I need help understanding!

Can someone explain to me how a 420EX can be fired using the 550EX/580EX or the ST-E2?

Does the 420 need to be on another camera, or can i place it on a stand or something and have it fire seperately?

Please explain!

Set the 420EX to slave mode with the switch near the shoe. Make sure it is on the same channel as the 550/580EX or ST-E2. Aim the flashing red light at the ST-E2 or 550/580EX and ensure the 550/580EX is in master mode if that flash is attached to the camera. The flash should fire when the camera shutter is opened. The trigger is optical (Infra Red) so the master and slave units must "see" each other.

You can put the 420EX on the plastic stand that comes with it.

Awesome! Thanks!

Also, say i want to use two flashes, off the camera, what would I need to do this?

Say i was using two 420EX's and an ST-E2. I'm assuming the ST-E2 would go on the shoe of the camera, and I could mount the 420EX's on tripods? Are there special adaptors needed to do this?

I'm really interested in learning this, I want to attempt to create some nice effects

I believe the ST-E2 will control any number of flashes in up to 2 groups. The 550/580EX as the master will control 3 groups I believe. Ratios available on all groups.

And you are correct, ST-E2 on the camera hotshoe, flashes on stands. The red panel on the flash should be in line of sight with the ST-E2 outside. The ETTL wireless is a neat system and works quite well - indoors. I've tried it briefly outside in daylight and had problems.

Awesome! Thanks! What can i use to mount the flashes to stands? Will a 380ex work with the ST-E2?

The flash units should have come with a foot to stand them in. That foot has a standard threaded hole on the bottom.

I don't know about the 380EX flash but I would assume if it is truly an EX flash it should work with the ST-E2.

Disclaimer - I have used this equipment but do not own it.

I use a metal flash adaptor and umbrella holder I found on eBAy. It fits on top of a lighting stand or a microphone stand. The one I bought has a threaded hole in the centre of the flash holder. I cut the head off a bolt and screwed it into that hole and use it to attach the plastic stand that comes with the 420EX. (saves shorting the pins on the flash with the metal shoe) I use either the ST-E2 or the 580EX on camera, depending on what I'm doing at the time. The ST-E2 will fire as many flashes as can "see" it, provided they are on the same channel.

I'm not happy with the triggering capability of the 580EX/550EX (and most likely 420EX) combo. At this point I rarely want to double light a situation where the units would be line of sight. Does the ST-E2 help with this problem?

Also, since none of my flashes came with the feet, where can I buy them and what do they cost? (I bought my flashes second hand)

I would expect Canon wants an arm and a leg for them.

Check out this from B&H: http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ghType=category​Navigation

Neat! Can I buy a regular light stand and mount that to it?

Chris, I purchased some of those hotshoe to tripod/lightstand adapters and mounted them on a 1/2" PVC end cap. I can either slide that into a length of PVC for a handle to hold or use a 'T' and some elbows to make a stand.

The adapter is just a 1/4" #20 female thread on one end and a hotshoe on the other. My version is just a metal hotshoe and if you don't cover the metal with tape or something the flash contacts will short against it.

Chris R/T wrote in post #2984317
Will a 380ex work with the ST-E2?

No. The 380EX has no E-TTL slave capability.

The web pageis a great resource for questions like that.

Do you have pictures of your setup? Sounds really easy to use, i just can't picture it.