580ex firing 430ex question...

[e r y k]

heyya POTN,

I was wondering if it was possible to fire the 430ex if it wasnt directly facing the 580ex?

I would like to start shooting people / models, and I saw jacobthephotographers shoot when he just used a 580ex and 430ex.

Although I haven't had the funds to acquire a 580ex, I would like to eventually achieve a similar setup as he had. 580ex on the off camera shoe cord, and a 430ex on a light stand.

Ideally id like to have the 430ex on light stand, and to add an umbrella to possibly diffuse the light even more.

My question is, if the 430ex's reciever is pointing away from the 580ex's transmitter (ie flash is pointing towards the umbrella), will the flash still fire? Or will I run into problems?

In addition to that, if the 580ex is on ettl, will my 430ex fire accordingly, or will it have to be manually set?

Also, is there any way to achieve a similar setup without shelling out $300+ for a 580ex? I've looked into the sigma dg500 line of flashes, but I might as well buy the 580ex and have a peace of mind. Could I maybe have my 430ex on the offshoe cord, and have it wirelessly trigger something like a vivitar 285?

Thanks for any help! :)

Eric

[PhotosByEric]

You can rotate the 430 head so it is firing into the umbrella and have the IR receiver/front of flash still face the 580.

Eric

[ChucklesKY]

I had a set-up like this just a few days ago. I had my (newly acquired) 580EXII on camera as a master firing an old 420EX off camera as a slave. The 420 EX was on a lightstand with an umbrella. I wasn't shooting into an umbrella but shooting through a white satin umbrella. I used the 420 as the key light and the 580 as the fill light in a ratio of 1:4 (580:420). I used e-TTL metering. And yes, the info is relayed to the slave so that it fires appropriately. You could do it all manually if you wanted but you don't have to. I imagine if you had the slave flash on the lightstand shooting into an umbrella with the head turned backwards there would be no problems whatsoever. Because in my setup the IR sensor on the flash was obscured by the satin umbrella and it still fired flawlessly. Hope this answers your questions.

[e r y k]

Lol wow, im sorry for even asking what I did above... I guess I wasnt thinking much! Haha, thanks for the replies guys :)

So i guess the best route for me is the save up for the 580?

[PhotosByEric]

I just ordered the vivitar 285Hv to use as a slave to my 580. I also got a pc cord to hook the 285 up to my 30d and I'm going to use the 580 in the hotshoe. Might not be the best setup but it will help me learn until I have the cash to shell out for a more expensive setup.

Eric

[lowcrust]

No your best route is to get a 60 to 80-dollar (or less used) Sunpak or Vivitar and a set of transmitters/recievers with PC connectors.

Cactus V2s example on eBay;
http://cgi.ebay.com/Wireless-Flash-Trigger-V2s-for-Vivitar-285HV-DF-400MZ_W0QQitemZ170171125105QQihZ007QQcategoryZ6435 4QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

Sunpak 283 example on eBay;
http://cgi.ebay.com/Sunpak-383-Super-Auto-Shoe-Mount-Flash-PC-Cord-newJAPAN_W0QQitemZ300176229457QQihZ020QQcategoryZ4 8549QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Vivitar 285 HV example on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vivitar-Zoom-Thyristor-285-HV-Power-Electronic-Flash_W0QQitemZ190177968278QQihZ009QQcategoryZ1034 17QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

As you see it could all be yours for under 100 bucks shipping included.

[FlashZebra]

I just ordered the vivitar 285Hv to use as a slave to my 580. I also got a pc cord to hook the 285 up to my 30d and I'm going to use the 580 in the hotshoe. Might not be the best setup but it will help me learn until I have the cash to shell out for a more expensive setup.

Eric
Now you mention the 580EX.

A good way to go would have been a cord to the 580EX and an inexpensive optical slave for the 285HV (optical slaves do not work well on a 580EX, do work well on the 580EX II).

Enjoy! Lon

[PhotosByEric]

Now you mention the 580EX.

A good way to go would have been a cord to the 580EX and an inexpensive optical slave for the 285HV (optical slaves do not work well on a 580EX, do work well on the 580EX II).

Enjoy! Lon

I didn't think you could put a cord to the 580 without modding it to accept the pc connection? I'm not good with that kind of stuff so doing it myself is out of the question.

OR did you mean the OCSC-3?

I thought about the optical slave for the 285HV but the cord was cheaper and it will only be used in the living room and possibly the garage so the cord should suffice...I think.

Eric

[FlashZebra]

I didn't think you could put a cord to the 580 without modding it to accept the pc connection? I'm not good with that kind of stuff so doing it myself is out of the question.

OR did you mean the OCSC-3?

I thought about the optical slave for the 285HV but the cord was cheaper and it will only be used in the living room and possibly the garage so the cord should suffice...I think.

Eric
You can get a simple hotshoe adapter for the 580EX and run a cord to that.

Then put the optical slave on the 285HV (since you cannot put the optical slave on the 580EX).

This would give you two flash units, both off camera.

This setup work dandy inside in reasonably sized room (not gymnasiums).

Enjoy! Lon

[e r y k]

i think i will ultimately save for the 580ex...

i see that there is a 580ex 2 model out, which is weather sealed, but other than that and an added PC sync port, theres no other specification differences right?

what i dont get is, people are selling their old used 580ex's on the forum for ~310 when u can get a brand new exII for 350?