PocketWizard, 430EX, Please help me clarify

[olz]

I have the pocketwizards arriving soon in the mail, and just found out that the 430EX does not have a place to plug in the sync cable. As i understand that means you have to use one of these:

http://www.paramountcords.com/proddetail.asp?prod=pw-mhsf1

Right? Problem is that I can't fint any in Denmark. :confused:

[A01]

Just another question... Is there somewhere to plug the sync cable into a 580EX :?

[FlashZebra]

Just another question... Is there somewhere to plug the sync cable into a 580EX :?
None of Canon's current lineup of speedlights have a sync connection to plug any sort of sync cable.

A hotshoe is it.

Michael Bass, on this forum as "jmb4370", is modifying Canon flash units and adding a micro plug sync port. You can find the modification on Ebay. He also provides a cord to go from the new sync port to the pocket wizard so no clunky hotshoe adapter is needed. The modification with the cord is $60.00.

If you are handy you might be able to add your own sync port to a 580EX. See these links.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/strobist/discuss/72157594332102266/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26527331@N00/271906783/

Enjoy! Lon

[olz]

The mod looks nice, but it says nothing about a 430EX. Tomorrow I'll head for the shops and look for somthing like the paramount cords with that silly hotshoe.

[FlashZebra]

The mod looks nice, but it says nothing about a 430EX. Tomorrow I'll head for the shops and look for somthing like the paramount cords with that silly hotshoe.
I think that Michael Bass will modify the 430EX.

You might also look at a generic hotshoe adapter that has a PC connection on it. I have one that works as a PC connection. The one I have has a short cord coming out of it that you could most likely adapt a mini plug to. It might even plug right into the cord PC cord that comes with the Pocket Wizard, but I am unsure if there might be PC gender connection issues with this combo.

This would likely be a lot less expensive than the Paramount adapter at $45.00.

Enjoy! Lon

[FlashZebra]

The mod looks nice, but it says nothing about a 430EX. Tomorrow I'll head for the shops and look for somthing like the paramount cords with that silly hotshoe.
It is very unlikely you will find such an adapter in almost any camera shop, except possibly B&H or Adorama. I also suspect that only Paramount makes an adapter like that.

Enjoy! Lon

[olz]

It is very unlikely you will find such an adapter in almost any camera shop, except possibly B&H or Adorama. I also suspect that only Paramount makes an adapter like that.

Enjoy! Lon

But what's inside such cable. I already made a extended Canon Off Shoe Cable. Anyone know if it's possible to mod this cable to function like that paramount cable. No way I'm going to to pay 45 USD plus shipping to Denmark for a short cord like that. I'll even have to pay an extra tax to import it.

[FlyACL]

Just a hot shoe adaptor like this one ~

http://www.alienbees.com/show_description2.php?item_id=8&pid=hsa.gif

[FlashZebra]

Just a hot shoe adaptor like this one ~

http://www.alienbees.com/show_description2.php?item_id=8&pid=hsa.gif
Are you positive that this exact adapter provides the needed function? It looks like this particular adapter provides a PC connection when mounted to a camera hotshoe (but I see no center contact on the top shoe). Possibly I am missing something here, but there would need to be an active center contact on the top of the adapter to provide the function the OP needs.

The OP needs an adapter that you can fit to a flash hotshoe (not a camera hotshoe), and provides a PC (or other) sync outlet that would connect the flash and the PC outlet, not the camera an a PC outlet (as with a studio flash like the AB units).

I have one a lot like this (first link below) and I have used it to fire a Canon 550EX when I was testing some optical slaves (I am not sure if it is exactly like the one I have, and I did not use the unit I have with a pocket wizard). It is likely the cord could be adapted for pocket wizard connection. It would only need a very common male mini plug in place of the "male" PC connection.

Male mini plugs are reasonably easy to find, inexpensive, and only require two easy solder connections.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=89982&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

This adapter (see link below) is also likely to work and it is very likely that the cord that comes with the pocket wizard will plug directly into one of the PC chassis connections on this unit. I like all the plastic on the hotshoe bottom on this particular adapter. This makes it less likely to short out the extra 4 contacts on the bottom of the Canon flash.

See:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Flash-PC-Sync-Terminal-Connector-Hotshoe-Adapter_W0QQitemZ120046771268QQihZ002QQcategoryZ64 354QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The second adapter looks like a slightly better approach.

Enjoy! Lon

[jmb4370]

Hi OLZ,

I have been doing the mod on the whole line of Canon units for some time... alternate link here:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=233084

The 580 is the easiest to do, but I use a sub-mini jack for consistency between all the units, and supply a cable (coiled or straight) with each mod. A mini jack can fit in the 580, but you run into the problem that the plug then hits the locking collar (Flickr post). The sub-mini jack I use is much smaller, and doesn't cause interference.

The other units (550, 430, 420, OffCameraCord2, ST-E2) all are much more cramped inside, and is the reason for the use of the sub-mini jack, as the mini jack will not fit.

Taking a standard hot shoe(F) to PC(M) adapter, the easiest thing is to cut the PC end off and solder on a mini plug which you can get at most any electronics parts store. I make these for $40, or you can just get a PC(F) to mini plug adapter from a photo supplier, and attach this adapter to the hot shoe(F) to PC(M) adapter. The biggest advantage of the flash mod is that you have one less adapter to keep track of. You can also fire off a PW when the flash is in the hot shoe without using the camera PC connection.

If you have already been able to mod the OffCameraShoeCord2 with an extension, then you know that 2 of the conductors are for the trigger circuit. Just patch in a mini plug to those 2 conductors, and you are all done, or take the extension end apart and splice in a pigtail with a mini plug end. I mod that cord to have a mini-DIN plug set to be able to use a standard computer mouse extension cable, or use Cat5e cable for a straight extension. I have also added either an auxillary sync jack (as in the flash mods), or a pigtail into the extension part with a hot shoe(F) or a pigtail with a mini plug.

Michael Bass

[olz]

Thanks alot for all of your help - this forum is worth a million. I made a DIY solution using my off shoe cable. Have a look here: --> LINK --< (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=2235890#post2235890)