Minimal light required to trigger the optical trigger on Yungnuo

[ClickAddict]

I have two Yungnuo 560 III, which I just read are capable of being set as Slaves to be triggered by optical sensor (They see a flash and flash) I've never used them in this mode as I have wireless triggers for them, but a friend of mine, (He shoots Nikon, I have Canon wireless transmitters) is looking to perhaps borrow them this weekend. He has 1 speedlight which would be mounted on his Nikon and we would use it to trigger the two Yungnuos.

My question is, how low (1/128, 1/64?) can he set the Nikon flash to still trigger the Yungnuo. (I don't know what Flash model he has on his Nikon, so I understand if answers are "probably close...." but was wondering if the low end would work or if it would require more in the range of 1/4, 1/8th kind of output) If it needs to be higher, I've considered putting a snoot on his flash to direct the light only to one of the flashes, but this would be constant adjustment if he is moving around so would rather not have to go that route.

I'm thinking if he doesn't want the on camera flash to affect the photo for instance. (Using only the 1-2 Yungnuos off camera lights) in his setup) Anyone with advice using optical triggers would be welcome.
Thanks.

 

[ClickAddict]

And yes... testing it, would be the way to go... but I'm not at home right now and he's trying to figure out if he needs to get/rent/borrow other equipment before the weekend.

 

[goooner]

I just set my pop up flash to cmd (d7200) and shoot away. It only has 2 channels though. One for my SB 800, and the other for my Metz, both work fine. I guess distance would be quite important here, and line of sight.

 

[ClickAddict]

That's using the wireless built into the camera. He doesn't have that... I think.... unless he is unaware of it? Not sure which Nikon he has. And not sure if they would work with Yungnuos designed for Canon triggering (signals may be different. I think the newest model Yungnuos work with both but older models (560 III which I have) you bought based on your system.

 

[tirediron]

That's using the wireless built into the camera. He doesn't have that... I think.... unless he is unaware of it? Not sure which Nikon he has. And not sure if they would work with Yungnuos designed for Canon triggering (signals may be different. I think the newest model Yungnuos work with both but older models (560 III which I have) you bought based on your system.

Nikon doesn't have an organic wireless system like Canon. The Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS) is an optical system using proprietary pre-flash coding. With respect to your original question, the answer is, "It depends.". It depends on distance, ambient light, etc. Optical triggers are designed to look for a short, sharp pulse of light. In a dark room, you might get away with 1/128th at 50'; in bright, noon-day sun at the equator, you might need full power to trigger from 10'.

 

[ClickAddict]

Thanks tirediron. He's shooting "In an old abandoned building". There aren't any massive abandoned buildings in the area so my gut tells me poor light and not great distances which helps in the triggering aspect. I think we'll be good. He's coming over on Friday to test to be sure.

 

[astroNikon]

i have a Yongnuo 500.
A few things.
I've tested the IR and Flash on my 500 and tested a 568 (and nikon SB-700/800s)
Different model Yongnuos have different quality receivers on them.

For the 500 the IR receiver on it stinks for work with the Nikon SU-800. 10 feet line of sight for that, where as a SB700 could be 50ft outside in the sunshine.

The 500 with the light flash trigger on it stunk too.
Same problem keep within 10 feet line of sight.

I wasted so much time trying to figure out why the IR or flash weren't working. Then when I tried it next to the flash everything worked fine. As I stepped further and further away the problem became obvious.

I quickly went to RF triggers and stopped trying to use Flash or IR trigger. You just can't do anything with it being within 10ft and line of sight.

The Yongnuo flash I have is now strictly a Background flash with a RF trigger as my main flashes (key, fill, hair) are all Nikon models.

I tried a 568 .. a world of difference. The IR and flash receiver were much better but by that time I was RF.

So you'll have to "test" the 560. Or tell your friend to watch out on distance.
But yours being an older Yongnuo model I would tell him to borrow/rent either the 568s or some OEMs.

 

[table1349]

Anyone with advice using optical triggers would be welcome.
Thanks.

Don't. Use wireless triggers. More dependable, more flexible, and easier to use in the long run.

 

[ClickAddict]

Anyone with advice using optical triggers would be welcome.
Thanks.

Don't. Use wireless triggers. More dependable, more flexible, and easier to use in the long run.

Ha Ha. Yes. I use them with wireless triggers and love them. They work great. I was just trying to help out a fellow photographer for a one time shoot. (He usually shoots natural Light so doesn't have much in terms of Off camera light setup. Nor does he want to know what the best solution to purchase is at the moment, because he does know that our solution is quick temporary option. Another photographer might be lending him an SB6?? (cant recall the message) for the weekend, so it might not matter anyway. Thanks for the input though guys.

 

[dasmith232]

I agree that it's a lot easier (because it's more reliable) to use actual triggers or a native, built-in RF system. But in the spirit of answering the question about how much power is needed...

Like a lot of photography topics and questions: it depends. Specifically, it depends on how much ambient light there is. I've been able to trigger (optically) from over 100 ft away outdoors but it required full power (and not in bright light). Indoors, it's easy to get somewhat consistent results with as little as 1/128th power (and white ceilings). But once you have RF triggers, you probably won't look back.

 

[Derrel]

I've used mostly "good" optical slaves, like those made by Wein, off and on over the years. Cheaper slaves did not work as well for me, so I tended to stick with Wein; I am assuming that modern MIC slaves like those used in Yongnuo units, are at least decent, so in terms of how much power: I found that it was usually 1/64 to 1/16 power would trigger most Wein slaves, in most configurations. If there was an issue, I would sometimes make an aluminun foil (tinfoil) snoot or "flash director" that would funnel the light beam of the triggering flash on-camera more directly toward the slave unit(s) physical location.

For instance, if the main flash on camera is aimed downward at a shooting table, and the main light is mostly behind the camera and off to one side, and the main is INSIDE of an umbrella box lighting modifier, whjere the flash tends to be literally inside the modifier and the slave is kind of obscured, it usually would be helpful to channel the on-camera flash right at the front diffuser panel of the modifier, so the light would hit the foil, bounce, and be directed where the slave could "see" it easily; this allowed the use of low fractional power, like say 1/64 or 1/32, and not 1/8 or 1/4 power.

As far as how much ambient light there is: in the past, high-grade slaves sometimes had a High- and a LOW- setting, with High being for use in bright lighting conditions, so that not much flash was needed, and the slaves were tuned for bright lighting conditions. I am not sure how this is being done today, in the microprocessor-controlled world we live in nowadays.

Keep in mind, if using an on-camera speedlight that shoe mounts (Canon 580-class, Nikon SB-600-910 class,etc), it can be possible to zoom the flash head to 85 or 105mm, to get a very narrow-bream, concentrated flash pop, which need be aimed at only ONE of the satellite flash units, and even at low power, like say 1/128 or 1/64 power, if that one speedlight flash can "hit" one of the powerful satellite flash units, that's all it will take to trigger the remainder of the slaved satellite flashes!

So, those are the basic tricks: tinfoil snoots to direct the flash to one satellite (very useful on on-camera pop-up flash units or non-swivelling little flash units), or using a swivelling, shoe-mount flash unit aimed right at a convenient satellite flash, and maybe adjusting the beam spread to concentrate a low-output flash so it "hits" the sateliite flash unit's slave well.