Using GP-E2 with T5i

[phkc070408]

Hi all: I have an ongoing issue that I never thought to ask on here until now.

I have a T5i and really love using it with the GP-E2 adaptor. I have one major issue though - using the GP-E2 and my external flash at the same time. The simple answer is to use the cable for the GP, but then I have no where to put it while taking my pictures. Since it has a compass to display the direction the camera is pointing, it needs to remain level and in-line with the camera.

Right now, I have one of those brackets that splits the hot-shoe into two. While I’m not sure if I’m right about this, but I believe you need to use the same device on both shoes, like 2 of the same flashes. With the two separate devices on there, only one will work at a time.

So I took a piece of scotch tape and put it over the pins of the GP, using the second hot shoe as a bracket only, and used the cable. All seemed well, but no. I have 2 issues:

1. With my flash on the left hot shoe and the GP mounted on the right shoe, the GP gets in the way of the door to the batteries for the flash, and I don’t like having to constantly remove the flash from the device since it doesn’t move freely.

2. My cable is slightly stretched and I’m concerned that it will brake one day. Since it is a specialty cable, finding a replacement will be next to impossible.

So, I tried simply swapping the position of the flash and the GP, putting the Flash on the right with the battery port facing out, and the GP on the left, closer to the cable port on the camera.

Well, now the flash doesn’t fire, as if the lack of an electrical connection on the left hot shoe disabled the right hot shoe.

Unfortunately I don’t know the brand or model number of the hot shoe bracket.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Is there a way to use both hot shoes at the same time with different devices, either by changing a setting or buying a different bracket? In a perfect world, I would love to eliminate the cable altogether and use 2 hot shoes, but I’m open to any and all ideas.

Thanks in advance.

[Waddizzle · Accepted solution]

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@phkc070408 wrote:
Hi Shadow, and thanks for getting back to me.

I have to agree with you that I’ve outgrown the camera, however my limited budget doesn’t permit me to buy a brand new full frame body and 3 full frame lenses, for this one feature that is simply an OCD luxury. The camera does take really good pictures.

And while I can do without the directional indicator and live with just the location and altitude coordinates, where do I put the thing? The cord won’t reach into my pocket and that would be rather clumsy if it did.

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The 7D Mark II is an APS-C body with built-in GPS.  On a side note, forget about trying to use a Wi-Fi card with one.

[jrhoffman75 · Accepted solution]

Maybe this item would work:

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

In many ways, it sounds like your needs as a photographer have outgrown the feature set of your T5i. 

When I read... "so I took a piece of scotch tape"  <<  right there... for me, this is a key indicator its time from a new body.

Granted I may not fully understand what you are shooting.  Does it have directional requirements?  Or do you need a record for some reason?

I love built in GPS, but some view it as an unnecessary feature... sort of how I feel about 8K video capability on a still image camera.    

Maybe you can find a different bracket, but at some point you need to evaluate how many hoops you are willing to jump through to get a system that works.  

GPS options in APS-C format are limited / non-existent.  But wireless or bluetooth to your mobile device might also work if sticking with APS-C is where you plan to stay.  

[phkc070408]

Hi Shadow, and thanks for getting back to me.

I have to agree with you that I’ve outgrown the camera, however my limited budget doesn’t permit me to buy a brand new full frame body and 3 full frame lenses, for this one feature that is simply an OCD luxury. The camera does take really good pictures.

And while I can do without the directional indicator and live with just the location and altitude coordinates, where do I put the thing? The cord won’t reach into my pocket and that would be rather clumsy if it did.

[Waddizzle · Accepted solution]

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@phkc070408 wrote:
Hi Shadow, and thanks for getting back to me.

I have to agree with you that I’ve outgrown the camera, however my limited budget doesn’t permit me to buy a brand new full frame body and 3 full frame lenses, for this one feature that is simply an OCD luxury. The camera does take really good pictures.

And while I can do without the directional indicator and live with just the location and altitude coordinates, where do I put the thing? The cord won’t reach into my pocket and that would be rather clumsy if it did.

---

The 7D Mark II is an APS-C body with built-in GPS.  On a side note, forget about trying to use a Wi-Fi card with one.

[jrhoffman75 · Accepted solution]

Maybe this item would work:

[phkc070408 · Accepted solution]

Wade:  I did not know that the 7D MARK 2 is an APS-C Body.  Very good to know.  The whole full-frame bit was definitely a deal breaker.  I try to buy my lenses for Full Frame bodys with the understanding that they will be cropped, with the intention of one day getting a full frame camera, but only 2 out of my 5 lenses are Full Frame, and neither of them are my everyday use lenses.

JR:  This is definitely what I was looking for.  I'm using something similar right now as my bracket, but I don't recall it being rated for a flash and an accessory.  I just looked at it and there isn't a single charactor on it, no letters or numbers of any type, so I don't even know what company made it.

So, my plan of attack is:

Buy the Vello bracket to hold me over while I get my ducks in a row to try and convince the wife to let me get the MARK.

Thank's guys!!!  You both have been very helpful.

[phkc070408]

Well guys, I thought the issue was resolved, but it is not.

I looked back in my Order History at Amazon and found that this is the item that I purchased:

SUPON E-TTL Dual Hot Shoe Bracket 

I also saw that it IS rated to be used with two different devices at the same time.  I did a continuity test between all of the pins and they all work as intended (Across the tops and both tops to the bottom)I then grabbed some behaviors and discovered the following:

Both devices, the GP-E2 and my Flash (A NEEWER Speedlight NW-670), work fine when connected directly to the Camera's Hot Shoe

Both deviced work when they are the only deviced connected to the bracket, meaning that one of the bracket ports is left empty.  They work independently in either port.

As soon as I plug in the second device, the first one stops working and the second one never works.  IIRC, I don't even need to turn the second device on, sinply attaching it disables all devices.  I could be wrong about this, but I believe that is the case.

So all of this said, I don't think that the one I ordered, the one mentioned above, will do any good.

So, what could be going on here?  I don't have any additional hot-shoe devices to test and see which one of these two is the problem child.

[jrhoffman75]

Maybe try this with the cable. I can understand why electrically there are conflicts with both connected. I found this at B&H. 

Just stick it on the dual hotshoe adapter.

[John_]

I think the only way to connect both the GPS and the flash to a camera is the flash on a hot shoe and the GPS connected to the camera via the digital cable input which a T5 does not have?

[phkc070408]

Unfortunately that is the case.  While the B&H site is a bit vauge, the Vello site states that while you can hook two different devices to it, it's just for mounting purposes and in order to use both hot shoes, it has to be the same flash.

Well, not to make this political, but I just took our stimulas money and bought a 5D Mark IV, Full Frame.  I just graduated from college after 13.5 years as a part time student and convinced my wife that I deserve this.  Also, we have a few family trips in the pipeline when COVID is all over, and it was mentioned above that I've probably outgrown the camera and I agree that I have.

Thanks for your help all.  It was greatly appreciated.