Strobist-Speedlite-PW-Trigger Question

[MikeGTi]

I'm starting to pull my hair out on this one, and was after a bit of advice/help!

I'm currently using the following:

Canon EOS 5D Mark 2
Canon SpeedLite 580EX II
Canon SpeedLite 430EX II
Pocket Wizard MiniTT1
Pocket Wizard FlexTT5
Light stand + umbrella

They are set up with the MiniTT1 on the 5D2, the 580 on the FlexTT5 firing into the umbrella (head turned backwards to allow IR trigger to 430 and set to master mode), the 430 is set to slave mode to be triggered from the 580.

The camera is shooting around f/2.8 to 5.6, ISO 100, shutter speed no faster than 1/60th due to the sync delay of the IR trigger.
The 580 settings are set to master with A-B ratio mode enabled.

Diagram:


Untitled by mike_thomas, on Flickr


Now to me this should work correctly and give a creative portrait with a bit of a halo on the back of the subject - but my lack of creativity isn't the issue here, yet.

My issue is that for some reason the second curtain seems to catch the 430 every time. I've tried to take a photo directly at the 430 and even with a shutter as slow as 1/4 of a second the flash doesn't get caught/won't fire in time.

What am I doing wrong? Is there a way to enable second curtain sync on the slaved 430? Is that even the issue? PH, help me!

[Simpo Two]

Wurgle.

Something is wrong somewhere but I don't know what. Maybe you have one flash set up as commander, if Canon has such things?

Bodged workaround - set to B, open shutter, fire flashes, close shutter?



NB: I hate Speedlights for studio work, far too clever for their own good IMHO

Edited by Simpo Two on Tuesday 13th March 19:01

[ian in lancs]

I gave up trying to sync with slave triggers on Nikon speedlights and got some wireless yokono (sp) triggers; one ea for my 3 speedlights - everything ok after that

Edited by ian in lancs on Tuesday 13th March 19:04

[MikeGTi]

Simpo Two said:

Maybe you have one flash set up as commander, if Canon has such things?

The 580 is set as the 'Master', but it should be in this scenario..

Simpo Two said:

NB: I hate Speedlights for studio work, far too clever for their own good IMHO

I'm starting to think that.

ian in lancs said:

I gave up trying to sync with slave triggers on Nikon speedlights and got some wireless yokono (sp) triggers; one ea for my 3 speedlights - everything ok after that

Yeah, I'm trying to use the optical slave part as a workaround until my Pocket Wizard Plus 3 arrives.

[ian in lancs]

Simpo Two said:

NB: I hate Speedlights for studio work, far too clever for their own good IMHO

Edited by Simpo Two on Tuesday 13th March 19:01

Totally agree! I gave up with Nikon's trickery and went manual instead.

[Pete Baraka]

MikeGTi said:

They are set up with the MiniTT1 on the 5D2, the 580 on the FlexTT5 firing into the umbrella (head turned backwards to allow IR trigger to 430 and set to master mode), the 430 is set to slave mode to be triggered from the 580.

A quick fix would be to ditch all the IR/master/slave settings: connect the top of the TT1 to the 580 in the brolly using a TTL flash lead, then fit the 430 to the TT5 behind your model.

PB

[MikeGTi]

Pete Baraka said:

MikeGTi said:

They are set up with the MiniTT1 on the 5D2, the 580 on the FlexTT5 firing into the umbrella (head turned backwards to allow IR trigger to 430 and set to master mode), the 430 is set to slave mode to be triggered from the 580.

A quick fix would be to ditch all the IR/master/slave settings: connect the top of the TT1 to the 580 in the brolly using a TTL flash lead, then fit the 430 to the TT5 behind your model.

PB

True.

I think I'm just going to have to wait to get another trigger.

C'est la vie!

GAS continues.