Cant argue with that, one thing to consider just going off the little info the OP provided is the transmitter has less than half the functionality of a 580 EX etc, so consider another flashgun to use as master.Originally Posted by neuroanatomist
Cant argue with that, one thing to consider just going off the little info the OP provided is the transmitter has less than half the functionality of a 580 EX etc, so consider another flashgun to use as master.
I aint a pro
Sounds like you've read Syl's book "Speedliter's Handbook". If not, I'd put that near the top of the list for your next read. Although - perhaps 20% of it refers to technology that's been surpassed - even some of the light modifiers are a bit long in the tooth! I think we need to see "Sean Setter: Speedlite Specialist" at Amazon soon.
An inexpensive set of triggers IMVHO is a must for anybody wanting to play with light. In fact, there's a greater deal of flexibility with triggers than there is with the Canon RT system. The huge advantage of the RT system is of course that you don't have to hook a trigger up to every speedlite you've got, plus Canon's overwhelmingly accurate TTL system.
While some of the first "eBay" triggers were complete junk, they've come a long ways and compete with Pocket Wizard and Radio Popper on nearly every level. I've found that using a cheap trigger system (non TTL) has 2 big advantages. 1) it teaches you (or forces) to use your flashes manually. When it starts to get to an intuitive level, you know you've learned something! 2) you can trigger your camera remotely as well - so basically not only are the flashes off camera, you are too!
One of the things I do is shoot Real Estate, and for those dramatic evening shots I walk around with a flash and "paint" a house with light (handheld speedlite) while triggering the camera. Then I brush it together in Photoshop Layers. Loads of fun. Being able to trigger your camera and flash remotely is a huge plus in my book.
In a studio setting however, a cable going to your strobes makes all kinds of sense to save money. Chances are you've got cable running everywhere anyway, so what's one more? However - the chances are also good that you can use your line of site optical trigger (newer EOS cameras) to do that work. In fact, I purchased a little 90EX for my 6D just so I could trigger a flash this way. I figure for $45 at the time, it's a flash I can carry in my pocket, or use to trigger pretty much any flash with slave mode - An old 420EX or a Yongnuo (if it works!).
Off the topic a bit - but when the 600EX-RT was first released, I purchased a 600EX (non RT). It was only $380. But after anguishing I returned it for an RT. I doubted my decision for a long time. I had anticipated many products coming out afterwards - from RT triggers from Canon to third party flashes and controllers all using that technology. Sadly, Canon has left it languishing - and Yongnuo finally came out with a controller, but really didn't do much to improve or differentiate themselves with it. I have to admit, I'm a bit disappointed with Canon not coming out with triggers to support the 580EX, or even a 440EX-RT. I hope in the future they rectify this - especially before Nikon ups the ante and comes out on top of the flash wars again. How cool would it be to have the functionality of the ST-E3-RT built into the next generation EOS?
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