[gnaztee]

Okay, I've been reading Strobist stuff and decided to dabble in photography with off-camera lighting a bit. I picked up a light stand, reflective umbrella and an AF 360 flash. I still feel quite in the dark (no pun intended) with what I'm doing. I was using my wife as a model last night to test out the setup, using the built-in flash as the controller, and in every shot her eyes are closed or drooping from blinking. Is there are timing issue between the off-camera flash and shutter? Would the fact that it was evening and we had minimal ambient lighting affect this? I wondered if the control flash was making her blink, so I blocked the control flash, but this altered the lighting in the photo. Any help?

Ultimately, I want a two flash setup for horse portraits, a la Yann Arthus Bertrand, but I have a lot to learn.

edit: I'm using P-TTL, is there a better way? Would the problem be solved with the Cactus V4s?

Todd

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Last edited by gnaztee; 05-01-2009 at 01:30 PM. Reason: added info

[Canada_Rockies]

Make sure you turn off red eye reduction and try again.

[gnaztee]

I will try that tonight when I get home, thanks. What does that do for the flash that makes it different?

[kkoether]

Red eye reduction uses a pre-flash to eliminate red eyes. This can make the subject blink. It's definitely worth a try.

[dopeytree]

Damn I wish I'd know about the newer Cactus Wireless Flash Trigger Set V4 I've got the V2 and the highest sync speed is 1/125 I can do.. wheras the newer ones are rated at up to 1/500th...

[SOldBear]

It may not be the "red-eye" reduction setup.

It can be the wireless/P-TTL preflash strobe from the built-in flash. Your wife may be one of those people who are sensitive to the preflash strobe.

If this is the case, get an optical slave or several of them. It is cheap enough (about $10 each) to experiment. I know the Pentax 540 has built in slave trigger (SL2 mode). I don't know about the 360. If it has the slave trigger mode, you don't have to buy the optical slave unit.

The problem then is that you'll also need to convince the built-in flash NOT to issue the preflash strobe. The only way I know is to use a manual lens. In this case, the built-in flash will produce one strobe at full power. If you go this way, you can cover the build in flash with something (e.g. a few layers of Kleneex tissues) to reduce light output.

The best way I think it to use a small external flash attached to the camera's hot shoe. The ideal flash will have variable output settings and a head that can bounce and swivel.

You can't use P-TTL with the optical slave. You'll need to use either M or A mode for the remove flash.

[Canada_Rockies]

Damn I wish I'd know about the newer Cactus Wireless Flash Trigger Set V4 I've got the V2 and the highest sync speed is 1/125 I can do.. wheras the newer ones are rated at up to 1/500th...

Using triggers such as the Cactus, you probably won't be able to go much above 1/125 anyway. It's unusual for these triggers to allow even the top sync speed the camera allows, and they definitely will not handle high speed sync.

[Driver3]

The Cactus and Yongnuo CTR-301's won't fire a Pentax flash at 1/180 because the trigger voltage on the flash is too low.
You can use the 360 in slave mode and trigger it off the built in flash. Make sure it is set to slave 2 and set to slave-wireless. Or there is another way. Get a hot shoe adapter with a sync plug on it and get an optical slave.
I trigger mine in slave mode off the other flashes, Sunpak 383's and a Vivitar, in the set-up and it works fine.
The Cactus and 301's work great with other flashes up to the max sync speed of 1/180 on Pentax cameras.
This place has the right stuff and offers very good service.
http://www.flashzebra.com/

[gnaztee]

All right. So my best bet might be to get optical or wireless triggers or PC cords and learn to use flashes manually? It seems I can't use P-TTL if I don't want the on-camera flash to fire.

[axl]

I have been using up to 3 external flahses (2 off camera, 1 on) all manual (only on camera flash in auto mode), and optical slaves. works well at 1/180, no preflash, no blinking, no red eyes, works like a charm...

BR

[DAZ]

I’ve used optical (both P-TTL and not). It has its place. It is quick, cheap (only because it comes with the camera and P-TTL flash) but it has a down side too. The pre-flash (P-TTL) and range. Can use optical with out P-TTL and still cheap.

I’ve used wired. It to has its place. Give you all modes and is the next cheaper. Down side are wires. Every one knows about wires.

I’ve started to use radio. For Pentax no P-TTL but can still use manual and auto. Think about what you are doing with auto so you don’t mislead your self, manual may be better. I have stared using Flashwave 2 triggers. Look at the reviews on this site. They say they are good to 1/200. I have used them up to 1/180 with no problems so far. 1/200 is probable a little conservative of at max range with batteries not at 100. Others have reported faster with fresh batteries and shorter ranges.

Flashwaves come with built in hotshoes. The transmitter comes with a hotshoe and 3.5 input jack. It comes with a PC to 3.5 cable. The transmitter uses (1ea) 23A battery but comes with 2 in the box. 23A batteries are not too hard to find and it looks like they last a long time. The receiver has a hotshoe and both PC/3.5 inputs. You can use the receiver as a stand (as long as it is level and you don’t bump it) but it has a ¼ on the bottom so you can mount it to anything using ¼. In the box comes a cheap ¼ to coldshoe adapter. This is manly for the stick on coldshoe (in the box) that you can put on big flash and use the cables and adapters that come in the box. The receiver uses 2 AAA (about the only thing not in the box).

Overall build and packaging looks very good. Just about every thing needed to start with is in the box. You can even use them to trigger the camera with just the parts in the box.

DAZ