eBay remotes

[Guineh]

Received my first pair. They appear to work. Test button, and camera shutter sends the signal (I see the receiver light up...), but my sigma flash doesn't work :(

Upon further meddling, It appears the sigma flash won't work unless its on a dedicated camera.

SO! I'm anxiously awaiting my sunpak 383 flash :) and stand + umbrella swivel adaptor + umbrella.

Thanks to all who suggested these items. I'm kind of building my (cheap) light kit one piece at a time, so I can experiment as I go. Yeah, I know I could probably do better with real strobes, but without knowing how well I'll handle off-camera lighting, and not knowing fully what the learning curve will be, I want to start small. (plus I'll have a super-portable set-up, this way...)

[psy4fun]

I believe you are right. The Sigma EF-500 DG ST probably won't work with ebay transmitters/receivers although the Sigma DG500 Super work, as discussed here:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/strobist/discuss/72157594172539497

[FlashZebra]

Question:

Not even a full power manual setting on the Sigma EF-500 DG ST Flash?

What price has automation given us? A flash that does not even function as a flash in the most basic form. Pathetic.

Enjoy! Lon

[Guineh]

Not even. Stupid thing. Just to be sure, I tried jumping the center connector (the one that matches the central sync connector on manual non-dedicated flashes with the ground connector on either side of the flashes shoe connector. No reaction. So, the flash is definitely making sure it can communicate via the ttl pins before firing. I understand this is how a camara syncs a flash, essentially shorts the shoe with the center pin, so it should work, and was proven to work with the transmitter.

Oh well, It'll probably be up for sale in a couple months anyway, as I made a mistake buying the ST version, when what I really wanted was the Super. I figured I'd get some use out of it before I went for what I really wanted. But for now, since I'm playing with off-camera stuff, its more economical just to go for the sunpak.

FWIW, I was surprised at the eBay remotes. Decent build quality for $20. The only think I worry about is whether the battery in the transmitter can be replaced.. (Saw no battery opening, but there was a screw on the bottom, I didn't mess with.)

[JMHPhotography]

Here's the issue. The DG ST is not intended to perform as a slave... PERIOD! And by definition, firing a flash in this manner is slaving. The DG Super, does perform as a slave, and the radio triggers will work with the Super, but ONLY when you put it into manual slave mode, which also turns on the optical sensor.

[FlashZebra]

Not even. Stupid thing. Just to be sure, I tried jumping the center connector (the one that matches the central sync connector on manual non-dedicated flashes with the ground connector on either side of the flashes shoe connector. No reaction. So, the flash is definitely making sure it can communicate via the ttl pins before firing. I understand this is how a camara syncs a flash, essentially shorts the shoe with the center pin, so it should work, and was proven to work with the transmitter.

Oh well, It'll probably be up for sale in a couple months anyway, as I made a mistake buying the ST version, when what I really wanted was the Super. I figured I'd get some use out of it before I went for what I really wanted. But for now, since I'm playing with off-camera stuff, its more economical just to go for the sunpak.

FWIW, I was surprised at the eBay remotes. Decent build quality for $20. The only think I worry about is whether the battery in the transmitter can be replaced.. (Saw no battery opening, but there was a screw on the bottom, I didn't mess with.)
If it is like my inexpensive on camera transmitter it takes a 12V alkaline battery (check yours could be different). The battery is easy to change if you have a small gauge philips screwdriver. My battery is called an "23A", "A23", "L1028", "MN21", or "GP23A".

The battery is availabe at Radio Shack for 3 or 4 bucks. I picked up a bunch on ebay for about $1.50 each (for my camer club buddies).

If you start to use this gear be sure to pick up a replacement. Never trust batteries or flash sync cords. Always have extras.

Enjoy! Lon

[FlashZebra]

And by definition, firing a flash in this manner is slaving.
Well not necessarily.

The concept of putting a flash that has a hotshoe, on a camera that has a hotshoe, and expecting to at least get a full power manual flash is not an obtuse expectation (or specifically a “slave” mode).

Until recently you could almost always count on this. True, depending on what flash you put on what camera you could very easily loose sophisticated camera to flash communication, but you could still typically get some sort of manual flash.

I realize that this particular flash will evidently not do this, and that is the point of my previous post.

Has flash automation come so far that it has marooned us from the most basic aspect of a flash unit? Some bust of light from its most fundamental use mode, a primitive hotshoe connection.

Enjoy! Lon

[Guineh]

Has flash automation come so far that it has marooned us from the most basic aspect of a flash unit? Some bust of light from its most fundamental use mode, a primitive hotshoe connection.

Enjoy! Lon

Well, the manual modes on it make me wonder what the point of offering manual was on this flash? I figure for the most part if its on the shoe of a camera that has a matching dedicated system, you'd want to use ETTL, and any adjustment be made with in-camera FEC. What good is full or 1/16 manual mode on the camera, then? It certainly doesn't seem to be versatile.

Clearly, the manufacturer has decided that the only real use for this flash is in a fully automated manner. No wonder it was half the cost of the Super version...

[Curtis N]

Has flash automation come so far that it has marooned us from the most basic aspect of a flash unit?The vast majority of camera owners aren't photographers. Most people who buy cameras read and believe the brochure which says "This little marvel is so amazing that any idiot can take perfect pictures every time without having to think about it" or something to that effect.

And just as there are cameras with little or no manual control designed for such people, there are flash units designed for them, too.