How off camera wireless works?

Hey guys,

I'm sorry for the newbie question but I am completely new with external flash.
How does wireless flash work?
I should be receiving a 420ex any day now and I really would love to know how I would set up wireless flash to sync with my 30D.

How much does it run?

Thanks guys and sorry for the weak question haha.

If you wanna go the budget route you can trigger your flash by using either;

1. A cord between the camera and the flash (your 420 would need a hotshoe adapter with a PC connection (meaning Prontor-Compur, not Personal Computer in this case) as that flash model doesn't have such a connection (but your camera does)). This would cost you something like 20 dollars. See my signature link for a POTN member who sell this stuff.

2. Optical triggers. You can trigger your 420 by attaching it to a hotshoe adapter with built-in PC connection and then attaching an optical trigger to the PC port (again because the flash doesn't have a port for it). About the same cost as above.

3. The infamous eBay triggers, a.k.a. Cactus trigger or PowertyWizards. You attach one trigger on your camera hotshoe and one receiver on the flash hotshoe and fire away. They work great for the majority of people, at least up to 160 or so syncspeed (shutter speed). However, and this is a big one, contrary to what the sellers claim they are notorious for NOT working with the 420 and 430 speedlites. They would cost you about 20 bucks plus shipping from Hong Kong.

Although not wireless, I would recommend a cord for your 420 (alt. 1 above) instead of the wireless triggers because of the above mentioned problem with the EX flashes (especially 420/430). They are prone to cause mental fatigue for anyone wishing to get it working with the 2nd and 3rd alternative.

If you are serious about wireless photography you could either buy a 580EX as a master to trigger the flash (with infrared light) or you could buy Elinchrome or PocketWizard radio triggers. They are several hundred dollars though.

A cheaper way to go wireless is to buy a cheap flash that works perfectly with both optical and cheap radio triggers. Three popular models are the Vivitar 283, Vivitar 285 or Sunpak 383. They cost between 50 to 90 dollars new and can easily be found cheaper on eBay.

A few simple searches will give you a vast number of threads like this one, if you wanna dwell deeper into the topic.

lowcrust wrote in post #5212664
If you wanna go the budget route you can trigger your flash by using either;

1. A cord between the camera and the flash (your 420 would need a hotshoe adapter with a PC connection (meaning Prontor-Compur, not Personal Computer in this case) as that flash model doesn't have such a connection (but your camera does)). This would cost you something like 20 dollars. See my signature link for a POTN member who sell this stuff.

2. Optical triggers. You can trigger your 420 by attaching it to a hotshoe adapter with built-in PC connection and then attaching an optical trigger to the PC port (again because the flash doesn't have a port for it). About the same cost as above.

The 420EX has no manual mode, so if you use a basic sync device like a flash cord, or radio slave, you will only have one power setting - full. This does not mean that it will not work, just that the 420EX is not an optimal off camera manual mode flash.

Optical slaves do not work well with most Canon EX flash units, including the 420EX.

Enjoy! Lon

Please read this thread carefully:
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=308108

FlashZebra wrote in post #5212742
Optical slaves do not work well with most Canon EX flash units, including the 420EX.

Enjoy! Lon

Digging this up as I'm trying to figure out how to use multiple off-camera hot shoe flashes w/ a single skyport receiver.

I could have the skyport receiver hooked to the 580ex and optical slaves hooked to vivitar flashes or whatever flash units I decide add, right? (as long as they aren't Canon EX flashes...)

whiskaz wrote in post #5477347
Digging this up as I'm trying to figure out how to use multiple off-camera hot shoe flashes w/ a single skyport receiver.

I could have the skyport receiver hooked to the 580ex and optical slaves hooked to vivitar flashes or whatever flash units I decide add, right? (as long as they aren't Canon EX flashes...)

Right.

You can even fire other Canon EX flashes with optical slaves, but they might not play nice together.

Optical triggers are sh*t, do not waste your money on them.

Optical triggers, when used within their design limitations on compatible equipment, are the absolute most reliable way to trigger off-camera flash units. They are built into every studio monolight on the market and some hotshoe-type flash units.

They are inexpensive, small, light, and do not require batteries.

They are very well-suited for indoor use in relatively small rooms. They are not well-suited for outdoor use or very large rooms like gymnasiums or very large banquet halls. They can be triggered from any flash, so they may not be well-suited for situations where there are lots of other people using flash.

They generally do not work well when attached to EX series Speedlites. They work fine when attached to the PC socket of the 580EX II.

I have four different optical slaves, in addition to the ones built into flash units and studio strobes. None of them have ever failed to perform when used with compatible equipment under the proper conditions.

jbergdoll wrote in post #5480721
Optical triggers are sh*t, do not waste your money on them.

Post like this with no factual basis or attempt to discuss why the poster's opinion is such, are ****. Do not waste your time on them.

Well, yea, I know better than to trust that opinion. I use the optical triggers on my studio strobes all the time. Used the 580 to fire them until last week, actually. Nice to not have that thing on top of the camera, doing nothing but triggering flashes. Makes a nice little rim/hair light too, off camera.

Village_Idiot wrote in post #5484382
Post like this with no factual basis or attempt to discuss why the poster's opinion is such, are ****. Do not waste your time on them.

Ok then, my experience with optical triggers has been subpar. They are not versatile in any way, and they greatly limit your lighting ability, since your optical flash must be in the line of fire of your on camera (or off-camera radio/infrared triggered) flash. Radio slaves are the way to go, even eGay slaves are a better alternative to optical slaves.

jbergdoll wrote in post #5543127
Ok then, my experience with optical triggers has been subpar. They are not versatile in any way, and they greatly limit your lighting ability, since your optical flash must be in the line of fire of your on camera (or off-camera radio/infrared triggered) flash. Radio slaves are the way to go, even eGay slaves are a better alternative to optical slaves.

If used inside, optical slaves typically do not require "line of fire" as indicated.

They work nicely off of light bounced off ceilings, floors, walls, and other fixtures in the area. I have personally used may types of studio flash and hotshoe based flash with optical slaves in studio conditions (or ad hoc studio conditions). I have never had an issue with an optical slave. They work consistently and reliably. Bit, I understand how they work and use them in a manner consistent with their design.

They are limited to small to medium sized rooms. But in many situations this is the use desired (like studio or ad hoc studio work).

If you use optical slaves within their design limitations, they are very reliable.

But, if you use them in a willy-nilly manner without thought, if your use mode is inconsistent with the device you are using you will be disappointed (just like any other device).

In short, just because an optical slave will not work in all situations, but will work in a predictable manner when the user understands the device, does not mean they do not have merit.

Just because you 400D will not work underwater does not mean that it does not have merit.

Enjoy! Lon