ir trigger sb800?

[wendellt]

hi

just wondering if a device like this would trigger an sb800 in su4 or remote mode?

http://cgi.ebay.com/IR-Sender-Studio-Fl ... dZViewItem

i've used one of these things successfully with a studio strobe just not sure if it will work witha sb800

alternatively apart form a pocket wizard(too expensive) can anyone recomend a triggering device that will trigger the sb800 of camera

[Alex]

Hi Wendell,

I'm sure this device will do the job. You can also use the on board flash as a trigger just close the on-board flash with a pulm of your head and you won't see any reflections or contribution to exposure, yet still enough IR to trigger sb800. That's what I do.


Cheers
Alex

[wendellt]

thanks alex

i saw someone using a similar device once to trigger a speedlight instead of a pocket wizard so just confirming

[gstark]

You can get an optical trigger. These use the light from one flash to trigger a slave; you use one per flash head, but remember to disable the preflash if you're using the onboard.

I've just ordered a wireless trigger from China ... about Au$24 plus shipping. A transmitter sits in your hotshoe, a receiver plugs in to a flash head, and you're done.

[methd]

You can get an optical trigger. These use the light from one flash to trigger a slave; you use one per flash head, but remember to disable the preflash if you're using the onboard.

I've just ordered a wireless trigger from China ... about Au$24 plus shipping. A transmitter sits in your hotshoe, a receiver plugs in to a flash head, and you're done.

do u have a link to show what this looks like by any chance?

[gstark]

You can get an optical trigger. These use the light from one flash to trigger a slave; you use one per flash head, but remember to disable the preflash if you're using the onboard.

I've just ordered a wireless trigger from China ... about Au$24 plus shipping. A transmitter sits in your hotshoe, a receiver plugs in to a flash head, and you're done.

do u have a link to show what this looks like by any chance?

Optical trigger

wireless trigger

[jamesw]

You can get an optical trigger. These use the light from one flash to trigger a slave; you use one per flash head, but remember to disable the preflash if you're using the onboard.

I've just ordered a wireless trigger from China ... about Au$24 plus shipping. A transmitter sits in your hotshoe, a receiver plugs in to a flash head, and you're done.

do u have a link to show what this looks like by any chance?

Optical trigger

wireless trigger

i have personally used these ebay triggers, they are good to begin learning with... i always say to people they are a try before you buy for pocket wizards.

you'll find that they work well within a few feet, but once you start getting further away they become less and less reliable. i used to have the biggest headaches...

i also found that they would often misfire due to radio interference. turning a light on and off, aeroplanes flying low overhead, etc can often result in a firing of the flash.

like i said, great for a 'try before you buy' with pocketwizards... but pocketwizards are so expensive for a reason!

if you have any questions re these radio triggers or pws feel free to ask, ive used both fairly intensively.

[jamesw]

as a sidenote, keep in mind that with radio triggers,

your not going to be able to use onboard flash (i'm not sure if its the wiring in the hotshoe that disables it, or if the transmitters [both ebay transmitter and pw transmitter] simply block the flash from going up high enough),

and that you will have to use your flashes in full manual operation.

[methd]

thanks for that guys... i'm interested in pocketwizards but have never read in depth about them before... maybe it's about time

[wendellt]

hi james

thanks for the info

im going to use this to fire my sb800 about 5 metres away outdoors
other interference triggering off the flash is tolerable
does the trigger and receiver have to be in line of sight for it to work?

when budget permits ill get myself a proper pocket wizard device

[gstark]

and that you will have to use your flashes in full manual operation.

No, not quite true, depending upon the flash.

With most, you could just switch the flash to the old, traditional, tried and true "A" mode.

Simple

Effective.

Works.

[jamesw]

hi james

thanks for the info

im going to use this to fire my sb800 about 5 metres away outdoors
other interference triggering off the flash is tolerable
does the trigger and receiver have to be in line of sight for it to work?

when budget permits ill get myself a proper pocket wizard device

if you have a radio trigger and reciever, it will not need line of sight to work. they operate on radio frequencies which penetrate brick walls, steel, glass, etc.

however, if you do not have line of sight, the triggering distance will be shortened.

[jamesw]

and that you will have to use your flashes in full manual operation.

No, not quite true, depending upon the flash.

With most, you could just switch the flash to the old, traditional, tried and true "A" mode.

Simple

Effective.

Works.

i believe this statement is only true for use with a single flash? if you are going to use more than one flash, the flash output will be too high, won't it?

[gstark]

and that you will have to use your flashes in full manual operation.

No, not quite true, depending upon the flash.

With most, you could just switch the flash to the old, traditional, tried and true "A" mode.

Simple

Effective.

Works.

i believe this statement is only true for use with a single flash? if you are going to use more than one flash, the flash output will be too high, won't it?

Not necessarily; it depends upon the flash.

For instance, let's say we have two heads, positioned on opposite sides of the subject. head A might be set to f/8 as a primary light source, with head B set to f/5.6 as a fill.

As a starting point, setting your lens to f/8 will give usable results; chimping will help you to tune this based upon the specific output of the heads, but this will be workable.

Using both heads on the same side of the subject can work, but you need to know and understand the heads and their output before trying this on that once-in-lifetime shoot.

[jamesw]

and that you will have to use your flashes in full manual operation.

No, not quite true, depending upon the flash.

With most, you could just switch the flash to the old, traditional, tried and true "A" mode.

Simple

Effective.

Works.

i believe this statement is only true for use with a single flash? if you are going to use more than one flash, the flash output will be too high, won't it?

Not necessarily; it depends upon the flash.

For instance, let's say we have two heads, positioned on opposite sides of the subject. head A might be set to f/8 as a primary light source, with head B set to f/5.6 as a fill.

As a starting point, setting your lens to f/8 will give usable results; chimping will help you to tune this based upon the specific output of the heads, but this will be workable.

Using both heads on the same side of the subject can work, but you need to know and understand the heads and their output before trying this on that once-in-lifetime shoot.

gotcha - i'll stick with shooting full manual as its what i know... but that will be useful to others, and will probably make pws and radio triggers a little less scary!