[RobertP]

Thinking about (but not doing) droplet type shots, I'd like to be able to have the flash not on the camera.

I've had a quick look around and it seems I need an expensive (£30 ebay hk £40+ UK) 'canon hotshoe adaptor 2' cable - but that is only 600mm and a coiled springy cable.
Will a cheap non dedicated equivalent work if I use the flash on manual?

Last time I tried this stuff with my oly. compact I set up in low light and used a long exposure and manually pressed the button on the back of my old flashgun to create the exposure.

So Q is to use 580EX with 20D off camera what are my options? (preferably cheap options )

[Mark Grant]

I have the ST-E2 http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/st-e2.shtml

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...E2-Review.aspx



hardly ever used it, but when needed it is really useful, not cheap though

Longer fixed cords are probably available for the hot shoe adapters, but never tried any.

Doubt that helps at all , but you now know what to look for on ebay etc

Mark,

[RobertP]

Makes the cable seem positively cheap!

I've got a 1.5m length of 10mm fibre optic I found whilst clearing out at work... got a feeling I may have found a use for it.

[Arkady]

Nikon do a remote cable for all the Speedlights.

About £100 I think.
I've used mine about three times in my life...

[CT]

Originally Posted by RobertP

Thinking about (but not doing) droplet type shots, I'd like to be able to have the flash not on the camera.

I've had a quick look around and it seems I need an expensive (£30 ebay hk £40+ UK) 'canon hotshoe adaptor 2' cable - but that is only 600mm and a coiled springy cable.
Will a cheap non dedicated equivalent work if I use the flash on manual?

Last time I tried this stuff with my oly. compact I set up in low light and used a long exposure and manually pressed the button on the back of my old flashgun to create the exposure.

So Q is to use 580EX with 20D off camera what are my options? (preferably cheap options )

I have the Canon hotshoe adaptor cord. It's OK for macro and close -up stuff, and for if you wanted to mount the camera on a flash bracket to get the flash further away from the lens axis. Apart from that it's of little practical use, the short curly wurly cord is just a pain in the bum.

You might do better Robert experimenting with the flash on camera, using bounce flash and reflectors. The real answer is either a much longer flash sync cord, or a remote set-up, but with the latter you'd have to consider how much you were likely to use it.

[RobertP]

Are these cheap optical trigger things on ebay any good?
Like this

Thinking maybe use the onboard flash as a trigger and shield the target.

[Steep]

They don't work Robert. The onboard flash emits a short preflash to set exposure for the shot. It's too quick to see with the eye but it will set off the optical trigger too early. Took me a while to figure out why mine didn't work properly.

[Steep]

It will work if you have 2 external flash guns though, one on the camera and one off.

[fingerz]

I've got the ST-E2 as well (Christmas present) and I like it a lot. The only issue I've encountered is that you have to be careful about having the flashgun's sensor pointed at least vaguely in the direction of the transmitter. Sometimes if you hold the flash right out to the side it doesn't go off because the angle between the sensor and transmitter is too small, so you have to hold it further forwards.

I've used it quite a bit recently. Really like it for giving portraits some cross-lighting. Here's one I did last weekend:




And here's some cross-lighting on the side of a shoe:

[Dave]

Great portrait shot there Fingerz.

[fingerz]

Thank you. I ought to have posted a link to the blog entry for any comments on the shot itself, really. My apologies. It's located here:
http://www.jameyhoward.com/photoblog/index.php?id=87

[Arkady]

Superb lighting in that portrait - but a small point if I may?
Too much space above the subject's head.
Try placing him on a small box or stool to raise him in relation to the building next time.
Also the ridges from his wooly-hat are showing on his forehead.

[fingerz]

Thank you. I should've crouched a bit because he is a little 'short' in the frame. It's actually a test shot that wound up looking better than the proper shots so I used it.

And well played for spotting the ridges. I never even noticed. Heh.

[Arkady]

It's a gift...

Actually comes from doing glam shots - models always wear the tightest underwear imaginable despite warnings not to - you then have to wait at least 1/2 hour in a warm room for the marks to fade - all on your time, of course...

[fingerz]

Damn those models.