Trigger Happy? Tell me about your experience triggering flashes

Fortkentdad

Senior Member
Learning it is all about the lighting. And lighting can be complicated.

I have a small collection of speedlights - a Nikon SB-400, 600 & 700 plus a Metz 58 Af-2 (and an old Vivitar Auto-Thyristor 2800-D I picked up for $10 - test flashes but not on my cameras).

I have a couple of modifiers like simple umbrella (3) and a umbrella-softbox (pictured below) and a rectangular softbox designed for speedlights.

The one pictured here is good for big strobes or speedflash - I was using the Metz in it for that shot at the children's centre shown below.

DSC_5740+PCC Christmas Tree Ligh Set up-0001.jpg

I like the way that softbox / umbrella works, folds up like umbrella but works like a softbox, light bounces off silver lining of the umbrella.


But my smaller rectangular softbox encloses the flash and recently I found my Nikon on board CLS did not fire consistently at another recent shoot at the same centre.


DSC_4945+Strip Box-0001.jpg

I was using the onboard flash as a controller and had it tuned down to -3 TTL flash power and had a puffer on camera flash diffuser in front of it to soften it even more. Maybe if I used my SB-700 as a trigger on the camera it would be a more powerful trigger than the in-camera trigger? Or maybe it was because it was turned down and the reduced flash didn't have enough power for the CLS. But that only compounds the problem because I'd like less (or no) on-board flash and rely more on positioned external flashes. (I did quickly move the flash onto the camera and put it into a pop-on big circle flash cover and the shoot when ahead - parents were still very happy with the result - always have a back-up plan).

____________ bottom line I found that while the CLS does work, it failed me on that shoot. I could be me and how I set it up?


So .... Maybe it is time to pull the trigger on a radio trigger system.


Oh, to complicate the question I'm thinking at some point I'll get a strobe or two, considered the Elinchrom D-Lite RX 4/4 but decided to keep that grand or so in my pocket for now. Given a studio strobe may be in my future I want to be able to control a studio strobe or two or three with whichever radio trigger system I buy into.


Current top contender.

The newer Cactus V6ii. cactusv6ii.JPG

It comes in at $129 CDN and you use the same one on the camera as the flash, there is no separate receiver unit as I understand it. It was recommended at a photoshow I attended and it is getting good reviews, so good many sites are sold out. My local brick and mortar camera shop can get them. (And Cactus also sell a nice flash unit for $250 that has a V6ii receiver built in, reducing costs of adding flash units in the future.

But there are others contenders

I've looked at Yungnou. Their system has many satisfied customers but there are dissatisfied ones too. Nothing is perfect. But given these are off shore I'd have to consider them almost disposable and not rely on future repairs.

A local studio/camera store uses and recommended the Phottix Flash Trigger. Of course there are Radio Poppers and Pocket Wizards, and the Elinchrom's Skyport. These tend to mean openning my wallet a little wider.

Some are TTL and some are not. I suppose I really should learn to move beyond TTL just like I learned to move beyond relying on the camera's "Auto" function. (Still tend to stick to A-priority or S-priority depending on the scene).


SO - I'd like to know if you use triggers and are you trigger happy?
 
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Lawrence

Senior Member
I have a yongnuo set up.

I started with the RF-603N which I bought as my remote trigger - works perfectly although I di have to replace the connecting cable which for some crazy and unknown reason packed up.
With a RF-603N trigger in my hand, one on the camera and one off camera on which my old Sunpak GX14 was mounted I had my OCF.

I then purchased two Yongnuou YN560IVs (which act as both a transmitter and a receiver) plus a Yongnuo YN560-TX transmitter which goes on my ho shoe (or on the RF-603N if using the remote).
From here I can control up to 4 Groups of flash on 8 Channels. Works for me, and I have never had a misfire which I believe can occur if recharging is slow. I use good batteries and don't shoot in rapid.

Not as happy with my cheap shoot through umbrella and my small soft box though.

Lights I have enough for what I do, but diffusers could probably be improved on.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I don't do anything particularly elaborate but my Yongnuo flashes and triggers have never let me down. I'll compliment them by saying I never have to think about them; they just work.
 

Fortkentdad

Senior Member
Well that's three for Yongnuo zero for everybody else.

I'll have to dig into Yongnuo a little more.




Reading Strobist: Lighting 101

"The Strobist" blogger. He likes Phottix - the old Ares ones which are "back orderes" on a few sites - could be old blog and a newer, (read more expensive) version is out now.


Mrs. Claus is telling me no camera purchases before Christmas so time to change my mind several times and maybe someone will have a hard to resist boxing day sale.
 
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