Help me pick an optical trigger

Hi!

I've decided to use optical triggers instead of radio triggers as my first step into flash territory.

I have a 580EX which works well with my 420EX.

I also have a Nikon SB-28 and SB-28DX (too bad they weren't SB-26 with built-in optical triggers!).

What are good optical triggers for those that can be bought at Adorama or B&H?

Thanks!

Found an answer here:

https://photography-on-the.net …hp?p=4628557&po​stcount=19

ebann wrote in post #4639719
Found an answer here:

https://photography-on-the.net …hp?p=4628557&po​stcount=19

Just make sure you note the caveat Curtis talked about at the end of that post. Most optical triggers don't work with the EX Speedlites.

PacAce wrote in post #4639943
Just make sure you note the caveat Curtis talked about at the end of that post. Most optical triggers don't work with the EX Speedlites.

Thanks for the warning. From what I understood, I have to set my 580EX (on -camera) on manual setting rather than E-TTL to avoid the pre-flash. That way, the SB-28s will trigger correctly. Did I understand that correctly?

ebann wrote in post #4644434
Thanks for the warning. From what I understood, I have to set my 580EX (on -camera) on manual setting rather than E-TTL to avoid the pre-flash. That way, the SB-28s will trigger correctly. Did I understand that correctly?

There's no way for you to work a Speedlite in ETTL mode using an optical trigger even if you wanted to do it. The flash has to be set to manual mode so that you can set the ouput level you requre.

In case you misunderstood what I was trying to say in my previous post, my warning had to do with the fact that the Speedlites, other than the 580EX II, will not work with most optical triggering devices. So, if you do get one for yours, make sure that the optical trigger works first.

Yep, what Leo said. I found out the hard way. I mounted a 430EX on an optical trigger and tried to fire it with a Canon 177A mounted in the camera hot shoe. The 430 wouldn't fire. I now have a pair of optical triggers sitting idle in my gadget bag.

I was successful in getting other flashes to work when I had the 430 in the hot shoe. I mounted a Promaster 5400, Vivitar 283, and a Vivitar Series 1 model 600 on the optical trigger and they all worked perfectly.

Mike

MT Stringer wrote in post #4650097
Yep, what Leo said. I found out the hard way. I mounted a 430EX on an optical trigger and tried to fire it with a Canon 177A mounted in the camera hot shoe. The 430 wouldn't fire. I now have a pair of optical triggers sitting idle in my gadget bag.

I was successful in getting other flashes to work when I had the 430 in the hot shoe. I mounted a Promaster 5400, Vivitar 283, and a Vivitar Series 1 model 600 on the optical trigger and they all worked perfectly.

Mike

Almost all flash units, hotshoe or studio, will fire using an inexpensive and high utility optical slave. There are rare exceptions here and there.

But, Canon's entire EX line is problematic. Even the new 580EX II will only work with an optical slave if it is attached to the PC port (not the hotshoe).

Inexpensive optical slaves will work nicely with the OP's SB-28 and SB-28DX.

Enjoy! Lon

Sorry to dig up an old thread but I figured it was better than creating yet another one (I chose this one randomly out of quite a few hits!).

Does anyone know of any optical trigger that would work somewhat consistently with Canons EX line (more specifically the 430 foremost)? There must be a reason you guys always answer with the slightly ambiguous "almost" and/or "most" when you talk about triggers that doesn't fire the EX's... =)

lowcrust, I gave up and bought the Elinchrom Skyports - 1 trigger and 2 receivers. Problem solved.

Here's a link to my review of the Universal set of EL-Skyports.

http://www.flickr.com …iscuss/72157603​924064553/

Hope this helps.
Mike

lowcrust wrote in post #5177112
Does anyone know of any optical trigger that would work somewhat consistently with Canons EX line (more specifically the 430 foremost)? There must be a reason you guys always answer with the slightly ambiguous "almost" and/or "most" when you talk about triggers that doesn't fire the EX's... =)

Two reasons we use the word "most" or "usually."

1) The singular exception to the EX Speedlite - optical slave compatibility issue is the 580EX II, which is the only one with a PC socket. And the slave must be connected to the PC socket.

2) Occasionally, people will report that a certain brand of slave works fine with their EX Speedlite. But other people with the same combo can't make it work, so it's hard to make a blanket statement but also not something that can be recommended.

OK, so there's no mysterious rare old-russian-type unit that will get the job then... Well I figured I'd ask one more time before I gave up.

My next move is to zap the zebra with a order of few hot shoe adapters and a cable then.

While perusing B&H optical triggers, I found one by Wein which is for "digital" flash only. I believe it was for Speedlites EX with the pre-flash. The trigger is programmed to ignore the pre-flash. Check it out.

ebann wrote in post #5179041
While perusing B&H optical triggers, I found one by Wein which is for "digital" flash only. I believe it was for Speedlites EX with the pre-flash. The trigger is programmed to ignore the pre-flash. Check it out.

The issue with EX flash units is not the preflash.

EX flash units have circuits that just do not work with optical slaves.

There are numerous threads in this forum relating to this issue.

Enjoy! Lon

Does that mean that nobody has successfully purchased a reliable optical slave hotshoe for remote use with the 580EX? Or are there certain brands that are known to work?

DavidPhoto wrote in post #5562542
Does that mean that nobody has successfully purchased a reliable optical slave hotshoe for remote use with the 580EX? Or are there certain brands that are known to work?

There are a few people who have reported "X brand optical slave works with my 580EX." But then someone else will say that the same slave will not work with his 580EX.

However, Michael Bass Designs sells a line of inexpensive adapters that he says will make optical slaves work with EX Speedlites. I have never heard a negative comment about his products so I assume they work. I would love to see a review from someone who has purchased one of those adapters.