Slave flash

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Cobbler72

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I am new to flash photography and wonder if someone could help me. I recently got a Sunpak PZ42X to use with my Canon 350D.

In my kit bag I have an old flash gun from my film days. I fancy having a go at using this as a slave flash gun. I THINK that I need to buy something like

Hama Slave Unit Hot Shoe Contact (£12-99 at Amazon)

to do this. However I can't make my mind up whether it will work or not. I don't think it will if my Sunpak fires pre flash. Can anyone enlighten me or suggest another product?

Many Thanks.
 
Your 350D fires a pre-flash and you can't disable it, so that will confuse any remote slave gun.

The PZ42X will not fire a pre-flash in manual mode, in which case your old gun should fire and sync fine if connected to a hot-shoe optical slave. Or radio trigger.

This stuff gets confusing. What exactly do you want to do, how to you want to set things up? Can you post a link to the Hama jobbie?
 
HoppyUK said:
Your 350D fires a pre-flash and you can't disable it, so that will confuse any remote slave gun.

The PZ42X will not fire a pre-flash in manual mode, in which case your old gun should fire and sync fine if connected to a hot-shoe optical slave. Or radio trigger.

This stuff gets confusing. What exactly do you want to do, how to you want to set things up? Can you post a link to the Hama jobbie?
Click to expand...

If the 350D has F.E.L on, it can be used to waste the preflash
 
classcams said:
If the 350D has F.E.L on, it can be used to waste the preflash
Click to expand...

Yes, but it will also fire the slave flash when the pre-flash goes off. So you have to wait for that to recycle. You could do it that way shooting something like table-top, products and still life etc, but it's not practical for portraits or anything else.
 
HoppyUK said:
Yes, but it will also fire the slave flash when the pre-flash goes off. So you have to wait for that to recycle. You could do it that way shooting something like table-top, products and still life etc, but it's not practical for portraits or anything else.
Click to expand...

It is only useful for studio work as the studio flash charges in about 5 secs.
 
Cobbler72 said:
Here is the bit of kit I am looking it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hama-Slave-Unit-Shoe-Contact/dp/B00005LLPK/ref=pd_cp_ce_1

I just thought I could use my Sunpak on camera and use this to fire my old flash gun to see what I could create with two flash guns.

Must admit I am more confused now! - any idea whether it will work or not?

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

Ah, okay. Then you've got it right first time. That should work fine :thumbs:

Sunpak on camera, set to manual operation, and your other flash on the little slave jobbie. Sorted.

Remember your max x-sync speed is 1/200sec. That identical slave is available in Jessops for £11 I think. Take your kit in to the shop and try it.

You can also take the Sunpak off-camera with a regular sync lead. You'll need a hot-shoe adapter for that and Jessops have those too for a tenner.
 
Seriously MAKE SURE you know the voltages of your flashes and the max working voltages of anything firing them!!!

Check my thread HERE because you need to be sure that the Hama trigger for example can safely fire the flash you want to use.
 
Just when I thought it was ok!!

My old flash is a Cobra 700AF - Any idea whether it will work because I have no idea what voltage it is?
 
Cobbler72 said:
Just when I thought it was ok!!

My old flash is a Cobra 700AF - Any idea whether it will work because I have no idea what voltage it is?
Click to expand...

Check the link in the above post because I explain how to measure it.
 
Cobbler72 said:
Just when I thought it was ok!!

My old flash is a Cobra 700AF - Any idea whether it will work because I have no idea what voltage it is?
Click to expand...

You're plugging it into an optical slave, not a camera. It can take it. Worst that can happen is you fry the slave. Don't worry.
 
HoppyUK said:
You're plugging it into an optical slave, not a camera. It can take it. Worst that can happen is you fry the slave. Don't worry.
Click to expand...

I thought that then blew two fitp radio receivers! It's best to check if you can first I would suggest.
 
cowasaki said:
I thought that then blew two fitp radio receivers! It's best to check if you can first I would suggest.
Click to expand...

As the bog standard optical slave flashes use a 400v SCR and I have never tested a flash with more than 400v I think you are safe.
 
Thanks - I did read your pages but I do not have a multimeter so am no nearer measuring the voltage.

It seems however that it will likely be ok and the only risk is the £12 Hama kit.

Now for another question because, as I said, this is all new to me.

How is the slave controlled? It sees the light of the main flash and fires...yes? But is it controllable? The old flashgun seems totally automatic to me so I am not sure what I should be doing. Sorry if this sounds a stupid question. All I can imagine is pictures which are exposed incorrectly and I have no idea how to deal with it other than pointing the flash away or moving it further from the subject?
 
That Hama jobbie is just a basic optical slave. It sees the light from the main flash, and shorts the contacts of whatever gun is fitted to it, and it fires. They are reliable in anything but very bright light when the signal flash can get washed out by the ambient light. Absolutely fine indoors.

What then comes out of the attached flash is dependent upon the unit. I'm not sure your Cobra has a manual mode but if you cover the little black round window on the front (exposure sensor) you can fool it into always firing at full power, even if you can't control the output. Moderate the power with distance - moving it back just a couple of yards will make a big difference. Trial and error.

That's how it should work, or at least that how I'm guessing it does. These these are never quite 100% until you try it though. Can't you pop down to Jessops and give it a try?
 
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