two off camera flash ?'s

[c-bass]

i have a 380ex flash.

if using a pc/hot shoe cord i can add a off camera flash and do not need a master flash wether i use one or two flashes, correct?

if using optical slaves off camera how direct does the "line of sight" need to be, can i use this with the 380, and will other peoples flashes set this off?

okay make it three. is the 380 and sunpack 383's the complete wrong setup? should i make the 380 slave and get a 550 or 580? probably wont use a tremendous amount off camera.

thanks.

[Curtis N]

if using a pc/hot shoe cord i can add a off camera flash and do not need a master flash wether i use one or two flashes, correct?If your camera has a PC socket, you can have one flash unit on the hotshoe and another connected via PC cord and fire them both at the same time. But your 380EX is E-TTL only, and a flash connected via PC cord would be manual mode only.if using optical slaves off camera how direct does the "line of sight" need to be, can i use this with the 380, and will other peoples flashes set this off?The range of an optical slave varies immensely with conditions. Indoors, line of sight is often not necessary, as the slave can see the master flash as it bounces off walls and such. Outdoors, it's a whole different story. It depends on the ambient light level and other factors. I never depend on optical slaves outdoors. Indoors they can't be beat. Flashes from other cameras will set off optical slaves.is the 380 and sunpack 383's the complete wrong setup?Since the 380EX has no manual mode, it won't fit into multi-flash arrangements very well. As a master, its pre-flash will trigger optical slaves prematurely. As a slave, it doesn't work well with optical slave sensors (most EX series flash units have that problem), and if fired via hotshoe adapter and PC cord, it will fire at full power only. The only practical way to use the 380EX off-camera is with an extended Off-Camera Shoe Cord.

Another Sunpak 383 would be much more useful, or any other flash unit with adjustable manual mode.

[c-bass]

would it make any difference if i uses the sunpack on camera and 380ex off camera?

i would only want the sunpack in manual mode for optical slave, correct? and it would be fine the have the ettl and not matter about manual for the flash on camera? i just really do not understand flash very well when it is off camera.

[Curtis N]

The foot of your 380EX has six electrical contacts to allow the camera to communicate with it. A PC cord has only two conductors to allow the camera to close a circuit.

E-TTL requires all six electrical connections between the flash and the hotshoe. If you use a generic hotshoe adapter and fire it via PC cord, the camera can tell it to fire, but it can't tell the flash how much power to use. The result is it will fire at full power with no way to throttle it back.

It's conceivably possible to use the 380EX on the hotshoe (E-TTL) and fire the Sunpak via PC cord (you could use the Sunpak in manual or auto mode).

[barronchung]

It's conceivably possible to use the 380EX on the hotshoe (E-TTL) and fire the Sunpak via PC cord (you could use the Sunpak in manual or auto mode).

Interesting. Has anyone ever tried using an e-TTL flash in the hotshoe with an auto flash fired from the PC port? Maybe the auto flash pointed at the ceiling to light up the room with the e-TTL flash lighting up the shadows of the subject? Would they mix together like that?? On that note you could also have a flash sitting on a stand pointed at the ceiling and hooked up via wireless to the PC port, and with the e-TTL on the hotshoe?