Canon Speedlite Question

[MCPorche]

I was reading on Canon's website about their Wireless Speedlite System. They say that their 580 EX II flash works as a master transmitter.

Do only Canon flashes function as a master transmitter? Or can I buy a third party flash and get that function as well?

I'm looking for a flash for my T2i, and I was hoping to open my options a bit more than just Canon flashes.

 

[Jakefreese]

I am looking for some flashes myself, I thought from my findings that any flash that has an optical sync will work with them. I am kinda shying away from the Canon flash on the fact that pocket wizards have interference issues with the Canon flashes. I have been looking at the Nissan DI866 and the Metz 54mz4 to get the full ettl flashes. I am just lost in the word of different guide numbers and ranges....I am still thinking about getting the Lumopro 160's and go all manual on them. Or buy one full auto flash and some LP160's for slaves. Check out the strobist site there is more info there. I also read the Canon flashes do not have the audio style sync cables jacks, just the higher dollar pc sync jack only.

 

[AprilEye]

I have the Speedlite 430EX - so far its perfect.

 

[DerekSalem]

I am looking for some flashes myself, I thought from my findings that any flash that has an optical sync will work with them. I am kinda shying away from the Canon flash on the fact that pocket wizards have interference issues with the Canon flashes. I have been looking at the Nissan DI866 and the Metz 54mz4 to get the full ettl flashes. I am just lost in the word of different guide numbers and ranges....I am still thinking about getting the Lumopro 160's and go all manual on them. Or buy one full auto flash and some LP160's for slaves. Check out the strobist site there is more info there. I also read the Canon flashes do not have the audio style sync cables jacks, just the higher dollar pc sync jack only.

lol where do you read these "facts"?

First of all, there can't be any "interference" issues because the wireless isn't a radio frequency...it uses *LIGHT* to transmit. Pocket Wizards use radio frequencies to trigger the flashes, while Canon's wireless system uses either the onboard flash (on the 7D) or a transmitter of some kind (580EXII or the dedicated transmitter). They can't possibly "interfere" with each other since they don't even use the same *TYPE* of transmission.

Secondly...what are you talking about when you say Canons require a more expensive sync cable? I'm *completely* lost in this part...if you're connecting an off-camera sync cable then the flash wouldn't be wireless...but if you have it in wireless mode there's no need for a sync cable. If you're just connecting the flash via a sync cable you can buy one of about 10 brands that all work the same (Opteka sells one for like $25 brand new). The PC Sync jack is only used for either connecting the camera to your PC or connecting it to a TV. I'm pretty sure there isn't a single other use. Even off-camera remotes use the "REMOTE" connection.

Can anyone fill me in on something I might be missing in his post...?

 

[DerekSalem]

I was reading on Canon's website about their Wireless Speedlite System. They say that their 580 EX II flash works as a master transmitter.

Do only Canon flashes function as a master transmitter? Or can I buy a third party flash and get that function as well?

I'm looking for a flash for my T2i, and I was hoping to open my options a bit more than just Canon flashes.

Sorry, I didn't answer your questions in the first post...

There are 3 types of transmitters: The 7D can use its onboard flash as a transmitter, the 580EX II (I think version 1 can do it too), and the Canon Speedlite Transmitter (ST-E2). They're the only things that can actually control the wireless flash mode for other slave units. Slave units include the 430EXII (version 1 can't), the 500-series, and one of the 200-series (don't remember which).

That being said, there are a ton of after-market flash units that can be used wirelessly...but the control all has to be done manually (you have to set each flash individually for power settings and such). They can't use ETTL like the Canon ones. That's one of the reasons people like the canon wireless setups (as opposed to the after-market brand wireless units): it can all be metered in-camera and individually without touching the flash units.

 

[Jakefreese]

Here is the part about the pocketwizard problem with the Canon flashes off BH's site

USA models are not approved outside of the USA and may interfere with devices in Europe
While the FlexTT5 works ideally upon many older Canon flashes, the 580EX, 580EX II, and 430EX emit strong RF noise across the PocketWizard's frequency range, and this significantly reduces out-of-box range performance of the FlexTT5 Transceiver. In PocketWizard's research, the interference from the flash varies wildly from sample to sample. They can only guarantee that the flash will work to ~30' (~10m) in all conditions.