alternatives for the ST-E2

[aymanmb]

any alteranatives outthere to fire my 430EX off camera other than the expensive Canon one.

thnaks

[sando]

Loads.

I know 'Do a search' isnt a great answer but there's loads right in front of you in the 'small flash and studio lighting' section. :)

[-spam-]

There are the cactus V2s radio triggers (aka. Ebay triggers) that wont set you back a great deal. Besides a PC sync cord and a hotshoe adapter, the rest of your off camera flash trigger options are going to be more expensive than the ST-E2 (Elinchrome skyports, Pocket Wizards).

Also bear in mind that with all but the ST-E2, you lose E-TTL metering so its full manual as far as flash settings go.

[SkipD]

any alteranatives outthere to fire my 430EX off camera other than the expensive Canon one.There are alternatives but currently there are none that will allow ETTL exposure control wirelessly.

Supposedly there is one radio remote (Radio Poppers) that's being developed that will allow ETTL communication between a camera and Speedlites via a radio link.

[sando]

ETTL is over rated! :D If you're going off-camera then why would you want the camera to deside what flash power to use? may as well use 'auto-exposure' too.

[SkipD]

ETTL is over rated! :D If you're going off-camera then why would you want the camera to deside what flash power to use? may as well use 'auto-exposure' too.Matt, the basis of my response above was merely because the OP apparently was wanting something that functions like the ST-E2 (read the thread title).

There are a lot of photographers who totally depend on automation with flash, and that's OK too.

Actually, I only use a Speedlite in a totally portable (connected to the camera on a "bracket") mode and never consider more than the single Speedlite. I use studio style flash units (totally manual) for everything else that needs flash.

[sando]

Matt, the basis of my response above was merely because the OP apparently was wanting something that functions like the ST-E2 (read the thread title).

There are a lot of photographers who totally depend on automation with flash, and that's OK too.

Actually, I only use a Speedlite in a totally portable (connected to the camera on a "bracket") mode and never consider more than the single Speedlite. I use studio style flash units (totally manual) for everything else that needs flash.And I said that ETTL is useless off-camera. What's your point? :)

[yogestee]

And I said that ETTL is useless off-camera. What's your point? :)


I disagree..

[PacAce]

And I said that ETTL is useless off-camera. What's your point? :)

Why would ETTL be useless off-camera. You seem to be making a lot of bold statements which don't seemed to be backed up by facts.

[bobbyz]

Doesn't the Radio Popper thing still require ST-E?

I thought Radio Popper only convert IR signal of something like the ST-E to RF.

[PacAce]

Doesn't the Radio Popper thing still require ST-E?

I thought Radio Popper only convert IR signal of something like the ST-E to RF.

Yes, that is correct. The Radio Popper, from what I've read, doesn't replace anything in the ETTL wireless remote configuration. It just adds RF capability on top of what's already there.

[ofdphoto]

And I said that ETTL is useless off-camera. What's your point? :)

I couldn't disagree more with this statement.

I shot this with wireless E-TTL. Full manual would have taken at least a few minutes longer:

http://www.onefinedayphotography.com.au/images/20080112/080112_0154.jpg

Certainly, wireless E-TTL has its limitations, but there are a lot of times when it gets the job done perfectly.

@ the OP, I would pick up a 580EX personally. The ST-E2 is a rip off considering it only lets you control two flash groups (A and B - the 580EX lets you control A, B and C), doesn't let you set remote flash power manually (the 580EX does this, also in groups), and doesn't flash :D

EDIT: of course that's assuming that you're interested in acquiring multiple flashes, value E-TTL and have the money. The eBay triggers are a good option otherwise, but bear in mind that they often fail to sync at 1/250 ... which limits their usefulness outdoors.

[sando]

Why would ETTL be useless off-camera. You seem to be making a lot of bold statements which don't seemed to be backed up by facts.A lot? You mean One? :rolleyes:

What's the point in using ETTL off-camera? Personally, and of course IMHO, I have never needed to use ETTL off-camera. Much much easier and cheaper to achieve what you want to achieve to spend the 2-3 seconds it takes to take a picture at a certain power then check exposure and adjust.

Why do you use Av, Tv and Manual modes? Because you know what you want to achieve from your photo or because there's no credibility in using Auto? If you use ETTL off-camera than that suggests that you don't know what you want, and therefore may as well just let the flash decide that for you.

@ Linarms: her arm's completely blown-out, which wouldn't have happened with manual power and exposure.

[AB8ND]

Pocket wizard, but needing 2 of them they aren't cheaper. There are supposed to be some from Radio Popper, but these appear to be vapor ware

Jack

[PacAce]

A lot? You mean One? :rolleyes:

What's the point in using ETTL off-camera? Personally, and of course IMHO, I have never needed to use ETTL off-camera. Much much easier and cheaper to achieve what you want to achieve to spend the 2-3 seconds it takes to take a picture at a certain power then check exposure and adjust.

Why do you use Av, Tv and Manual modes? Because you know what you want to achieve from your photo or because there's no credibility in using Auto? If you use ETTL off-camera than that suggests that you don't know what you want, and therefore may as well just let the flash decide that for you.

@ Linarms: her arm's completely blown-out, which wouldn't have happened with manual power and exposure.
A lot? That's just a perception I have of you based on many other threads I've read of yours. But for this thread, I'll stand corrected and agree that it's just one. ;)

Anyway, it's obvious from your post that you don't exactly understand what ETTL is nor do you know how to use it effectively to your advantage. On the one hand, you say that you would rather think for yourself and not let the camera make the decisions for you. But on the other hand, you are doing exactly that by using the camera in Av or Tv mode and letting the camera make the decision for you as far as exposure is concerned. Don't let the fact that you are selecting the aperture or the shutter speed fool you into thinking that you're the one doing the thinking and not the camera.

Now, I'm sure that if you truly are in full control of your camera even when shooting in Av or Tv mode, then you'll provide me with an argument about how you use exposure compensation to override the exposure set by the camera to prove me wrong. If that's the case, I'll wager that I can take that same argument and apply it to ETTL to show you why ETTL is not as useless as you think it is. ;)

[PacAce]

Pocket wizard, but needing 2 of them they aren't cheaper. There are supposed to be some from Radio Popper, but these appear to be vapor ware

Jack

See post #11 above re Radio Popper. :)

[Ephemeral]

Pocket wizard, but needing 2 of them they aren't cheaper. There are supposed to be some from Radio Popper, but these appear to be vapor ware

Jack

Vapourware? Possibly, they aren't quite available yet.

http://www.radiopopper.com/

Radio Poppers are only an IR-RF bridge, so you'd still need an ST-E2 or a 580Ex to trigger other flashes.

[sando]

A lot? That's just a perception I have of you based on many other threads I've read of yours. But for this thread, I'll stand corrected and agree that it's just one. ;)

Anyway, it's obvious from your post that you don't exactly understand what ETTL is nor do you know how to use it effectively to your advantage. On the one hand, you say that you would rather think for yourself and not let the camera make the decisions for you. But on the other hand, you are doing exactly that by using the camera in Av or Tv mode and letting the camera make the decision for you as far as exposure is concerned. Don't let the fact that you are selecting the aperture or the shutter speed fool you into thinking that you're the one doing the thinking and not the camera.

Now, I'm sure that if you truly are in full control of your camera even when shooting in Av or Tv mode, then you'll provide me with an argument about how you use exposure compensation to override the exposure set by the camera to prove me wrong. If that's the case, I'll wager that I can take that same argument and apply it to ETTL to show you why ETTL is not as useless as you think it is. ;)Fair enough, opinions are valid. :)

I do use ETTL, but when I'm on-camera flashing. And I do use Av/Tv modes too. And yes, I use EC and FEC too. :)

I just have never seen the point in off-camera ETTL. That's all! :D

[Rudeofus]

I just have never seen the point in off-camera ETTL. That's all! :D
I can tell you one: have a little kid roaming about your place and try to take off camera images of him/her. There is no time and opportunity for chimping or bracketing, because expressions and moods change instantly (and quite often because they notice the flash).

Of course there may be ways for doing this with manual flashes, but I think E-TTL has created quite a few decent shots for me. If you know how it works and what to look for, you get pretty consistent results. Believe me, I still shoot film ...

[hastur]

Have you seen this?

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=117659

I made one using the LAN cable and some surface mount connectors. It works great with no soldering.

Have Fun

Rob

[ofdphoto]

The arm was blown out by the sun, not my flash (which was on camera right), and the overall exposure was exactly what I wanted it to be ;)

And I agree with PacAce that Av and Tv leave you with very imprecise control of your exposures, unless you're *extremely* diligent with spot metering, EC and exposure lock.

If you're still not convinced about wireless E-TTL, you should check out Mike Fulton's work with off-camera flash. A lot of it is shot with Canon's wireless E-TTL system.

Fair enough if you prefer to work with off-camera flashes in manual mode. Plenty of other photographers do the same. But to say wireless E-TTL is useless is just silly.

[Scott6]

A lot? You mean One? :rolleyes:

What's the point in using ETTL off-camera? Personally, and of course IMHO, I have never needed to use ETTL off-camera. Much much easier and cheaper to achieve what you want to achieve to spend the 2-3 seconds it takes to take a picture at a certain power then check exposure and adjust.

Why do you use Av, Tv and Manual modes? Because you know what you want to achieve from your photo or because there's no credibility in using Auto? If you use ETTL off-camera than that suggests that you don't know what you want, and therefore may as well just let the flash decide that for you.

@ Linarms: her arm's completely blown-out, which wouldn't have happened with manual power and exposure.

I don't know, I use ETTL off camera because I know what its going to give me, and it will make last second adjustments for me that I might not be able to do in manual in time. Also, IMO, ETTL with the use of FEC is just as powerful as manual. Once you get used to how ettl works your good. Just liek if you get used to adjusting it manually all the time. Whatever you are used to. But ETTL is very power, very useful..

Also the arm is clearly blow out form the sun, and even in manual flash that would have happened. Only a adjustment on the camera would have fixed that.

[Scott6]

Have you seen this?

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=117659

I made one using the LAN cable and some surface mount connectors. It works great with no soldering.

Have Fun

Rob

Thats cool, but cables are sooooo 2007

[JMHPhotography]

And I said that ETTL is useless off-camera. What's your point? :)

It's trickier to get consistent results, but it's not useless. There are lots of photographers who LOVE ETTL off camera and make gorgeous images with it.

[Spazzmodicus]

It's trickier to get consistent results, but it's not useless. There are lots of photographers who LOVE ETTL off camera and make gorgeous images with it.

I have fun with it myself.....I use it with a couple of Canon flashes and the #2 cord when illustrating stuff in my eBay sales. (just for the practice)

I think the Radio Popper will drive sales of the ST-E2. I wouldn't have an ST-E2 due to cost vs. usage and "line of sight" limitations, but with the Radio Popper Jr's transmitters and recievers going for $25 each......Hmmmm?

[ofdphoto]

Jr doesn't do E-TTL, from memory. ;)

[bobbyz]

Jr doesn't do E-TTL, from memory. ;)

Yep, Jr is for strobes.