Firing Monolight Problem ( No PC sync)

OGsPhotography · Feb 9, 2017

I am trying to plan the best way to fire my monolight.

I have a shoot next week, portraits for charity. There will be 6 other photogs setup in a large event area, so lots of flash firing rendering my usual slave triggering of my monolight useless.

My fault I forgot my 70D has no PC sync! I was just checking my equipment as Ive necer used PC shnc, only the slave function in the monolight. I have 8 days until shoot.

I normally use YN TX Transmitter to fire speedlights, which trigger the mono slave.

One option I am looking into is a PC hotshoe adapter, but Im afraid that will render my TX useless, or be prohibitavely expensive or not be here on time or all three lol

I might have to just shoot with the two speedlights

or hope Incan set up with out facing my slave sensor to anyone elses flash.

Any solutions are greatly appreciated.

tirediron · Feb 9, 2017

Additional radio triggers will be the best solution. I really dislike using PC cords, especially in a crowded environment as they tend to be tripping hazards. What may work is to shield your slave sensors; use black paper to make scrims so that the sensors can only "see" the source light they're supposed to.

OGsPhotography · Feb 9, 2017

Nikon AS 15 works with Canon 70d aparantly but then my speedlights have no triggers.

Maybe I need a whole set of pocketwizards.

OGsPhotography · Feb 9, 2017

Thanks Tirediron!

Thats what I figure, need radio trigger of some sort, just cant seem to grasp the specifics yet. I guess the radio receiver is the YN 622, then run a PC from that to the light. Been looking into it on Amazon bit its a bit confusing.

If it does work then I have to buy two receivers, they come in packs of twonfor about 100$. Good a reason as any to grab another monolight

Wouldn't want the extra receiver sitting around with nothing to do!

On a side note the event just got cancelled

the venue messed the availability up and I'll be vacationing in Florida on their alternate date.

table1349 · Feb 9, 2017

The PlusX is probably the cheapest Pocket Wizard available these days.

Derrel · Feb 9, 2017

OGsPhotography said:
T

If it does work then I have to buy two receivers, they come in packs of twonfor about 100$. Good a reason as any to grab another monolight Wouldn't want the extra receiver sitting around with nothing to do!

On a side note the event just got cancelled the venue messed the availability up and I'll be vacationing in Florida on their alternate date.

Wow...event cancelled!!! Bummer. I just wanted to add a comment about receivers, and transmitters. While yes, some receivers are sold in two-packs, some systems are built around transceivers--which I think is a better system, especially if one owns multiple triggers. The transciever is obviously both a receiver AND a transmitter unit. I started with receiver/transmitter units, but now prefer the transceiver system, since one unit can do the job of two separate units, if need be.

OGsPhotography · Feb 9, 2017

175 Canadian for plus x on amazon, would the YN560 TX even fire it?

My localish store doesnt even carry them

I think now my solution is the YN 603 II transceivers at 45$ for two and it comes with a PC cord and small flash diffuser on Amazon.ca

22$ per transceiver.

I haven't been able to find ( youtube) confirmation that the 560 tx will fire it on a separate channel, the 560iii and iv were hard enough tonconfigure and there are turorials. Youtube has a ton of info but they all fall short of putting the tx on and a 603 in a monolight with a pc cord.

Possibly one 603 will go in my cameras hotshoe tonfire the monolight, then the TX will stack on top of it to fire the speedlights. One reviewer showed some off brands working for manual transmitters in this type of setup.

I'll let you know if it works know maybe I'll make my first youtube video lol.

OGsPhotography · Feb 9, 2017

Thanks @Derrel your right the YN gear is using transceiver technology and I've just clued into that!

A 603 series can do both jobs Rx and Tx and the 622 just adds TTL and HSS, not sure if the 622 is compatable with 603 technology. My transmitter says and 603 (Built In) lights are compatable so it makes me worry that it doesnt work with the not built in version.

Bit of a learning curve even though I've been using and researching these for over a year.

Derrel · Feb 9, 2017

Good deal: buy into a transceiver-based system, and you'll never show up at a shoot with three receivers and no transmitter!!!!

dasmith232 · Feb 9, 2017

I have a set of 603's and another set of 622's. They do not communicate with each other across models (which also means that they don't interfere with each other).

Either one of those units has a PC (output) port. Depending on your monolight, you might need an adapter to get the right plug combination. I also dislike using PC cabling at any length due to tripping hazards, but having a Yongnuo trigger gaffer-taped to the head and a short PC cord to connect the trigger to the head works great. With that setup, either of the 603 or 622 options will work equally well (because it's manual flash power).

This is exactly how I run my heads.

table1349 · Feb 9, 2017

OGsPhotography said:
Thanks @Derrel your right the YN gear is using transceiver technology and I've just clued into that!

A 603 series can do both jobs Rx and Tx and the 622 just adds TTL and HSS, not sure if the 622 is compatable with 603 technology. My transmitter says and 603 (Built In) lights are compatable so it makes me worry that it doesnt work with the not built in version.

Bit of a learning curve even though I've been using and researching these for over a year.

That is the beauty of the PW's My old Plus II's work with everything that PW has put out since.

OGsPhotography · Feb 9, 2017

@dasmith232

Thanks. So you think the 560TX will transmit to the 603?

OGsPhotography · Feb 9, 2017

"The YN-560-TX transmitter is a "manual" trigger: it can only tell a flash when to fire, and it works with the YN-560III and YN-560IV speedlights, and the RF-602, RF-603, RF-603II, and RF-605 radio trigger units"

Why does the YN-565EX need a radio trigger with the YN-560-TX?

Im going ahead and ordering some RF-603II.

dasmith232 · Feb 9, 2017

Yes, you've got your answer. And that flash will not trigger the 622's (which I'm sure you know). The nice thing is that the 603's are dirt cheap. I had one that was flaky and I threw it away without a whole lot more thought than throwing away a Wasabi battery (that had run its course faithfully!).