Hi, I am looking for some advice on remote triggers. I have a 5D and 580ex2 flash and I plan to add a 430ex2. Hw can I trigger both of them remotely in High Speed sync? I was looking at the radio poppers thinking I can buy one receiver and one transmitter, install the transmitter on the camera, the receiver on the 580 and use optical mode for the 430. Now I know I was completly off and it wouldn't work.

The guys at radio poppers told me I need to buy the Canon STE2 and install on my camera, put the radio popper transmitter on the 580 and the receiver on 430. This is way out of my league, the 2 poppers were already kind of pricey.

Can you suggest cheaper ways to be able to use the flashes at over the standard 1/200?

Thanks,
George

search tool will generate TONS of answers to these very questions....then some.

PW Flex TT?

Why don't you try the built-in wireless control system first before buying radio triggers. I use a pair of 580ex flashes indoors and out and have never found the need for them. See my tutorials LINK which explains how to configure the flashes for wireless ratios, wireless manual mode, and high speed sync.

Chuck

I agree with Chuck, why don't you use the wireless feature of the mentioned flashes. I have 5D's and the 580's and one in Master and the other in Slave mode works just fine for me.

Ed

Chuck, I've been a fan of your tutorials for a long time. I have your website in my Favorites. I tried the wireless but I am probably doing something wrong. I enabled the wireless flash from the camera and then I played with my 580. I tried in ETTL, manual, master etc. I cannot trigger the 580 when it's not attached to the camera.

So Chuck and Ed, you are saying with a 5D2 and a 580exII off the camera with no cord, I should be able to trigger the flash with no additional PW, cactus etc?

My 430ex will arrive Fri. I know I can use one of the flashes mounted on camera to trigger the other one, but can I use both off-camera and triger them without STE2 and other devices?

Thank you guys.

You have to have something on the camera that is Canon ETTL compliant.

I have an STE2 along with 580s and they work fine in HiSpeed Sync.

The one thing that you have to be certain to do is have the little "communications" window on the flash situated so that it can "see" the pulse from the STE2.

That often means having the body of the flash turned toward the camera even though you want the light aimed in another direction.

Setting the 580 on camera in master and the 430 off camera as slave will work well, even in relatively bright light is you make sure there is line of site between the 580 and the 430 sensor window.


www.digifotografi.com has a page that shows how I use EV and FEC to control background and subject lighting using HSS on a Canon 5D with STE2 and 580s.

gxgn wrote:
Chuck, I've been a fan of your tutorials for a long time. I have your website in my Favorites. I tried the wireless but I am probably doing something wrong. I enabled the wireless flash from the camera and then I played with my 580. I tried in ETTL, manual, master etc. I cannot trigger the 580 when it's not attached to the camera.


The part you are not getting is that you need a 580ex or 580exII in the hot shoe of the camera set as "Master". A remote flash cannot be controlled with the camera alone.
gxgn wrote:

So Chuck and Ed, you are saying with a 5D2 and a 580exII off the camera with no cord, I should be able to trigger the flash with no additional PW, cactus etc?

My 430ex will arrive Fri. I know I can use one of the flashes mounted on camera to trigger the other one, but can I use both off-camera and triger them without STE2 and other devices?


Fill should ideal be shadowless so a master on the camera or better a flash bracket is ideal for that task. So you really don't need the ST-E2 which is the weak link in the Canon system because its underpowered. For starters just put your 580exII in the hot shoe and set it to Master and put the 430ex off camera set to Slave and follow the instructions in my tutorial for setting up the A:B ratios. A = 580ex Fill on camera B= 430ex Key off camera so ratios of 1:1 to 1:8 will need to be used.

Chuck

I will do it. Thank you for your patience. I will get a bracket down the road and hold off with the wireless triggers for a while.