Triggers

Sir SR

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Shaheed
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Hi there

Over the last year I've been doing more stuff with my speedlights and have (very slowly) come to the realisation that I'm going to need actual flash heads (recycling/modelling etc). I did a search but couldn't come up with the answer to my question.

I currently have two sb900 and two nissin speedlights which I trigger using cls on board the d800. I like the fact that you can alter the flash settings from the camera and not have to go round each individual flash.

I think I will initially go for one head, integrating my sb900's and then gradually increase the number of heads. This will be a slow process though! Lencarta seems to be the sensible choice (user opinion/support/price and the fact a good friend bought some!)

So my real question. I want triggers that will integrate the speedlights and studio head, whilst retaining the ability to alter flash power remotely. I accept that TTL is a bit of a non issue as I'll want to be in control of the light. Does this product exist. Can it be had without breaking the bank. I suppose an alternative is a remote for the studio heads power control and triggers which can remotely control the speedlight power.

Sorry for the waffle. All help great fully received!

Shaheed
 
No go, I think. Remote power control of speedlites comes with auto-TTL triggers, and they won't adjust power of studio heads. And studio head triggers like Elinchrom Skyport won't adjust speedlite power.

But I wouldn't worry about it - most folks don't. Manual is usually the prefered mode for studio work and adjusting power manually hardly takes any more time when you're setting up, and you probably won't want to change it without moving the lights anyway.
 
HoppyUK said:
No go, I think. Remote power control of speedlites comes with auto-TTL triggers, and they won't adjust power of studio heads. And studio head triggers like Elinchrom Skyport won't adjust speedlite power.

But I wouldn't worry about it - most folks don't. Manual is usually the prefered mode for studio work and adjusting power manually hardly takes any more time when you're setting up, and you probably won't want to change it without moving the lights anyway.

Hi.

Thanks for the reply. I fully accept that manual is how I want to go (sorry if I didn't make that clear in my first post).

So, "dumb controllers" and some kind of remote for the studio heads? I suppose I just want the convenience of being able to adjust the power without having to individually go to each light.

Ta

S
 
So for example maybe some yonugo triggers and an ultrapro remote? Would that work? I'd eventually replace the speedlights with heads so the remote would hopefully work with those?

S
 
You can control the speedlites with the Yongnuo 622C trancievers and if the studio light has a sensor, which Lencarta lights do, then that will also fire when the speedlights fire. However, only certain cameras will control the speedlights from the camera but you would need to manually change the studio light.

Think that's right, but anyone can please correct me if wrong. The 622C's also allow ETTL and Manual with speedlites.
 
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alexam said:
You can control the speedlites with the Yongnuo 622C trancievers and if the studio light has a sensor, which Lencarta lights do, then that will also fire when the speedlights fire. However, only certain cameras will control the speedlights from the camera but you would need to manually change the studio light.

Think that's right, but anyone can please correct me if wrong. The 622C's also allow ETTL and Manual with speedlites.

By that reasoning, would the lencarta fire if you triggered the speedlights with nikons CLS (not the cls triggering, but the speedlights firing?)

Thanks for your reply!

S

Edit: it's the radio isn't it which triggers the studio head. D'uh!
 
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You need to think this through. Basically you can't mix brands of trigger and if you get remote power control of studio heads you won't get it on the speedlites, and vice versa.
 
By that reasoning, would the lencarta fire if you triggered the speedlights with nikons CLS (not the cls triggering, but the speedlights firing?)

Thanks for your reply!

S

Edit: it's the radio isn't it which triggers the studio head. D'uh!

The Lencarta studio light is triggered with a connected trigger via the camera if you choose to plug a receiver into that light, or by the sensor on the studio light, seeing a flash of light from another light - speedlite or studio light. Therefore, if your speedlites used with a trigger from Canon, Nikon, Sony, or whatever go off when you press the shutter, a studio light with a sensor, will also go off at the same time by seeing it.
 
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I think you're right, although I thought the ultrapro remote was just that (ie not a trigger?).

I suppose the question is can the ttl triggers control enough groups to enable manual control of the speed lights, a basic trigger of the studio head and the remote control to alter power of the studio head.

sorry if that sounds confusing!

S
 
I believe I'm right in saying that with the Yongnuo 622C trancievers used on your camera and your speedites, you could mix studio lights by the 'piggy-back' of another trigger on top of the 622C, say a 602, that triggered a different receiver/s on studio lights. However, you would only have manual control of the studio lights in that situation, but could control the other lights on the 622C group from an appropriate camera.
 
Triggering various lights is not difficult, but if you insist on remote power control, then IMHO you need to go either all speeddlites or all studio heads. BTW, not sure YN 622 for Nikon is available yet.
 
HoppyUK said:
Triggering various lights is not difficult, but if you insist on remote power control, then IMHO you need to go either all speeddlites or all studio heads. BTW, not sure YN 622 for Nikon is available yet.

Thanks for your responses. I haven't seen the yonugo ttl triggers for Nikon yet. I know that you can get simple radio triggers to,trigger a combo of various lights.

I don't think you're understanding my point or much more likely I'm not articulating it well enough! Ideally yes I will switch over to studio heads but until funds allow, this will take some time. Whilst reading about the lencarta ultrapro lights I noted that it had a remote control option (not a trigger) and I wondered if you could use a ttl trigger (to remotely control the power) to control the speedlights and also use them to trigger the studio head(s) which you you have to physically go to each light to adjust power (UNLESS you had the remote control). I think that what the above post was referring to on canon with the ttl yonugo.

So I think my real question is can you use the ttl triggers to trigger the lencarta ultrapro and can you use the remote control to then remotely adjust the power of the studio head (a function separate to the actual firming of the studio head)

I fear this has gone more theoretical and it may be more faff in practice but I kind of want to know now!

S
 
alexam said:
Richard is correct in saying the 622C is not available for Nikon at present, so another trigger would be needed for Nikon shooters. Mixing Studio strobes and speedlites however need not be a problem as long as you follow certain rules. The following video may help.
http://www.adorama.com/alc/0013916/article/Mix-Speedlights-with-Strobes-Ep-109-Exploring-Photography-with-Mark-Wallace-Adorama-Photography-TV

Ah cross posted whilst I was writing my last post. Thanks for the link!

S
 
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