430EXII versus 580EX II

weegee wrote in post #14384841
quick question. for 430 ex II or 580 ex II, simply by putting it into manual mode off camera will make it act like an optical slave, correct?

No. They will only respond to a Canon or Canon compatible master. They won't respond to another strobe fired in their vicinity.

weegee wrote in post #14384916
So if I'm using a 580 exII or strobe/monolight, I set up the 430 in slave and put in manual since there's no ETTL communication, and it'll fire on the light from the other flashes?

I have a 5d2. Do you need a certain camer to trigger like this?

I have the green sonia infared triggers, but I wasn't sure if I was redundantly using them if I can just set up the flash to go off on other flash.

Yes, with the 580exII; no, to the strobe/monolight part. The 5D2 lacks a built in flash and cannot set off slave flashes like the cameras made after the 7D. In your case you need to set the 580exII to Master and the 430exII to Slave on the same channel. The 580exII will then send a signal coded in a series of fast flashes to the Slave. This is what I meant by light based. You're still thinking in terms of your optical slave, which will trigger the flash when it sees any flash of light.

ah ha. So if I'm trying to fire off 580 ex 2, 430 ex 2, and 2 genesis 200, I've got quite a task.

There's multiple settings for the genesis 200 optical slave mode. SOmeone before mentioned they got it to work with the ETTL. So I'm going to try 580/430 master slave relationship and hopefully get the setting right on genesis.

If not, I think I'll pc synch wire the 2 genesis (I have a splitter). Or I wonder if I use the sonia triggers if that'll work.

Tiberius47 wrote in post #14384627
Check out the link in my signature. I;ve got a wireless flash tutorial that will tell you how to set it up. Well worth having a play with!

Fantastic! Many thanks for your learning, experience, and work to put together these tutorials.

My 430 EX II showed up today and I'm loving it. Indoor photography looks so much better bouncing a flash. I don't do any portraiture right now, but if I get into it I'll definitely be getting a 580 EX II as a master. I can see how people get addicted to these so easily.

Interesting how opinions go. I hate the 580EX II and find the 430 EX II the better flash. It's faster to recycle, has more than sufficient power and is lighter and smaller.

Though both are a few years old the 430EX II is a newer design and I think a better one.

weegee wrote in post #14384916
So if I'm using a 580 exII or strobe/monolight, I set up the 430 in slave and put in manual since there's no ETTL communication, and it'll fire on the light from the other flashes?

No. The 430 will only fire when it receives an encoded signal, such as the one sent by a 580 set to master.

It will not fire if it sees a studio monolight go off. It needs the correct signal.

AntonLargiader wrote in post #14359016
I don't know what bits you mean; they're the same in this way, and in fact some people have problems with the 580 and PWs.

i dont mean to highjack the thread here, but, what problems are these with the 580 and PW's ?

as i have 580's and im about to get 2 TT5's and a TT1


thanks.

430ex II vs. 580EX II review

More power output (58 meter vs. 43 meters)
Wireless master mode
White reflector card (catchlight card)
Weather sealing (battery compartment, shoe mount, body and head, connectors)
Superior controls (select dial, newer buttons design, better on/off switch)
External metering sensor
External battery pack connector
PC connector
Head turns 180 degrees to the right (430EX II does only 90 degrees)
Head tilts 7 degrees down (430EX II does not go down at all)
Six extra custom functions

1DS wrote in post #14389483
i dont mean to highjack the thread here, but, what problems are these with the 580 and PW's ?

as i have 580's and im about to get 2 TT5's and a TT1


thanks.

Short range due to RF issue
The 580-II flashes also have a design flaw that could lead to other issues

Range issues has workarounds. Other issues is a low-percentage thing, doesn't seem to affect many...

SMP_Homer wrote in post #14395461
Short range due to RF issue
The 580-II flashes also have a design flaw that could lead to other issues

Range issues has workarounds. Other issues is a low-percentage thing, doesn't seem to affect many...

these days flexes come with RF filters. not the best solution, but works.