ST-E2 dual hot shoe and E-TTL 430EX Hand held

Good afternoon.

On my look around for a 'canon AF assist' option I have only found an ST-E2 wireless unit for off camera flash (which supports E-TTL).

I am only using the on flash gun, but with my current set up using a cord, I can not use the 430EX assist beams quickly in very dark conditions to get a shot.

To get around this, I have been looking at the younguno (sp) st-e2 wireless unit.
This seemed a great solution except for the one problem:
The st-e2 unit must be facing the flash (hand held). This would move my AF assist points from the st-e2 off subject meaning I am back at square one.

So as a work around, I have been looking at dual hot shoe cables...

The real question: Can I use the st-e2 as a focus assist lamp for the 60D, using a dual hot shoe cord to pass ETTL to the 430ex.

Thank you for your time

If you are using a cord, why not just use the focus assist on the flash instead of adding a St-e2?

Is it not hard to line up the AF assist of the hand held flash on the subject with the camera AF points at the same time? Tried a few times with my dog (being a choc lab...so the AF assist is needed to get a lock) and just couldnt get it to happen .

If your flash is pointed in the general direction of the subject, your focus assist beam would be too.

Have a look at the new YN-622C - http://flashhavoc.com/​yn622c_review/

They have a focus assist light built in, and you can ditch the cord altogether then if you like (not that the cord was a problem, but its still handy to be without it).

Otherwise just one 622c unit with the TTL shoe cord attached on top would do the trick as well.

Thanks. Guess that is a solved then .

Strange how they have not made a cord with an AF assist hot shoe attachment. Nikon have one in camera so I though canon/a 3rd party would have thought of a cheap method for a second AF assist.