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i picked up a pair of cactus v5 wireless triggers last week and started playing witht them. they work fine so far but is there anything else that has HSS ( mine dont ) that doesnt cost 600$ ? the local store said only canon will work properly but i find that hard to believe. i dont really need HSS but i would like to have it to play around with. i cant see paying top dollar for something i dont really need though. i have seen mixed reviews on yunguo. what do you guys use ?
Metz flashes supposedly have HSS.
Look at the yongnou flashes. Lot of people use them and have good luck. If I buy another flash, I am getting one of them. I use their triggers and have had nothing but good things to say. (triggers) Only problem is they don't have a lock to keep them on the stands, but if you adjust the stands correctly, you shouldn't have to worry about it.
Thought of looking at the used canon market?
That's an excellent idea. I purchased three Canon 580EX flashes used on eBay (to go along with one that I bought new several years ago). With four 580EXs and an Lumopro LP180, my indoor lighting needs are thoroughly covered.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kayaker72
does that mean with a 580EX you dont need a wireless trigger? i have a 430EXII and i can use the popup flash to trigger it but that doesnt work to good outdoors.
i watched a few videos from Gary Fong where he makes the background disapear using fast shutter speed. thats what i was thinking of trying but the triggers i bought dont support HSS.
580s can be the trigger, and can be configured to contribute to the scene (I think as a member of group A specifically) or not contribute (thereby serving only as trigger). They can signal HSS to remotes.Quote:
Originally Posted by sedwards
I recently purchased a set of Yongnuo wireless triggers. I just used them for the first time on a photo shoot. This is a single Canon 580EXII in Impact Quikbox Softbox (24 x 24") triggered by Yongnuo YN-622C camera left on high-speed sync. Shutter speed 800.Quote:
Originally Posted by sedwards
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5601/...ab6836697b.jpgImage00017_fp8x10 by clemmb60, on Flickr
I am happy so far :cool:
The Phottix Odin Trigger set supports ETTL and HSS. They also have a range of flashes to go with it. A trigger set (1 transmitter and 2 receivers) goes for $300-400, and they're available at B&H, Adorama and Amazon. Good stuff. The advantage with the Phottix is that they've got a complete system, such as the Mitros - flashes with built in receivers. Another well respected brand is Godox. The V850 is HSS only, the V860 is ETTL and HSS. This is a trigger and flash system also. I believe they are available at Amazon as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by sedwards
Super popular are the Yongnuo (as mentioned) YN-622 series triggers. These have the advantage of being everywhere, inexpensive and decent quality. You're always going to hear mixed reviews on these things. Most people I know that have them love them. There's also Pixel King (or pawn or knight or...) which has a great range of trigger products. They were among the first low-cost ETTL, and at least one of them supports HSS. Again the downside is mostly eBay - a huge advantage of the Phottix. Yongnuo can be had through Amazon, so there's some return recourse there.
Yongnuo flashes have excellent physical builds, their electronics are a bit iffy. But don't listen to me, I'm just bitter and have been let down (horribly embarrassed) by mine. However, I got their YN-E3-RT almost a year ago, and it's been great. I think that they've done a lot to improve their quality.
Also in the world of flashes a new player that's out there and looking to give Yongnuo a run for their money is Shanny. They are coming out with a Canon compatible RT system as well. What they're doing that's interesting is that they've got a regular flash that can be upgraded to the RT system by plugging a little receiver onto the side! These too are total rip-offs, er, I mean copies of the Canon product. They make a color LCD version of the ST-E3-RT, which like the Yongnuo (and unlike the Canon) has an AF assist and upgradable firmware. You might look at their regular flashes if you're investing in a trigger system - it's hard to beat a $100 flash.
I've used Aputure Trigmaster Plus 2.4's for years and have loved them. For a regular manual setup and camera trigger they've been great. I'm totally invested in the 600EX-RT's after my run-in with Yongnuo. There's a lot going on with flashes, and since I use them in front of clients, I can't have catastrophic failures. For your own purposes though, certainly look at Yongnuo and Shanny as well as Metz and Nissin. They're all available with HSS and ETTL, the Yongnuo and Shanny products are incredibly inexpensive, but (at least Yongnuo) have zero support as far as warranty. Maybe someday, but not now. Metz and Nissin have great customer support (so I've heard).
New Cactus V6 triggers might. Some Pocket Wizard systems have it.
When I started looking at going wireless Canon announced the 600 EX-RT and some of the other triggering options mentioned above were not available yet so the 600 series won on total cost of investment in each unit.
When it comes to doing the dark background do think about using aperture as well to control the ambient. As long as it is within reason the flash can do it. With HSS mode there is a big drop in effective power rating of the flash.
Some of the battery powered strobe heads coming onto the market are also in the same price range as high end speedlights. Some even have wireless built in. Lots more power available and ability to use studio quality modifiers are not to be overlooked in the decision making process.
Does anyone use the Yongnuo flashes? If so, which one would you recommend? I'd like an equivalent of the 430EXII.
I've used the 565EX, and as I said, had a bad experience. However, I believe they've fixed that and a lot of things with possible the exception of "wobbly foot" syndrome.Quote:
Originally Posted by shutterdown
If I were looking at a flash system today - I would check out the Yongnuo YN-600EX-RT. It's basically an exact copy of the Canon, and uses their RT system. I've purchased the YN-E3-RT controller, which is excellent. It adds AF assist which the ST-E3-RT is lacking. Also, it has the ability to update firmware - which seems to be necessary for it to work as new bodies come out. It's quite easy to use though.
If you get the YN-600EX-RT, you could down the road invest in the transmitter, and other flashes - or even add Canons to the mix when your budget allows it. This flash has all the functionality of the Canon, including ETTL and HSS. The physical build of their flashes is excellent. And of course, you can just read the Canon manual instead of the Yongnuo. These flashes are available now, and B&H has started carrying the line. The YN-600EX-RT goes for around $175. As opposed to $500 for the Canon. Heck, you could buy 2 Yongnuo flashes and their controller for the cost of 1 Canon, and have everything necessary to have your off camera flash setup.
Another brand that's worthy of consideration is Shanny. Some of the Yongnuo engineers split and formed this company. They too have a controller like the ST-E3-RT, however along with adding AF assist, it also functions as an optical controller - so it is compatible with older flashes! Also, they've got a 600EX-RT clone. On top of that, they have what you could call a base 600EX, and the ability to snap on a little "RT" adapter. What I like about Shanny is that they seem to be thinking on their own, and some of their products are not exact copies of Canon. They look different, but still have the same functionality in menus etc. Again, the pricing is about the same.
I really like the Canon RT system. However, the price of entry for many people really is steep. It's hard to dip your toe into new waters when the cost is so high.
Getting back to your comment on something like a 430EX, there really isn't one unless you look at the Metz flashes. The MZ-44 is about the same size as the 430EX. Unfortunately, it's close to the same price as well. Perhaps this is why they filed Chapter 11. Comparable Nissin flashes are a bit larger, and the same cost as the Canon.
Which brings me to a small rant. I really hope that Canon comes out with a 440EX-RT soon. I think a smaller flash (almost everything I've mentioned are full size exact duplicates of the 600EX) that had a little less power and RT capabilities would be a real winner. Not everybody wants or needs a full size full power flash. Heck, I'd buy one! Sometimes I like hauling my one lens one body bag around, and a smaller flash would be just the ticket. Sometimes we're just shooting inside of a small space, or need just a little extra fill.
It also dumbfounds me why Canon doesn't seem to have plans to build-in their RT functionality. The 7DmkII would have been perfect to launch such capabilities! I know they want to sell their controller, I get that. But instead, why not take a cue from Shanny and make a little attachment for the 580EX II that would add RT capabilities? How cool would that be? They'd sell millions of 'em - it's not like there's not hundreds of thousands of photographers out there that have invested heavily in the 580EX. It would probably cost next to nothing to make, and they could easily charge $99 for the things. It's a win/win. /rant
If you like 3rd party flashes and want to use them off camera, the Lumopro flashes are really good. Mine is the LP160 which I believe has been replaced by a newer model.
They have an optical slave mode that is handy.
Dave