wireless flash

jkopp · May 8, 2008

after reading up on strobist ... i'd like to start using my 430ex off the camera.

strobist seems to speak for nikon equipment.

can someone briefly explain to me what i need to get my canon 430ex to work off the camera?

i use a 350d rebel.

jkopp · May 8, 2008

btw i just need a basic setup .. i need my 430ex to fire/flash when i take a picture(doing interior homes). i dont need auto metering or anything like that.

Big Mike · May 8, 2008

There are several different ways you could do it.

Firstly, you could get a 550EX / 580EX or Canon STE2. Either of these could act as a master and your 430EX could be the slave. This would be a wireless IR connection. With this setup, you could use and control the remote flash, just as if it was attached to the camera. You keep E-TTL metering and HSS.

Another way to do it, would be to use a cord.
You could use a Canon Off-shoe cord (II or III). This would also work as if the flash was on the camera...but the cord is only 2 feet long.
You could use a PC cord with a much greater length. To do this, you would need a hot-shoe to PC connector for the camera, a PC cord, and a PC to hot-shoe connector for the flash. This setup would only give you manual flash control...but it's cheap.

The preferred 'Strobist' way to go, is to use radio triggers. To do this, you would need a radio transmitter and a receiver. There are several to choose from, Pocket Wizards being the preferred choice (expensive though). Unfortunately, the cheap (E-bay / Cactus) radio triggers do not play well with the 430EX. You could also look at the Elinchrom Skyports.
To use the radio triggers, you may also need hot-shoe to PC connectors etc.
This setup would be wireless and would give you manual flash control only.

Big Mike · May 8, 2008

I have a Canon 430EX and the cheap Cactus triggers. Like I said, they don't play well together. So what I do, is to use the radio trigger with a cheap old flash that I have. I actually have several old, junky flashes that would work. If you don't have any (or can't find any) you might consider picking up a Sunpak 383.

jkopp · May 8, 2008

If I go the manual pc cord route ...
can i use my camera flash with my off camera pc cord connected 430ex?

jkopp · May 8, 2008

and what are your thoughts on a kit like this??

http://cgi.ebay.com/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360049776700#ebayphotohosting

Big Mike · May 8, 2008

If I go the manual pc cord route ...
can i use my camera flash with my off camera pc cord connected 430ex?

The problem with that, is that the on-camera flash is always E-TTL and the PC corded flash is always manual...it might work but I'm not sure.

and what are your thoughts on a kit like this??

I wouldn't recommend it. Your 430EX is much more powerful that those. They are listed with a Guide Number of 26 (doesn't say feet or meters). The 430EX has a GN of 141' (43M).

Dradd · May 8, 2008

jkopp said:
If I go the manual pc cord route ...
can i use my camera flash with my off camera pc cord connected 430ex?

The Rebel's and 430EX's dont come with a PC port as far as I know, so you'd need a couple hotshoe to pc adapter if you go the corded route.

On the Gadget Infinity site they state the latest Cactus triggers (V2S Model) play nice with the 430EX... not that I'd know for sure though... I have Nikon Flashes for my Canon camera. but I've only had 1 or 2 misfires from a few hundred flashes.

have a look see...
http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/product.php?productid=16766&cat=0&page