Can I use my speedlite with my studio lights?

[AJJ]

I have some Bowens Esprit Gemini 500 lights and a speedlite that I would like to use with them - is this possible? I use the Canon Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2 if that's of any help...

Obviously I don't want to damage anything etc!


Thanks.

 

[Garry Edwards]

Yes, no problem.
Depending on your flashgun, you may need to disable the pre-flash if using it to trigger your studio lights (if you don't, the pre-flash will fire the studio flashes at the wrong time).
Or you can connect both to a radio receiver.

 

[HoppyUK]

Yes, no problem.
Depending on your flashgun, you may need to disable the pre-flash if using it to trigger your studio lights (if you don't, the pre-flash will fire the studio flashes at the wrong time).
Or you can connect both to a radio receiver.

Yes, a set of radio triggers is prolly the best bet.

The problem with Canon is they don't have a conventional optical slave and I don't think you can disable the pre-flash on the ST-E2.

Trigger on the camera, receiver on the remote speedlite, then that will fire the Bowens via their optical slaves.

 

[The Noir Dude]

Set your speedlite to manual. This will disable the pre flash and trigger your Bowens via their inbuilt slaves

 

[HoppyUK]

Richard

Set your speedlite to manual. This will disable the pre flash and trigger your Bowens via their inbuilt slaves

Yes, I know, but I'm not the OP and it's an ST-E2 that cannot, I think, operate without pre-flashing.

I was assuming that the requirement is not to have the speedlite on-camera, hence no way to trigger it.

 

[The Noir Dude]

Sorry, misread it. I don't think it can be disabled.

Have you got more than one speedlite? You could use the master one as a "dummy light" and the slave speedlite to fire the Bowens. Cover the flash of the master speedlite so it cannot trigger the Bowens, the infared will then trigger the slave speedlite which in turn will fire the Bowens. Long way round, best get triggers!!

 

[HoppyUK]

Sorry, misread it. I don't think it can be disabled.

Have you got more than one speedlite? You could use the master one as a "dummy light" and the slave speedlite to fire the Bowens. Cover the flash of the master speedlite so it cannot trigger the Bowens, the infared will then trigger the slave speedlite which in turn will fire the Bowens. Long way round, best get triggers!!

A master flash gun doesn't use IR. The firing signals go out as normal light, from the flash tube, so if you cover that, nothing will happen.

Agree with your last sentence though

 

[Garry Edwards]

A master flash gun doesn't use IR. The firing signals go out as normal light, from the flash tube, so if you cover that, nothing will happen.

Agree with your last sentence though

Or change to Nikon

 

[The Noir Dude]

Agreed!!

 

[Phil V]

A master flash gun doesn't use IR. The firing signals go out as normal light, from the flash tube, so if you cover that, nothing will happen.

Agree with your last sentence though

But the ste2 whilst not being true ir, has no white light output, I don't have one to try, but the ste2 will fire a manual gun so it ought to work to fire the Bowens.

 

[HoppyUK]

But the ste2 whilst not being true ir, has no white light output, I don't have one to try, but the ste2 will fire a manual gun so it ought to work to fire the Bowens.

That's why I said a 'master flash gun' outputs normal light. I was not referring to the ST-E2, though that is basically just a small flashgun with a very dark red filter over the front. Near-IR if you like, but it can't be true IR as there's next to none of that coming from the flash tube behind it.

And yes, and ST-E2 will fire a remote Canon gun in manual, but it still uses E-TTL communication to do it, ie there's still a pre-flash, and that will screw up anything firing off a regular optical slave.

Canon system is great when used with Canon equipment, but it's quirky (maybe it's that patents thing again) and if you tread off the recommended path it may not work as expected.

 

[Phil V]

That's why I said a 'master flash gun' outputs normal light. I was not referring to the ST-E2, though that is basically just a small flashgun with a very dark red filter over the front. Near-IR if you like, but it can't be true IR as there's next to none of that coming from the flash tube behind it.

And yes, and ST-E2 will fire a remote Canon gun in manual, but it still uses E-TTL communication to do it, ie there's still a pre-flash, and that will screw up anything firing off a regular optical slave.

Canon system is great when used with Canon equipment, but it's quirky (maybe it's that patents thing again) and if you tread off the recommended path it may not work as expected.

I only mentioned the st-e2 because it'd been mentioned by others, And I had no idea whether it output a preflash in manual, or whether the preflash would be enough to fire optical slaves.
There is the option of using preflash aware optical triggers, but if we're going there we might as well go to radio triggers.

So now we're at radio triggers does the op want smart ones to use with ettl or just dumb ones?

 

[eagercat]

I am back just long enough to confirm that an adapter to ignore the preflash when using a Canon is simplicity itself. We are discussing Canon here that fires two flashes no matter what. Unlike Nikon which is completely different only firing one flash when using manual but firing at least 8 flashes when in commander mode. Aso 3 flashes if the focussed subject is about 1 metre. 2 flashes if some distance away. I would show picture if I knew how to download a shot to the forum.

 

[Phil V]

I am back just long enough to confirm that an adapter to ignore the preflash when using a Canon is simplicity itself. We are discussing Canon here that fires two flashes no matter what. Unlike Nikon which is completely different only firing one flash when using manual but firing at least 8 flashes when in commander mode. Aso 3 flashes if the focussed subject is about 1 metre. 2 flashes if some distance away. I would show picture if I knew how to download a shot to the forum.

But are adaptors that ignore the preflash so much cheaper than radio triggers that they're the obvious answer? Given that you'd need several of them (one per studio head) and you'd have more limited range than with radio triggers, of which you'd only need a pair.

 

[HoppyUK]

But are adaptors that ignore the preflash so much cheaper than radio triggers that they're the obvious answer? Given that you'd need several of them (one per studio head) and you'd have more limited range than with radio triggers, of which you'd only need a pair.

Yes, seems a long way round for a shortcut.

Should be able to sort it with one transmitter/receiver set for £30 (Yongnuo RF602 or 603). The only question being, depending on the situation, the speedlite may not fire the Bowens' optical slaves if the distances and angles are against you, or if ambinet light is high.

Unlikely though, and easily fixed with a couple more receivers. £50-60 all in for a reliable and versatile solution. Expensive E-TTL triggers don't really come into it as the Bowens don't provide that option.

 

[eagercat]

But are adaptors that ignore the preflash so much cheaper than radio triggers that they're the obvious answer? Given that you'd need several of them (one per studio head) and you'd have more limited range than with radio triggers, of which you'd only need a pair.

If, like my Courtnay studio flash you have two jack sockets per flash it is simplicity itself to couple the two flashes together. I first made the adapter when all I had was Canon cameras and 2 flashes sufficed. But along came Nikon with their optional 3 flashes,so it was back to the drawing board. Also I have a Samsung compact camera that fires 3 flashes

 

[Phil V]

If, like my Courtnay studio flash you have two jack sockets per flash it is simplicity itself to couple the two flashes together. I first made the adapter when all I had was Canon cameras and 2 flashes sufficed. But along came Nikon with their optional 3 flashes,so it was back to the drawing board. Also I have a Samsung compact camera that fires 3 flashes

I read this twice and it made no sense to me at all?

Why would 2 flashes suffice for Canon but Nikon and your Samsung mean you can now use 3?

I know it's easy to buy an adaptor to ignore the preflash, my point is if you had to buy either that adaptor or a wireless trigger pair, why spend the money on something which has such limited use? You're working around a limitation rather than just ignoring using something more useful.

If you already have the optical slaves then they're fine to use, but daisy chaining expensive studio gear together and firing it using a kludge from a speedlight? Why would you?

A simple wireless connection to the speedlight firing on manual will then fire the studio heads, no extra wires, no hoping it'll work, just simple and efficient.

 

[eagercat]

I think you had better give Nikon and Samsung a bell if you wish to know why. Regarding cost, the simple adapter cost me about £6 to build, the more complicated ones about £10. But its the fun of designing and making. I had Garry asking about my freezer a long time ago, that was my first build. I think I will call it a day on this forum. Oh I nearly forgot, is that you on your avatar?

 

[Phil V]

I think you had better give Nikon and Samsung a bell if you wish to know why. Regarding cost, the simple adapter cost me about £6 to build, the more complicated ones about £10. But its the fun of designing and making. I had Garry asking about my freezer a long time ago, that was my first build. I think I will call it a day on this forum. Oh I nearly forgot, is that you on your avatar?

Is there a reason you talk in riddles?

 

[Garry Edwards]

Yes, well...
The old Courtenay flash heads had two 6.5mm jack sockets on the back, I don't know why they had two but they did allow heads to be daisy chained if required - just a bit of wire fitted with a jack socket each end.

Probably just as well, as the slave sensors on those heads weren't exactly sensitive, and there were no radio triggers back then

 

[Tigger.ufo]

Is there a reason you talk in riddles?

...cos he is a troll.

Check out his other posts.

Heather

 

[Phil V]

...cos he is a troll.

Check out his other posts.

Heather

Just checked, appears to hide under bridges and eat goats, but not really enough that he should be banned! Just a time wasting