Alien Bee users

I have a D60 and have been trying to use a ST-E2/550/420 flash set up (main/fill) with some optical slaves for hair and background light. Now that I've discovered that I can't seem to disable the preflash using this setup, and it's causing my hair/background lights to fire prematurely, I've started looking at a couple of Alien Bees for my main/fill.

Everything I've read seems to indicate that folks are using these without any preflash worries. I'm just trying to find out if this set up will work without prematurely firing my other optical slaves. I assume that if I'm using a non-ETTL flash (i.e. the AB) with a pc cord, that this would disable any ETTL/preflash capability... correct? There's nothing on the camera itself that would be firing prematurely, right (i.e. an infrared signal that would trigger the AB's or the optical slaves)?

Thanks for any info....
Holly

Having used my alien bees for about 9 months, I have found there are two conditions where you won't have to worry about preflashes.

One you use the radio remotes with the slave jack in place or two you get the splitter and run the sync wires directly to the Alienbees. Otherwise if the flash goes so go the alien bees. Only difference between the two is cost and speed. Wires cheaper then radio. The radio remotes are one stop slower on the shutter then the sync cord, no real idea why. If you have the alien bees though you won't need a flash on camera. The alien bees won't preflash, so your other stobes should work fine at that point. Just sync an AB upto your camera and I think your troubles are over.

I should point out that almost any strobe that allows for PC sync cord should work.

BTW I can't remember how, but I know there is an inconvient way to disable the preflash of the D60. I seem to remember I had to put the camera on manual for starters and I mean including auto-focus.

Just my memory and opinion,

Thanks Tim. Sounds like I should be good to go. I've done research and tried all kinds of things, but have not been able to disable the preflash on the D60 when there's any canon flash item involved (st-e2, 550ex, 420ex). I'm hoping to just save that setup for location sittings and use the bees and my other monolights for studio sittings. That way, I won't be mixing and matching.... and hopefully will have all things flashing "in synch" in each environment.

have you tried the flash in manual mode?

.

Exactly what I was thinking. I used manual with a 420ex and two Alien Bees no probs.

I think some folks are talking about different situations, including ones that don't involve a ST-E2. That doesn't help Holly. She's using the ST-E2 to trigger remote 550EX and 420EX flashes.

Switching the 550EX and 420EX to manual mode will disable their preflashes. Unfortunately, the ST-E2 also has a preflash. The only way to disable the preflash on the ST-E2 is to tape the secondary pins on the ST-E2.