Confusing...Radio Triggers and Hot shoe trouble

therustytracks · Aug 10, 2008

I just bought a Canon Eos 1n rs. I am in the process of ordering a combination of vivitar 285's and 283's, in other words I'm shopping around. I've been researching all the different off camera trigger methods and radio seems to be the best bet for my applications. However I'm not ready to shell out $200 a piece for a few p-wizards. There's buzzing all over the internet about the "ebay radio triggers". I found a site gadgetinfinity.com that sells them. However the transmitter needs to be mounted on a shoe mount. This is my problem. I want 2 flashes off camera and one on camera. Is there a cord that would allow me to plug the transmitter into a shoe mount and into my camera? or another combination that would allow me to still keep one flash on my cameras shoe mount.
I'm desperate for answers. I've got a crazy headache from staring at the computer screen trying to find the answer to this question.

frXnz kafka · Aug 10, 2008

Does the camera have a PC jack? If so, you'll just need to plug the transmitter into the PC jack. It comes with a cord to do this.

www.mpex.com Also has the Cactus triggers, if you don't want to wait for shipping from Hong Kong.

therustytracks · Aug 10, 2008

yea it definitely has one, but the info on the cheap radio slaves does not say anything about including a pc cord. If that's the case that would make my life simple. I hate trying to do things on the cheap it's always sketchy. I'm just going to buy the ebay slaves and hope for the best. I should be able to afford p-wizards in a year or so, but I don't want to sit around and wait for that day to come. Thanks for the help. I'll definitely be buying them from mpex.com. I hate waiting on shipping.

Imaginara · Aug 11, 2008

There is an adapter which gives you a hot-shoe connector to a pc-cord (Hama has it i think). This you should be able to use to connect the transmitter to the camera.

If not, you can always use 3 recievers and just place one of the flashes on the cameraaxis.

usayit · Aug 11, 2008

IIRC, you can have a flash in the hot shoe and have a PC cord (on the side of your camera) to the transmitter.

There are also adapters that allow for a PC cord and hotshoe mounted flash.

I use cactus V2s and I am happy given the budget. If you are moving towards professional work, you'll want to put in for the more reliable Pocket wizards.

The other option is to use a strobo frame with a mounted flash and remote trigger and just have as single transmitter in the hotshoe.

BTW.. I like that 1n-RS... very unique camera in the Canon line... pellical mirror.

Big Mike · Aug 11, 2008

I have the V2 Cactus set and I recently started doing what you are wanting to do.

The V2 transmitter has a standard 1/8 socket on the side, so you can use a cord to go from your camera's PC port to the transmitter, leaving the hotshoe open for a flash, it works great.

The only problem I had, was that I couldn't find a PC to 1/8 cord (although I'm sure they must exist). I did find several PC to 3/32 cords, so I went to 'Radio Shack' and got a 3/32 to 1/8 adapter and it worked out fine.

icassell · Aug 11, 2008

I have a wein hot shoe safe-sync for my 283 and it has a pc jack on the side

usayit · Aug 11, 2008

Big Mike said:
The only problem I had, was that I couldn't find a PC to 1/8 cord (although I'm sure they must exist). I did find several PC to 3/32 cords, so I went to 'Radio Shack' and got a 3/32 to 1/8 adapter and it worked out fine.

My V2 Transmitter came with a PC to 1/8 cord.

Big Mike · Aug 11, 2008

My V2 Transmitter came with a PC to 1/8 cord.

I'm sure mine did as well...but do you think I could find it when I need it? :roll: :lol:

usayit · Aug 11, 2008

hehhehehe... yeh... things like that seem to go into a black hole with me as well. I've had my wireless triggers for a few weeks... I bet in 1 year I'll wonder where that cord disappeared

frXnz kafka · Aug 11, 2008

usayit said:
hehhehehe... yeh... things like that seem to go into a black hole with me as well. I've had my wireless triggers for a few weeks... I bet in 1 year I'll wonder where that cord disappeared

I added 1/8" jacks to both of my receivers, and that cord is now being used to connect the receiver to my flash. It's a lot better than the hot shoe.

Big Mike · Aug 11, 2008

The recievers have a PC port...why would you need to add a jack?

frXnz kafka · Aug 11, 2008

Big Mike said:
The recievers have a PC port...why would you need to add a jack?

1/8" is more reliable. The PC connector is notorious for losing its shape, and otherwise failing. When I bought my second receiver I also bought a PC-PC cord to connect everything. My max sync speed was 1/30s. I swapped it out for my PC-1/8" cord and I was back up to 1/200s.

Mind you, the PC cord worked once I coerced it a bit with some pliers, but I rarely bring pliers with me on a shoot. I do still have a PC jack on the flash side, but I'm a lot more willing to take a soldering iron to my $20 receiver than to my $100 flash.

Big Mike · Aug 11, 2008

That makes sense. I've often found that the PC connection at my camera has to be wiggled a bit.

There is a tool you can get, for conditioning PC cords/ports. There are also, screw type PC connectors that are supposed to be more reliable.

But hey, if you can put a 1/8 socket into your receiver, then that's pretty good.

frXnz kafka · Aug 11, 2008

Big Mike said:
That makes sense. I've often found that the PC connection at my camera has to be wiggled a bit.

There is a tool you can get, for conditioning PC cords/ports. There are also, screw type PC connectors that are supposed to be more reliable.

But hey, if you can put a 1/8 socket into your receiver, then that's pretty good.

I'd like to get some screw-lock PC connectors for the flash end, but unfortunately the Cactus receivers don't have a screw-lock jack.