How to trigger 2x 600EX flashes?

Im going to be renting these flashes and I know you can use a sync cord to fire one off (right...?) but I've never used these before so I am wondering how to trigger two at the same time?

Do I need like 3x pocket wizard transmitters or something (1 for cam, 2 for flashes)? Is there any way I can just sync to one and the the other fires off via radio?

Total flash noob here, thanks for the help

You can get 1 transmitter and 2 receivers either Pocket Wizard of Yongnuo or a Canon ST-E3 to wirelessly control them too. There are many ways to do it.

Would a sync cord work? Im reading that a 600EX can radio-trigger another 600EX without any other equipment...so if I sync cord my camera to one flash that should be enough no?

The 600 does not have a standard optical sensor for triggering, so a sync cord alone will not work. You would need to add an optical trigger to the second 600 as well.

Having said that, a sync cord would dramatically lose functionality that the 600 was designed for; A) radio triggering B) ability to control flash power remotely. Will it work? Sure. But I don't know why you would pay $500ea for dumb manual flashes; I understand that you are renting, but the same still applies. I don't know how much you are paying to rent them, but it's likely that you could buy some manual Yungnuo flashes for around the same price.

What camera do you have?

drvnbysound wrote in post #16646337
The 600 does not have a standard optical sensor for triggering, so a sync cord alone will not work. You would need to add an optical trigger to the second 600 as well.

Having said that, a sync cord would dramatically lose functionality that the 600 was designed for; A) radio triggering B) ability to control flash power remotely. Will it work? Sure. But I don't know why you would pay $500ea for dumb manual flashes; I understand that you are renting, but the same still applies. I don't know how much you are paying to rent them, but it's likely that you could buy some manual Yungnuo flashes for around the same price.

A ttl sync cord would retain all camera/flash communication.

hes gone wrote in post #16646386
=he's gone;16646386]A ttl sync cord would retain all camera/flash communication.

Sure. I figured the OP was referring to a PC sync cord.

If you can keep one flash on the camera, then it will both flash from there and trigger the other one via radio.
If you want both flashes off camera, you either need an E-TTL expension cord (literally relocates your hot shoe), or you can use an ST-E3-RT remote flash controller on the camera. It will control both of your 600 EX-RT flashes via radio at the same time.

It depends what you want to do with them, the Canon ST-E3-RT is the most elegant way and will retain most of the functions of having the flashes on camera.

If you only want to trigger the flash and use manual settings you can buy wireless triggers from as little $20 to no name infra-red triggers up to several hundred for pocket wizards.

I believe the 600ex has a pc sync port but you would need a splitter to trigger both, probably cheaper to buy a cheap set of wireless triggers anyway.

hes gone wrote in post #16646382
=he's gone;16646382]What camera do you have?

I have a 5D3

drvnbysound wrote in post #16646524
Sure. I figured the OP was referring to a PC sync cord.

I think thats what im referring to, the one that connects into the flash input on the side of the camera.

apersson850 wrote in post #16646559
If you can keep one flash on the camera, then it will both flash from there and trigger the other one via radio.
If you want both flashes off camera, you either need an E-TTL expension cord (literally relocates your hot shoe), or you can use an ST-E3-RT remote flash controller on the camera. It will control both of your 600 EX-RT flashes via radio at the same time.

Yeah I need both flashes off camera (shooting some products in a light tent). Can an ST-E2 trigger both at the same time? The place im renting from doesnt have ST-E3.

I'm not really in need of the automatic features besides the triggering, I can control all the settings manually.

Ok guys how about if I get 3 600EX flashes? Id put one on the camera as a master and if I need more light i'll have it available, if not I can just use it as the radio commander. Wouldnt this setup work without any transmitters or receivers or wires on the other flashes?

That setup works fine. If you set the flash on camera to not flash, it will do all other things it's supposed to do, like triggering the other two via radio control, it just will not emit any light. It will essentially work like the ST-E3-RT remote flash controller.

The ST-E2 works too, since the 600 EX-RT flashes support both radio control (ST-E3-RT controller) and optical control (ST-E2 controller). The two slaves have to be able to "see" the optical control signals coming from the ST-E2, though. The ST-E2 is like a flash unit, except it has a filter in front of its flash tube, and thus isn't able to illuminate the subject, just control slaves.
ST-E2 can only control slaves in E-TTL mode from the camera. You can still set the power manually, but then on the flashes themselves, not from the ST-E2. The ST-E3-RT allows almost all available modes on the flashes to be used, and also setting them up from the camera's menu system. Using a 600 EX-RT as a master gives you all capabilities from the ST-E3-RT, and then some.

Radio control is more flexible. In your situation, if that's doable, I'll go for the three flash setup you show above.

A PC sync cord is the type you connect to the port at the side of the camera, and then into a similar port on the side of the flash. But a 600 EX-RT can't work as a master to another slave if it's triggered via its PC sync port. It has to be in the camera's hot shoe to do that, or at least in a hot shoe that's extended with a cable which can transmit all signals sent to the hot shoe normally. This is due to the slave flash control being a product of a cooperation between camera and flash, not something implemented by the flash alone.

You just answered all my questions. I think ill just get the 3rd 600EX to trigger everything since it costs the same to rent the ST-E2 and it'll let me go completely wireless/transmitter-less/receiver-less. Thanks!!

Good luck. If you just take a trip over here, you can try out my ST-E3-RT...