An Idiot Asking For Lighting Help

[Red]

No, it's not even as complicated as you think, so sit back and laugh at my expense! :lol:

I got a Bowens 2 head kit yesterday, had about an hour to play with it last night, work out a few things with lots of help from the piece of paper they laughingly call an "Instruction Book".
Got the heads up on the stands, with brollies and softbox, etc. Got them working and test firing. All going well until I go to connect it to my DRebel :o

OK, I have a sync lead which I can see goes in the back of one head, and the other end goes in..............?

I'm going to venture as far as to guess I need a connector that goes from the hot shoe to the sync port on one head, and the other end of the sync cable connects to that cable somewhere. I could be wrong though.

If I'm right, what do I need? I can't find any info on what I need out on the net


Embarressed of Hiding

[sdommin]

Unfortunately, your 300D doesn't have a PC sync terminal, so you need an adapter that fits on your hot shoe (like you guessed). They're not too hard to find - it's just a small block of plastic with a terminal in it.

[chris.bailey]

You need a wein softsync as well as the Bowens sync voltage is 24v and the rebels limit is 6v. In the meantime you can fire them off the built in flash through Bowens slave cells.

Enjoy the Bowens, they are very good.

[iwatkins]

Hi Red,

300D has no PC sync socket ? Didn't know that.

Anyway, yes, you want a hotshoe to PC sync adaptor, something like this one (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=15221&item=3876645691&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW&tc=photo). Actually, I'm sure I've seen similar in Jessops. but check you strobes trigger voltages first, they need to be 6V or less.

Or you could be flash and go wireless and get one of these kits (http://www.studioflash.co.uk/TXRX02.htm) for £50. I was going to get a Pocket Wizard (kerching) set up for my studio but thought I would try one of these kits first. It actually works a treat and the transmitter is a lot less ungainly than the Pocket Wizard transmitter.

P.S. about the "other" thing. Yes, the guys downstairs have no problem with it at all. Just let me know when. :)

Cheers

Ian

[mbze430]

[QUOTE=chris.bailey]. In the meantime you can fire them off the built in flash through Bowens slave cells.
QUOTE]

Actually unless you know how to stop the Drebel from the pre-flash using the built-in flash, than it would sync correctly. Otherwise the ETTL Pre-flash will trigger the strobe prematuraly.

[Red]

If I'm getting a hot shoe adapter, I am I right in thinking that means I'll also need another sync lead to fire of both heads? And need to get an adapter that will take 2 conntectors?

Thanks for the help guys and gals


Thanks Ian. I'll let you know *nudge, nugde, wink, wink*

[Jon]

No need to wire them both in. You can use a slave adapter to fire the second head.

[Red]

I take it a slave adapter joins the two heads and you plug the sync lead into that, rather then the head itself? :confused:

The website I bought the kit from was so helpful with "other stuff to consider", but didn't mention any of this

[Jon]

No the slave will connect to the sync cord of the second head and be triggered by the light burst from the first head, which is connected to the camera via its sync cord and the hot-shoe to PC adapter.

[Red]

So it's wireless? May go for a whole wireless setup if one bit is

[Jon]

There are two types of wireless. Simple photo-electric slave adapters will fire your "slave" flash when they see the flash of the master go off. You still need to get a signal to the master. There are (more expensive) radio-frequency slaves, which require a transmitter for the camera and receivers on each slave.

[Red]

I think I'm getting closer, but just want to be sure before I buy.

I have this Lighting kit (http://www.warehouseexpress.co.uk/photo/studio_lighting/bowens.html#Esprit2heads)(Bowens Esprit 500/250) and I think I can connect it to my DRebel with this Jessops adapter (http://www.jessops.com/search/viewproduct.cfm?PRODUCT=JESHSA&BRAND=&CONTINUE=false&FEATS=&FIRSTPRICE=&KEYWORD=&LEVEL=&MODELNUMBER=&NEWQUERY=True&NODE=0&NODE_PATH=0&ORD=ASC&ORDERBY=&QUANTITY=10&RECENT=0&REFINE=&SEARCH_FOR=hot%20shoe&SEARCHNODE=0&SEARCHURL=dointellisearch.cfm&SECONDPRICE=&SHOWCASEID=&STARTROW=1&SUBS=&WORD_SEARCH=Y&)and a 3-way PC adapter and extra sync lead. Is that right?

I've also seen this (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=706&item=3866024123&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW), and really like that it has 2 ports. Does anyone know if this is 6V safe for the Rebel?

This is starting to add up, and I'm wondering if it's worth getting a wireless system. The one Ian posted goes for £75 for a 2-head setup. Is there any better deals out there?

[iwatkins]

Hi Red,

If you are wired to your strobe via PC Sync setup, you need to find out the trigger voltage that the head "shows" to the camera. I would expect the modern Bowens kit is 6v or less, but check anyway.

If you provide a PC sync socket via the Jessops widget, you would then plug one end of a PC sync cable into the socket on your hotshoe/Jessops widget and connect the other to the socket on your first monoblock. You would then set up your second monoblock to trigger via its built in optical slave (which I assume it has). i.e. no need for a cable between the camera to the second light (or third, fourth etc.).

This is also true for the radio setup as I listed, i.e. the transmitter sits on your hotshoe (and this allows you to not worry about trigger voltages). The receiver plugs into monoblock number 1.

Monoblock number 2 (3, 4 etc.) are all set to optical slave trigger. When you press the shutter release, the camera signals the hotshoe, the hotshoe signals the radio transmitter. The transmitter transmits to the receiver via radio. The receiver then triggers the monoblock number 1. The light flashes from monoblock number 1 and this light is received by the optical triggers on monoblock number 2 (3, 4 etc.) and those monoblocks also flash. So you only need one transmitter and reciever (~£50).

Hope that makes it clearer for you.

Cheers

Ian

[Red]

That is a lot clearer. Thanks. Now I need to make sure it has an optical slave. I'm guessing it does, as this would explain why there's only one cable with a 2 head kit!

The destructions that came with the lighting kit were absolutely useless. Told you what the clearly labelled dials did. Told you not to submerge, burn, throw or embowel the equipment and that was about it.

[chris.bailey]

Those Bowens units (same as mine) have built in optical slaves so you only need to wire to one, the others will trigger off that one

Sync voltage on the Bowens is 24v so you are risking it connecting direct without a Wein Safe Sync, that Jessops widget does not do that. Try

http://www.berridgemail.co.uk/products.php?productId=1912

I agree on the Bowens technical manual. Their website has a bit more info.

[chris.bailey]

ps. If you have any more questions on the Bowens units, feel free to ask. I have just about got the hang of mine now, I think.

[Red]

Ouch! £45! Ians wireless kit was only £50! Think I might go with that.

Had a play last night and got the hang of the optical slave. Found it is possible to use it wireless and trigger from the pop-up flash if you let it recharge after the test flash, but not very practical.

For anyone who's been watching this to see what the solution is, it was this.
Connect the PC lead from camera to one head. Turn that head on, and the switch on the back with the eye symbol off. Turn on the other head and turn the eye symbol switch on. The red transparent plastic bit above the dials is the optical receiver. When it senses a flash it will fire that unit, so you may need to switch the lead to the other unit if it's not picking up the other flash.
If like me you have a Digital Rebel and don't have a PC Sync connection on the camera you need the expensive hot shoe connector Chris gave a link to. Alternatively, further up Ian gave a link to a wirelss system that costs £5 more.

Thanks for all your help everyone.

[Merle]

Good advice chris bailey,
You may saved Red from frying his Rebel. Canon should put that warning in there owners manual.
Luckily I was warned about this when I bought the Rebel as a back-up camera for my wedding photography. In the church I use my studio stobes.

Good Shooting to Ya !!
Merle