Which 'wireless flash trigger set' on Amazon.com now?

[eli griggs]

I'm looking at the wireless kits on Amazon and need to find a good value for analog camera to analog flash units, Vivitars 285 & 283 mostly, and occasionally a Canon G10 point and shoot.

I see plenty for a low level budget like mine, including a 4 + 1 pack, all under $100, but I'd like to hear which of these sets other users here have found to be useful.

I'm no lighting huge sets and a large room would likely be on the outside of the range I'd need to cover with 4-5 units.

Anyone?,

 

[removed account4]

hey Eli
its not on amazon [ sorry to derail your thread ]
but I bought it direct from the manufacturer
its the cactus .... midwest photographic used to sell it as a kit
( strobist uses it in the videos and it is great and inexpensive ).
they have the new model out now but I bought the older one it works like a dream.

 

[MattKing]

Watch out for trigger voltage issues.
Most of the currently available wireless triggers were designed with digital cameras and modern flashes in mind, and those flashes offer the low trigger voltages that the modern cameras are compatible with.
Many older flashes - Vivitar 283s and 285s included - have quite high trigger voltages, and they can damage circuits not designed for them.
I have a set of ancient Bowens monolights with 600+ volt trigger voltages, and may put out a fair amount of current as well. If I were to connect most of the wireless triggers to them, I wouldn't be surprised to see smoke!

 

[eli griggs]

I was hoping that the new units were hardened against High Voltage, but if no, I'll have to use cables and/or old fashion flash slaves, which can be a bit of a pain, (but no so much as wires running here and there) especially with low power fill lights, etc.

The reason I was looking at Amazone is I have a balance there that I wanted to go ahead and use, however, since that may no be possible, I'll go ahead and ask, does anyone here have a diagram for a low cost slave?

I built something similar years ago to test shutter speeds, but I've mislaid that sheet and would appreciate a shove in the correct direction.

Be Safe, Be Healthy and Godspeed to All.

 

[MattKing]

I was hoping that the new units were hardened against High Voltage,

There are a small number that are, and include their trigger voltage rating in published specifications.
Most though don't provide any information on that issue.

 

[jtk]

YOU SHOULD DO YOUR RESEARCH. i DON'T THINK ANY 283 ARE SAFE BUT SOME (SOME) 285 REPORTEDLY ARE...I HAVE THREE AS WELL AS OLD WIRELESS SYSTEM, THEY WORKED GREAT WITH FILM CAMERAS BUT DIGITAL IS A RISK. DO MORE RESEARCH...STROBIST.COM HAS THE INFO...I'D TRUST STROBIST. THOSE ARE/WERE GREAT WORKHORSE STROBES.

 

[MattKing]

It isn't just digital cameras that need low trigger voltages. Many of the later film cameras went to electronic synch circuits as well. For example, many if not all of the 35mm auto-focus cameras.
One good thing though - if you use wireless triggers you just need one safe synch adapter for each trigger, rather than for each flash.

 

[Bill Burk]

No worries... just add this to the shopping list for your old Vivitars.

I use this to fire a Vivitar aimed at a traditional photo slave wired to an ancient Photogenic strobe pack that doesn’t have a proper ground. I do that to create an air gap to mitigate the fairly high risk of electrocution with that beast.

WEIN Hot Shoe to Hot Shoe Safe Sync HSHSB Standard PC

https://www.ebay.com/itm/264695196001

 

[jtk]

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/802069677-USE/wein_940_003_pn_peanut_slave_3_pack.htm

To fire multiple strobes using the on-camera flash you can mount these "peanuts" on as many off-camera flash as you want and with no risk.

The challenges are that the on-camera flash can visually overpower the off-camera flashes. Rembrandt lighting is unlikely. You'll have to do some experimentation. The Vivitars do have manual options which, with a lot of playing around, do allow complex lighting effects.....

 

[reddesert]

It isn't just digital cameras that need low trigger voltages. Many of the later film cameras went to electronic synch circuits as well. For example, many if not all of the 35mm auto-focus cameras.
One good thing though - if you use wireless triggers you just need one safe synch adapter for each trigger, rather than for each flash.

Read the spec sheet for your camera. For example, most (maybe all) of the Nikon electronic film and digital SLRs that I have looked at are rated to take a trigger up to about 250 V, because the flash sync circuit has a protective component.

I tested several Vivitar flash units, and the 283s were all high trigger voltage (over 100 V), but the 285 and 285HV were all low trigger voltage, about 4-6 V. This is a static, not a peak, measurement. I believe that some electronic cameras are only rated to about 5 V, so you still have to exercise caution.

 

[eli griggs]

Cheers.

 

[eli griggs]

YOU SHOULD DO YOUR RESEARCH. i DON'T THINK ANY 283 ARE SAFE BUT SOME (SOME) 285 REPORTEDLY ARE...I HAVE THREE AS WELL AS OLD WIRELESS SYSTEM, THEY WORKED GREAT WITH FILM CAMERAS BUT DIGITAL IS A RISK. DO MORE RESEARCH...STROBIST.COM HAS THE INFO...I'D TRUST STROBIST. THOSE ARE/WERE GREAT WORKHORSE STROBES.

My Main concern is simply old school 1980's and older film cameras, such as the Hasselblad c/m, and the Canon F1N AE. I have no worries when it comes to most of my other kit and if I used these Wein peanut slaves with my 283s I think I'll be ok.

I'll have to go looking at the Canon AE-1 Program and AE-1 spec but I'mm going to guess they would be ok as well, and, as for my Canon digital G10, the on camera flash can be used at a low power to trigger the slaved flash units without a physical connection.

I think I shall try these, though I've read a number of reviews that these are often DOA, and have to be returned on a case by case basics.

Have you or anyone else here experience with that, in these slaves.

Professionally, with Black & Brown Line Speed Lights and Broncolor, etc, lighting we always used quality Wein slaves,of the expensive box type and double household prongs, but I've never tried these in any situation.

The good news is it will no have to be in the presence of other people using their flash too.

As for the Strobist, I do go to that sight and have found it to be a great resource.

Also, if someone have working optic slaves hat they want to sell or trade fo, please PM me.

Cheers to all, Good Health and Godspeed.

 

[Helge]

The Yongnuo RF-603 II appears to be the only non overproduced trigger that can take the voltage.
I use my set of four regularly and they are reliable and long reaching.
I have no need or want for TTL or preflash. Just straight manual. And for that, these are the ticket.

The drawbacks are the shoe contacts that are proprietary for either Nikon or Canon.
They will strip the plastic/metal on your old shoe and possibly destroy the other contacts. So you’ll need to:
A. Be a retard who doesn’t mind.
B. Put some kind of protective shoe in between.
C. Put the trigger to the side on a bracket or in your pocket with a wire.
D. Use Nikon or Canon gear with the right contacts and slide tracks.

You can nudge in the contacts and put a bit of protective tape over the inner surface of your shoe. But it’s fiddly and not something you want to do in a hurry in the field.

 

[MattKing]

At least one of the older Cactus series of triggers were designed to handle 250V. I no longer have the research I did on them, so I can't say which ones.

 

[M Carter]

Back to the subject of cheap Amazon/Adorama radio triggers - heck, you can get a set for under twenty bucks...

They work decently well - changing channels on some is a bit of a pain, dip switches. You may need to solder up some cords for PC use.

The biggest issue I've had with 2 different brands - they don't work on everything. Numerous people have found an RB lens (shutter) can't trigger them - may have something to do with resistance in the circuit. My Spotmeter F won't trigger them. But all my really-old PC stuff I've tested with smaller shutters seems to work, Copals on 4x5, Brownie Flash, etc. (ever seen the RB shutter contacts? pretty butch pieces of metal, maybe that's it - but out of 7 RB lenses, only one of mine will work with the Chinese slaves, and it's one out of every ten actuations - so test on whatever you have within the return period).

I bought up some used Pocket Wizards and have been happy - the transceivers are particularly nice, if you have several, you can decide whether they're sending or receiving, or if you proof complex film shots with a DSLR/mirrorless, you can just leave on on your digital and one on your film camera, speeds things up a bit. The PWs work on everything I have. I had a hot shoe fail on one and the part was still available for ten bucks, too.