Canon off-camera flash cable trouble

[mikekx102]

Hi, I've made this question into a video which explains the problem and also demonstrates it: [video=vimeo;69133435]https://vimeo.com/69133435[/video]

Basically I just want to have both flash guns working off the same cable.

I'll also add that when I only have 1 flash connected to the cord it works perfectly, regardless of where its connected.

Both flashes are 430ex ii's and the camera is a 550D.

Do you guys have any ideas?

Thanks!

Mike.

 

[bratkinson]

The obvious solution is to go wireless rather than getting tangled up in a bunch of wires. That's the good news.

The problem is that neither the 430 EX ii nor your 550D can act as a wireless 'master' unit (based on my 2 minutes of Google research). As a result, you'll have to purchase some kind of wireless control unit such as the ST-E2 or a different brand that mimics a Canon wireless control such as provided by the popup flashes on later Canon cameras as well as the 550 or 580 EX (i or ii) flash units. Upgrading your camera to a 60D or 7D, for example, would be another alternative as their popup flash can act as a wireless master. So would purchasing a "pocket wizard" or compable wireless trigger equipment.

 

[Derrel]

A simple optical slave would reliably fire the off-camera flash, but not in e-TTL mode...

When using TWO flash units, E-TTL, D-TTL, i-TTL, all of them kind of suck compared with simple, old-fashioned manual power settings,using fractional power, and setting the power levels based on simple distances, power ratios, or a flash meter, or even a few calculations done on the back of an envelope. Of course, it takes a few seconds to walk over to the remote flash and press the +/- buttons to get the power set.

e-TTL means your flashes need the exact,proper protocols, and it's possible that the cords you have will work just FINE if yuo set the flash output on both to MANUAL, with the main light perhaps at full power and the fill light at 1/2 power. I would give it a try...if the cords are working wonky in E-TTL, then do not use e-TTL mode--but instead use manual, or AUTO-f/stop mode, or something other than e-TTL mode, and see if that cures the problems.

 

[mikekx102]

A simple optical slave would reliably fire the off-camera flash, but not in e-TTL mode...

When using TWO flash units, E-TTL, D-TTL, i-TTL, all of them kind of suck compared with simple, old-fashioned manual power settings,using fractional power, and setting the power levels based on simple distances, power ratios, or a flash meter, or even a few calculations done on the back of an envelope. Of course, it takes a few seconds to walk over to the remote flash and press the +/- buttons to get the power set.

e-TTL means your flashes need the exact,proper protocols, and it's possible that the cords you have will work just FINE if yuo set the flash output on both to MANUAL, with the main light perhaps at full power and the fill light at 1/2 power. I would give it a try...if the cords are working wonky in E-TTL, then do not use e-TTL mode--but instead use manual, or AUTO-f/stop mode, or something other than e-TTL mode, and see if that cures the problems.

Derrel - Your the man!! I have previously tried setting both flashes to manual mode but I'm pretty sure that didn't work? Putting some electrical tape over the e-TTL contacts on the camera body and setting both flashes to manual mode DID work! PROBLEM SOLVED! Thanks for your input

The obvious solution is to go wireless rather than getting tangled up in a bunch of wires. That's the good news.

The problem is that neither the 430 EX ii nor your 550D can act as a wireless 'master' unit (based on my 2 minutes of Google research). As a result, you'll have to purchase some kind of wireless control unit such as the ST-E2 or a different brand that mimics a Canon wireless control such as provided by the popup flashes on later Canon cameras as well as the 550 or 580 EX (i or ii) flash units. Upgrading your camera to a 60D or 7D, for example, would be another alternative as their popup flash can act as a wireless master. So would purchasing a "pocket wizard" or compable wireless trigger equipment.

I agree that that is a solution, but I already have a cable and don't plan on truly getting into this kind of photography- I'm more interested in landscape shots If I did go wireless I'd want it to be radio and that is $$. Maybe one day... Thanks for your help