Canon Flash Triggers: What do you have?

[uridiscence]

I took a lighting workshop last night and found out that I need a remote trigger for my Canon 580 in the worst way...I'm actually a little embarrassed to say that I don't have one.

So for you 580 Canon users out there, what remote triggers do you have? Do you love what you have or wish you had something else? I've heard the pocket wizards are good, but that was from a Nikon shooter.

[lputman]

Pocket Wizards are excellent and expensive. I personally went the Cybersyncs route and I am quite satisfied with them. They are more than the ebay specials but by no means as much as the PWs.

[uridiscence]

Thanks Lori...yes, I noticed they are quite expensive and that's why I wanted to get some more opinions on what people are using. Since I'm just starting out, I don't really have $400 to drop on a trigger (especially when I am dying to buy the new 70-200 L series lens).

[i speak in math]

The Yongnuo RF-602 are getting very popular due to their cheap but reliable nature.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/yongnuo...7621773293562/

The even cheaper but less reliable Cactus triggers are a possibility as well. I have them and don't have too many issues.

[inkista]

I use the Yongnuo RF-602s with a 580EX, 430EX, and SB-26 on my 50D. No issues, although of course, you're limited to manual-only flash and no high speed sync/eTTL. I've range-tested to 700 feet or thereabouts. The only real drawback is that you can only get them on eBay from Hong Kong (I got mine from hkyongnuophotoequipment). But it's about $40 for a Tx/Rx set, which is actually the same price as the Cactus V4s.

They connect directly to the camera/speedlite hotshoes, so you don't need cables or PC ports, although they also come with 1/8" and 1/4" cables/adapters, so if you want to use them with monoblocs, you can do that, too. And Yongnuo does sell PC cables for the RF-602s should you want them. You are a little held hostage cable-wise, since the RF-602s use a proprietary port if you don't want to use the hotshoe.

The different camera model bit is so that they can include the correct shutter release cable, if you want to use them as a remote shutter release.

[ddr]

also consider the alien bees

[inkista]

Originally Posted by ddr

also consider the alien bees

AKA "Cybersyncs", as previously mentioned. Cybersyncs are the triggers made by Paul C. Buff for their monobloc lights, like the AlienBees, White Lightnings, Einsteins, etc. The Cybersyncs can also be used with speedlights, obviously, although I think (not sure on this, if someone who uses them could confirm?) that while the transmitters sit on the camera hotshoe, the receivers assume some form of sync connector and can't be used directly on the speedlight hotshoe. Ditto the RadioPopper JrX receivers. If you only have a 580EX Mk I, then that means you need to find some way to hook up the receiver to the flash--usually a hotshoe adapter. Or a mod to the flash foot to add a sync port, since only the 580EXII has a PC sync port.

The way-cheap Cactus V4 and Yongnuo RF-602 receivers, otoh, can connect directly to the flash's hotshoe.

[ddr]

oppps reading fail haha

i'm considering the cst's because it's been shown to do HSS