What am I doing wrong?

[Paul]

Trying to get my speedlite 430 ex2 to flash wireless but not having any luck. Have set it to wireless mode, attached the optical slave (this one) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flash-Slave-Trigger-Wireless-Adapter/dp/B001C9BDPE The red light at the back is flashing so thought it should just work. Tried it in both manual and ETTL, activating my strobe light and yet still nothing.

Although saying that, I think it did fire once (cos it hurt my eyes :o) but then nothing. What am I doing wrong?

[Marvin]

Using it off camera with a slave module?? Set it to normal, it doesn't know what is triggering it...:rolleyes:

That slave module is acting like a camera so tell your flash that it is on a camera.

BUT.... If you have a dedicated flash with lots of pins on the bottom, sometimes those modules short some of the pins and mess it up.
Get a paperclip or bit of wire and check that your flash will fire when you short the big center pin to the outer metal on the shoe, sometimes a springy bit in the side slot..

[Paul]

Using it off camera with a slave module?? Set it to normal, it doesn't know what is triggering it...:rolleyes:

That slave module is acting like a camera so tell your flash that it is on a camera.

BUT.... If you have a dedicated flash with lots of pins on the bottom, sometimes those modules short some of the pins and mess it up.
Get a paperclip or bit of wire and check that your flash will fire when you short the big center pin to the outer metal on the shoe, sometimes a springy bit in the side slot..

tbh, I thought it would just trigger off when it sensed another flash but when I've looked at the speedlite manual, it only shows you how to trigger it off when you have ANOTHER speedlite ON the camera. What I was hoping, now I've got a lastolite hi lite background was to have one stobe light on the subject with the other strobe light and the speedlite in the background at either end to illuminate it.

I could put both strobe lights in the background and have the speedlite (with soft box) on the camera but that means being close to the subject(s) to give it soft light which is what I want, but not ideal

[Paul]

Gutted. Just looked at a vid on youtube. The canon 7d has a wireless function in the settings. Mine doesn't. So basically it looks like I can only use it on camera :(

[Marvin]

OK, rewind a step, you have jumped forward without me... :o

Setting up speedlights to trigger each other will give pre-flashes to confuse your studio heads. Setting a speedlight with the slave sensor will make it behave like a studio head, i.e. it will trigger when it sees another fire.

Another way is to use a cable between camera and speedlight, SET ON MANUAL, to trigger the studio heads. Or the slave module on the speedlight then trigger them all with the pop-up, set on very low power manual.


BTW, nearly ALL the Nikons have CLS built into the camera... :p

[Paul]

OK, rewind a step, you have jumped forward without me... :o

Setting up speedlights to trigger each other will give pre-flashes to confuse your studio heads. Setting a speedlight with the slave sensor will make it behave like a studio head, i.e. it will trigger when it sees another fire.

Another way is to use a cable between camera and speedlight, SET ON MANUAL, to trigger the studio heads. Or the slave module on the speedlight then trigger them all with the pop-up, set on very low power manual.


BTW, nearly ALL the Nikons have CLS built into the camera... :p

knew you'd get that last bit in :rofl::rofl: I admit, Nikons are more advanced in this way but then it needs to be to allow the average nikon user with an IQ of a wood pigeon to use it :rofl::rofl::rofl:

kidding kidding :p

there is the option of a wire but that would mean going all the way from camera to flash which is in the background. Not a big hassle really but just need a bloody long wire

[Marvin]

..Not a big hassle really but just need a bloody long wire

Not really, if you use the flash in manual like that, then it is just the same as a studio head so all 3 lights are interchangeable. That could be the closest one to the camera..?

BTW, there isn't a Nikon user with the IQ of a woodpigeon, all those toggers bought Canons. :bum:

[Paul]

Not really, if you use the flash in manual like that, then it is just the same as a studio head so all 3 lights are interchangeable. That could be the closest one to the camera..?

BTW, there isn't a Nikon user with the IQ of a woodpigeon, all those toggers bought Canons. :bum:

this is where I'm baffled Nigel. I've already got a remote trigger which fits on the hot shoe of the camera which sets off one strobe light which then sets the other one off but this won't set off the speedlite. You should have seen me today, constantly setting off the strobe hoping it would set off the speedlite and I'm pretty sure it did once but the other 200 times it never

The only other thing I can think of is investing in a pocket wizard but this is just more money. It's annoying cos I'm sure there must be some way of doing it but not sure how.

[Marvin]

Re-read my first answer to your first question... you jumped ahead straight after that..

I have 3 studio heads and 9 speedlights, the slaves you have work perfectly with speedlights that don't have CLS.

BTW, they are also perfectly safe on older, "High voltage" speedlights/flash heads.