Off-camera Flash help again...

Kryptix

Kryptix

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I bought some Cactus V4's but I find them very difficult to use as I'm constantly running backwards and forwards adjusting the zoom and flash brightness until I get that perfect shot.

What are my other options? Would the ST-E2 work and keep ETTL functions?

Would a wire work from the 50D to the flash keep the ETTL functions?

Could I buy another 580EX II and fire it by using the 580EX II on my hot shoe?

Sorry for the silly questions, but you'd really help me if you answered 'em.
 
yes, any of those options would work, and let you adjust the flash power (in terms of +/- FEV) from your camera. ST-E2 and 580EX would have the same effect, and a TTL wire it would act purely as if the flash was on camera, simple.

end of the day, it's an expensive way of not having to walk a couple metres and change a value on the back of the flash...but it is SOOOOOO easy ^_^
 
Why isn't the ST-E2 very popular? If it's wireless, does ETTL and all that jazz, why does everyone go for Pocket Wizards and so on?

I think I'll send my Cactus V4's back and get a ST-E2 unless there's something I'm not seeing. I think they're only £150 and I already paid near £40 for the Cactus V4's.

What's the 'wire' called? I'd need it to be at least 3m long. Is that asking for too much?
 
The ST-E2 is an optical trigger, ie you need line-of-sight. Though I have heard of people firing flashes in another room, I can't imagine it would be that reliable. Also means you're open to interference on sunny days. You're also stuck with using Canon EX flashguns.

If you want the all singing, all dancing solution, the new PocketWizards will do everything you want, and more. There are also RadioPoppers and CyberSyncs that have a few flashy features.
 
Kryptix said:
Why isn't the ST-E2 very popular? If it's wireless, does ETTL and all that jazz, why does everyone go for Pocket Wizards and so on?
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ST-E2 is very popular, but if you have a 580EX, it does the same thing and you get an extra flash head. Pocket Wizard has much more range outdoors (it's radio, not IR).

Kryptix said:
What's the 'wire' called? I'd need it to be at least 3m long. Is that asking for too much?
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Off camera cable is 0C-E3, about £50 and about 2ft long if you stretch it. You can also get extensions but it's an expensive way. The built-in IR works very well and will wireless sync up to four guns I think.
 
So would it be best to buy another 580EX II or a 430EX II? Surely that means the powerful flash will be stuck on my camera, so it'd have to be a 580EX II?

Has anyone written a review on the ST-E2/580EX II's IR range? Will it work behind the camera as such?
 
Not sure what you're trying to do, and whether you need one or two flashes?

To fire the flash off-camera, the flash either has to be hard-wired, or triggered by an ST-E2, or a 580EX/EXII in Master mode (430EX/EXII does not have Master mode, only Slave). The flash can then be up to 8m away outdoors, or 12m indoors (according to 580EX manual). However, I would take those figures with a pinch of salt unless you have absolutely perfect line of sight, but I've never had any trouble indoors.

You can trigger a flash that is behind the camera, but only with the Master pointing at it. You can do this if the Master is off-camera connected by a cord, but not from the hot-shoe pointing forward. Once off-camera, the swivel/tilt head will point almost anywhere independent of the IR sensor so you should be able to get good line of sight and excellent range.

I use up to four 580EX guns, without an ST-E2, but I often wish I had an ST-E2, partly for the reasons you've cited. It is also small, light and relatively cheap, and can be used to trigger studio flash etc. You can get an ST-E2 and a 430EXII for about the same price as one 580EXII. 430 is only a stop less powerful than the 580.
 
won't work behind - the little screens have to be looking at each other

best thing imo about ST-E2 or EX gun on shoe is the IR AF assist beam (which I have finally fixed on mine) which really pulls up canon's sometimes dodgy low light AF.

pocket wizards give you 100% reliability at ranges so far you can barely see the flash and are on my shopping list


have you considered that changing your aperture is the same as changing the flash power if you move the shutter speed inversely, took me forever to catch onto but once I did it works, just set the flashes to have the right power relative to each other in the right kinda ball park (1/8 1/4 1/2 ect) then set the rest up with camera settings I've found my shot set up speeds just increase with practice from ages for a simple set up to usually being within a stop of where I wanna be first shot with one light
 
i use a 580EX II and 2 430EXIIs[got em cheap off here] and it works fine, mostly indoors but outdoors they work quite far 5+metres depending on the light conditions of course.
 
I got confused when looking at Pocket Wizards. There seems to be tons of different versions. Can anyone tell me what I'd need exactly to just fire 1 flash with ETTL control, and possibly more flashes in the future?
 
moving to correct section........That's Talk lighting you know ;)
 
Kryptix said:
I got confused when looking at Pocket Wizards. There seems to be tons of different versions. Can anyone tell me what I'd need exactly to just fire 1 flash with ETTL control, and possibly more flashes in the future?
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If you want FULL TTL then you're going to need a Multimax unit as the transmitter (It's the only PW that supports full functions like rear curtain sync on Canons). Any reciever from the PW line will be ok as a reciever as the Multimax has reverse functionality through the line.

Bear in mind the Canon ST-E2 does not support FULL TTL. You can't use rear curtain sync with the ST-E2. About time Canon bought a new model out tbh (looks like it was made in the 80's):)
 
Mangelwurzel said:
If you want FULL TTL then you're going to need a Multimax unit as the transmitter (It's the only PW that supports full functions like rear curtain sync on Canons). Any reciever from the PW line will be ok as a reciever as the Multimax has reverse functionality through the line.

Bear in mind the Canon ST-E2 does not support FULL TTL. You can't use rear curtain sync with the ST-E2. About time Canon bought a new model out tbh (looks like it was made in the 80's):)
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I didn't know that MW. Thanks for the info :)
 
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