30D + Vivitar 285HV + 580ex + GI Cactus V2s

[heckcare.der]

I am new to wireless flash. So pardon me if the following questions sound noob.

For the start, my current gear is 30D and canon 580ex mark1.

I am thinking of getting Vivitar 285HV and GI Cactus V2s from ebay. Probably an additional receiver.

My concern is whether i can work 2 flash together (580ex and vivitar 285HV). Which means to say i will need to get 1 trigger and 2 receiver. Can canon flash and vivitar flash work together? Or only canon-canon, vivitar-vivitar?

How well does the new V2 work with canon 580ex and vivatar 285 HV respectively?

[Blackey Cole]

I am fond of the 285's myself. I know that some are having trouble with the Catus triggers and the Canon 580's so you may want to check on this to be sure. As fare as the 285's no problem with the ebay triggers although you will need a vivitar to cp cord to connect it or mod the flash with a mini socket to receive the mini plug unless you get the hot shoe models which seem to be the ones everyone has problem with I use th e16 channel ones withotu problem for about a year now. I just ordered another complete set with trigger and receiver and two more receivers to cover my normal needs up til now I been using the one receiver and two of the Wien Peanut slaves that will plug right in to the vivitar port and work perfectly and you do not have them dangling around. But I just received two 16x16 eBay Softboxes where the peanuts will not wirk unless I use a cable to drop them below the softbox. Plus at the last event I noticed that my optical slaves were firing whe ever someone take a smnapshot and I wanted to eliminate that incase I have a need to light somethign while others are flashing aroudn and know that the flash will be ready to fire when needed and not recharging because someone else set them off.

I do not have any experience with the 580 but plan to get one in th efuture after I get me a 40D

[Village_Idiot]

You can use any type of flash that will trigger off of the units. So you could essentially have a five flash setup with a Vivitar, Canon, Nikon, Sunpak, and Sigma flash.

The units just trigger the device. They're blind to any additional functions and to the brand of the flash unit/camera.

[heckcare.der]

although you will need a vivitar to cp cord to connect it or mod the flash with a mini socket to receive the mini plug unless you get the hot shoe models which seem to be the ones everyone has problem with I

cp cord? you mean pc cord?
cant i just put 285 on top of the cactus receiver and work it?

sorry. kinda confused.

[heckcare.der]

also, if i dont want to modify my flash by drilling a hole and adding a sync port, can i replace the technic by adding hot shoe-pc adapter instead?

[PuR HART]

yes