melvin short Loc: Seattle, Wa

may i ask anyone who has experience with off camera wireless flash, what do i need extra, i have a 580exII flash and a 5d camera, and really want to know how i go about setting up to do this, ive seen the pocket wizard and need to know if i have to have 2 of them or what i need, any and all info will be muchly appreciated

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Have you see the Strobist website?
http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/
Lots of goood info there.
I'm a Nikon guy, so can't help you specifically.

Robert Graybeal Loc: Myrtle Beach

1. You can use the on camera flash and the 580 as a slave. The camera flash will fire the 580. You need to aim the flash receiver at the camera.

2. I think the 5D is a wireless camera. You will need a pocket wizard receiver (or similar) for the 580 to fire it without the camera flash.

3. If the camera is not wireless, you will also need a transmitter to place on the hotshoe.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

This looks like an interesting site.
http://learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2011/speedlite_tip_pt3_article.shtml

I use Nikon's iTTL system a lot.
Provides TTL exposure control of my strobes from the camera.
I'll bet Canon's works in a similar fashion.
This was done with 2 Nikon SB 800's using ttl.

There are limits- these use infrared and have a limited range. Pocket wizards use radio signals.

Bruce H Loc: Oregon Coast

the 5D doesn't have an on camera flash as suggested above. you need a trigger on camera and a slave to attach to your flash.

I also have a 5D and the same flash you have and am considering this set up: http://www.expertphotography.com/phottix-odin-the-best-alternative-to-pocket-wizards

as opposed to a pocket wizard. there is a good recomendation on Ugly Hedgehog http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-16149-1.html

I'd be interested in what you decide.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Melvin, You'd have to get the Canon ST E-2 Transmitter http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&N=4291570227+4289244510&A=endecaSearch&ci=1&Q=

Bruce, the phottix looks interesting too.

Bruce H Loc: Oregon Coast

they sure don't give this stuff away. transmitter is about half the cost of the flash. it would be easier to buy if I knew what I was doing?... my wife is sure I need "professional" help and not the photo kind.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Maybe it's just me, but I've found that in photography, there are no simple solutions. I buy a piece of equipment and then find that I have to buy another to get it to work.

hlmichel Loc: New Hope, Minnesota

I love the picture. Were both flashes in the box?

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

[/quote] I love the picture. Were both flashes in the box?[/quote]

Thanks!
One in the box, covered with some tracing paper, to help diffuse the light ( make it a bigger light source)- the other was to the right to do a little rim lighting. There was a window to the left that's providing some fill. I used to drag my studio lights around, but I can shoot so much faster this way and my hernia doesn't bother me at all.
The accessories for the speedlights these days can just about duplicate what I could get with the studio lights. (except output) Grids, Softboxes, filtering, beauty dish...

DavidT Loc: Maryland

I was going to suggest that you might also want to get a softbox (e.g., Octobox) and light stand, but that might result in your being fired by the family CFO.

MtnMan Loc: ID

I don't know how good they are but there are $20 Chinese ones. Search around.

anotherview Loc: California

Keep it simple. Try the Cowboy Studio NPT-04 4 Channel Wireless Trigger for External Speedlites:

http//www.cowboystudio.com/product/c14/p140704-11.php

Amazon also carries this product:

http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-NPT-04-Channel-Wireless-Receiver/dp/B002W3IXZW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1326557006&sr=8-2

You do not need anything else besides two AAA batteries to make this wireless flash trigger work.

But you will have to set the channel of the transmitter and receiver to match in order for the two units to work together. The little manual shows how to do this channel setting.

The transmitter, which goes in the hotshoe, does have a battery, too, but this battery comes with the transmitter. Supposedly, this battery lasts for something like 30,000 shots.

I own this wireless trigger, and use it exclusively in my home studio, with good results.

Note that you must set the flash power manually, on the Speedlite itself.

The easiest way to do the manual setup before use involves first putting the flash unit on the hotshoe of the camera. Then go to the External Speedlite control menu in the camera. Select Flash function settings. Select Flash mode. Select Manual.

While in this menu, select Wireless set. Select Disable. For some reason, disabling the wireless set must happen; otherwise, the wireless trigger will not function properly.

The flash unit saves and remembers these settings even after removal from the hotshoe.

You then set the flash power output directly on the flash unit. The flash unit manual explains this simple adjustment.

Note that the transmitter has a test button on top. Pressing this button fires the remote flash unit.

deanna_hg Loc: So. Alabama

I use Nikon also, only one flash tho. It is a SB 900 and go thru the iTTL system. Thought the flash unit had to be able to 'see' the camera's flash go off? How did you do this with the flashes in the box and off behind the kids?

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

deanna_hg,
The IR sensor is very sensitive.
I have been able to get mine to work around corners.
The photo in question was used with the pop-up flash on my D200. Had the power dialed all the way down, -3. I also use Nikon's SU-800 for better control.
Another amazing accessory is the SG3 IR that covers the pop-up flash, letting only the IR get through. The amazing part:
A Nikon Accessory that's under $15! http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/410445-REG/Nikon_4905_SG_3IR_IR_Panel_for.html