Philipschmitten Loc: Texas

Is it possible to set up a couple of Canon Flashes and set them off with the on-camera pop-up flash and still be in the ETTL Mode?

Thanks for your help

RaydancePhoto

I think the 5D Mark III has a feature built in, but not certain about other models. You can get a remote trigger adapter that goes on your hot shoe, then the counterpart goes on your flashes. They are inexpensive, I got mine on ebay.

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

Not that I know of.
Canon's ETTL is communicated via infrared, from one flash to another with the master on the camera's hot shoe. That is still the most common method, but you must have a speedlite in the hot shoe and it must be set as a master, the two others set as slaves. That's it.

Some newer Canon models (like the 5D MkIII) have new method of communicating with remote speedlites but it is only supported by the 600EX Speedlite.

Of course you can connect very inexpensive optical slaves to your remote flashes and use your pop-up flash to trigger them, but zero ETTL.

The best way to do what you are asking is with Pocket Wizards. Three Pocket Wizard Plus IIIs would transmit the camera's ETTL codes to two remote slaves that can be over 100 feet away and not in line of sight. They can also be used as a radio remote trigger. Great product and the best available.

skidooman Loc: Minnesota

Great info here, this is how I understand it also. You need PW IIIs for ETTL. The price on these has actually dropped from the PWIIs (which unfortunately are the ones I have), so I'm stuck in manual power for the flash using the PWIIs.

gmcase Loc: Galt's Gulch

The 7d will do that. Just have to set the SLs correctly. The onboard flash fires the off camera SLs.

barbkelly Loc: Delaware

Yup and it works great!

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

NO. NO!

The Plus III's are NOT TTL, they are basic trigger only. For your E-TTL your need the Pocket Wizard TT5 as a receiver and either a TT5 or PW Mini as a transmitter. You will need the AC3 if you want to control 3 separate groups.

You can investigate Radio Poppers also, but i think the PWs have a superior system as they can have their firmware upgraded via a USB connection. Radio Poppers cannot.

I have the TT5 units the Plus IIIs, and the older Plus IIs. The cool thing is they are all compatible with one another.

So...TT5 for E-TTL, Plus II or III for trigger only. The Plus III being a huge upgrade over the Plus II.

Now, having said that - almost all the newer Nikon and Canon units can use the pop-up flash to fire the remotes in TTL. It is limited in range (both distance and azimuth) but it can work. Check to be sure, because some of the lowest priced models do not have this capability. The Pocket Wizards are RADIO and have a much greater range.

PalePictures Loc: Traveling

I have a similar setup to the captain. Two tt5s two pwII and two pwIII's if you don't shoot TTL the pwIII can trigger both the camera and the flash. The pwII took two units to,do that. The pwIII's have all the functionality of,the pwii's (as far as i can tell)plus a battery indicator. If you use any of the pocket wizard stuff you'll appreciate that indicator! The PWIII's are(or were) cheaper than the pwII's...go figure.

I,elected not to,get the mini. It's only a transmitter but it is a good bit smaller than the tt5. I have a 580ex but almost never use it. I use two cheaper lumapro strobes.(not ttl) The strobistblog website recommends them or used to.
I use a quantum flash for carry round for TTL. It shoots at 400ws on full power.

I mainly use my 580ex on low, power for small flash duration. Like freezing water droplets(only done that a few times)

Cheers Russ

Al FR-153 Loc: Chicago Suburbs

The 60D will do it, it is in the menu setup. I use a single 430EX off camera with the flash actually behind the camera, but with the on-camera flash up (required to do the remote). Works fine, lasts a long time.

skidooman Loc: Minnesota

Thanks for the correction. I thought I read somewhere that PWIIIs could go TTL, but I gladly stand corrected.

jimberton Loc: Michigan's Upper Peninsula

the photix odin wireless triggers are ttl

Falcon Loc: Abilene, Texas

Phillip--
Depending on your camera, you CAN use the pop-up flash as a master with the Speedlites as slaves and still communicate ETTL information. The 7d with either or both the 430EX2 and/or the 580EX2 setup will work.