After Embarrassing myself.....

Embarrrased myself the other day asking a question when I was confused between optical slave operation and Canon Master/Slave.....

Now after doing some reading I want to proceed with an equipment purchase.... So now I ask the Flash Gods (you guys) if what I am attempting is a good idea, or another stupid noob attempt at flash configurations...

I have a 58EXII (main light) and a 550EX (want to use as fill).... I have two PW Minis (Flex and TTL).... I could buy another Flex for the 550EX, but dont want to roll out another $230 that might not be necessary.

My Idea:

Use the 580EXII as fill, connect with an ETTL synch cord from FlashZebra ($43). Since the fill flash unit is only 4-5 feet from camera I doubt if the cord will be a problem. I will set the 580EXII as Master, and trigger the 550EX as ETTL slave. When I am outdoors and carrying one flash I can always revert back to the PW's.... Will that setup work properly, still convey the ETTL signals to master and slave? Is there a better way, or is this a completely stupid setup?? I have a 5D MKII,a nd will be using umbrella shoot-throughs on both speedlights.

Any help you guys can provide would be appreciated, and apologize for my earlier stupidity with the generic optical slave confusion!

Your idea will work, I've done it before. Getting an optical slave will be the cheapest option but limiting if used outdoors.

you've at least taken the first step - admitting you embarrassed yourself..

You can try something like this (I haven't done it):

Put mini on camera. And a eTTL cable from mini to flash which will be fill. Then other flash has flexTT5.

Or just put fill flash on camera on top of mini. No modifer on it. Just using it for fill.

Thanks guyz !! Yes King, I am a sinner !

Bobby...I thought about doing this (mini on camera, ETTL cable to fill flash), but would it mess up the ratio or ETTL power settings? The camera would directly talk to the cable connected flash, but would the PW's on the main light and camera take into consideration or even realize that another flash is connected via cable??

I thought about just popping the fill flash on top of the mini/camera, and using a mini-softbox I already have attachedd to that flash, but didn't think that would give a very appealing or quality fill light? Thoughts?

i have no experience whatsoever with radio triggers, but i was wondering why you couldn't use the radio-triggered 580 in ettl master mode and the 550 as ettl slave? basically what you said in your first post, but with the PWs instead of the cable?

Connecting the wire to one flash and triggering another flash won't work with ratios. At least from my understanding.

Hold on guys. You can put a flash on top of mini or flex which is on camera. Now you can use that flash to control ratios etc. of any other flashes which are connected to flex TT5 off camera. This is what I am suggesting to begin with.

Now if you don't like the flash sitting naked on top of the mini/flex (which is on camera), put an eTTL cable from top of the mini/flex (which is sitting on camer) so that your master flash is not also off camera. Why would this master flash care if it is sitting on top of mini/flex or just connected through a cable.

Now I haven't done all this as I use AC3 but I should work. Bets bet is spend $200 or so and get a use FlexTT5, IMHO. Or don't worry about fill or just use fixed fill (Manual flash) with another trigger or even simple sync cord.

bobbyz wrote in post #11634705
Hold on guys. You can put a flash on top of mini or flex which is on camera. Now you can use that flash to control ratios etc. of any other flashes which are connected to flex TT5 off camera. This is what I am suggesting to begin with.

Now if you don't like the flash sitting naked on top of the mini/flex (which is on camera), put an eTTL cable from top of the mini/flex (which is sitting on camer) so that your master flash is not also off camera. Why would this master flash care if it is sitting on top of mini/flex or just connected through a cable.

Now I haven't done all this as I use AC3 but I should work. Bets bet is spend $200 or so and get a use FlexTT5, IMHO. Or don't worry about fill or just use fixed fill (Manual flash) with another trigger or even simple sync cord.

If connected by wire, you won't be able to control it through the flex with ratios. I do agree with getting another Flex though if money isn't a problem for the OP.

bsaber wrote in post #11635040
If connected by wire, you won't be able to control it through the flex with ratios. I do agree with getting another Flex though if money isn't a problem for the OP.

Why not? What makes you think that you won't be able to control the flash ratio if the master is connected to the MiniTT1 or FlexTT5 in the camera hotshoe via an off-camera shoe cord?

What Bobby suggested is very doable and, under the circumstances, the best solution short of buying another FlexTT5.

PacAce wrote in post #11635209
Why not? What makes you think that you won't be able to control the flash ratio if the master is connected to the MiniTT1 or FlexTT5 in the camera hotshoe via an off-camera shoe cord?

What Bobby suggested is very doable and, under the circumstances, the best solution short of buying another FlexTT5.

Ah, I thought we were talking about the pc sync cable.

bsaber wrote in post #11635817
Ah, I thought we were talking about the pc sync cable.

Yes, I had a feeling that's probably what you had in mind and missed the fact that Bobby said "ETTL cable".

Booby, Pac,bsaber....Apprecia​te all the input and help..


Bobby: So I am perfectly clear.... Will be purchasing this ETTL cord:

http://www.flashzebra.​com/products/0123/inde​x.shtml


580EXII goes on Flex on main light

MiniTTL goes on camera hotshoe

ETTL cable on Mini's hotshoe

550EX (fill light) goes on other end of ETTL cable hotshoe...

Place as desired and bake at 5200 Kelvin

Is that the recipe?

I have that cord and also a short one from Cheetah stand. If you want I can try something over the weekend.

Ya, that would be great... You can PM in case this post gets buried...

I am leaving for overseas in about 8 days, and will need to order the cable tomorrow so that it arrives in time, but a reality sanity check and any feedback would be a great help!! I wont have time to test it, and your test would save me from a lot of stress when I am setting things up in the middle of nowhere!