Remote Flash gear

MavisCruet · Jun 23, 2015

Hello!

Late last year I bought a Nissin Di600 flash for my Canon 400D. It seems to do a decent job and I've got an off body cable. But I've a spare tripod and wanted to do some portrait work so thought I might use the flash via remote.

However I'm confused by the vast array of info.

I'll probably have to use an IR system because budgets are a big issue for me.

My flash blurb says that it has wireless slave functions. Does that mean that I only need a trigger and not a receiver because there's one inbuilt?

As I'll be doing portraits and probably mostly with a 50 mm 1.8 I'd very much like to avoid using the pop up flash as the trigger.

Can anyone give me pointers on what I should be looking for please?

FotosbyMike · Jun 23, 2015

Ok so there are two types of radio triggers, dumb triggers (no ttl support) and a smart trigger (supports ttl). If cost is a big factor I would say go with a set of dumb triggers like the Yongnuo RF-603, or Cowboy Studio NPT04 and there is a Cactus version a lot of people swear by.

You will need a both a transmitter and a receiver, think of it like walkie-talkies, they have to be on the same channel and frequency so they can communicate. The wireless slave function in the flash should be based on optics when it sees another flash it fires the Nissin fires.

This is just a start there is a lot equipment options, terms, and opinions out there about off camera flash or OCF.

astroNikon · Jun 23, 2015

I've evolved through "wireless" and all the features, though I have a Nikon.

I started with the using the built in flash to initiate remote flashes. Good for if you are doing product photos but not people as their eyes react to the flash and close their eyes.

I then went to InfraRed (Nikon makes a SU-800 IR controller). Which was pretty good actually except when I added a Yongnuo flash which seemed to prefer to always be within 8 feet to work.

Then I went to Yongnuo Radio wireless triggers.
I wish I jumped to the chase and just got the Radio Triggers from the beginning. It saves so much time and hassle and 3rd party triggers are not that expensive overall.
I'm sure other brand radio triggers are good, I bought the Yongnuos that support TTL (though I don't use TTL, but I have it just in case).

tirediron · Jun 23, 2015

As mentioned above, radio triggers are generally considered the best option, but of course they're the most expensive too, 'though there are lots for as little as $30/set. I suspect that your speedlight has a built in optical slave, meaning that you will need your on-camera flash as a trigger, which, as astro mentioned, isn't ideal for portrait work. If the radio triggers aren't an option, you can improve the optical trigger methodology by either flagging the on-camera flash (blocking it with a card) in such a way as to prevent it from effecting the model, but still being 'seen' by the remote light. You can also diffuse your on-camera flash, but this may cause issues with the slave sensor due to light loss.

MavisCruet · Jun 23, 2015

Thank you all very much. That's been a great help. Armed with that I can go out and see what's available.

TTL is a big plus for me, I'm very unused to using Flash so if I have to do it all manually I'll probably make a mess of it.

Thanks again for taking the time.

gckless · Jun 23, 2015

I bought my first speedlight about two months ago, a SB-700. Did ok, but I found the optical triggering frustrating at times, simply because of its design. Wouldn't fire all the time when it was farther than about 10 feet, but this depends on a lot. And good luck getting it to fire regularly if you can't see it. Anyway, I went on a shoot with a friend who has RF triggers, and it was great. Could throw those things out like Ghostbusters and not worry about how far they were or if they would work. I'm starting a Yongnuo collection right now because of that. Still going to keep my SB-700 for those times when I want on-camera and/or TTL though.

MavisCruet · Jun 23, 2015

Does that mean you can't cross the streams though? :allteeth:

gckless · Jun 23, 2015

MavisCruet said:
Does that mean you can't cross the streams though?

You can NEVER cross the streams. :aiwebs_016:

FotosbyMike · Jun 24, 2015

TTL is nice for two reason:
1. Run and gun and don't have time to really adjust settings(changing light, angles..etc.)
2. The biggest reason I have a set of TTL triggers and flashes, I have the option to change all my flash settings via the camera menu system while shooting manual and not having to touch my flash that could be any where. Unfortunately the D400 doesn't have these flash option, so if you would like to change flash settings you would need the YN-622C kit Amazon.com YONGNUO YN622C-KIT Wireless E-TTL Flash Trigger Kit with LED Screen for Canon including 1X YN622C-TX Controller and 1X YN622 C Transceiver Camera Photo

The YN-622C-TX (Transmitter) allows you to adjust settings of the flashes, turn on and off groups, adjust the flash zoom...etc. and the YN-622C is the receiver.

astroNikon · Jun 24, 2015

gckless said:
I bought my first speedlight about two months ago, a SB-700. Did ok, but I found the optical triggering frustrating at times, simply because of its design. Wouldn't fire all the time when it was farther than about 10 feet, but this depends on a lot. And good luck getting it to fire regularly if you can't see it. Anyway, I went on a shoot with a friend who has RF triggers, and it was great. Could throw those things out like Ghostbusters and not worry about how far they were or if they would work. I'm starting a Yongnuo collection right now because of that. Still going to keep my SB-700 for those times when I want on-camera and/or TTL though.

Yes, Radio Triggers are amazing.

I was using some "artistic" lighting in which I had 2 flashes in a different room pointed into the room I was in as a soft box method with Infrared signals. I used mirrors to reflect the IR signal to the flash. I had a Nikon SB-700 and the Yongnuo flash set up. The Nikon would work, the Yongnuo flash wouldn't. That is when I started really experimenting with the Yongnuo and IR and learned that it only worked withing 8 feet.

That situation with Radio Triggers is just plain easy. Put the flash on the trigger where you want it .. in another room, around a few corners, etc and it shoots when you want it to.
Now everything works where ever I put it.

gckless · Jun 24, 2015

FotosbyMike said:
TTL is nice for two reason:
1. Run and gun and don't have time to really adjust settings(changing light, angles..etc.)
2. The biggest reason I have a set of TTL triggers and flashes, I have the option to change all my flash settings via the camera menu system while shooting manual and not having to touch my flash that could be any where. Unfortunately the D400 doesn't have these flash option, so if you would like to change flash settings you would need the YN-622C kit Amazon.com YONGNUO YN622C-KIT Wireless E-TTL Flash Trigger Kit with LED Screen for Canon including 1X YN622C-TX Controller and 1X YN622 C Transceiver Camera Photo

The YN-622C-TX (Transmitter) allows you to adjust settings of the flashes, turn on and off groups, adjust the flash zoom...etc. and the YN-622C is the receiver.

For your number 2, the YN-560-TX is much like the 622C-TX, where you can change everything from the TX, except it's manual. I'm sure you know, just saying that it's even easier than diving into the menu system of the camera. I guess on some TX's it might be the same, but still not a selling point.

But yeah TTL is definitely great when you don't have time to analyze a situation. There are definitely some missed opportunities (at least by my unskilled hands) when you don't have time to adjust in manual.

astroNikon said:
gckless said:

I bought my first speedlight about two months ago, a SB-700. Did ok, but I found the optical triggering frustrating at times, simply because of its design. Wouldn't fire all the time when it was farther than about 10 feet, but this depends on a lot. And good luck getting it to fire regularly if you can't see it. Anyway, I went on a shoot with a friend who has RF triggers, and it was great. Could throw those things out like Ghostbusters and not worry about how far they were or if they would work. I'm starting a Yongnuo collection right now because of that. Still going to keep my SB-700 for those times when I want on-camera and/or TTL though.

Click to expand...

Yes, Radio Triggers are amazing.

I was using some "artistic" lighting in which I had 2 flashes in a different room pointed into the room I was in as a soft box method with Infrared signals. I used mirrors to reflect the IR signal to the flash. I had a Nikon SB-700 and the Yongnuo flash set up. The Nikon would work, the Yongnuo flash wouldn't. That is when I started really experimenting with the Yongnuo and IR and learned that it only worked withing 8 feet.

That situation with Radio Triggers is just plain easy. Put the flash on the trigger where you want it .. in another room, around a few corners, etc and it shoots when you want it to.
Now everything works where ever I put it.

Yeah, it's awesome. Optical triggering can be useful when on a budget, but I can't think of any situation when an RF system wouldn't be preferred if cost wasn't an issue. But shoot, now you can get RF systems for only a couple bucks more.

Nikon newbie · Aug 11, 2015

astroNikon said:
I've evolved through "wireless" and all the features, though I have a Nikon.

I started with the using the built in flash to initiate remote flashes. Good for if you are doing product photos but not people as their eyes react to the flash and close their eyes.

I then went to InfraRed (Nikon makes a SU-800 IR controller). Which was pretty good actually except when I added a Yongnuo flash which seemed to prefer to always be within 8 feet to work.

Then I went to Yongnuo Radio wireless triggers.
I wish I jumped to the chase and just got the Radio Triggers from the beginning. It saves so much time and hassle and 3rd party triggers are not that expensive overall.
I'm sure other brand radio triggers are good, I bought the Yongnuos that support TTL (though I don't use TTL, but I have it just in case).

I just bought a speedlight 700 and I have a D3100 at this time any idea what trio ger would work for me for off camera use?

pijak · Aug 16, 2015

Newbie - I have had good success with the Altura wireless available off Amazon. It's a RF unit that works with my D3200, but.. will not support TTL

astroNikon · Aug 17, 2015

Nikon newbie said:
astroNikon said:

I've evolved through "wireless" and all the features, though I have a Nikon.

I started with the using the built in flash to initiate remote flashes. Good for if you are doing product photos but not people as their eyes react to the flash and close their eyes.

I then went to InfraRed (Nikon makes a SU-800 IR controller). Which was pretty good actually except when I added a Yongnuo flash which seemed to prefer to always be within 8 feet to work.

Then I went to Yongnuo Radio wireless triggers.
I wish I jumped to the chase and just got the Radio Triggers from the beginning. It saves so much time and hassle and 3rd party triggers are not that expensive overall.
I'm sure other brand radio triggers are good, I bought the Yongnuos that support TTL (though I don't use TTL, but I have it just in case).

Click to expand...

I just bought a speedlight 700 and I have a D3100 at this time any idea what trio ger would work for me for off camera use?