Need advice on how to trigger Canon 540EZ

[bmgmusic]

This is another problem I have when trying to make use of every piece of my 35mm equipment to save cost on LF. My 210mm lens has a PC connector but 540EZ doesn' t. I guess I need some kind of adapter in order to trigger this flash. Adorama s ells cheap($10)'PC to hotshoe' and 'hotshoe to PC' adapter with no description. I guess one of them may be the right thing for me but don't know which. Are ther e other cheap solutions?

[Larry Huppert]

I'd suggest you try and find a local camera store which has these type of items, and bring your lens and flash to the store and try it out. Several years ago, I tried to make some Canon flash equipment (380EX ?) work with a non-TTL, plain, standard X-sync capable medium format camera with a leaf shutter. I could not make something this simple work. Eventually I gave up (and ended up selling the Canon flash which didn't even work that great with my Canon). Seeing some posts on Photo.net, some other people have described some models of Canon flash as "too smart for it's own good" when talking about problems like this one. Over time, I got a Metz flash, and found I could make that work on all different equipment. For a long time I'd switch shoe adapters when going from my Canon to other X-sync cameras. Then I found with the Canon adapter on the Metz, I could get X-sync to work on other cameras by flipping the sync switch to "rear curtain". If the 540EZ is an older flash, you might have better luck making this work.

[Ellis Vener]

Check with a really big distributor like Calumet www.calumetphoto.com or even b etter 1-800-CAL-UMET) and see if Wein makes an adapter. I have had good success using Wein products with my Nikon and Vivitar speedlights.

[bmgmusic]

Thanks to an ebay auction(Item #211882934), I have a chance to look at the 'pc to hot shoe' adapter, which has one end to PC, the other to flash. The shoe has two contacts while 540EZ has six, four of them probably going to be idle if used with such basic shoe design. Is the flash triggering only the short circuit of the other two? I want to be assured before trying that.

[Bill Glickman]

I had the same dilema... it was solved by Robers cameras located in..... Indiana I beleive... Don't have the info handy. Anyway, they make an adapter for the bottom, $8, that allows for a hotshoe mount, same as before, but has a pc cable coming out of the adapter... however, when using a PC cable, I think you would be limited to firing the flash.. no other goodies like auto zoom, etc.. Don't dicount the Cannon 540 eZ, it has the most guide number of any small flash out there, however, they do aggravate me by advertising their GN at 110 fl, vs. 50mm that most makers like Metz use. Very deceiving..But about the same power as Metz 40 mz1.. which has great rebates right now! hope this helps.. Regards Bill