Other types of flashes than E-TTL and A-TTL.

[Mr Felix]

I am reading a lot about the flashes and the different types.

I am still not 100% sure if the 550D is E-TTL A-TTL or any TTL.

My speedlight (in other post/thread) is probably tooooo old, but I am sure it used to work with TTL on my old AE1-P. But that is "so yesterday" is seems.

Anyway, reading and looking there are those kind of flashes then there are the FP (high speed) flashes which work at ANY speed.

I have also read about cyncing the flah to the curtains. First, second or both.

First curtain flashes when the shutter opens.

Second curtain fires the flash just before the shutter closes.

Both, does two flashes. One when the shutter opens and one when it closes.


I have also read where you open the shutter, fire the flash and hold the shutter open for 'x' seconds after that. It was called "Dragging the flash" but not sure if that is THE term and/or if/how I could do it on the 550D.



Anyway, this "FP" system sounds interesting.
Other than setting up lights everywhere they are needed and leaving them on for how ever long it takes, is a lot of effort/energy.

CAN/COULD I set up a system using the FP signal to "fire" the flashes/lights when the shutter button is pressed?

That way I can do what I want, set the lights (rear ones, side, etc.) have anothe button to activate the lights so I can see what I will get, then when happy, "Click" take the image and have the lights flash then.


This would probably mean getting a hot-shoe thing to connect to the camera's flash connection and build some electronics. Not a problem - unelss it involves extreme building/design.

But if they are only discreet signals/voltages - not an entire sequence of pulses - then it shouldn't be that difficult.


Anyone every done this?

[Roosta]

If your trying to fire a slave mounted flash remotly, may I suggest the new era 580 ex 11 speedlite, and if you look up the site sponsor Phottix, They make all sort of remote solutions, Might be worth dropping them a line. Also Mr Felix, the 430 ex 11 speedlite is cheap as chips at the, most places advertising around the $399 mark. I would be careful using an old flash on your modern camera, One of the boys I work with tried exactly that, Old vivatar flash on his new 60D, damaged the shoe.

I purchased the Mirconova remote shuter release and can be used to fire speedlites, that was about $90.00 local purchase.

If you are looking at more of a studio setup, you might be better going to a quality camera store near you and discuss your requirements. Being your in Sydney, there should be quite a few quality stores to speak to.


Hope this is of some help.

[Mr Felix]

Well, that and also make a remote trigger.

I don't know if it is worth making an IR one, or just get a cable release and "hack" the switch to be a relay which is controlled by "what ever" I want to make a trip function.

So I can line up beams and if something breaks the beam, it takes a picture. Ofcourse there will be a delay between when the beam is broken and the actual picture taken, but I guess nothing is perfect.

That way I can set up things and capture birds landing - or more so JUST before they land.

[Roosta]

Know I can see what your getting at, can't you get a movement sensor for that, someones got to make a trigger of some sort I would have thought. Have you had a look at Phottix site? They make triggers that register lightning and fire your camera, so ???

[Mr Felix]

Not yet. I am wanting to make my own - within reason - so I know the limits/delays/etc.

[Mr Felix]

To again explain what I am wanting to do:

1 - BUILD/CONSTRUCT my OWN circuit which fits on the hot shoe which detects the shutter being pressed.
Let's leave it there and I will build what comes after that.
2 - BUILD my OWN trigger circuit so when an external event happens it causes the camera to take a picture.
The "mechanics" of that are up to me. It could be a laser light beam so when a fly/bird/what ever breaks the beam, the signal is sent to the camera to take a picture.
That is an EXAMPLE. Again the actual triger mechanism is neither here nor there. I just want to build the part with an input which could be from anything/where.

[Kym]

Try: http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?56519-Stop-motion-photography-quot-how-to-quot
http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?60772-Using-an-older-flash

[feral1]

For what you are asking, you can already purchase these triggers for that.
The delay on this type of setup is only the distance between the tripped light and the reciever (Camera).
So you can buy the motion sensor for the camera with out making one.

Here is a URL for one type on the market.
http://www.trailmaster.com/

As far as I know the 550 is E-TTL II flash.

I hope this helps a bit.

Peter

[Mr Felix]

Feral1,

Thanks.

But I think buying one will cost a lot of money. Reading some of the posts it is "simply" shorting the centre pin to the outer connection.

*IF* that is all it is, then I see no problems building that kind of system. The electronics simply look for the camera shorting those two pins and the electronics I build tell the lights to "fire".

Maybe I am wasting my time, but I think it is a nice learning curve and though some of my efforts - which I have not posted here for obvious reasons - have aleady shown me "problems" with some of my ideas.


Sure people may be able to save me the effort, but sometimes it is better to do things and see WHY rather than being told.

It isn't that I don't want or like the information. It is just that at this point, I am wanting to DO things rather than simply BUY my way out of learning. It's complicated, don't ask.

[kiwi]

Some real flaws in your thinking here mate

You can't set up a speed light to see what you are getting, they will fry themselves if you try. You need proper studio strobes that have a modelling light function.

If all you want to do is trigger speelights remotely then you can buy say a radio trigger and three receivers for $50.....I suppose you could make them too

I think your getting confused with all the jargon re high speed sync etc.

Start simple and go from there

Read up at www.strobist.com

[Mr Felix]

Thanks.

Looking now.


I think I didn't help myself in that I am wanting TWO things:
1 - a way to tell "flashes" to trigger when the shutter button is pressed.
2 - a way to tell the camera to take a picture. the "old" cable release is no longer supported on the Canons. Instead you plug a cable into a socket and have an electronic (well it is wires and a switch) cable release.

But I think that is for another thread rather than this one.