430EX as Optical Slave...Possible??

Can I use the on board flash of my 400D to fire my 430ex as an Optical Slave in Manual Mode?

You could get an optical trigger - but unfortunately Canon flash do not work well with them. (even in manual mode)

TJ

Viky wrote in post #4098732
Can I use the on board flash of my 400D to fire my 430ex as an Optical Slave in Manual Mode?

This is impossible without additional hardware - a hotshoe slave with a built in optical sensor.

Unfortunately, as posted above, Speedlites don't work worth a hoot with them for the most part.

Additionally, there's no way to easily eliminate the pre-flash from the on-board flash.

The on-board flash cannot be used in manual mode, and thus you'd have problems getting the exposures correct as well.

Bottom line - forget the idea and you'll be a lot better off.

Viky wrote in post #4098732
Can I use the on board flash of my 400D to fire my 430ex as an Optical Slave in Manual Mode?

Not with any sort of reasonable setup.

Run a cord to the 430EX and place a hotshoe adapter on the 430EX. This is the path of least resistance for off camera manual flash use for the 430EX.

Just forget optical slaves.

Enjoy! Lon

There are slaves for digital flash which ignore the pre-flashes.

I keep hearing that the Canon speedlights do not work well with slaves.

I can suggest getting a sunpak 383 and a slave as your external flash. You will need to set your 430EX to fire as a manual flash rather than using the ETTL but it should work just fine.

Any optical slave will work just fine, and yes you can eliminate the Pre Flash, the only problem is you have to do it before every single shot. Here is how you do it.
Before you fire press your * button which is also known as FEL button and it will fire a preflash, then you have about 15 seconds before if goes on "stand by ?". I usually cover my pop-up flash with my hand so that I dont waste a charge on the slave, I also under compensate the flash as much as possible so that is doesn't interfere with the exposure at all and that way I can control the light a little better. Remember you have to do it for every exposure.

I hope that helps clear up some of the questions, and save some money in using old slaves instead of shelling out for a new "digital" slave.

don't waste your time. sell the 430EX (unless you still occ. use it for eTTL, wireless or not), and buy a used Nikon SB28, SB-80, etc. They have built-in opticals and are very sensitive. I was growing a Canon EX flash aresenal to use wireless off-cam. Got frustrated, sold off everything but kept one 580EX for on-camera triggering of my optical slaves, and the few times I shoot with it on-cam in eTTL mode, such as sports.

hcmlopes wrote in post #5491439
Any optical slave will work just fine, and yes you can eliminate the Pre Flash, the only problem is you have to do it before every single shot. Here is how you do it.
Before you fire press your * button which is also known as FEL button and it will fire a preflash, then you have about 15 seconds before if goes on "stand by ?". I usually cover my pop-up flash with my hand so that I dont waste a charge on the slave, I also under compensate the flash as much as possible so that is doesn't interfere with the exposure at all and that way I can control the light a little better. Remember you have to do it for every exposure.

I hope that helps clear up some of the questions, and save some money in using old slaves instead of shelling out for a new "digital" slave.

Unfortunately, not just any optical slave will work with the 430EX flash or any of the other EX flashes except the 580EX II. Most optical slave triggers will fire an EX flash once and then quit unless the flash is turned off and on again or it is disconnected from the trigger and then reconnected. I have heard of some optical triggering devices working fine with an EX flash but finding them is a challenge.

The Sonia Optical Trigger will work just fine with the Canon EX flash units (430EX , 550EX, and 580EX) IF you use a Special Sync Cable (Google search: "canon ex flash sonia optical trigger"). Many photogs are using this without any problems!

Unfortunately, the pop-up flash of the Canon cameras emits the pre-flash, so you would have to use a small shoe mounted manual flash to initiate the trigger circuit. Here is a manual flash that is only $14.99 ( http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …olgon_MF_Manual​_Shoe.html ), and I am sure there are plenty of other units that could be used by just looking around for an inexpensive manual flash.