Second Curtain with Off Camera Flash

The23rdman

The23rdman

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Can I set this up with my kit off camera?
 
I should have thought so, as long as you have an off camera lead then all functions should be as if it were on camera.
 
With Canon (I haven't used a digital Nikon so I'll let someone else fill you in on that) you can do off-camera second-curtain with a ttl cord (I recommend a third party one sold by Flash in the Pan on this site) but only with a single flash.

If you're prepared to invest, the PocketWizard Mini/Flex allows second-curtain off-camera flash but at a cost!
 
Ste Manns said:
What you can't do, is 2nd curtain sync with radio triggers. Annoyingly that doesn't work.
Click to expand...

Ste - check out the new range of pocketwizards which will do 2nd curtain sync with updated firmware though only for shutterspeeds slower than 1/100. (I can't think of a reason to use it at higher speeds but I might be missing something) It can be set (as I do) to automatically switch to 2nd curtain sync when your shutter speed is below a particular value.
 
I was referring to the ebay type radio triggers :)

If you wanted to do it with more than one flash - you could use one on an ETTL cord, and have optical triggers under the others I suppose. Can't see why that wouldn't work.
 
Thanks guys. Answered my question. No I can't with my current kit. :D
 
I currently only have RF-602 triggers for three flash units. I'm thinking about a second curtain shot for this weeks 52, but would have prefered to have the flash off camera rather than bouncing it.
 
Optical triggers should work fine for manual flash but the preflash is likely to set off the trigger if you try TTL.

Actually, given that you use manual radio triggers it's likely you don't want to use ttl flash anyway!
 
You're right, Mark. I don't want to use ttl or any on camera flash really as an optical trigger. Saying this though I know nowt about optical triggering systems. :)
 
The23rdman said:
You're right, Mark. I don't want to use ttl or any on camera flash really as an optical trigger. Saying this though I know nowt about optical triggering systems. :)
Click to expand...

You can use a camera mounted 550/580 as an optical master trigger, which will fire your slave(s) without adding to the picture exposure at all.
or
You could use off camera through TTL cord to fire either the master as either taking part or as not taking part in the exposure (same as if on camera)

or
the ttl cord can fire the master which will fire the other two optically and you could have your other two in group B & C and use ratio.

All of which I would have thought will work 2nd curtains.

Its all in the 550 manual (probably 580 too)
I have a 550 and a 420 I use as master/slave through e-ttl and it seems to be much easier than manual.

Matt
 
As JasonRS it works on Nikons. I have some CTR-301Ps and it works a treat on my D50 and D300. :thumbs:

Unlucky Canonites! :lol:
 
MatBin said:
You can use a camera mounted 550/580 as an optical master trigger, which will fire your slave(s) without adding to the picture exposure at all.
or
You could use off camera through TTL cord to fire either the master as either taking part or as not taking part in the exposure (same as if on camera)

or
the ttl cord can fire the master which will fire the other two optically and you could have your other two in group B & C and use ratio.

All of which I would have thought will work 2nd curtains.

Its all in the 550 manual (probably 580 too)
I have a 550 and a 420 I use as master/slave through e-ttl and it seems to be much easier than manual.

Matt
Click to expand...

You'd think all of this would work with 2nd curtain, but no. For some reason Canon saw fit to disable rear-sync for anything other than a single flash on the hotshoe (or on an ettl cable, which for most purposes is invisible to the camera) - I gather the reason is that the trigger for the flash comes as part of the eTTL signal and not as a separate trigger signal as it does with Nikon.

For me this is the one area that Nikon has outdone Canon that bothers me (ok so nicer AF in the 5d range would be nice)
 
I think above all, the whole on/off-camera flash thing was probably the main thing that led me to Nikon. Used canon for years but it was only when it came to exploring flash more in depth that i was found wanting. They (Canon) may have a more budget-conscious lens selection but Nikon's flash capabilities are probably worth a heck of a lot more to me...


...saying that, please Nikon, start producing more pro-sumer lenses at real-world prices please :)
 
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