Are TTL cables worth it?

[Equilibrium8]

OK..this is a very vague and contentious question. But I looked at getting TTL cables for my flash a while ago, and thought they length is a bit limiting. So I bought I Yongnuo wireless setup. The Yongnuo is OK.. and much more versatile for positioning, but is rather inconsistent and unreliable. Also, my manual setting knowledge is dodgy.

Would it be improve my photos to get a TTL cable, deal with the limitations and let the camera handle the flash info?

[Rentham]

Originally Posted by Equilibrium8

Also, my manual setting knowledge is dodgy. Would it be improve my photos to get a TTL cable, deal with the limitations and let the camera handle the flash info?

It's always worth learning how to handle your camera and flash on manual. Sometimes TTL doesn't do what you expect, and you need to be able to figure out why. Other times you don't want TTL because you need a consistent exposure shot to shot over a long sequence.

Anyway, the OEM TTL cables are really expense. At least for Canon. Two whole feet for $70. I went with a third party version from Flash Zebra. 24 feet for about 50 bucks. Flash Zebra has a good enough reputation that I felt comfortable going with the off brand. I usually don't.

I guess it bears mentioning that the Canon version is most likely intended for getting your flash into a flash bracket and little else. I don't use a flash bracket and I'm putting my speedlight in softboxes and such far off camera. So the Flash Zebra version made sense for me.

[zona5101]

If you are ok with shooting manual flash, you could just upgrade to better wireless triggers.

If you want to run ttl with camera control then you can use ttl cables and as you note they will limit you to a certain distance plus you have wires going from the top of the camera to the flash and that is cumbersome.
They make ttl wireless triggers too. They are spendy. I believe pocket wizard offers one and I know Radio Popper PX system works ttl.

The only time I use a ttl cable is when I take the flash off camera and put it on a flash bracket like a stroboframe other wise for studio strobes or strobist set ups i just use manual wireless triggers - Radio Poppers JRxs

[Equilibrium8]

Originally Posted by Rentham

Sure, I'm working on that..baby steps. I'm working on being comfortable in both TV and Av mode before stepping to manual.

Thanks for confirming that. It seems it is even more limited than I thought. Another reason I went with wireless is because you need special TTL cables for multiple flashes, I think.

To digress, are flash brackets far away enough from the camera to make a big difference to straight on lighting?

[Equilibrium8]

Originally Posted by zona5101

Thanks. I'm not OK with it, yet. But incompetence has never gotten in my way before. I thought about upgrading, but first want to post a thread to check if others have same problem with the Yongnuo or if it is user error.

I just checked out the local price on those. Far out of my budget for now, until I have people paying me to take photos.

The Photix Stratus looks good, reasonably priced and apparently reliable. Have you tried these yet?

[Rentham]

Originally Posted by Equilibrium8

Thanks for confirming that. It seems it is even more limited than I thought. Another reason I went with wireless is because you need special TTL cables for multiple flashes, I think.

To digress, are flash brackets far away enough from the camera to make a big difference to straight on lighting?

It depends on your camera and flash system. If I run my TTL cord to a 580EX II, I can use it trigger other Canon dedicated flashes without the need for additional cords. With the proper cord the primary flash doesn't know or care if its being fired via cord or the hotshoe.

The primary benefit of a flash bracket, to my understanding, is to keep the orientation of the flash vertical. So if you change to portrait orientation, you can articulate the bracket so the flash is still on top of the camera as opposed to the side. This avoids that ghastly oblique shadow. I guess you could also move the bracket in such a way that the flash is a little offset from axis. Not sure though.

[Equilibrium8]

Originally Posted by Rentham

It depends on your camera and flash system. If I run my TTL cord to a 580EX II, I can use it trigger other Canon dedicated flashes without the need for additional cords. With the proper cord the primary flash doesn't know or care if its being fired via cord or the hotshoe.

Oh yes. I remember reading about that. At the moment have a Yongnuo flash, too. It does the job, albeit with a slightly slow recycle time. For future upgrades, it seems it would be worthwhile getting the 580 and other Canon slave, rather than separate wireless system.

The primary benefit of a flash bracket, to my understanding, is to keep the orientation of the flash vertical. So if you change to portrait orientation, you can articulate the bracket so the flash is still on top of the camera as opposed to the side. This avoids that ghastly oblique shadow. I guess you could also move the bracket in such a way that the flash is a little offset from axis. Not sure though.

OK, I need to my homework on that. I had the completely wrong idea about how flash brackets are used.

Thanks for the advice.

[zona5101]

You don't see a lot of photographers using a bracket any more. the big advantages are dropping the resulting shadow down and away, reduced specular reflection and of course, no flash red eye. I think the advances in ittl/ettl flash plus the power now available for bounce reduces the demand for people shooting from a bracket. Bounce definitely looks much better. I'll bust out the bracket when the ceiling isn't good for bounce or outdoors for fill in a run and gun environment.