430ex 20D off camera options

[Mircula]

Hi,

I am quite new to using a flash and would like to experiment a bit with off camera flash.

I have a 430ex flash and a Canon 20D.

Could somebody please give me some advice how I can use these to setup an off camera flash.

Could I still use my build in flash for the front flash in that scenario?

I realize that the 430 can only be a slave but do not really understand how the whole off camera flash thingy works :)

Thank you :)

[MarkChap]

Mircula,
You won't be able to control or fire the 430 with the on board flash

Radio triggers are your best and cheapest option

http://strobist.com is a great learning resource for off camera flash

[Brodie]

Yeah Mark is right.

Unlike Nikon, Canon's built-in flashes are unable to trigger the external speedlights. This is because canon insist on using a special coded flash to trigger their speedlights. You can read up on that else where.

What you can do is..
- Purchase an inexpensive light sensor with a hot-shoe and connect it to your speedlight. This light sensor will trigger your speedlight from your on camera flash. This is a bad option though because you dont want the flash on your camera to be firing, especially when you can't control its power.

- Your best option is to buy some cheap wireless triggers off ebay. I recomend Yongnuo RF-602. You place a transmitter in the hot shoe of your camera, then a receiver attaches to your 430. And tadaa! all done. You will have to use your flash in manual mode, but its easier than it sounds. In fact is real easy.

- An alternative is to buy a 580EXII. With this in your hot-shoe you can easily trigger your 430, but it pretty much has to be line-of-sight.

[Cadnium]

Hey.

I just ordered the Yongnuo RF-602 through Protog (site sponsor) as they were a similar price to ebay. You can also then get a trigger cord for $15 which will give you a wireless shutter release option too! While you are at it, save on shipping and order some good AA batteries too from the same place (Imideon's).

[Cadnium]

well I thought they were a site sponsor, but couldn't verify it when I just checked so please don't take that as gospel!