryZ30027QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

It's a steal!

 

If you're taking average photos with your current (superb) gear, spending £20k will get you very high resolution, average photos. Seems like me or olv always put a downer on gear threads by saying this, but: technique and loads of practice is more important than dropping £500 or whatever on a new lens/flash/body/whatever.

 

Nath, you are 100% correct.

From a purely photographic point of view, the gear really does not mather all that much. A creative, photographic eye and skill is alot more important then any lens/flash/body/... Just like a sense for music is alot more important then a top of the line instrument.

Without elaborating too much: I'm not creative, at all. Photography is one of the few creative-things that I really enjoy though.

Before I buy anything, I always shop around for the best prices and read tons of reviews and discuss it. Having quality gear is a part of me, I'll admit to being a bit of a gearhead. So it's no surprise for anybody that knows me that when I started photography, I would soon end up with some quality gear. Even though my pictures would look just the same with a kitlens. So yeah, gear is part of the hobby for me, I enjoy reading, discussing about gear (this is true in everything I do or buy). I seriously hope there is nothing wrong with doing something with proper gear though , besides it being a waste of money.

 

Extremely true. But, there are things you need equipment for, and can't do on talent alone. You can only go so far with trying to control or take advantage of ambient lighting, for example. You certainly don't need $20k+ worth of gear to remedy that, but you all know just as well as everyone that equipment IS important. It's just useless without knowing how to use it properly. Which is to say - you can get by with crappy equipment and still take very nice photos, but there are limitations. There's no making up for a lack of skill with money.

 

Crap, NOW you guys tell me.

 

Ok, So I finally made up my mind and spend some money.
I already got a used 285 flash and there is a second one on its way.
Also, I should get a used SB 26 this weekend. These were all pretty inexpensive.

Then I bought the MPEX Pro Strobist Wirelless kit without flash.
This includes the following:
- Lumopro LP604 Lighting stand + Umbrella swivel and two umbrella's (white & silver)
- 2 Pocket wizards (PLUS II) and the vivitar sync cord.
- Accesoires (battery's, correction gel pack, bag, diy stuff, elastic ties, ...)
And I added a extra Pocket wizard and two 175F clamps.

I just hope customs don't charge me too much for importing all of this.
I think I'll try experiment and learn with all of this before getting a 580EX II.