Will this mini flash work with built in flash?

Derek Zoolander · Jan 29, 2009

I was hoping I could do this:

Viddler.com - Recession Flash - Poor Man's Lighting Set Up - Uploaded by ziser

after I find out what mini flash that is.

But I was wondering if my built-in flash would set off a slave mini flash like that. Will it? THanks!

TheSon · Jan 29, 2009

No. It will not. He was using an external speedlight (attached to camera) to angle the flash towards the slave flash. Your OEM flash is not bright enough and cannot swivel. Therefore it would be projected right at the subject and not at the slave.

But thanks for the link to the vid. It was informative.

chrisburke · Jan 29, 2009

spelling errors in the video... terrible.. neat though

TheSon said:
No. It will not. He was using an external speedlight (attached to camera) to angle the flash towards the slave flash. Your OEM flash is not bright enough and cannot swivel. Therefore it would be projected right at the subject and not at the slave.

But thanks for the link to the vid. It was informative.

i hate to tell you but your wrong, an on camera flash WILL trigger a slave.. it doesnt have to point directly at your slave flash.. it just has to be bright enough for the slave flash (which it is)

however, you shouldnt, because like he said in the video.. his canon flash is not pointing at the subject because it will blow out the subject.. your on camera flash will do the same... you COULD try to put some type of a bounce in front of the on camera flash.. to diffuse it.. but it still wont be that great

Dao · Jan 30, 2009

I remember I saw it somewhere that there is a device attach to the camera and sit in front of the flash. The device will redirect the light sideway.

It is kind of like a square or rectangular shaped plate with some vertical slot that block the light to the front by allow light to the side.. it is hard to explain. Hope I can find it again.

With that little device, once should be able to trigger a optical slave that sit 45 degree to the subject without the on-camera flash affecting the overall image.

Derek Zoolander · Jan 30, 2009

I do have this: light scoop digital photography lighting built-in flash Olympus Nikon Fuji Canon Pentax

will I be able to trigger the flash while using that on my built in flash? I can't afford a nice new external flash right now, so I'm trying to see how I can make this work...

TheSon · Jan 30, 2009

chrisburke said:
i hate to tell you but your wrong, an on camera flash WILL trigger a slave.. it doesnt have to point directly at your slave flash.. it just has to be bright enough for the slave flash (which it is)

How is your camera flash going to trigger a slave flash that is off to the hard right or left?

He specifically brought up this point and explained how to trigger the flash by angling, something that you cannot do with the stock flash. Check out 5:25 in the video. But he may have just been talking about blowing out the subject like you stated. I don't know... I'm a noob.

(Unless you get the device that Dao is talking about, that sounds on point)

Derek Zoolander · Jan 30, 2009

690045 Smith Victor PG250S Wireless Mini Slave Flash, Guide Number of 70', ISO 100.

i think this is the flash he's using. if i use my lightscoop, will it pick up the flash and trigger it?

Derek Zoolander · Jan 30, 2009

Well...I just bought it anyways, so we'll see soon enough...

If anyone knows of a diffuser that points in any way other than only up (like my lightscoop) let me know!

ndredsox · Jan 30, 2009

Derek Zoolander said:
Well...I just bought it anyways, so we'll see soon enough...

If anyone knows of a diffuser that points in any way other than only up (like my lightscoop) let me know!

Could you cut a small portion of poster board and attach some velcro? That would allow you to position the "blocker" any way you would like.

Derek Zoolander · Jan 31, 2009

ndredsox said:
Could you cut a small portion of poster board and attach some velcro? That would allow you to position the "blocker" any way you would like.

I can't quite picture what you're saying. However, if it involves putting velcro onto my camera, im not a fan. but I assume you're saying something else...

Katier · Jan 31, 2009

Whilst the concept is good he's doing it slightly wrong. He is using an expensive flash.. to trigger a cheap flash which seems slightly counter intuitive to me :/

He could have triggered the flash with a PC lead and/or something like a cactus the cost would have been less than $100 and would genuinely been that much rather than $100+ of flash triggering $70 of lighting.