Yongnuo 622 setup - before I invest more into it

astroNikon · Aug 23, 2014

Okay, here is what I have

Yongnuo 622N x 2
Yongnuo 622-TX (the thing to compete against the SU-800)

The problem I have figuring this out in my head is this. I have these flashes
2 x SB-800s (key, fill)
1 x SB-700 (hair)
1 x Yongnuo 560 EX (BG)
and a Nikon SU-800 which is what I used to trigger everything before. But the 560EX kills me on IR distance - like limited to 8 feet indoors, and I bought this strictly to color my BG !! otherwise I would have bought another SB-700 which can do IR .. well I haven't found the limit yet for my limited usage. Except I want to use a flash in the other room flashing onto the subject like some neat photos I saw in the past. Thus the use of RF vs IR - I did have an elaborate setup of mirrors to bounce the IR to 2 flashes in an adjacent room but only 1 would trigger due to the umbrellas .. irregardless .... it was a PITA setup that I don't want to do again, thus RF.

If I go to all wireless triggers here my dilemma.

I put all the flashes on a 622N ( I would need to buy 2 more)
but with the 622-TX it has no cold/hot shoe on top of it. I was thinking of putting my strictly RF trigger on top of it to trigger everything .. but NOPE, can't do that. And I cannot mix my SU-800 with it to control some stuff with IR and the RF Yongnuo as it TX has no hotshoe.

Thus I have to get RF triggers
But I have nothing to trigger the camera itself for the TX unit (with camera release cable).

Do I buy a 603 (the one with the button) and use it to trigger the TX?

Essentially, I want to *not* be at the camera to trigger the setup, such as doing a selfie, or what I plan on doing is helping people pose and as soon as they are relaxed with me closer to them talking to them I want to trigger the system. (yeah I know, focus on the eyes but this will give them an idea of what it looks like, then I can hand hold the camera and do the shooting).

Any ideas on if the 603 will trigger the TX which does have the cable going into the camera for release triggering.

I've thought of not using the TX and getting 3 more 622Ns of which one would be on the camera with the SU-800 on top, and my remote release connected to the camera with the unit off to the side. I'm just trying to figure out a good setup here that I can remotely trigger.

Thanks .. I hope that made sense.

astroNikon · Aug 23, 2014

I think I solved my own problem thinking this through & writing it in this post.

With the TX (and not using it's trigger cable)
I'll use my Remote RF trigger & cable to trigger the camera, which should trigger the TX and the remote flashes.
Going to test this theory shortly.

Then I'll just need 2 more 622N's. or 3 if I want to do Repeating Flash as the TX doesn't seem to have that feature vs the SU-800.

Braineack · Aug 23, 2014

if youre indoors, use optical slaves.

I just use 1 trigger on all my 4 light setups.

but yes, set one 603 to the same channel and the TX will trigger it, just no TTL only a manual flash traigger.

astroNikon · Aug 23, 2014

Braineack said:
if youre indoors, use optical slaves.

Not if the flash is in a different room than the camera or the BG flash is hidden. RF needed. Or my complex addition of mirrors which I don't want to do again.

It all works
My Vello RF trigger triggers the camera, which the 622N-TX then triggers the 622Ns with Flashes

So I'm all set

You can't use the SU-800 with the 622n-TX as it neither has a hot shoe.
I stopped using optical slave as soon as I got my SU-800 and I don't plan on going back without being forced to. That would be akin to you going back to your d5100 from your d600.

Cheers

Braineack · Aug 23, 2014

why would you use the SU800 with the TX? the TX is the same thing more or less. You can put a 603 under the SU800 if you need to trigger other 603s.

If I don't need TTL for studio shots, I dont see any reason why I need to a YN603 or YN622 on each flash unit. 1 sender, 1 receiver the rest in slave. Just a waste of batteries and more things to worry about.

If I was using a TX and I had only speedlites and I could control the output at the camera, then I'd use a 622 on each flash.

astroNikon · Aug 23, 2014

I am controlling the output at the camera
and I don't use TTL ... remember the 3 piece deal that you forgot about :lol:

I have to test yet if I can use the other flashes without a RF trigger using IR .. just a learning curve

Braineack · Aug 23, 2014

What about using IR channels a and b for the sb800s and the 622s on the two flashes far away?

Otherwise you need 2 more 622s so all 4 can be on the radio triggers controllable through the single tx.

But you're limited to 3 groups anyway so one of the flashes needs to be on manual if you want to control them independently.

astroNikon · Aug 23, 2014

Yes, I use all 3 groups.
I usually have the BG on the hair fill channel and it seems to work the way I want it to at that output.
Plus the BG can be fixed anyways in Manual which I've also done.

I knew I was going to be in the quandry going to RF from IR
have to go full RF

I already ordered 2 more 622Ns
so I'm all set ...

There's just a bit of experimentation that I want to do that I wasn't able to do easily with the SU-800, which involves the flashes not being in line of sight.