Triggering 2 studio flashes - cable?

[Matus Kalisky]

Hello,

up to now I had only one studio flash, so I usually triggered it jut via PC-sync cable. Now I consider getting one more - I wonder whether one can buy some kind if "Y" adapter such that I can keep using the single PC-sync on my cameras (from DSLR to 4x5). I know that there are wireless trigger systems, but even the cheaper ones run close to 200 euro for this setup - also - I have no experience with the wireless things.

Cables make the shooting a bit more fussy, but fixing a wireless trigger to Tachi 4x5 or Rolleiflex TLR will not be nice either, just cost more.

I will get flash from the same producer, just with a bit lower power (300Ws versus 500Ws which I already have). Yes - it is a low end flash (www.venditus.de) but works OK for me.

In other words - I need to trigger 2 studio flashes cheaply ...

[ki6mf]

You can get cables made to trigger two flashes and in the USA paramount is one of the main flash cable providers. They can trigger directly or via a pocket wizard or other RF trigger.

http://www.paramountcords.com/Ycords.asp

[Bob Salomon]

Just use a slave. Many flash units have one built in to the head or the pack. Any camera store will have slave units also. Kaiser in Buchen make them and they should be easy to find in Germany.

[Matus Kalisky]

thanks, the slave sounds like the best solution. But how does that actually work? Should there be one more connection for a cable that can be used to connect two flashes together?

For the completeness I include a view of the flash controls. There is not second plug, but the flashes are equipped with a photo cell (not visible in the photo) so they can be trigger by the flashlight itself - I am only wondering whether that will be fast enough ...

EDIT: actually one can see the light sensitive diode on the very top of the flash ..

[Martin Miksch]

Most studioflashes, at least what I have seen, are auto slaves, some kind of diode or something is built in to fire as soon as another flash fires.
e.g. for portrait I use main, fill, bg and one called "spitze" in german. Cord is to the main, all other are autoslaves.
If I dont use the main I just plug the camera to another cord which is connected to the fill.
This works by itself, cords to all flashes or wireless controll is just needed if more people use the same location at the same time.
Regards
Martin

[Steven Barall]

It looks like that round clear plastic piece in the middle there is a built in slave. Look it up. If it isn't, then get an optical slave that has a plug that fits into the socket in the back of the light. Good luck.

[Sascha Welter]

There is not second plug, but the flashes are equipped with a photo cell (not visible in the photo) so they can be trigger by the flashlight itself - I am only wondering whether that will be fast enough

That photo cell is the "slave". Yes, it will be fast enough, many, many photographers have worked with these things daily for many years.

Usually there is a little switch (sometimes on the photo cell itself), with which you designate one flash unit as the "slave". I had learned years ago that some systems don't like to have the photo cell of the "master" to be active, with some it doesn't matter. Probably not a concern with modern systems any more.

[Ron Marshall]

I am only wondering whether that will be fast enough ...

Don't worry, light, and the electrons in the circuit, travel very fast!

[Bob Salomon]

I am only wondering whether that will be fast enough .....

A radio firing system can go through walls and works at the speed of sound so your fastest shutter speed may be limited.
A flash slave can not go through walls and may have a shorter range but works at the speed of light so you can use any shutter speed that will synch with your flash.

[Dave Dawson]

"A radio firing system can go through walls "

The wall might attenuate the flash a bit !!!!

Cheers Dave