Will a Pocket Wizard Plus II work with a 580EX II?

Alright, I'm new to all this lighting stuff but am wanting to learn. I only have a 580EX II right now but wanted to know whether or not a Plus II would work with it as in, if I put the 580 in slave mode, would the Plus II trigger it? Don't worry, I plan on buying more lighting.

Btw, what would you suggest for someone starting in studio work/senior pictures?

I haven't used this combination myself, but I'm pretty sure you don't need to put the 580exii in slave mode. just connect the pw plus II via the pc cord.

exodusfman800 wrote in post #8702229
Alright, I'm new to all this lighting stuff but am wanting to learn. I only have a 580EX II right now but wanted to know whether or not a Plus II would work with it as in, if I put the 580 in slave mode, would the Plus II trigger it? Don't worry, I plan on buying more lighting.

Btw, what would you suggest for someone starting in studio work/senior pictures?

If you're asking if you can use the Plus II as sort of a master attached to the camera to remotely trigger a stand-alone, off-camera 580EX, the answer is 'no'. However, if you have two Plus II units and you connected one of them to the 580EX and the other Plus II unit is mounted in the hotshoe or connected to the PC terminal of the camera, then yes, you will be able to trigger the 580EX with the Plus II.

PacAce wrote in post #8702279
If you're asking if you can use the Plus II as sort of a master attached to the camera to remotely trigger a stand-alone, off-camera 580EX, the answer is 'no'. However, if you have two Plus II units and you connected one of them to the 580EX and the other Plus II unit is mounted in the hotshoe or connected to the PC terminal of the camera, then yes, you will be able to trigger the 580EX with the Plus II.

Dang it...I just don't want to use an ST-E2.

If you really don't want to go for a pair of pocketwizards (or similar), then why not pay a little more than the cost of a ST-E2 and pick up a second flash (i.e. 430EX II) as a slave to your 580EX II.

...it's only $50 more (on the b&H site)...and then you would have two speedlights

Using a PW with a 580EX II has the potential to cause the PW to fail.

Read this link (it also applies to using PW Plus if attaching the PW close to the 580EX II):
http://www.pocketwizar​d.com/news_events/news​/ac7/

If your going to use a PW Plus II and a 580EX make sure you have the PW as far away as practical. This cable I would recommend.
http://www.flashzebra.​com/wizardcables/screw​lock.shtml

Haribo wrote in post #8703301
If you really don't want to go for a pair of pocketwizards (or similar), then why not pay a little more than the cost of a ST-E2 and pick up a second flash (i.e. 430EX II) as a slave to your 580EX II.

...it's only $50 more (on the b&H site)...and then you would have two speedlights

That's where I'm at right now. I have the 430 and 580 for my two bodies when I'm shooting events, and then I can also get the 430 off camera triggered by my 580 on camera. OCF rocks!

contacat http://michaelbass.blo​gspot.com/ he has a fix to give the 580 the availabilty to be triggered by a PW and use it as a mater in a set.

Rick Denham wrote in post #8706572
contacat http://michaelbass.blo​gspot.com/ he has a fix to give the 580 the availabilty to be triggered by a PW and use it as a mater in a set.

I highly doubt that! The 580EX is not going to require a "fix" to allow a PW unit mounted on a camera to trigger a 580EX off camera. A PW compatible radio circuit would need to be installed in or on the 580EX to make that happen and that is hardly what I would call a fix.

I think what you are thinking of is the mod Michael does to the 580EX to allow the PC terminal to be used when the flash is set to Manual-Master mode (a stock 580EX has the PC terminal disabled in Manual-Master mode). This will still require a radio unit to be connected to the flash unit which is what the OP is trying to avoid.

highly doubt as much as you want, but this is straight from Mike's site

So, yes indeed you can re-wire the 580exii to be set into manual master mode and fire off slaves in a group.

Don't mess with me when it comes to off camera speedlights, I am a God.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, the stock 580ex does not have the pc terminal disabled in manual-master mode, as the stock 580ex does not have a pc sync. I believe you may have the 580ex confused with the newer 580exii

Rick Denham wrote in post #8706990
highly doubt as much as you want, but this is straight from Mike's site

So, yes indeed you can re-wire the 580exii to be set into manual master mode and fire off slaves in a group.

Don't mess with me when it comes to off camera speedlights, I am a God.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, the stock 580ex does not have the pc terminal disabled in manual-master mode, as the stock 580ex does not have a pc sync. I believe you may have the 580ex confused with the newer 580exii

I think you need to reread this whole thread, especially the OP, before you make assumptions. You're post is off-topic.

so i do. i may be a master at off cam, but never said i am a good reader. guess i assumed he meant firing a 580 slave from a pw'd 580. my bad

Does the PW plus II work in high speed sinc with the 580 EX II?

I think I'm just gonna save up a little more money and get some Alien Bee's. Good idea or no?

exodusfman800 wrote in post #8708089
I think I'm just gonna save up a little more money and get some Alien Bee's. Good idea or no?

This sounds like my dilemma right now. I'm about to pull the trigger on a light stand/umbrella kit from mpex.com to use with my 430EXII. I LOVE having E-TTL as it works pretty well in getting the "right" (or close enough) flash power. It's wireless, runs off of batteries, BUT studio strobes are so much more powerful. But they are all manual, you need A/C power, you need to figure out a way to trigger them....

Hope you figure it all out!