PW / IR Trigger help

Mike_T

Mike_T

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Mike
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I'm starting to pull my hair out on this one, and was after a bit of advice/help!

I'm currently using the following:

Canon EOS 5D Mark 2
Canon SpeedLite 580EX II
Canon SpeedLite 430EX II
Pocket Wizard MiniTT1
Pocket Wizard FlexTT5
Light stand + umbrella

They are set up with the MiniTT1 on the 5D2, the 580 on the FlexTT5 firing into the umbrella (head turned backwards to allow IR trigger to 430 and set to master mode), the 430 is set to slave mode to be triggered from the 580.

The camera is shooting around f/2.8 to 5.6, ISO 100, shutter speed no faster than 1/60th due to the sync delay of the IR trigger.
The 580 settings are set to master with A-B ratio mode enabled.

Diagram:


Untitled by mike_thomas, on Flickr


Now to me this should work correctly and give a creative portrait with a bit of a halo on the back of the subject - but my lack of creativity isn't the issue here, yet.

My issue is that for some reason the second curtain seems to catch the 430 every time. I've tried to take a photo directly at the 430 and even with a shutter as slow as 1/4 of a second the flash doesn't get caught/won't fire in time.

What am I doing wrong? Is there a way to enable second curtain sync on the slaved 430? Is that even the issue? TP, help me!
 
So your Flex triggers work as TTL connection and the 580EX believes it sits on camera in master-mode? Do the triggers support this mode? I always thought there was some complex two-way communication going on between master and camera.

Does the 430 trigger at all?
 
Hi, you just need another Pocket Wizard FlexTT5 for the 430
 
Cistron said:
So your Flex triggers work as TTL connection and the 580EX believes it sits on camera in master-mode? Do the triggers support this mode? I always thought there was some complex two-way communication going on between master and camera.

Does the 430 trigger at all?
Click to expand...

You've got it right.

Yes, the 430 does trigger, it just doesn't seem to sync properly.

Mitch38 said:
Hi, you just need another Pocket Wizard FlexTT5 for the 430
Click to expand...

Aware of this, though I'm after a work around since I don't have one, hence the question.
 
If you want the ratios to work you need to mount an ste2 or 580ex on the mini or get the zone controller - Sorry about that.
 
It won't work like that. You either need another TT5 or an extension cord from the camera to the 580 and Mini, with TT5 on the 430.

BTW, the master communications are not IR, they're normal flash pulses from the 580. The little semi-IR window is a receiver, not transmitter.
 
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