Have sync port on my flash, do I really need off camera shoe cord?

[yuriyo923]

I modded both my 550 and 580 to have sync ports. Do I really need my Canon off camera shoe cord? Is there anything that the cord can do that I can't with a regular PC cord going from my camera to the flash?

I just don't want to sell it, then regret it later :confused:

Thank for any input!

[krb]

E-TTL?

[Lotto]

The only time I use the Canon Off Shoe Cord is with the flash bracket in ETTL mode, which was some time last year :)

[Curtis N]

The Off Camera Shoe Cord is designed for use with flash brackets and allows the use of E-TTL and other dedicated features like autozoom, high speed sync, second curtain sync, wireless master mode, a flash ready light in your viewfinder, and probably a few other things I can't remember.

[yuriyo923]

So the only down side to me using my regular PC port on my camera and flash is that I'll be in manual mode? Which I guess is not that big of a deal, cuz the flash will be on the frame, and I could change any settings I want in manual, right? So I guees I have a cord that's got to go :)

[Wilt]

'manual mode' means that both your camera shutter and aperture, and also the flash output levels have to EACH be in manual mode! Are you comfortable with that?

[yuriyo923]

'manual mode' means that both your camera shutter and aperture, and also the flash output levels have to EACH be in manual mode! Are you comfortable with that?

I shoot in manual about 85% of the time and the rest in AV. I think I'm comfortable.. Is that what you mean by "all manual"?

[msowsun]

I shoot in manual about 85% of the time and the rest in AV. I think I'm comfortable.. Is that what you mean by "all manual"?

Manual mode means the flash power is set and will not change even if there is too much light or not enough light. You select manual mode and then set the power to 1/8, 1/4, 1/2 or what ever you want.

If the distance to the subject changes, or if you move the camera, there is not much chance of getting consistent exposures. (THAT is why they invented ETTL)

Manual mode is really only good for studio type shots, and even then the pros will use a flash meter to set the right exposure.

[DSMITH131]

Yea what Mike said unless you and the subject are going to be standing in the same spot or you are going to use a meter for every shot you will be increasing you throwaways and lowering the number of keepers

[Wilt]

I shoot in manual about 85% of the time and the rest in AV. I think I'm comfortable.. Is that what you mean by "all manual"?


Mike and Dsmith131 both covered the motive behind my questioning your level of comfort...mainly I wanted to stress fixed flash output (at whatever power level you selected) and the need for a flash meter (or a lot of shoot-and-chimp trial and error) to get the exposure right.

From you original question, it almost seemed that you didn't have an understanding of the functionality provided by the off-shoe cord vs. the PC cord, and the implications of using one vs. the other, and then the follow on question gave me the impression that there might not be a conceptual understanding of [flash in Manual] vs [camera in Manual]

[yuriyo923]

From you original question, it almost seemed that you didn't have an understanding of the functionality provided by the off-shoe cord vs. the PC cord, and the implications of using one vs. the other, and then the follow on question gave me the impression that there might not be a conceptual understanding of [flash in Manual] vs [camera in Manual]

Maybe not, I have not used this cord for a single shot :) (well few practice shots with my flash frame) I just got it from my brother who switched t Nikon, he just found it in his garage. I originaly wanted to uset it just to get my camer off flash a little bit, but since I added sync ports to my both flashes I can use those.

Am I not right when I think that you'd loose ETTL with any radio trigers, including PWII? Idealy what I wanna use my flashes for is for fill in flash and wedding receptions, one flash on a light stand one on camera, or both on light stands...

So with that, I'm loosing ETTL anyway! I don't know if I will use flash frame, I just got one too, tried few times, but not sure yet if I like it!

[Curtis N]

This thread on off-camera flash should help you:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=308108

You are correct that you loose E-TTL with radio triggers.

The 580EX II and many older flash units have built-in sensors for auto flash mode without communication with the camera. Because of this, it was common to use a PC cord to connect a flash on a bracket, back in the old days. Your 580EX and 550EX do not have that capability.

However, you can use your two flash units in E-TTL wireless mode as master & slave. This will allow automated control of the slave. The master will need to either be on the camera's hotshoe or connected with an Off Camera Shoe Cord.

[yuriyo923]

I think,( and I have not tried this yet) but I think I'll have the slave on the light stand in M at 1/2 or even 1/4 power (depending) and I'll have second flash on my cam. I could use Canon's IR master/slave to triger both when I have line of sight or turn off my master and use my radio trigers when there is no line of sight.

I guess I'll have to try it out more..

I'm currently going thru/reading lighting 102 on strobist.com so hopefully when I'm all done, I'll have better understanding on all this :) I've got a long way to go!

[Wilt]

Am I not right when I think that you'd loose ETTL with any radio trigers, including PWII? Idealy what I wanna use my flashes for is for fill in flash and wedding receptions, one flash on a light stand one on camera, or both on light stands...

So with that, I'm loosing ETTL anyway! I don't know if I will use flash frame, I just got one too, tried few times, but not sure yet if I like it!

Right, nothing but Canon IR wireless (and the off-shoe cord) retains ETTL functionality.

'use flash frame'...? ? ?

[yuriyo923]

'use flash frame'...? ? ?


Flash frame / flash bracket! :)

[Wilt]

A good flash bracket is a blessing. A poor one can be a source of vexation. Which one did you buy?

[René Damkot]

'manual mode' means that both your camera shutter and aperture, and also the flash output levels have to EACH be in manual mode! Are you comfortable with that?

While I mostly agree, I must say that I've used a PC cord and connector to be able to use the camera in Av with the flash in M :p

[Wilt]

While I mostly agree, I must say that I've used a PC cord and connector to be able to use the camera in Av with the flash in M :p

Well the primary difference in that, versus the camera in M, is the fact that one is totally at the mercy of the Canon system being designed to capture ambient light, and that could easily result in shutter speeds of unholdable duration! If you like being at the mercy of this, or you keep an eye on what the camera is going to do to you, or you always use a tripod...Have it your way! :p