Missing autofocus beam when YN RF-602 is used

Hello,

the problem: when I use off camera flashes, triggered by YN RF-602 transmitter/receivers, I can't have my speedlite flash mounted on the camera hotshoe, because there is RF-602 transmitter, and thus I don't have autofocus beam from it. The result is being unable to autofocus when no enough light is available.

Is there any solution on the market? Some third party autofocus beam device that will fit between camera and RF-602 transmitter or so?

Thanks

Flashlight?

kaitlyn2004 wrote in post #10268949
Flashlight?

I agree. You can use a flashlight. If you have your shutter speed high enough to cut off the ambient, the flashlight will not effect your final image.

Isn't this little bit impractical to use? You mean holding flashlight with hand or some kind of fitting it to camera?

Thx

Why not manual focus?

Because there is again no enough light for manual... at least, looking through viewfinder. By using live view it could be possible, but if you taking people photos, this is no solution.

Why Canon does not have autofocus light simply in the body like Nikon

I found this as major issue. If I mount speedlite on the hotshoe, I cannot use RF-602 anymore. If I use RF-602, I cannot use speedlite assist beam

If your camera supports it hook up the transmitter to the pc sync port and put the flash on the hot shoe.

40D, it seems it does have it? I'll try that option, thx!

What I meant about the flashlight was.... illuminate your subject, get focus and lock it/go into MF mode

kaitlyn2004 wrote in post #10270328
What I meant about the flashlight was.... illuminate your subject, get focus and lock it/go into MF mode

Possible only for static subjects. For people this would not work...

coldplug wrote in post #10269130
Isn't this little bit impractical to use? You mean holding flashlight with hand or some kind of fitting it to camera?

Thx

Holding the flashlight works for me for the few occasions I need it... If my subject is not static and is moving, I wont be using off camera flash... In that case my external flash unit which is on camera does the job.

Several years ago I used a laser beam to achieve focus lock. It was those you buy at a convenience store. It wasn't the simple red dot laser. This one had several replaceable caps that had different designs. Like an alien, dog, etc... Worked pretty good for me in the past.

Found some links.. I notice they have green lasers now. Dunno how they would work compared to the red. I would probably stay with the low >5mW range.

http://www.amazon.com …00EE77Q2/ref=pd​_sbs_sg_30
http://www.amazon.com …000FM19US/ref=p​d_sim_e_44

Semi-related story...I was shooting folks dancing on a patio at night with NO ambient light aside from the DJ's "strobes/color light stuff"

I was able to bounce my flash off of the white wall of the house but that would mean I would be RIGHT on top of the guests, so I busted out my light-stand/shoot-through umbrella and coupled my 580EXII with my Cactus receiver.

My 24-70L ( on my 40D) could NOT focus AT ALL. My Xsi+10-20 could actually focus pretty decently, even though I couldn't see anything through the viewfinder. I guess the much wider field-of-view of the 10-20 had something to do with it.

All in all, I did get some nice shots in a very challenging situation. Next time I'll bring a flashlight