# Triggering 580 EXII and Buff-Einstein with cables from 5DsR?



## Zeidora (Apr 9, 2016)

Looking into adding a studio strobe for reproduction plant photography. I noticed Buff's Einstein with very linear color temperature of 5600K regardless of power output. Can I trigger simultaneously a Canon speed light with TTL cable from hot shoe, and a studio strobe with PC-sync cable from the PC socket? I have a 5DsR, which has both sockets. I know that wireless is the flavor of the day, but I prefer cables.


----------



## rlarsen (Apr 9, 2016)

You can use the pc outlet for the Einstein but in most situations I would use the Einstein optical slave and let the Canon speedlight trip the monolight.


----------



## neuroanatomist (Apr 9, 2016)

rlarsen said:


> ...in most situations I would use the Einstein optical slave and let the Canon speedlight trip the monolight.



+1

I used to use a pocketwizard setup with all flashes directly radio triggered, but when switched to the Canon RT system, I started just using the optical slave for my Einstein and it has worked perfectly.


----------



## ksgal (Apr 9, 2016)

Zeidora said:


> Looking into adding a studio strobe for reproduction plant photography. I noticed Buff's Einstein with very linear color temperature of 5600K regardless of power output. Can I trigger simultaneously a Canon speed light with TTL cable from hot shoe, and a studio strobe with PC-sync cable from the PC socket? I have a 5DsR, which has both sockets. I know that wireless is the flavor of the day, but I prefer cables.



I think the optical solution is good, but the YN-622's are also an excellent solution, at at $40 or less per unit, as cheap or cheaper than a cable solution. Very reliable triggers, can even by them from an Amazon solution so you can send them back if you don't like them. Use a very small cable with a pc end for the trigger, and a standard jack to the strobe, and then use another unit on the bottom of the flash, third unit on top of camera hotshoe. Make sure everything is on the same channel and seated correctly on flash/hotshoe and Poof.. they work. and work well. Can also be used with flash for ettl both on and off camera.


----------



## Zeidora (Apr 9, 2016)

ksgai: I have all the cables, so no further cost at all. 
Re YN, can you adjust power levels for each flash from camera mounted YN unit?

Neuro: I looked at the Pocketwizards, and it seems that it can adjust power levels of each flash from the camera mounted unit. Why did you switch to the Canon RT system? Seems that you loose the ability to adjust power level of the Einstein remotely.

Not sure how much hassle it is to adjust the flashes on the units, so that's why I want to start out with cables.


----------



## neuroanatomist (Apr 9, 2016)

Zeidora said:


> Neuro: I looked at the Pocketwizards, and it seems that it can adjust power levels of each flash from the camera mounted unit. Why did you switch to the Canon RT system? Seems that you loose the ability to adjust power level of the Einstein remotely.
> 
> Not sure how much hassle it is to adjust the flashes on the units, so that's why I want to start out with cables.



Initially, I had two 430EX and an Einstein, along with the PW MiniTT1, two FlexTT5s and the PowerMC2 for the monolight. The PW setup is a little finicky, things like the order of powering stuff on matters, firmware versions matter (the 1D X wasn't fully supported for many months). Yes, with PWs you can adjust power remotely, sort of...full manual control of flashes requires a master Speedlite (580/600) to be mounted on top of the PW transceiver on the hotshoe. You can adjust power in a limited range with the little AC3 zone controller, which is what I did. That gets you ±3 stops, which is less than the Einstein's full range (you can pick which region you want to control, but you need to connect the PW unit to your computer to change it).

When I swapped my pair of 430's for a pair of 600's and the ST-E3, I found Canon RT system to be very robust and easy to use, but I would still use the PW triggers when I added in the Einstein. Then I added a third 600EX, decided not to spend $200 on another FlexTT5 (which saved me another $200 when I added a fourth 600), and gave optically slaving the Einstein a try. I haven't had a misfire yet (>2 years). So far, not being able to remotely adjust the monolight power hasn't been an issue – the 600s are the ones that go up high on booms, etc., and remotely adjusting power is a breeze. I'd have kept a PW transmitter and the PowerMC2, but there's no way to trigger a PW transmitter from a PC port, and I didn't want to fiddle with hotshoe E-TTL splitters, etc. 

Note that if you connect a monolight like the Einstein via cable to the PC port, you will not be able to remotely adjust power. If I needed to remotely adjust power on all lights in a blended setup, my choice would be the Canon RT for the Speedlites and a Buff CyberSync transmitter/receiver for the Einstein, which can be fired from the PC port.


----------



## Zeidora (Apr 9, 2016)

Neuro: that is exquisite info. Thanks for spelling it out!

Re PW from PC port, there are PC to non-TTL-hotshoe cables. That's how I use the 580 with my ArcaSwiss LF set-up. Not sure why that's not working.

I like your approach with canon wireless, and a cybercommander through the PC socket for full remote control of both flashes. Unfortunately, that means upgrading from my 580 to a 600 with radio transmission (as opposed to IR).

Your comments on PW set-up issues reminded me again why I never went that route. Cables work quite well, and I do mostly moderate close-up to full macro anyway, so no long distances. The Flash Zebra cables are working very well, have not had to replace one in the ~4 years I've had them. Back in Contax days, I went through cables like pop-corn.


----------



## neuroanatomist (Apr 9, 2016)

Zeidora said:


> Re PW from PC port, there are PC to non-TTL-hotshoe cables. That's how I use the 580 with my ArcaSwiss LF set-up. Not sure why that's not working.



Sorry, yes that would work just to fire the Einstein, but 'dumb' and thus no different from the optical slave triggering. Was meaning remote power control like with the CyberCommander via the PC port.


----------

