Remote Flash Question

[frydryce]

I tried a search and to no avail found my answer. I'm in the market for my first dSLR and Canon seems to be my fit, however I was playing pool with a buddy of mine who just bought a Nikon d70 and found that it can remote fire a flash w/o needing a master to trigger the flash itself.

I was wondering if i purchased a 550ex or 580ex would i be able to remote fire that unit just using a 350d or 20d? or would i need to purchase some master to go on the shoe in order for this to happen?

I'm pretty set on staying with canon however i just thought that having the master built into the d70 was pretty neat.

TIA

[robertwgross]

With Canon, in order to wirelessly trigger a remote slave flash, you must use a wireless master on the hot shoe of the camera. That means 580EX, 550EX, or STE2.

---Bob Gross---

[frydryce]

so i either need to buy 2 flashes or have to replace the unit on the shoe everytime i want to have an off-shoe flash?

[Johnny Thunder]

so i either need to buy 2 flashes or have to replace the unit on the shoe everytime i want to have an off-shoe flash?

Basically, Yes. Or you can use a PC Sync Cable, But Canon Cameras dont have a wireless Flash transmitter in the body.

-Johnny

[JayKitty]

Nikon just needed something to say that they have that Canon doesn't. Just another lame idea to sell Nikon :) :) :)

[adauria]

I thought I once saw a wireless transmitted that you plug into the hotshoe for Canon. Can anyone back me up on that?

[chris maddock]

Yes, the STE2.

[robertwgross]

so i either need to buy 2 flashes or have to replace the unit on the shoe everytime i want to have an off-shoe flash?

No.

To do the whole Canon wireless flash system, you must have one Master wireless unit, and you must have one or more Slave wireless units. This does not mean two flash units.

---Bob Gross---

[tim]

Nikon just needed something to say that they have that Canon doesn't. Just another lame idea to sell Nikon :) :) :)

It's not a lame idea, it's a great idea that Canon should do too. The ST-E2 costs $200 and Nikon does it out of the box for free - that's a good thing.

[merrrrjig]

The D70 can trigger a remote flash?? Thats sweet, I wish canons did that!

[robertwgross]

The advantage of using the STE2 master is that it acts as a wireless master, but it also emits a red autofocus assist beam. That doesn't help much unless you are in dim light, but that is generally where we use flash units anyway.

---Bob Gross---