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Recommendations for a wireless trigger system

ilzho
Rising Star

Hello:

 

I have a Canon 7d Mark II and 2 canon speedlites 580 EX II and I am in the market for a wireless trigger system.

 

I have been using the on camera flash as the master to trigger the optical slaves and it works in most cases, but would like to purchase a wirelss trigger system, so if you all have any recommendations, please let me know.

 

Thank you.

6 REPLIES 6


@ilzhowrote:

Hello:

 

I have a Canon 7d Mark II and 2 canon speedlites 580 EX II and I am in the market for a wireless trigger system.

 

I have been using the on camera flash as the master to trigger the optical slaves and it works in most cases, but would like to purchase a wirelss trigger system, so if you all have any recommendations, please let me know.

 

Thank you.


When you say "wireless", I assume you mean "radio frequency", since "optical" is what you already have. (Hint: Optical works best when you turn the receiver portion of the slave towards the camera.) But adding an RF system to slaves that don't support it is likely to be a patchwork solution at best. I wonder if a better idea wouldn't be to sell your 580's and buy a radio transmitter and a couple of 600 EX-RT's (or just three of the latter). It would be expensive, but it would solve your problem.

Bob
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA

Hi:

Yes, I used the incorrect terms, my fault. I meant radio triggers.

 

I just don't like the front camera fill flash to trigger my off cameras speedlites, even when I turn it down to 1/128 power.

 

So the 600 ex-rt have radio frequency so they can be used off camera? Good to know. 

 

I guess I'll have to re-read my 7d mark ii manual to see if the camera has the radio frequency capability to pop the speedlites without having to use the pop-up flash.

 

 

The 7D Mk II has no radio wireless capability on it’s own.

 

You will need to buy the Canon ST-E3-RT wireless radio trigger for about $275.

 

B6DD0B09-B62D-41A6-A5D4-9782E86F2F4F.jpeg

Another option is a 3rd party version for about $77.

8F3967FC-45A7-47D6-A522-75078858AECF.jpeg

Mike Sowsun


@ilzhowrote:

Hi:

Yes, I used the incorrect terms, my fault. I meant radio triggers.

 

I just don't like the front camera fill flash to trigger my off cameras speedlites, even when I turn it down to 1/128 power.

 

So the 600 ex-rt have radio frequency so they can be used off camera? Good to know. 

 

I guess I'll have to re-read my 7d mark ii manual to see if the camera has the radio frequency capability to pop the speedlites without having to use the pop-up flash.

 


Yes, in Canonese "RT" stands for "Radio Transmission" and identifies flash units that car be triggered via a radio signal - either from the hotshoe-mounted transmitter that Mike recommended or from another RT flash unit. Be careful, though. I believe there may be a Canon RT flash (not one of the 600's) that can serve as a radio slave but not as a radio master.

Bob
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA

The 430 RT flashes are cheaper than the 600's if you wanted to save a little. 

Scott

Canon 5d mk 4, Canon 6D, EF 70-200mm L f/2.8 IS mk2; EF 16-35 f/2.8 L mk. III; Sigma 35mm f/1.4 "Art" EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro; EF 85mm f/1.8; EF 1.4x extender mk. 3; EF 24-105 f/4 L; EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS; 3x Phottix Mitros+ speedlites

Why do so many people say "FER-tographer"? Do they take "fertographs"?


@ScottyPwrote:

The 430 RT flashes are cheaper than the 600's if you wanted to save a little. 


The major difference is power output.  the 600 has a guide number of 60 meters.  The 430 has a guide number of 43 meters (Canon conveniently encodes the guide number into the model number of their speedlites.)

 

 

Tim Campbell
5D III, 5D IV, 60Da
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