Will SX110 fire optical slave flash?

[flaneur]

I have an SX110IS, and I'm thinking about getting the "Strobist Starving Student SO1 Lighting Kit (http://www.mpex.com/page.htm?PG=STROBIST1XKITS)". The kit includes a Fotodiox optical slave for an off-camera flash (moveable on an umbrella light stand), which supposedly can be triggered by Point & Shoots that don't fire a pre-flash. I've even read that the on-camera flash can be blocked by a piece of developed film, and the infrared will still get through to trigger.

Has anyone tried this with the SX110? Did it work?

I know the solution is to get a DSLR, then I will have many hotshoe options, but I'm researching a low-jack fix in the meantime.

I think this would be a good DIY project, but I'd like to know if it works before investing money in it.

[Jon]

In Tv and Av mode you can set the flash to "Manual" and dial power back to 1/3. If you leave the flash in auto, it will pre-flash. As for IR triggering, can't help you. That may depend on the sensor of the slave. You'd better double-check what kind of film (color or B&W) they meant, too. They don't work the same as light blockers.

[flaneur]

Thanks for the tips, I received a reply from Fotodiox today that the camera is compatible with the optical slave. I will try the methods you suggest when the kit arrives.

[flaneur]

Just when I had it figured out, the kit has been changed (http://strobist.blogspot.com/2009/03/manual-flashes-two-debuts-and-adoption.html) to new hardware. Wonder if it is good or bad that I haven't ordered one yet.