Help me pick an optical trigger

his stuff looks like it will work but it gets expensive, at around $85 or so for a solution to use a 580EX slaved remotely.

What if I used one of these: http://flashzebra.com/​opticalslaves/0003.sht​ml and attached it to one of these:http://flashzebra.com/​hotshoes-shoes/0065.shtml , and attached my 430EX to that. It still wouldn't work? I don't plan on trying it, but I just don't understand why it wouldn't work. Why is the signal to fire different between an optical trigger and my Cactus V2's?

that would seem reasonable to me but Lon says NO.
Michael Bass indicates that he modifies the synch chords to make it work.
Has anyone tried Sarah Fox's solution - modifying the sonia shoe? http://www.graphic-fusion.com/equipment.h​tm#slaves

I've read a few accounts where Sarah Fox's mod did not help. I've thought about trying it but their a little pricey (15 plus shipping). I hear the quality isn't exactly Wein-ish and I'm afraid that I'll fry it as my soldering isn't exactly top notch.

From many other posts I've read on this issue what happens is the flash will trip once with the optical trigger and then has to be reset with a power-off/power-on. The issue isn't so much triggering but triggering more than once without manual intervention.

Is this not the issue?

BTW - here's an old thread. Really old thread on the same topic.

tmonatr wrote in post #5563058
What if I used one of these: http://flashzebra.com/​opticalslaves/0003.sht​ml and attached it to one of these:http://flashzebra.com/​hotshoes-shoes/0065.shtml , and attached my 430EX to that. It still wouldn't work? I don't plan on trying it, but I just don't understand why it wouldn't work. Why is the signal to fire different between an optical trigger and my Cactus V2's?

Your radio slave receiver set basically acts like a switch.

The optical slave also acts like a switch, but there is a catch. The optical slave is a circuit that has to be powered by the flash it is connected to (via the sync cord). The radio slave receiver is connected to the flash, but the flash does not power the receiver's circuits (as it does with an optical slave).

The Canon EX flash units work in a manner that never allows the circuits in the optical slave to reset. So the optical slave works once, then the fun is over (until you turn off the flash).

The bottom line is that without some electronic shenanigans most optical slaves just do not work with the Canon EX flash units.

As mentioned before, the exception is the 580EX II, and they only work then if connected via the built in PC port. The 580EX II will work with almost any optical slave if is connected to the PC port (and the PC port is not in Manual-Master mode). Connect an optical slave to the hotshoe of a 580EX II and it is just an uncooperative as any other EX flash unit.

There is evidently some very expensive Metz optical slaves ($80.00 or so) that work, but I have never been able to nail down the exact model number, there is rumor that a discontinued Sunpak optical slave will work (but very shaky confirmation on this). The newest version of the Wein peanut will also work. But the Wein Peanut also has scores of web testimonial indicating other significant functional issues that inhibits it as a solid choice.

See this thread for info on the Wein Peanut:
http://www.flickr.com …discuss/7215760​0098851800

This is an issue that I have followed closely for over two years. These are not flippant observations.

Enjoy! Lon

FlashZebra wrote in post #5564730
Your radio slave receiver set basically acts like a switch.

The optical slave also acts like a switch, but there is a catch. The optical slave is a circuit that has to be powered by the flash it is connected to (via the sync cord). The radio slave receiver is connected to the flash, but the flash does not power the receiver's circuits (as it does with an optical slave).

The Canon EX flash units work in a manner that never allow the circuits in the optical slave to reset. So the optical slave works once, then the fun is over (until you turn off the flash).

The bottom line is that without some electronic shenanigans most optical slaves just do not work with the Canon EX flash units.

As mentioned before, the exception is the 580EX II, and they only work then if connected via the built in PC port. The 580EX II will work with almost any optical slave if is connected to the PC port (and the PC port is not in Manual-Master mode). Connect an optical slave to the hotshoe of a 580EX II and it is just an uncooperative as any other EX flash unit.

There is evidently some very expensive Metz optical slaves ($80.00 or so) that work, but I have never been able to nail down the exact model number, there is rumor that a discontinued Sunpak optical slave will work (but very shaky confirmation on this). The newest version of the Wein peanut will also work. But the Wein Peanut also has scores of web testimonial indicating other significant functional issues that inhibits it as a sold choice.

See this thread for info on the Wein Peanut:
http://www.flickr.com …discuss/7215760​0098851800

This is an issue that have followed closely for over two years. These are not flippant observations.

Enjoy! Lon

Thanks for the info. I definitely am not doubting you. It just seems (in my mind, at least that ) that it SHOULD work, although it very apparently won't. Of course, I SHOULD have already won the Powerball, but that ain't working either.

I recently purchased a couple of the Michael Bass designed "Special Sync Cables" for use with Sonia optical triggers + a hot shoe adapter and the Canon 580EX. The special sync cables are a little expensive @ $45 each but work reliably and will allow me to use my canon 580EX's as extra light sources.

I have only performed initial testing but I can confirm that they work and will trigger the 580EX repeatedly and reliably. I intend to do some further testing to see if they trigger reliably down a long hallway with ambient light and if I can trigger them reliably using my studio strobes which is my primary purpose. I suspect those things have more to do with the Sonia triggers than anything else though. Since there has been a lot of interest in this issue I thought I'd provide my initial findings and the parts I am using.

Here are the exact parts that I am using:

standard (yellow) Sonia Optical Slaves: http://www.flashzebra.​com/opticalslaves/0003​.shtml
common PC to hotshoe adapter: http://www.flashzebra.​com/hotshoes-shoes/0065.shtml
Michael Bass Designs special sync cable (PC plug to PC plug): http://michaelbass.blo​gspot.com …ns.html#CanonSo​niaConnect

The special sync cable looks like this: http://bp3.blogger.com …/s1600-h/SpecSyncPCPC.jpg

DavidPhoto wrote in post #5606010
I recently purchased a couple of the Michael Bass designed "Special Sync Cables" for use with Sonia optical triggers + a hot shoe adapter and the Canon 580EX. The special sync cables are a little expensive @ $45 each but work reliably and will allow me to use my canon 580EX's as extra light sources.

I have only performed initial testing but I can confirm that they work and will trigger the 580EX repeatedly and reliably.

David,

Thanks for this info. I had heard about Michael's adapters and it's good to see an unbiased review.