question about einsteins

soo…. I got my first strobe. Loving it a lot but yesterday I noticed something and I have 2 questions:

I was originally using it with 2 canon flashes on a small subject, and didnt initially notice the first issue:
I had my 580 exii set to master. 430 set as slave. Einstein and 580 both attached to camera via cords.

I wanted to play with it some more so I got out the 64" plm I bought with it for a larger subject… it was then I noticed that the einstein wasnt very bright. I was like ok this umbrella is huge and should easily light this scene… I took it to full power and it wouldnt overpower the flashes. I am not aware of the einstein having a ttl function…. but it was as if it did and would only act as fill to the flashes. Flashes were set on manual.

I then also noticed the flash set to master was also triggering the einstein (b/c it flashed after the cord fell out of my camera)
at that point i disconnected the flash cord and fired the einstein again at full power and this time it blew out the scene: no other external factors changed. No camera settings changed.

So… 1. Whats the deal with the way it's acting when firing with the flashes?

2. Is there any way that I can stop it from being triggered when the master flash triggers the slave?

lastly:
I understood when i got it the max sync speed is 1/400. I am getting the "curtain" at 1/200… and that is even without the flashes in the mix.

Please educate me.

The Einstein had the optical trigger set to on.
It was being fired by the signaling pre-flash from the master to the slave.

thank you for your reply.
So if it is firing as a "slave" then… does it operate under some sort of "ttl" function?

I'll look for the switch.

abbypanda wrote in post #16831683
thank you for your reply.
So if it is firing as a "slave" then… does it operate under some sort of "ttl" function?

I'll look for the switch.

Your 580 is sending a pre-flash just before the actual exposure to communicate with the 430. The Einstein is detecting the pre-flash and firing then rather than waiting until your shutter opens. I don't think there's a way to tell the Einstein to ignore the pre-flash. I think the only choices for the optical slave are either off or on.

You can either get some radio triggers for your flashes and strobes or perhaps only try firing the 580 in manual with the master setting turned off and see if that triggers your Einstein at the correct time.

Also for most Canon DLSR bodies, your max sync speed will be somewhere in between 1/180th to 1/250th of a second.

I would turn off the optical feature on your Einsteins.

I use the Cybersync from Paul Buff to trigger my einsteins in this video.

Portrait Lighting video

Then order a couple of CSRB + to trigger your speed lites.

I am using one CSRB + and the cybesync in this video to trigger the Canon 600 EX RT.

Speed Light Portrait

It will allow you to use your Einsteins and Speed lites without issue.

I usually set my shutter speed between 160 and 200.

Hope the visuals help.

Craig

I use a setup that has both Einsteins and a.580EX II.

In addition to CC, I have CSXCV's on each Einstein ($29.95 each), and a CST (59.95) to trigger the Einsteins. The 580 EX ii is set to manual and with YN triggers I can make power adjustments on the flash from my Canon 5D3. The 5D3 has YN in the hotshot, and CST in the YN hot shoe. I have the YN because I had it before I bought the Einsteins. A CSRB+ would be a better choice for the 580 EXII (but a bit pricey at 89.95 each)

The advantage of having CSXCV on each Einstein is that the CC can make power adjustments on each Einstein without interference from a light pop from the other Einstein.

I have been happy with the above arrangement.

abbypanda wrote in post #16831647
soo…. I got my first strobe. Loving it a lot but yesterday I noticed something and I have 2 questions:

I was originally using it with 2 canon flashes on a small subject, and didnt initially notice the first issue:
I had my 580 exii set to master. 430 set as slave. Einstein and 580 both attached to camera via cords.

I wanted to play with it some more so I got out the 64" plm I bought with it for a larger subject… it was then I noticed that the einstein wasnt very bright. I was like ok this umbrella is huge and should easily light this scene… I took it to full power and it wouldnt overpower the flashes. I am not aware of the einstein having a ttl function…. but it was as if it did and would only act as fill to the flashes. Flashes were set on manual.

I then also noticed the flash set to master was also triggering the einstein (b/c it flashed after the cord fell out of my camera)
at that point i disconnected the flash cord and fired the einstein again at full power and this time it blew out the scene: no other external factors changed. No camera settings changed.

So… 1. Whats the deal with the way it's acting when firing with the flashes?

2. Is there any way that I can stop it from being triggered when the master flash triggers the slave?

lastly:
I understood when i got it the max sync speed is 1/400. I am getting the "curtain" at 1/200… and that is even without the flashes in the mix.

Please educate me.

I forgot to mention I use the Cyber Commander to remotely adjust the Einstein's and it also works as a flash meter.

I prefer the different modifier options you have with the Einstein, although I am quite happy with the results of the Westcott Rapid Box compared to a bare speed light.

The pre-flash consists of a coded signal to tell the slave flash (430, in your case) what power level to fire at. Understand that you cannot stop this unless you use the Canon flashes without their optical communication turned on. You can disable it via your camera's menu system or the master itself. However, you will need to obtain a way to trigger the 430 if you want to continue using it as well.

The unfortunate part is that the 430 does not have a sync port, so you'll likely need to obtain a flash hotshoe that has one such as:

http://www.flashzebra.​com/products/0138/inde​x.shtml

or

http://www.flashzebra.​com/products/0135/inde​x.shtml

I perfer the first one if I'm going to be using it with a wireless trigger, as it keeps you from having to keep up with an additional sync cord. However, the con is that if that cable ever goes bad, it's a lot harder to replace.

Based on the Einstein firing from it's optical slave, it sounds as if you could use one of them on the 430:
http://www.flashzebra.​com/products/0127/inde​x.shtml

Your speedlight pre-flash is firing the Einstein. Switch your speed light to manual.

say_cheese wrote in post #16833615
Your speedlight pre-flash is firing the Einstein. Switch your speed light to manual.

There is still a pre-flash when the Canon optical system is used... even in manual mode.

Thanks all and I want to say I really appreciate all the help. I was able to turn the einstein off "slave" and that made a huge difference in working with my flashes. I am about to order that new vagabond from Paul Buff and just keep practicing.

Is it normal that on full power a 580 ex would be overpowered by an einstein so much so that it wouldn't make a suitable fill? I need to practice more but I felt like what I metered my einstein for washed out my flash even on full power.

I don't know the specifics, but I believe the battery powered Speedlites are in the range of 80Ws, the Einstein can do up to 640Ws. So yes, it's definitely possible that the 580 could be VERY overpowered by the Einstein. However, it just depends on the settings that you are using (e.g. 1/2 power of Einstein, or 1/128th power).

abbypanda wrote in post #16851809
Thanks all and I want to say I really appreciate all the help. I was able to turn the einstein off "slave" and that made a huge difference in working with my flashes. I am about to order that new vagabond from Paul Buff and just keep practicing.

Is it normal that on full power a 580 ex would be overpowered by an einstein so much so that it wouldn't make a suitable fill? I need to practice more but I felt like what I metered my einstein for washed out my flash even on full power.

I think the Einstein is just over 3 stops more powerful than most hot shoe flashes. As long as you're not at full power with the mono light, the 580EX should suffice as a key light.

Thanks all. Going to give it some more practice. I appreciate all the help.

Why arent you using the einstein as the key light? Use remote triggers to fire your hot shoe flash as fill/hair/background lights.