2nd Flash off camera

With my build in flash on my 40D I tried to trigger a second flash (580 EX) off the camera wireless. Set my 580 EX on "slave" but it wouldn't fire. What did I do wrong? or what am I suppose to do in order to make it works? Thanks

The 40D does not have a built in transmitter.

DP is right, you forgot to read your owners manual and see that your camera does not have that feature.

You could get an optical slave and plug that into the 580. Youd have to set the on camera to be used as fill or try to overpower it by stopping down and raising the power on the off camera flash. Youre probably a lot better off just buying some cheap triggers though.

They would need an optical slave that ignores the eTTL preflash. If there is such a thing. The 40D popup is always in eTTL mode.
Just get some inexpensive wireless triggers like the Yongnuo RF-602 or 603's or Cactus V5 units and make your life simple.

dedsen wrote in post #13440773
They would need an optical slave that ignores the eTTL preflash. If there is such a thing. The 40D popup is always in eTTL mode.
Just get some inexpensive wireless triggers like the Yongnuo RF-602 or 603's or Cactus V5 units and make your life simple.

This is the right answer. Either that or buy an ST-E2.

gonzogolf wrote in post #13440807
This is the right answer. Either that or buy an ST-E2.

I prefer radio triggers to the ST-E2, but I will admit, there have been times that having the focus assist beam on it would have been amazingly helpful.

dedsen wrote in post #13440773
They would need an optical slave that ignores the eTTL preflash. If there is such a thing. The 40D popup is always in eTTL mode.
Just get some inexpensive wireless triggers like the Yongnuo RF-602 or 603's or Cactus V5 units and make your life simple.

I have one that ignores the preflash. Also, this is a different solution, but Yongnuo's flashes have slaves built in that will ignore the preflash. I agree though, the cheap triggers is the best way.

Virto wrote in post #13440829
I prefer radio triggers to the ST-E2, but I will admit, there have been times that having the focus assist beam on it would have been amazingly helpful.

I use both, and each is useful in given situations. But if I dont need HSS, I'm usually using the radio triggers.

eaglesnest wrote in post #13440503
With my build in flash on my 40D I tried to trigger a second flash (580 EX) off the camera wireless. Set my 580 EX on "slave" but it wouldn't fire. What did I do wrong? or what am I suppose to do in order to make it works? Thanks

If you want to do remote triggering with E-TTL metering etc. your choices are:

1) Canon 7D or 60D (with built in RF master capability supporting E-TTL communication to your E-TTL capable slave flashes-pretty much any Canon EX flash except the 220EX, 270EX ...not sure about the 270EXII)

2) Buying another Canon flash to use on your 40D hotshoe to act as a master (ie: 550EX, 580EX, 580EXII) and support 3 groups as an option.

3) Buy a Canon STE-2 Master controller to mount on your 40D hotshoe (but it will only control 2 groups not 3 as the option in #2 will and it's effective distance is shorter than any of the 3 Canon master flash units)

4) Buy into the Radio Popper PX system for essentially trouble free RF control with full E-TTL capability (Not cheap but in my case ...first hand extensive experience has been x-cellent in very challenging situations)

If you go this route and end up with a 60D; PM me and I will tell you about a mount that is made for a popup flash diffuser system that will securely hold the Radio popper PX system transmitter and allow you to use it to control the slave flashes WITHOUT any modifications what so ever. Very sweet.

5) Buy into the Pocket Wizard Flex system for essentially full E-TTL capability. YMMV. My experience with these has been awfull over several units, several kludges with numerous brand new out of the box units and Canon flashes. That caused me to sell all the Flex units and move to the Radio Poppers. But again YMMV. Some folks have seen some success.

6) If you don't care about E-TTL at all ...there are so many (too many to list here) manual triggering systems on flea bay, Amazon, Craigs list, here on the forums, electronics focused swap meets, retail stores that you could make a hobby of shopping.

Slight correction for number 1: It's an IR master, not RF built into the 7D and 60D. Otherwise, those are all good choices.

Of course, the cheapest option would be to go get an OCF cord from someone like FlashZebra and use it as a corded, remote camera. That would only run about $30-60, depending on length, and still let you get the flash off the camera and mounted elsewhere.

Snydremark wrote in post #13441369
Slight correction for number 1: It's an IR master, not RF built into the 7D and 60D. Otherwise, those are all good choices.

Of course, the cheapest option would be to go get an OCF cord from someone like FlashZebra and use it as a corded, remote camera. That would only run about $30-60, depending on length, and still let you get the flash off the camera and mounted elsewhere.

Thanks for the catch/correction, you're right the 7D/60D rigs are IR. Not RF. Broken connection between the brain and the fat fingers. On of the two is faster than the other when typing.

And yup the OCF cord is the cheapest way.
I have used the long cords (not coiled) from Flash Zebra and they work great the the long working distance between units is sweet.

-rang

Actually, at least on the 7D, the wireless flash is not IR or RF, it uses the preflash to communicate instructions.
.
See page 121 of instruction manual for 7D.

My understanding was that it is IR data contained within the flash pulse that sent the control info.

Snydremark wrote in post #13463087
My understanding was that it is IR data contained within the flash pulse that sent the control info.

nope, its visible light pulse.