Simple quick question...

The gear;

2 AB800s
1 580ex
2 Pocket wizard Plus II

Can i somehow make the 580ex fire wirelessly with out having a PW plugged into it? The position i have the 36" octabox in will not allow the optical sensor "see" the other flashes. So i will have to use one PW on camera, and the other on one of the ABs.

If this is not possible, is there some type of cheap optical trigger i can get to attach to the 580ex?

Thanks for your time!
Joe

The easy answer is no. The 580 will not fire as a slave without another 580/550 or ST E2. You might be able to use it in manual with an optical slave unit from B&H or ebay. The other choice is another PW and a PC adaptor for the 580.

MP0WER wrote in post #2676618
The gear;

2 AB800s
1 580ex
2 Pocket wizard Plus II

Can i somehow make the 580ex fire wirelessly with out having a PW plugged into it? The position i have the 36" octabox in will not allow the optical sensor "see" the other flashes. So i will have to use one PW on camera, and the other on one of the ABs.

If this is not possible, is there some type of cheap optical trigger i can get to attach to the 580ex?

Thanks for your time!
Joe

Most optical triggers will not work with recent Canon Speedlights.

But, the Alien Bee unit already has an optical slave built in. Try using some tin foil to fashion an ad hoc reflector to increase the light gathering potential of the AB unit. You can also plug in an accessory optical slave into the Alien Bee unit (on a short cord), with this accessory optical slave in a more advantageous position to gather a flash discharge from the 580EX. You are not harnessed to just the optical slave that is in the Alien Bee unit. When you plug something into the Alien Bee sync port, it deactivates the built in optical slave.

Just get a hotshoe adapter for the Canon 580EX and attach the Pocket Wizard to it (set the 580 to manual mode).

When the 580EX fires with the Pocket Wizard, it will trip the Alien Bee's built in optical slave (or the accessory one on a cord).

So, you will not need another Pocket Wizard, but the one you have dedicated for a flash must go to the 580EX and an a corded accessory optical slave for the problematic AB unit in that softbox.

Enjoy! Lon

Thanks guys. Being that i won't always be using the 580ex it sounds like a cheap optical slave in a better position for the AB will most likely get me going.

Thanks again!

Use your only PW on the 580ex, set it in manual. It will fire both ABs (assuming you are indoors and the light sensors see's the light from the 580). You'd be surprised how well the ABs pick up the light, even with softboxes on. Try it out, but you might need to use an optical slave on the 580.

sboerup wrote in post #2677376
but you might need to use an optical slave on the 580.

Unless you can suggest a known good optical slave, I woulod not give that advise.

Almost all optical slaves do not function properly with any of the recent Canon Speedlight.

There are spotty reports of a few optical slaves working, but so far this antidotal information has not risen to a level to be dead sure.

Please note that this is not a preflash issue, but an issue where most optical slaves cause the Canon Speedlight, set in manual mode, to lock up up after the first triggering (they have to be turned off to be reset).

I personally have tried several general purpose optical slaves with a Canon 550EX, none providing good function (despite the fact that the same optical slaves work perfectly with a variety of other flash units).

Enjoy! Lon