Remote Flash and ETTL

tim wrote in post #9928625
I don't think ETTL radio slaves are necessary. They may help some people depending on their style, especially if they work alone or don't understand manual flash, but to me the advantages of manual flash outway the benefits of ETTL.

Maybe it's not for you Tim, but I know ttl capable triggers allow highspeed sync, which makes things a lot easier for me and other users so we don't have to lug around heavy gear to overpower the sun. Not only that, you can also use shallower DoF with this ability while with manual triggers, you are limited to the highest sync speed of your flash.

Now I can squeeze more shoots into a day if needed, instead of just when light is good.

PhotoMatte wrote in post #9922828
I normally have my OCF set up at 1/8th power to start, then adjust from there, using my LCD and histogram to check exposure on the first few images.

This is fine under controlled conditions (like formals) but at a reception those first couple of shots to be exposed properly right away.

The first dance for example... I never know what the lighting conditions are going to be like until the music starts and the lights are dimmed to some random level. Not a lot of time to chimp.

RT McAllister wrote in post #9930724
This is fine under controlled conditions (like formals) but at a reception those first couple of shots to be exposed properly right away.

The first dance for example... I never know what the lighting conditions are going to be like until the music starts and the lights are dimmed to some random level. Not a lot of time to chimp.

There's always time if you buy the DJ a drink works wonder whenever I'm late to the reception. One time I had a DJ worked with me and rushed through the whole 1st dance, parents dance, cake, bouque, garter toss in less than an hour so I could leave. Everyone was happy.

Tim, thanks for your input. Dont know what I was thinking. After what you said, I think I would stick with manual. It really isn't that difficult.

Nope, guess and check. Like Viet says you don't have high speed sync, but that's really only good for fill anyway.

I use the PW Mini and Flex TTL's. They do ETTL communication and use RF instead of IR for much more range and are not limited by line-of-sight (as all PW i believe). They also allow highspeed sync. They're pretty nice, but pricey.

MotoXPunk481 wrote in post #9949796
I use the PW Mini and Flex TTL's. They do ETTL communication and use RF instead of IR for much more range and are not limited by line-of-sight (as all PW i believe). They also allow highspeed sync. They're pretty nice, but pricey.

Also poorly designed, you need to use a shield around it for it to work reliably at distance. PW have damaged their reputation a little over those things. When they work they're meant to be good, though.

RT McAllister wrote in post #9930724
This is fine under controlled conditions (like formals) but at a reception those first couple of shots to be exposed properly right away.

The first dance for example... I never know what the lighting conditions are going to be like until the music starts and the lights are dimmed to some random level. Not a lot of time to chimp.

Yes, I rarely, if ever, use manual settings during the reception

hi, can some one help me please, i have 2 canons the 5d and the mk11. i have a new remoteopteka rc4. can some one tell me how to set this up to get it to work please. thanks

PhotoMatte wrote in post #9954278
Yes, I rarely, if ever, use manual settings during the reception

Since I light the reception and the dance I use manual most of the time, but then I switch to the 7D/30 F1.4 and use ambient.

McQphotography/phx/AZ wrote in post #9954309
hi, can some one help me please, i have 2 canons the 5d and the mk11. i have a new remoteopteka rc4. can some one tell me how to set this up to get it to work please. thanks

Not really, since you haven't said what an RC4 is (a flash? a radio trigger?) or what you're having trouble with.

McQphotography/phx/AZ wrote in post #9954309
hi, can some one help me please, i have 2 canons the 5d and the mk11. i have a new remoteopteka rc4. can some one tell me how to set this up to get it to work please. thanks

Your probably better starting a specific new thread with "opteka remote RC4" in the title, this is a discussion about remote flash firing not remote camera firing.

I haven't found anything on the market that can do what Radio Poppers can do if there was I would own it. The RP Px's finally make Canons wireless system fully functional and useable in practically any situation. When combined with the RP JRx's Studios and some Paul C Buff products they totally rock.

Full and reliable wireless control of all your Canon Speedlites whether in Manual or ETTL modes. It does not matter if you are indoors with the Speedlites in a softbox or even in another room they work and if your outside in the bright sun and hiding your Speedlites in a softbox well they work there too even if that softbox is 100 feet or more away. No assistant to change manual power settings no problem, just use Canons wireless configuration in the Manual mode and you have complete manual control of 3 groups of Speedlite slaves right from your camera. If you want to use ETTL with reliability and no worries of flash communication problems then the RP Px's are the way to go.

Now here is what is cool! You can fully control the flash output, from the camera, of 3 groups of PCB (Paul C Buff) strobes (Alien Bees, White Lightnings or Zeus) with either the PX transmitter (attached to a Master flash) or the JRx transmitter, when the PCB strobes are connected to JRx Studio receivers. You can also fully control the manual flash output of 3 groups of Canon Speedlites, with the JRx transmitter, right from the camera. How cool is that? Strobist and manual flash users this is a dream come true. Let's see you do that with your cheap EBay triggers or any other radio triggers for that matter! I have 10 Pocket Wizard Plus and Plus II's that have not even come out of my accessories bag since I swtched over to the Radio Poppers.

For anyone wanting to blend Speedlites with studio strobes Radio Poppers PX and JRx units function flawlessly together. You can mix Speedlites, operating in either ETTL or Manual wireless configuration, with studio strobes and if those studio strobes just happen to be PCB strobes then you'll have complete control of all flash outputs right at your camera.

OK! Now here is what is really, really cool. Are you ready? You can use High Speed Sync with your PCB strobes. That's right High Speed Sync with studio strobes. Let me give you a second to let this sync/sink in.

Here is how it works. You need the following setup. A Canon Master Speedlite (550EX, 580EX or 580EXII) attached to your camera with an RP Px transmitter. You need a PCB strobe (Alien Bee, White Lightning or Zeus) with an RP JRx Studio receiver attached via a 4 pin phone cord (the basic receiver will not work it must be the studio version). Set your Speedlite to Master in the wireless configuration and enable High Speed Sync (It does not matter if your Master flash is set to ETTL or Manual . It also does not matter if your Master flash is set to fire or not). Set the flash output, for each group of PCB strobes, in the PX transmitter under the group according to which they are assigned in the JRx receiver attached to the particular strobe. You have 32 levels of power adjustment for each group with the Px transmitter. My 5DmII will sync all the way to 1/8000 of a sec with this setup.

Like I said there is nothing on the market to compare to the Radio Poppers when it comes to versatility or creativeness with lighting. NOTHING!

^^^^ the truth...you can take mine from my cold dead fingers. I owned the new PW's and they got nothing on RP.

I use ETTL indoors with an ste-2. Works very well with the A-B group and ratios. The C group must be set manually at the flash. To date I haven't had to be concerned about the sensor being pointed at the triggering device but I supppose one of these days that will happen.

Edbee wrote in post #9978805
I use ETTL indoors with an ste-2. Works very well with the A-B group and ratios. The C group must be set manually at the flash. To date I haven't had to be concerned about the sensor being pointed at the triggering device but I supppose one of these days that will happen.

Same here only I use a 580ex as the master instead of an STE2 to fire 2 remote 430's.

I use this setup at receptions also. (taped over that annoying flashing "ready" light). Infra red has posed no problems since the flash units are at least 8 feet in the air.

Outdoors though in bright sun I have had misfires. The trick is to try and swivel the remote IR sensor of the remote heads towards your camera. I don't use umbrellas outdoors.