Wireless flash tansmitter

wgp1987

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Hey everyone. I've given up on continuos lighting and have decided to start working with flash/strobe. I already have a Nissin di622 which is similar to a canon 430ex but I don't like shooting from atop the camera. I could buy a 580ex or another more powerful flash that can be used as a master but I would still have to use the cameras hot shoe to hold it. I think investing in a wireless transmitter would be ideal. I'm aware of canons option which is expensive. Can anyone recommend something else that won't fry my 5d?? lol
 
Radio triggers can be had for cheap. They can also be had to not-so-cheap too though...

The ones I use cost me like $25, shipped. Yes, they are cheap Chinese crap, but they work and have been working fine for a few years now. If they ever stop working, I'll just throw them away and buy new ones. I think I've already gotten my money's worth out of them, so I won't really feel bad having to replace them. I don't really expect that I will have to any time soon though - it's a pretty simple device with not much to go wrong. You could probably buy everything you need to make your own with a few bucks at Radio Shack.

This is what I have:
Amazon.com: CowboyStudio NPT-04 4 Channel Wireless Hot Shoe Flash Trigger Receiver for Canon EOS, Nikon, Olympus & Pentax Flashes Other products by cowboystudio: Camera & Photo

Lots of people will tell you that Cowboy Studio is crap made in Hong Kong, and it is - but it works. :lol:

I don't think I would buy their lights or light stands, but those radio triggers work good.

Buy one transmitter, and a receiver for each flash you have. The link I posted is for one transmitter and one receiver.
 
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I just bought the Cactus V5 radio triggers. They work on the 2.4Ghz band.
They work like a charm and the build quality is a bit better than the Coboy Studio ones.

Don;t forget you will loose the ETTL, second curtain sync etc. If you want to keep that you will have to go for the high end systems like pocket wizard.
 
Apparently the 7d and 60d have the transmitter built in. That's awesome
 
Some dedicated flashes (e.g. Nissin Di-622 and Di-466, Sunpak PZ42x and PZ30, Sigma EF-530/500 DG ST for Canon, etc.) are triggered via system-specific pins instead of the central contact of the hot shoe. Cactus V5 does not work with these flash models. To check whether your dedicated flash units are compatible with Cactus V5, try attaching them to a camera of other brand (e.g. attaching a Nikon TTL flash to a Canon DSLR camera). If the flash can be triggered, it will work with Cactus V5.

I wonder if my di622 won't work with others
 
I use the YongNuo CTR-301P radio flash triggers (which also work as optical slaves), and have found them absolutely great - my only irritation is that the batteries (CR2) are not quite so readily available.
 
For low cost route, just pick up those PT-04 clone or go with the Cactus V5.
I have the PT-04 clone (from Young Nuo) and that works well. And I am thinking buying the Cactus v5 now.
I pair them with my Vivitar 285hv flashes.

The PT-04 also work with my Canon flash, however, the flash will go to sleep and the trigger cannot wake it up that's why I mainly use the Vivitar flashes.

With the radio trigger, the flashes (connected to the receiver) are trigger by the transmitter (mount on the camera hot shoe). Just set the flash to manual mode and connect it to the receiver.
 
my Canon flash, however, the flash will go to sleep and the trigger cannot wake it up
You should be able to disable the auto power off via custom function. On the 580EX II it's custom function 01.
 
Apparently the 7d and 60d have the transmitter built in. That's awesome
Those are IR, not RF systems.

IR is virtually useless in direct sunlight, and is otherwise limited to line-of-sight and a range of about 30 feet.

Even the el cheapo RF has a range of 100 feet or more, and no line-of-sight or direct sunlight issues.
 
KmH said:
Those are IR, not RF systems.

IR is virtually useless in direct sunlight, and is otherwise limited to line-of-sight and a range of about 30 feet.

Even the el cheapo RF has a range of 100 feet or more, and no line-of-sight or direct sunlight issues.

Thanks for pointing that out
 

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