How I can manage the 430 EX II and 600 EX RTes but came to find out the 430.

[Yauco1977]

How I can manage the 430 EX II and 600 EX RT wireless without the ST E3 transmitter? I want to retain the ETTL features but came to find out the 430 work different to the 600 when it comes to wireless functionality. Using 5DM III

[RexGig]

Select optical wireless, with 600EX-RT as the master, on-camera, and the 430EX II as the remote/slave flash. Line-of-sight, with the tranlucent red window of the 430EX II being able to "see" the face of the 600EX-RT's flash head, is ideal, though light-colored surfaces can sometimes be used to reflect the optical signal when direct line-of-sight is not possible. The optical signals are sent though the Master's head, not the translucent red window. These signals are received through the remote/slave's translucent red window.

You can use the camera's Flash Control, in the camera's menu, looking at the camera's LCD screen, to control the on-camera 600EX-RT.

An inexpensive way to use both of your present flashes off-camera, is to obtain a refurbished or pre-owned 90EX, to serve as the master flash. The dimunitive 90EX can be a master flash unit, whereas your 430EX II cannot.

[TCampbell]

When a 430EX II is used wirelessly via E-TTL, it can only work in the "slave" mode (it can be an off-camera remote flash, but if it is used on-camera, it cannot work as a "master" to control the "slaves".)  Alsok the 430EX II has no radio, so it can only work in "optical" mode.

The 600EX-RT is the flagship flash... it can be "master" or a "slave".  It can also work via "radio" or "optical".  

So while the 600EX II is versatile, the 430EX II is more restrictive.  That means you have to use 430 off-camera and the 600 on-camera as the master.

The ST-E3-RT is _only_ a radio trigger... it cannot trigger a flash optically.   The ST-E2 can trigger optically (but not radio).  

The 5D III has no built-in trigger.  That means if you want to control both the 430 and 600 off-camera, you'd need an ST-E2 to do it.  

When I bought my 5D III, I had a 430EX II and a 580EX II.  I've since bought a pair of 600EX-RT units and then finally added the ST-E3-RT controller.  I no longer use my 430EX II or 580EX II (those are "on loan" to friends.  I say "on loan" because I realize I don't need them anymore and so there's really no reason for them to ever return them.  At this point, I might as well just call them "gifts".)

[Yauco1977]

Thanks. On my way to trials and errors.