What hot-shoe/PC adapters will i need?

[yup talon]

I want to hook up my 430EX to the top of my camera, while also powering another flash via PC cord (would rather not use optical slave triggering) First, am i right in assuming this is the product i am looking for? Also, what else will i need to get everything hooked up using this sort of setup.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=89976&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Reading the description on b and h, it looks like the top of this adapter ISNT a hot shoe, just a mount. (like i woudl still need to buy another PC male to Canon hot-shoe adapter to connect the hama adapter to the 430EX on top)

On the other hand, would it make things any simpler (or less expensive) if i didnt try mounting the 430EX on top of the camera? Like, to buy a hot-shoe to dual PC out adapter, one output to power the 430EX (which i woudl probably need a PC to canon hotshoe adapter for) and the other output headed to the other flash (im probably going to buy a sunpak 383)


any help would be much apprecaited. thanks!

[b1gdaddy]

http://canon.t4cameras.co.uk/index.asp?pname=/moreinfo.asp?id=104

This is the solution my friend used for this purpose but it's not cheap :(

[FlashZebra]

http://canon.t4cameras.co.uk/index.asp?pname=/moreinfo.asp?id=104

This is the solution my friend used for this purpose but it's not cheap :(
The cited adapter is for older EOS cameras, and does not work properly with the current Canon DSLR cameras.

Enjoy! Lon

[FlashZebra]

I think this is what you need. I cannot see the bottom of the adapter, but I think it has a "hot" male hotshoe there.

You will only have manual flash capability. I do not think there is any adapter that will allow that second flash to fire, yet retain ETTL function. Since you will need to use the Sunpak 383 in manual mode anyway, the loss of ETTL was in the cards already.

You can run a cord from this adapter to your second flash.

This adapter also seems to have the "dual output" capability you want.

Please note that I have no experience with this ebay merchant, you are on your own there (buyer beware).

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-D80-D70-D50-D40-flash-adapter-hotshoe-to-PC-sync_W0QQitemZ110100196787QQcategoryZ107933QQssPag eNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I know you specifically indicated a desire to avoid optical slaves, but in many photographic circumstances just using the Canon flash in manual mode, and connecting an inexpensive PC based optical slave to the 383 (using the cord that came with the 383) would be very accommodating, inexpensive, and reliable.

Enjoy! Lon

[yup talon]

Much thanks for the quick responses!!!

Lon - The link you provided looks to fit Nikon cameras. Do you think B & H will have something similar that fits Canon's? (I've never cared much for using eBay anyhow) Also, out of curiosity, is the top of that adapter "hot"? thatd be perfect if it was!

See, ive already got the 2ft "off camera hot-shoe" cable so it would be nice to be able to just use that to get my 430EX a little away from the camera (without losing TTL metering) then tap the sunkpak 383 in via this adapter between the 430ex and off camera hot-shoe cable. - Then again sometimes it would be nice to be able to just use this adapter atop the camera and get both flashes away from the camera (albeit losing the ttl metering on the 430ex)


i hope im making at least a little sense.

[FlashZebra]

Much thanks for the quick responses!!!

Lon - The link you provided looks to fit Nikon cameras. Do you think B & H will have something similar that fits Canon's? (I've never cared much for using eBay anyhow) Also, out of curiosity, is the top of that adapter "hot"? thatd be perfect if it was!

See, ive already got the 2ft "off camera hot-shoe" cable so it would be nice to be able to just use that to get my 430EX a little away from the camera (without losing TTL metering) then tap the sunkpak 383 in via this adapter between the 430ex and off camera hot-shoe cable. - Then again sometimes it would be nice to be able to just use this adapter atop the camera and get both flashes away from the camera (albeit losing the ttl metering on the 430ex)


i hope im making at least a little sense.
It is very likely the adapter I cited above will also work with a Canon (it is just the basic center hotshoe conductor and the side hotshoe conductor). The top is "hot", otherwise I would not have recommended it as that was part of your requirements.

You will not find an off the shelf adapter that will retain ETTL and provide a sync outlet for your other manual flash.

You could buy Canon's two foot coiled ETTL off shoe cord, bust it open, and add your own manual sync adapter, but this is about all that is on the menu (if you must have ETTL for an XTi that does not have a built in PC port).

It is unlikely you will be very happy with trying to control the flash with both ETTL and a manual flash together. I suggest just going full manual.

Good luck, I think I have provided all the help I can.

Enjoy! Lon

[b1gdaddy]

The cited adapter is for older EOS cameras, and does not work properly with the current Canon DSLR cameras.

Enjoy! Lon

So he must have a Special 350D that allows this adapter to work ?? I must try it on my own to see if my 350D is Special too.

[jmb4370]

To yup talon et al:

To keep one flash in the hot shoe in eTTL mode and fire the other flash via the sync cord, you can add the auxiliary sync jack directly to the 430 flash unit, or do the modification to the Canon Off Camera Cord.

I have been adding sync jacks to the whole line of Canon flash units amd Off Camera Cords for some time now, and while it is not for everyone, those who don't want to do it themselves, do need somewhere to go and have it done for a reasonable amount.

I have even been putting both dedicated and non-dedicated hot shoes atop the camera end of the Off Camera Cords...WORKS GREAT!

Michael
www.MichaelBassDesigns.com

[SkipD]

See, ive already got the 2ft "off camera hot-shoe" cable so it would be nice to be able to just use that to get my 430EX a little away from the camera (without losing TTL metering) then tap the sunkpak 383 in via this adapter between the 430ex and off camera hot-shoe cable. - Then again sometimes it would be nice to be able to just use this adapter atop the camera and get both flashes away from the camera (albeit losing the ttl metering on the 430ex)Your dream is an impossible one. You cannot have automatic exposure control with a Speedlite and add external uncontrolled flash sources into the mix. Here's why:

When using a Speedlite in automatic mode, the camera tells the Speedlite to emit a pre-flash. The purpose of this is to test for the required exposure settings. Then, the camera decides the required amount of light from the Speedlite to properly expose the shot. Then the main flash pulse is emitted from the Speedlite as the shutter is opened. (Note that the details of this may be flawed, but the concept is accurate)

If you set up an additional uncontrolled flash to trigger on the main flash pulse, it will go off in addition to the Speedlite. However, the camera/Speedlite did not "know" about the extra light that would be created. The result is usually overexposure of the shot.

The only way that you could get the shot properly exposed is to have the extra flash located in such a way that it is only lighting the distant background that might be dark if the extra flash didn't exist. In other words, you would NOT be using the extra uncontrolled flash unit to illuminate the main subject - that would be lit only by the Speedlite.

The only way to effective mix Speedlites with non-controlled flash units is to operate the camera and Speedlite(s) in manual mode. Then you set the camera's exposure controls to get the shot properly exposed.

[yup talon]

oooook thanks guys that clears a lot of things up for me! basically, scratch off mixing ttl and manual metering altogether.

that aside, will the adapter i first provided a link for work? is the top of that "hot" ?

(somewhere along the line i mustve got the notion that different camera brands had different size shoes that werent interchangable, and that if it didnt have the 5-6 contacts i see on the top of my XTi's shoe, it wont work.)