Wireless and/or Off-Shoe Cord

[Tigerkn]

Please share advance and disadvance between flash wireless shutter release vs off-shoe cord.

If you have the wireless, do you still need the off-shoe cord?
Do you own both? Which one do you use most?
Thanks.

[Peacefield]

I'm not sure I'm understanding your question. If I get it, the answer is, it's either/or. If you use wireless, you don't need an off-camera chord. I use a very long ETTL chord (I think from FlashZebra, but don't remember any more) when I'm working with only one off camera flash. I use my 580's ability to speak to each other when I want ETTL and the circumstances are right for infared. And I use CyberSyncs radio transmitters and forgo ETTL when neither of those approaches are right.

[Erik_L]

I bought an off shoe cord, but it's not a canon brand name. It has worked flawlessly with my 420 EX, but with the 430 EX II, it suddenly stopped working. I get a tiny peep out of the AF assist when taking pics, but nothing else works. Won't let me access menus either. initially, when first plugged in, it adjusts the zoom head to match the lens, then stops responding. I think Canon built in some sort of "anti 3rd party cable" software into the 430 EX II to keep me from using a cheepie, but the 420 still works fine time and time again.

[Tigerkn]

If you have the wireless system, do you still find the off-shoe cord useful / handy? Do they both serve best in separate situation? I am asking b/c a local seller has the canon brand cord going for only $20.00

[Peacefield]

For $20, get it just to have, but as expressed in my earlier statement, if you're already working wirelessly, you don't NEED the chord. I'll assume your triggers do not support ETTL. For $20, now you'll have the option to go wireless for convenience/distance and you'll have the chord when you want to take advantage ove ETTL.

[TeamSpeed]

Hey Tigerkn, I know you had issues with the Strato unit you purchased from me this past spring, however I just listed a flash transmitter and 2 receivers that I believe will fill your needs this time around. Please take a look at my listing and see what you think. You have first hand experience with my after-sale service! ;)

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=788271&highlight=tetra

[StanNJ1]

Yes definately buy the cord for that price. You can use it if you ever plan on taking your flash off camera including using it on a flash bracket. I have a couple of them and I have Pocket Wizard radio triggers. Oddly enough I still use the cord even when using the Pocket Wizard Mini/Flex system since the Flex works better away from the 580EXII as opposed to mounted directly to one another. Hope I didn't confuse you.

[Theus]

The only thing I ever use the cord itself for is shooting on a flash bracket.

For everything else I either use infrared (with either an ST-E2 or a 580ii as the master--I wish all cameras had built in E-TTL master like the 7D does), or I use RF (Pocketwizard TT5's).

[Theus]

Ah, yes, and as Stan mentioned, I too sometimes use the cord with the TT5 RF transmitters to get them further away from the 580ii so that they don't interfere with each other. (It gives them better range.)

[Tigerkn]

Thanks everyone for your awesome help!!! I will run to pick it up.

StanNJ1, you didn't confuse me at all.

TeamSpeed, your after sale service is unbeatable. Thanks again for the great service.
I am going to slow down on picking up new toy as I do not have much time to learn about using them. Good luck with the sale.

Good day everyone.

[yogestee]

If you have the wireless system, do you still find the off-shoe cord useful / handy? Do they both serve best in separate situation? I am asking b/c a local seller has the canon brand cord going for only $20.00

Yes.. I use the Yongnou RF-602 system with my 430EX Speedlites.. Because of the positioning of the on/off switch on the RF-602 receivers and the design of the 430EX it's difficult (almost impossible)to get to the receiver's on/off switch with the flash attached..

What I've done is mounted my flash to one end of a OC cord and the receiver to the other end.. Problem solved..

[JCH77Yanks]

I sometimes use my modified (extended) cord if I'm using only one light, or if I want to position the master off camera for more flexibility while using multiple wireless flashes.

[Big G]

If you have the wireless system, do you still find the off-shoe cord useful / handy? Do they both serve best in separate situation? I am asking b/c a local seller has the canon brand cord going for only $20.00

A word of caution I'm still a relative rookie when it comes to lighting, but, I have both.

And yes I still find it useful. I will sometimes use one 580 connected to the camera via the cord, triggering my second 580 wirelessly. This way I retain E-TTL.

As I am new to OCF, it takes me time to setup my flashes manually. When I have time I will do it manually, I use my Yongnuo RF602 triggers. This way I have more flexibility where I position both flashes and not just one.

[Erik_L]

not sure if anyone cares, but someone PMd me about how to use older, generic hot shoes to work with 580/430 flashes. just scrape off the paint on the inside of the slide where the flash mounts. the new flashes use the foot itself as "the 6th pin" and not the two rounded contacts above the plastic foot.