I have been pouring over the Strobist site for several days now, and I am so embarassed to say.... I am stuck all the way back on the "Lighting 101" part because I can't figure out exactly what I need.

I have a Canon 40D.
I have a Canon 420EX Speedlite.

I realize the 420EX doesn't have a PC jack, which is apparently something I need... but I can't figure out if there's something I can buy that will make my 40D talk to the 420EX when it's off the camera. It looks like I need some sort of adapter that I stick on the hotshoe connector part of the Speedlite, but if that's correct, I'm not sure what I should be looking for to buy.

And I'm not even sure if it'll work with my 420EX anyway, since I have such limited controls. Will I be able to work through these Strobist tutorials with a 420... or if I should just give up and buy a 580EX?

I apologize if I sound like a complete idiot. Maybe I'm just having a blonde moment, but these "basics" seem way over my head!

The hotshoe connectors: http://www.flashzebra.com/hotshoes-shoes/index.shtml

How do you plan on firing the flash? A long sync-cable? Pocket Wizards? If so - they have a hotshoe adapter that connects right into the flash port on a PW and Skyport

the hot shoe adapter works, the only thing that i don't like about it is it can feel a little unstable, depending on how its mounted to a stand. what you dont want to do is buy a 580ex, you will actually have to by the 580EX II if you want the flash sync right on the flash (they are $400+)
i am a canon shooter (40D) and i use pocket wizards to trigger 1 or 2 nikon sb-26 speedlights.you can find them on ebay for ralatively cheap... i got mine for $80 each. and since you are not mounting them to your camera it doesn't matter that they are nikon..

my blog

Exactly -- the hot shoe adapters are not optimal. Like Tavis, I use Nikon SB-2{4/6} flashes triggered by Pocket Wizards with my Canon M2n. I also have some Sunpak 383 flashes -- 100% manual, no LCD screen, very simple but they work...

You might try tossing the Canon 420 on a photo forum somewhere to sell and then try grabbing on of the flashes mentioned above for use off-camera. Off-camera flash starts adding up fast... a lightstand here, an umbrella there... a pair of wireless syncs... it adds up - but it is very nice to have.

Thank you both so much for your replies!!
Ok... so Nikon SB-26's..... I'm going to be looking into those today.

I have been checking out the Radio Poppers for a little while (they are much more budget-friendly, and the reviews all seem really good) , as I've tried to pull this whole off-camera lighting together. I'm assuming that would work with this Nikon flash?

Come to Imaging (Speaking first class of the convention on Wireless Flash Tips and Tricks) or WPPI (there to spend time with family) I will help you out directly one on one if you need too.

I know it is several months down the road but it will be the only time I will be in your area.


I personally do not like, and never have liked using pocket wizards for wireless flash set ups. While you can get great results it takes too much time to set up for my style shooting weddings on the fly. Hince why I have been using the eTTL/iTTL method of the built in wireless system of IR Canon flash units. While there are draw backs, mainly line of sight which now the Radio Poppers have removed completely, the advantages of ANY camera settings to me makes this method MUCH more superior over using the Pocket Wizards.

Now with that said if you use different brands of flash units PW are the way to go since they can "cross breed" the flash units. while the IR method must be only Canon or only Nikon. Besides that though being able to set my f/stop at any settings and my shutter speed at any shutter speed using High Speed Sync makes the IR method much stronger and allows me to create many more images in many situations which I could not get at all or as fast using manual methods of Pocket Wizards.

To make the IR method work you simply need to purchase another flash (550ex, 580exI or 580exII) and your set. Now if you want to purchase one set of Radio Popper Units it will help alot but it is not a must. Everything else is built into the flash units.


Might be another method and another way of shooting, again I know from YEARS of shooting wireless flash the IR eTTL/iTTL method is so much stronger method when shooting on the go in a wedding situation, it simply has worked out very well for TriCoast.

Again the offer stands I will help out anyway I can just let me know please!

The RadioPoppers will work with a 430ex, not so sure about the 420ex.These are primarily designed to convert the light pulse (infrared) communication of new Canon & Nikon flashes to a radio signal so that they may use ETTL communication.Again, I do not know if your 420ex will work with the radiopoppers, but unless you want to upgrade your flash & use the Radiopoppers (which are indeed awesome), you should probably go with Pocket Wizards and manual flashes.

Edit:

Dang, typing my reply at work between calls, I didn't see Mike's post above...he said it all.

The 420EX does not have any manual settings, nor is it an auto-thyristor, therefore the only way to use it effectively is with Canon E-TTL. There are four ways to get it off-camera and use E-TTL.

One is to use an off-camera shoe cord like the 2 foot long Canon OC-E3. This is basically a cord with hot shoe connections at either end, one end goes into the camera hot shoe and the other end attaches to your flash hot shoe foot. It's only 2 feet long, so it only allows you to mount the flash ona bracket above the camera, or hold it in your hand off to the side. $70 on B&H

The second option is to buy the Canon ST-E2 transmitter. This is an infrared transmitter that mounts on your camera hot shoe. It is not a flash. It will control the 420EX remotely and maintain E-TTL. $220 on B&H

The third option is to buy a 580EX or 580EX II and mount that on your camera hot shoe. It will control the 420EX remotely and maintain E-TTL. The 580 can be set to fire or not to fire, so you have the option of firing the 420 only or some fill/main combination of remote 420 plus on-camera 580. 580EX II is $420 on B&H

Note that for the second and third options above, the built-in flash in the camera does not function as a master unit like the ST-E2 or 580, you have to buy an ST-E2 or 580 if you want master/slave flash capability.

The fourth option, like Dave T says, is to use RadioPoppers. I've never used them. The manual for the RadioPopper P1 says it is combatible with the 420EX. But you need to mount a master unit on the camera, so you would need to buy either an ST-E2 or a 580 in addition to the RadioPopper. So I guess the advantage to the RadioPopper plus master unit is that you go from an infreared trigger to a radio trigger and should gain more range and less line-of-sight issues.

Or you can go manual, like Dave T says, and buy some pocket wizards and one or more manual flashes like the Sunpak 383. You'll need at least two pocket wizards, one on the camera and one on each remote flash. The pocket wizard Plus II runs $188 each at B&H. The Sunpak 383 is $99. I recommend against using optical triggers because your flash will be triggered every time one of the guests takes a picture with their camera flash. That's why you need a radio trigger like a pocket wizard for this option.

You can see that the manual option is not necessarily the cheapest way to get started, especially considering you already have a 420EX. Maybe you should consider buying a 580EX and going with option three, and then if you decide to later go the radiopopper or pocket wizard route, you can always reuse the 580 in that system.

Mike...
I would be SO incredibly grateful to spend some one-on-one time with you when you're in town for one of your convention gigs. I will be PMing you about that... THANK YOU SO MUCH for the offer, and for all the info. I spent a good portion of the day today looking into getting a 580EXII and I think that's what I'm settling on right now. You've done an excellent job of explaining the benefits of going that route. Thank you so much!

Dave...
Thank you for taking the time to respond about Radio Poppers!

Edward...
Wow this is exactly what I was looking for when I first started reading the Strobist site -- a really basic breakdown of my options. THANK YOU! Your explanation of how the 580EX will work is perfect for my simple brain, and reinforces my thinking that that is my best option right now.

You guys are all great. You don't know how much I appreciate your advice. Thanks again!!!