Using Cactus Wireless Flash Trigger V4 with Canon Rebel T1i, Speedlite 420EX flash

[YolkyPalky]

Hello,

My Canon Rebel T1i seems to not recognize that a flash is turned on (and therefore doesn't adjust some of its 'auto' settings for flash) when using a Cactus Wireless Flash Trigger V4. My flash is a Canon Speedlite 420EX. Is this normal? Does using the Cactus Wireless Flash Trigger V4 require you to go "full manual" (ISO, exposure, aperture)? Or am I not setting it up right perhaps?

[oldwolf]

Have to go full manual with Cactus triggers. To get TTL with off camera flash you'd have to go Pocket Wizard, Radio Poppers or two Canon flashes like a 580EX and your 420EX. Bad thing about going with two Canon flashes is that they have to have LoS (line of sight).

[inkista]

See my reply to the duplicate post you made in the other thread.

Basically, you are hosed. Cactus V4s don't do e-TTL, and e-TTL is all the 420EX understands. If you're really want to do off-camera flash, I'd recommend getting a different external speedlight unit to use with the V4s, or use a form of triggering that does e-TTL, like an e-TTL sync cord (i.e., not a PC sync cord), Canon master unit (ST-E2/550EX/580EX/580EXII), or TTL PocketWizards (spendy) or RadioPopper PXs (even more expensive).

[YolkyPalky]

Originally Posted by inkista

See my reply to the duplicate post you made in the other thread.

Basically, you are hosed. Cactus V4s don't do e-TTL, and e-TTL is all the 420EX understands. If you're really want to do off-camera flash, I'd recommend getting a different external speedlight unit to use with the V4s, or use a form of triggering that does e-TTL, like an e-TTL sync cord (i.e., not a PC sync cord), Canon master unit (ST-E2/550EX/580EX/580EXII), or TTL PocketWizards (spendy) or RadioPopper PXs (even more expensive).

Thanks oldwolf and inkista for the info. Sorry about the duplicate post, I thought my other post might have been off-topic to the original thread so I made a new thread. I guess if I want to use off-camera flash with Cactus, it will force me to become a better "manual" photographer! As you can probably tell I am pretty much a novice that just recently took a class on "manual" photography.

You are right about PocketWizards, definitely not the cheapest solution for an amatuer hobbyist. Perhaps the market just isn't big enough to sell more of them thereby lowering the cost from the resultant economies of scale. As I become more experienced though, the PocketWizards could definitely make my "wish list".

[inkista]

Just understand that not all PocketWizards do eTTL. Only the FlexMini and FlexTT5 do. The Plus IIs and MultiMaxs are still non-eTTL-capable.

[candleman]

go full manual... its pretty easy once you get the difference between flash and ambient in your head.

i use 3 cactus triggers, never had a serious problem and as i say,
as soon as you understand the "aperture controls flash, shutterspeed controls ambient, iso effects both" ....you're under control

it will save you a ton of money too

[inkista]

Originally Posted by candleman

go full manual... its pretty easy once you get the difference between flash and ambient in your head.

Didn't read my replies, did you? The 420EX can't do Manual power settings. So, just going Manual on the camera isn't gonna solve a blessed thing with the V4s unless the OP gets a different speedlight with a Manual mode.

[candleman]

Originally Posted by inkista

Didn't read my replies, did you? The 420EX can't do Manual power settings. So, just going Manual on the camera isn't gonna solve a blessed thing with the V4s unless the OP gets a different speedlight with a Manual mode.

...................canon...

[bhursey]

Originally Posted by candleman

...................canon...

Yes bro we all know you like Nikon. I also do like old Nikon flashes better than the old canon ones but modern flashes like the 580ex II are right on par with nikon.

I read something about covering the ttl pins causing the 420EX to fire only in 1/1 full pop manual mode. I guess you can do that then make some ND filters...