the 580 ex (getting creative)

[mirosh]

quick question... I am looking at getting a conon flash...the 580 or one if its brothers and I can't seem to find this answer so maybe someone out there can anser it for me. I have a 30d, I plan on getting creative with the flash and want to do set ups like put the flash on its own stand behind my model. Now I know the flash will trigger other lights in a studio setting but to do what I describedabout having the flash on a stand off the camera, do I need to get a slave for the camera and the flash or just the camera. I know that some flash's have that built in technology where you just buy the slave for your hotshoe on the camera and then the flash recives the transmistion on its own. Is this the case or do I need to buy slaves for both my hotshoe and the flash???
-Andrew

[TheObiJuan]

You have a few approaches.
You could use the 580EX to trigger a slave, say a 430EX, off camera.
You could put the 580EX and 430EX off camera and on stands with pocket wizards or ebay triggers.
When it comes to ebay triggers you could get optical or radio.
If you're going to stick to a studio then you could get a long hotshoe to flash cable to extend the 580EX and avoid getting a wireless receiver.

[tim]

Answered in the EOS flash bible linked from the forum FAQ

http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/

To use the 580EX off camera you need another 580 or an ST-E2 (or 550EX) to trigger it. Simple optical slave doesn't work.

[midlife_crisis]

Cheers Tim, I've literrally just ordered an EX580 II and headed over to the forum for advice and tips on how to use it.

This place is fantastic.

Cheers

[mirosh]

thanks, i read throught the link you gave me and it still does not answer my question of does the 580 ex recieve transmitions on its own or do i need to attatcha slave to it.

[simonSE15]

thanks, i read throught the link you gave me and it still does not answer my question of does the 580 ex recieve transmitions on its own or do i need to attatcha slave to it.

If you use the ST-E2 you do not need anything else, as it sends an optical signal to your 580 EX which triggers it. It has to be in range though. The ebay triggers are radio and come with transmitter which attaches to the hotshoe on your camera, and a trigger which you attach to your flash.

[Titus213]

The 580EX II does not receive transmissions on its own. You need a 'Master' of some sort at the camera to trip the flash. That 'Master' can be another 580EX, a 550EX, or an ST-E2 (assuming you want to maintain ETTL function with the flash). If ETTL is not a concern then you can use a PC cable (I believe the new 580EX II has a PC connection of some sort), or a radio transmitter/receiver combination, the transmitter being at the camera, the receiver being attached to the flash.

[Reefbone]

If ETTL is not a concern then you can use a PC cable (I believe the new 580EX II has a PC connection of some sort), or ....

I thought ETTL could be maintained when using a cable. Is this not true ?

[Titus213]

I thought ETTL could be maintained when using a cable. Is this not true ?

If you are using the Canon off-shoe cable 2 or 3 (or another version of that cable) you can maintain ETTL. Those cables are generally only 24 inches long. If you use a PC cable to the camera you can not use ETTL.

There are threads on the forums showing how to extend the Canon type cables with a 6-wire cable and some soldering but it does involve cutting your cable and they are spendy - $50 - $75.

[mirosh]

thanks for the input. So it sounds like the first step is to get a 580ex. It seems to come highly recomended. Any first hand reviews and there set up with their flash....i am curios what kind of set ups you guys or girls are using.