Can I integrate the 600 EX into my 7D and 430EX MkII system? (Later 5D3)

Cant afford to make a mistake, so any advice appreciated.

Current system for remote Flash :
I use a 7D set to IR wireless ETTL II, Using the pop up flash to signal one remote 430 EX Mk II flash, positioned off camera on a stand.
Results are pretty good, only issues are:-
1 sometimes the line of sight is a problem due to the 430 Ex mk II's lower section only partially rotating on base.
2. And in low light I'd like to use the infra red pattern beam on the back of the 430 ex II to illuminate the subject as a focusing aid.

I previously discounted the 600ex as at £600 it's a ludicrous price for my usage. I have now seen them at £380 from Procamera. So they are possible.

I would ideally like both the 430 II and the 600 to work remotely as I hate the on camera flash look.
How do I control it. Can the 7D's pop up flash control the 600 as it can the 430 II ? I don't think so but am not sure.

If not it looks like I would have to buy the STE3 RT @ £350 and this would control the 600 by radio and then sell the 430 II and buy another 600 ex . So thats too expensive.

Or get 2 YN 622s @ £50 a pair = £100.
And control both the 430 II and the 600 by radio trigger, Probably the cheapest way to do this. Especially if I can find someone who sells the Yn622 in 3s.

looking to the mid term future do I need the the STE 3 on the 5D3 to control 600 Exs?
Or does it do this wireless radio control from within the camera? i think not.

I suppose I could just get one more 430 II and run it off the 7 Ds pop up flash, or go the Yn 622 route for better coverage. But long term not ideal as I cant control the 430 II's with the STE 3.

Any ideas welcomed

.

It was expensive but I'm glad I went with a few 600's and the STE3. I needed a new flash and I'm into future proofing so I went with it.

Yes you need the STE3 or another 600 on the 5D3 to control a 600 slave if you want to use Canon RT. It has own it's own frequency that is not compatible to any other RT system.

Beware the STE3 does not have an AF assist beam and there is no second curtain sync for off camera flash. Otherwise it and the 600 flashes are a gem with the 5D3. The group mode is fabulous.

In optical mode, yes, you can use the 600EX/RT off camera and trigger it with the 7D, but at that point you have overpaid for the 600EX/RT and would be better off financially using a 580EXII or even a manual flash - i.e., you get no benefits using the 600EX off camera in purely optical mode. It works the same as any other manual flash.

If your goal is to eventually move to the 600EX/RT system completely, then what you propose will be fine, and yes, you will need either a 600 on camera hotshoe, or the STE3 on hotshoe, to control the 600's. There is no built in wireless flash control in the 5D3.

Your EX430 rotation issue MIGHT be solved using something like this:
http://www.flashzebra.​com/products/0118/inde​x.shtml

For your low-light situations, the STE3 doesn't have an infrared AF assist beam, so you would need to have a 600EX on camera acting as a controller to have an IR AF assist beam available to you. Because of this limitation of the STE3, many have posted they chose to forego it and purchase another 600 for their system.

digital paradise wrote in post #15743118
It was expensive but I'm glad I went with a few 600's and the STE3. I needed a new flash and I'm into future proofing so I went with it.

Yes you need the STE3 or another 600 on the 5D3 to control a 600 slave if you want to use Canon RT. It has own it's own frequency that is not compatible to any other RT system.

Beware the STE3 does not have an AF assist beam and there is no second curtain sync for off camera flash. Otherwise it and the 600 flashes are a gem with the 5D3. The group mode is fabulous.

Thanks for the reply as its vip to me - as I think I am crossing technologies, the 430 Mk ii,worked well with the 7D group and ratio wise under ETTLII, but thenline of sight gave me problems say in horse boxes or woodland portraits expecially asmImtried to use the IR pulse light as a focusing aid.

looks like I need to sell the first 430mk ii to stay with Canon RT.

mike1812 wrote in post #15743123
In optical mode, yes, you can use the 600EX/RT off camera and trigger it with the 7D, but at that point you have overpaid for the 600EX/RT and would be better off financially using a 580EXII or even a manual flash - i.e., you get no benefits using the 600EX off camera in purely optical mode. It works the same as any other manual flash.

If your goal is to eventually move to the 600EX/RT system completely, then what you propose will be fine, and yes, you will need either a 600 on camera hotshoe, or the STE3 on hotshoe, to control the 600's. There is no built in wireless flash control in the 5D3.

Your EX430 rotation issue MIGHT be solved using something like this:
http://www.flashzebra.​com/products/0118/inde​x.shtml

For your low-light situations, the STE3 doesn't have an infrared AF assist beam, so you would need to have a 600EX on camera acting as a controller to have an IR AF assist beam available to you. Because of this limitation of the STE3, many have posted they chose to forego it and purchase another 600 for their system.

Thanks so my suspicions were right , seemed strange that there was no infra red focus assist beam on the STE-3. Would have cost them peanuts for such a useful aid - especially as the Ste3 is so expensive!

I wonder if as a temporary solution the optical reciever on the 600ex works like the 430ex ii ie. it supports groups and ratios - quite nice.
If it did I could go with the 600 and later sell the 430 mkii with the 7D and replace it with. 600 and the STE3.

Interested to know if the STE3 would work on the 7D?

Why not just use an OCF cord from the camera to get the master off the camera? then you wouldn't need the STE3

Snydremark wrote in post #15743319
Why not just use an OCF cord from the camera to get the master off the camera? then you wouldn't need the STE3

Nice idea, but I really wanted to be cable free if at all possible.

Fair enough; just making sure you'd considered it

Submariner wrote in post #15743301
Interested to know if the STE3 would work on the 7D?

From a manual

It's possible to use both a 600 EX-RT and a 430 EX II (and any other flash which can be a slave device in an optically controlled system) with the 7D's internal flash acting as a master. They can be configured to belong to any of the three groups the opticl system supports.

But it's true that the 600 EX-RT will in this case not perform any better than a 580 EX II, or 580 EX, would do. To get full use of the radio system, two flashes on remote locations (not on camera), have AF assist light and work with Canon's equipment, you need two 600 EX-RT flashes as slaves and yet another 600 EX-RT as a master. Works, but costs quite a lot.

mike1812 wrote in post #15743123
Your EX430 rotation issue MIGHT be solved using something like this:
http://www.flashzebra.​com/products/0118/inde​x.shtml

To use a Sonia, a hotshoe adapter would be needed for the 430. To sync the 430, the 7D's flash would have to be set to manual output with wireless control disabled. The 430 would be usable in manual only.

Using the 7D's wireless control, either E-TTL or manual, would trigger the 430 prematurely. If a 600 was added to the mix, it would require a Sonia also and would only be usable in manual or manual external metering modes.

apersson850 wrote in post #15750101
It's possible to use both a 600 EX-RT and a 430 EX II (and any other flash which can be a slave device in an optically controlled system) with the 7D's internal flash acting as a master. They can be configured to belong to any of the three groups the opticl system supports.

But it's true that the 600 EX-RT will in this case not perform any better than a 580 EX II, or 580 EX, would do. To get full use of the radio system, two flashes on remote locations (not on camera), have AF assist light and work with Canon's equipment, you need two 600 EX-RT flashes as slaves and yet another 600 EX-RT as a master. Works, but costs quite a lot.

Thanks Anders
I assume I could in your 2nd scenario use 2x 600 EX's and 1x STE-3 ontop of the camera as a controller?
Or must the controller be a 600 EX. (I am assuming the STE-3 would be OK?)

Submariner wrote in post #15752394
Thanks Anders
I assume I could in your 2nd scenario use 2x 600 EX's and 1x STE-3 ontop of the camera as a controller?
Or must the controller be a 600 EX. (I am assuming the STE-3 would be OK?)

STE-3 sit's on top of the camera. First I carry around my STE and shut groups off to work with one light at a time. I use the test button on the STE-3 to fire the flash and make adjustments to that flash right at the spot. I get a reading from my L-358. When done I just place the STE-3 on the camera.

I can't find the thread so I'll post the image again. I cut down the mini stand, attached a spare BR connector and hook it to my belt or loop. I called Sekonic to see of they were ever planning on developing a Canon RT module and they said no. The are in bed with PW. You never know. That could change some day when Nikon and others roll out with RT systems. PW may start to struggle some day. Won't be anytime soon.

oldvultureface wrote in post #15750298
To use a Sonia, a hotshoe adapter would be needed for the 430. To sync the 430, the 7D's flash would have to be set to manual output with wireless control disabled. The 430 would be usable in manual only.

Using the 7D's wireless control, either E-TTL or manual, would trigger the 430 prematurely. If a 600 was added to the mix, it would require a Sonia also and would only be usable in manual or manual external metering modes.

I just saw this!
Having done my budgets, and a sort of due Diligence apart from phoning Canon to double check (only because if it didn't work then I could ask them to sort me out).

I was pretty sure I could buy my 600EX RT and run this as a slave along with my existing 430 Mk II (also used as a slave) and trigger it optically, in EttlII mode by the 7D's onboard pop-up flash using wireless flash.
At the moment this works optically with EttlII using the Canon wireless optical protocol.
All I want to do is add the 600 Ex Rt - ideally in a different group.

So I just don't understand this comment - really confused and I do hope oldvultureface is totally wrong?l

It's bad enough seeing that if I replace my 430 Mk II with another 600ex rt and try and migrate from the 7D's optical wireless trigger to the STE-3 using wireless radio triggering, it looks like as the 7D is a pre 2011 camera; I will have to drop down a stop on the x synch speed from 1/250 to 1/200.
And that I can no longer have high speed sync.

Not sure if this is just a limitation of the STE-3 or it and the 7D!
Pretty unimpressed with the STE-3, what with that and the lack of an AF focusing aid! For that kind of money!
Interested to know because if its just the STE-3; as I might hold off buying that , as long as possible- hoping for a decent replacement.