Popular Topic: AB800 triggering 580EX?

[robnlauren]

So I've tried to sift through all the dicussions on triggering 580EXs and am having a hard time figuring out if any of the information applies to my situation.

I have an Alien Bee 800 that I would be triggering wired off of my 10D. I'd like to use my 580EX as a fill light. I thought that one of the cheapo eBay optical triggers (http://cgi.ebay.com/Optical-Slave-Flash-Trigger-with-Sync-Socket-NEW_W0QQitemZ180000042662QQcategoryZ30086QQssPageN ameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) would work but now I'm not sure if it will, as it seems as though EXs have trouble with optical triggers. But as far as I have read, they don't work because of the pre-flash from ETTL from the onboard flash. The AB800 doesn't fire a pre-flash, so that's why I can't figure out if it will work...

The setup will be used for a large group portrait, thus wanting to have two lights.

Is this a pipe dream or can it actually be done (on a budget, that is...can't quite afford the ST-E2) ???

Incredilby appreciative of all assistance,

Lauren

[PacAce]

If all you want to use the 580EX for is fill light and not background light or hair light, why not just keep it mounted on the camera and set it to Manual mode. Adjust the power as appropriate for the fill and then trigger the AB800 optically with the 580EX so that you won't have to wire the AB800 to the camera?

[robnlauren]

Yeah that is definitely a possibility. I wanted to split the two lights up and stay away from on-camera just to try to get better lighting on the faces...when I stop to think about it though, I need to realise that this isn't an up-close headshot, but rather a distanced group shot where people won't really critque if you have the proper shadow ratios on their faces :D

I still wonder if my original setup is a possibility, in case in the future I do want to use the 580 as a background light (trying to get hot-white with one strobe is tricky without having to result to the magic of Photoshop).

Its good to know that I have a backup plan in case this optical trigger doesn't work though (it's still in the mail so I can't test it yet)

Thanks for the help, Leo. Sometimes we can try to think too complicated, when there is really an easy solution right in front of us!

[mbze430]

I use the ST-E2 in manual mode, and the 580eX in manual mode to trigger my ABs.

[Titus213]

If all you want to use the 580EX for is fill light and not background light or hair light, why not just keep it mounted on the camera and set it to Manual mode. Adjust the power as appropriate for the fill and then trigger the AB800 optically with the 580EX so that you won't have to wire the AB800 to the camera?

This is exactly what I was doing for about 5 hours last night at a teen banquet. Couple of minor differences, it was a 550EX on the camera, a B400 for main, and a 555 Sunpak for a background light. The 550EX was in manual at 1/2 - 1/4 power bouncing off the wall to my left (white wall) and triggering the B400 and the Sunpak. I liked the results so far and it was quite easy to dial in.

What would you be willing to bet that your optical trigger doesn't work on the 580EX?:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[elhalman]

I used AB800 to triger the 580EX in this photo

[SkipD]

I used AB800 to triger the 580EX in this photoWould it work several times successively without touching the 580EX? That's what folk seem to have problems with.

[elhalman]

Would it work several times successively without touching the 580EX? That's what folk seem to have problems with.

Yes!
But make sure that you turn off the modeling lamb of the Aleinbees as I found it to somehow confuse the optical trigger and delay firing the 580ex (looks to to me that the optical trigger considers the modeling lamb light as a preflash)

[robnlauren]

Thanks for the ray of hope, elhalman! Though you have the fancy, pricey number from B&H, and I have the el cheapo from eBay....I suppose it will be a toss-up as to whether mine will work. Good point with the modelling light though!

Thanks for the help everyone, I'll have to report back with some definitive answers when the trigger gets here.

[akiwi]

It works BUT:
You have to try different triggering mechanisms.
I want to do the same thing using my 580 EX so went to my local camera store & tried 3 different triggers.
2 from Hama. One didn't work at all, the other fired only once. After each shot you had to turn the flash off then on.
The third one from Metz worked perfectly!
Of course it codt a bit more (I think it was around 50 Euro but might have been less).