Flash Sync with 350D

Can anyone tell me if I can sync with a main power small flash unit via an optical slave. Canon tells me 350D is a Mum & Dad camera and not ment for this type of thing Any help would be appreciated Thanks

Not entirely sure what you mean. Do you want to fire an extrnal flash wirelessly? If so this is possible if you have a 580EX - it can trigger slaves.

Hi Beckett, welcome to POTN!

Attempting to trigger a garden variety optical slave using your camera's built-in flash is problematic, since the E-TTL pre-flash will trigger the slaves prematurely.

However, any hotshoe-mounted flash unit with a manual mode will work (in manual flash mode only).

There are also devices made by Wein called "digital slaves" that will ignore the preflash and fire with the "real" flash.

I have a 180w flash unit mains powered connected to a sync cord with a small optical trigger on the sync cord. The built in canon flash fires and triggers the main powered unit but no sync even a photo of the flash show no light on the studio main unit. Sorry not quite sure how to explain this had F2 before and no problems for 15 years Help

The camera's built-in flash fires a pre-flash before the shutter opens. This is part of Canon's E-TTL metering system. This preflash is triggering your main prematurely.

One way to workaround this problem is to press the * button on the back of the camera. This is the Flash Exposure Lock button and this will fire the pre-flash. After pressing this button, wait a few seconds for the studio main to recycle, then take your shot.

Thanks I give that a try. Cheers What is the next camera up that has a PC socket or should I just save up for a better flash unit?

The 30D has a PC socket. But if your 350D is otherwise meeting your needs, an inexpensive hotshoe-PC socket adapter like this should be all you need.

Curtis N wrote in post #2880052
The 30D has a PC socket. But if your 350D is otherwise meeting your needs, an inexpensive hotshoe-PC socket adapter like this should be all you need.

.... along with fully manual exposure settings on the camera.

There is absolutely no way to get predictable results with any camera using external flash sources (flash units such as studio lights that do not communicate with the camera, that is) and automatic exposure control settings on the camera.

Pocket wizards or ebay cheap triggers.. use an older flash which has manual settings and learn to use the manual settings on your camera... prolly worth it to learn anyway, some day you'll prolly wanna know how so, no better time than now... no?
lol
good luck!

Thanks everyone for your help I'll get a trigger and look at a 30D 20D or old 10D which do you think is better valus for money. When and If I ever get any money after buying a 70 -200 IS f2.8 which I love almost as much a s life and a 17 - 85 is f4/5.6