Suggestions on slave flashes

I have a 430 EX II for my main flash, but I'd like to set up a couple umbrellas with wireless triggers. I'd have to use a radio trigger, as the infrared sensors won't be able to see the pop up flash on my 7d. What are some decent flashes that aren't quite as expensive, but will still work with E TTL II (am I saying that right?)?

You might be surprised at what the 7D can do. I held a 580exII behind my back as a friend fired off a few shots and it flashed just fine.

What ETTL capable triggers will you be using?

Lots of questions about your post. If you arent using the flash controller on the 7D, what method will you be using? The number of flashes that use the ettl capability of the canon system wirelessly are kind of limited so you arent talking bargain basement models, your best bet is a used canon flash 430ex, 550ex, or 580ex.

aaron.dunlap wrote in post #11053809
You might be surprised at what the 7D can do. I held a 580exII behind my back as a friend fired off a few shots and it flashed just fine.

Good point.

I don't have a 7D, but I use a 550 EX as a master and I have several 420EX units I use as "slaves"....The (seemingly) popular belief that the sensors on the Canon "slaves" actually need to be in line of sight to the master is wrong. While I used to make a big effort to get the sensors of the "slaves" lined up with the master when I first got the stuff, after a bit of experience, I no longer bother. This is of course indoors...outdoors I haven't even tried it in daylight but wouldn't be surprised if that would require a radio system, or if the optical system in the Canon Speedlite wireless set-up would need to be quite close and in line of sight in bright sunlight ..if it worked at all...... (I much prefer using reflectors in daylight anyway so it's never been an issue to me).

Your experience with the 580 behind your back is pretty much part of my standard approach to back-lighting and hair lighting for portraits. For back- lighting I usually use a "slave" on the floor or on a lightstand very low and use a diffuser to spread thel light on the background behind my subject....so it's completely blocked from my master which I usually use on a light-stand as a fill light somewhere around the camera (in front, behind, to either side....high, low).....depends a lot on the lens I'm using and the effect I want to achieve. For a hair-light I do pretty much the same except rather than use a diffuser and have the light aimed toward the background, I have a light with a snoot aimed at the subject's head from behind.

I've yet to have any flash fail to fire no matter the orientation of the "slave's" sensor, or even the master....I often use the master as a bounced light - sometimes bouncing the light backward in relation to the lens, and STILL the light or lights behind my subject will fire every time. Of course this is in a studio, not in an arena or a stadium (most of which are lit for TV coverage, so I don't use any lights, just fast lenses.

A lot of misinformation on the Internet about how the Canon system works. I can't even think about how many times I've read that the sensors work on infrared....the only infrared I am aware of that is part of the system is the "near infrared" light (whatever that means) used by the (IMO useless and absurdly expensive) ST-E2.

Peace,
D.

Well, I guess the radio triggers are out... Thanks for clearing that up, guys. I guess the wireless flash system on the 7d would be adequate then. Are the Canon flashes my only option on this? I'm guessing so, since the wireless trigger on the 7d is relatively new.

The 7D wireless system is the same as the regular canon wireless.

You can also use the Sigma 530 DG Super, Metz 58, Quantum QNexus Qflash, and Nissin 866 flash. They are all compatible with the proprietary Canon wireless flash system.
(there might be others as well)
There is supposed to be a new version of the Nissin 622 that will also be compatible.

I have a 7D and use the Sigma 530 DG Super and it works great along side my 580EX II.