A trigger for external flash 430EX

[herc182]

I dont own the camera but someone is looking for a cheap trigger for the aforementioned.

I know of the ST-E2 but have read (after searching here) that a lot of you use Ebay cheap triggers. Can anyone point me to a decent product they have used from EBay?

thanks

[Rhys]

I dont own the camera but someone is looking for a cheap trigger for the aforementioned.

I know of the ST-E2 but have read (after searching here) that a lot of you use Ebay cheap triggers. Can anyone point me to a decent product they have used from EBay?

thanks

The ebay triggers are cheap because they don't work.

They kinda-sorta work but not in any meaningful way. I got some, regretted it, got rid of them and bought an STE-2. The Chinese merchants I dealt with on ebay were generally pretty dishonest. I paid for things that were not even sent - the packages contained only half of the things I ordered. Because they had the slip to say that I'd received the package, paypal would not back me up on this. I now refuse to do business with anybody in China via ebay. It's not a case of whether you'll get ripped off but when!

[AdamW]

There are tons of threads over on POTN about using those cheap eBay wireless triggers. Some people have some problems, but most people seem quite happy with them, especially considering the cost of the alternatives. Note that only one specific model (I forget which one) works with the 430EX. Send your friend to the flash section of the POTN forums, where there is a lot of info from people who really know what they're talking about when it comes to lighting.

[Rhys]

There are tons of threads over on POTN about using those cheap eBay wireless triggers. Some people have some problems, but most people seem quite happy with them, especially considering the cost of the alternatives. Note that only one specific model (I forget which one) works with the 430EX. Send your friend to the flash section of the POTN forums, where there is a lot of info from people who really know what they're talking about when it comes to lighting.

FlashZebra had a bunch of them. I think he found there was a 20% failure rate. Now that's a very high rate indeed!

The problem is that if you get a bad one and have to ship it back, by the time you've done that a couple of times you're well on the way to buying a new or used STE-2.

[herc182]

sounds like the ST-E2 might be the best way forward.

BTW what is POTN?

Thanks everyone

[TheWengler]

http://photography-on-the.net/

[Rhys]

sounds like the ST-E2 might be the best way forward.

BTW what is POTN?

Thanks everyone

There are reports that the STE-2 won't perform well in sunlight but in sunlight I tend to use collapsible reflectors anyway :D

[cdifoto]

I have cheap eBay triggers. They're not reliable. For some twisted reason I use them anyway. The ST-E2 won't be very reliable in daylight though either...since it uses an red beam that relies on line-of-sight and not radio waves.

I'd rather buy elinchrom skyports than an ST-E2. The skyports cost around the same as the ST-E2 and they're basically a lower end but high quality version of Pocket Wizards.

[Mark_48]

I bought one of these a few years ago from this USA ebay seller.
http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Channel-Radio-Slave-New_W0QQitemZ120253302188QQihZ002QQcategoryZ15215Q QtcZphotoQQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I was using it with Sunpak 383's and a set of studio strobes and it worked reliably. I have since upgraded to an Elinchrom Skyport kit http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/505381-REG/Elinchrom_EL_19360_EL_Skyport_Universal_Radio_Slav e.html which is built significantly better and substantially more money, but I have more trust in it than I do the cheap ebay unit so far as reliability and durability. If your friend only needs a slave trigger for hobbiest types of shooting, the ebay cheapies may work fine. As pointed out you do take a risk on something like this that that may not work reliably or at all with your setup.

Mark....

[24Peter]

I don't know what you guys are talking about: I've probably taken 20,000 shots (maybe more) with these (inside and outside) and they've worked reliably every single time. I've said many times, best $30 I've spent on photography equipment ever. (Only recently had to change batteries.)

http://cgi.ebay.com/16-Channel-Radio-Slave-Flash-Trigger-RD616-Wireless_W0QQitemZ350054420075QQihZ022QQcategoryZ3 0086QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

BUT: they don't work with a 430EX because the 430EX has no external port. (Work great with Sunpak 383's, Alien Bees, Adorama strobes, etc.)

[Rhys]

I don't know what you guys are talking about: I've probably taken 20,000 shots (maybe more) with these (inside and outside) and they've worked reliably every single time. I've said many times, best $30 I've spent on photography equipment ever. (Only recently had to change batteries.)

http://cgi.ebay.com/16-Channel-Radio-Slave-Flash-Trigger-RD616-Wireless_W0QQitemZ350054420075QQihZ022QQcategoryZ3 0086QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

BUT: they don't work with a 430EX because the 430EX has no external port. (Work great with Sunpak 383's, Alien Bees, Adorama strobes, etc.)

The problem with the cheapo ones is they fire at random when attached to Canon kit.

[cdifoto]

I don't know what you guys are talking about: I've probably taken 20,000 shots (maybe more) with these (inside and outside) and they've worked reliably every single time. I've said many times, best $30 I've spent on photography equipment ever. (Only recently had to change batteries.)

http://cgi.ebay.com/16-Channel-Radio-Slave-Flash-Trigger-RD616-Wireless_W0QQitemZ350054420075QQihZ022QQcategoryZ3 0086QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

BUT: they don't work with a 430EX because the 430EX has no external port. (Work great with Sunpak 383's, Alien Bees, Adorama strobes, etc.)

You've got a good set it seems. Those are the same ones I use. When I was outside the other night doing the "The End" shoot, I set my timer for about 8 images and about half of those came up black with no change in either the strobe & receiver's location or that of the camera/trigger.

[Rhys]

You've got a good set it seems. Those are the same ones I use. When I was outside the other night doing the "The End" shoot, I set my timer for about 8 images and about half of those came up black with no change in either the strobe & receiver's location or that of the camera/trigger.

Mine were complete crap until I moved the camera more than 12 feet from the flashes. Then they worked. The next owner couldn't even get them to work at 12 nor 20 feet. It all seemed very strange but I have an STE-2 now so I'm happy.

[Mark_48]

I don't know what you guys are talking about: I've probably taken 20,000 shots (maybe more) with these (inside and outside) and they've worked reliably every single time. I've said many times, best $30 I've spent on photography equipment ever. (Only recently had to change batteries.)

http://cgi.ebay.com/16-Channel-Radio-Slave-Flash-Trigger-RD616-Wireless_W0QQitemZ350054420075QQihZ022QQcategoryZ3 0086QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

BUT: they don't work with a 430EX because the 430EX has no external port. (Work great with Sunpak 383's, Alien Bees, Adorama strobes, etc.)
Peter,
You need this little PC Hotshoe adapter that lets you fire just about any kind of hotshoe flash. The radio trigger plugs in where the optical slave fits. They came with some optical slaves I bought.

[Rhys]

Peter,
You need this little PC Hotshoe adapter that lets you fire just about any kind of hotshoe flash. The radio trigger plugs in where the optical slave fits. They came with some optical slaves I bought.

But you need the special digital type or the preflash will fire the flashes prematurely.

[cdifoto]

But you need the special digital type or the preflash will fire the flashes prematurely.

He's talking about the hot shoe adapter, not the slave module that's plugged into it.

[Mark_48]

But you need the special digital type or the preflash will fire the flashes prematurely.
Let me clarify as maybe i wasn't clear. I remove the optical sensor and plug in the radio trigger into a port on the block.
I know the simple optical slaves are sensitive to the pre-flash.

Mark...

[Rhys]

Let me clarify as maybe i wasn't clear. I remove the optical sensor and plug in the radio trigger into a port on the block.
I know the simple optical slaves are sensitive to the pre-flash.

Mark...


Oops. I see it now.

Be careful that the contacts don't short out the extra contacts on the bottom of the flash.

[Mark_48]

Oops. I see it now.

Be careful that the contacts don't short out the extra contacts on the bottom of the flash.

My oops now... I forgot to mention I had used a thin piece of plastic with a hole punched in it to avoid shorting the contacts just as you mention. Mostly I use these with the 383's, not so much the Canon flash.