Dual Strobe Synching?

[iamjanco]

I've got a portable softbox setup in which two Vivitar 285HV flashes are used, both mounted to the same speed ring. I haven't messed around with any remotes and what I'd like to know is can I synch the two 285HVs using one receiver/transceiver if I connect the two flashes' sync cords in a "Y" fashion? If so, is this true of generally all brands on the market (radiopoppers, pocket wizards, etc.), or are there some that will do the job, and some that won't?

Anyone know?

TIA!

[Peter De Smidt]

I would think so. You could also put an optical eye in one of the flashes. Wein used to make little peanut slaves with the special vivitar plug.

[Archphoto]

For the radio one's look at ebay # 270395697932: it is a set of one transmitter and 2 receivers.
Have not bought the set jet, waiting untill I am back in Europe again.
Some people at the Olympus E forum did buy this set and are happy with it.

Peter

[Darren Kruger]

I've got a portable softbox setup in which two Vivitar 285HV flashes are used, both mounted to the same speed ring. I haven't messed around with any remotes and what I'd like to know is can I synch the two 285HVs using one receiver/transceiver if I connect the two flashes' sync cords in a "Y" fashion?

yes. check out this adapter at B&H (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/89996-REG/Hama_HA_6963_Multi_Sync_PC_3x_Adapter.html) or these Y cables from Paramount (http://www.paramountcords.com/Ycords.asp). Should be cheaper than a second wireless receiver.

-Darren

[Struan Gray]

This will work for you. The only problems come with mixing flash units with different sync voltages: it is then possible for ugly things to happen if one of the flashes cannot tolerate the sync voltage of the other(s). The problem is worse with older units with high voltages on the sync contact, and can be solved by using a Wein 'safe-sync' as a buffer.

But, with both flashes being the same model, you shouldn't have any problems at all.

[jnantz]

i wouldn't use a y cable ... use a radio or slave sync.
that is what they are made for ..
a cable might seem to be a good idea,
but it might cause problems ( as straun suggested -
trigger voltages can be high for some flashes)
the peanut slaves are cheap as dirt ..
the radio ones are a bit more expensive, but worth every penny.

[Dan Fromm]

<snip>

But, with both flashes being the same model, you shouldn't have any problems at all.Believe it or not, Struan, this isn't always the case. I used to have a couple of tiny Honeywell flashes, very useful for macro, that wouldn't fire when both were hooked up to a "Y" cable. Either yes, and on either side of the "Y", both together no. This annoyed me so much that I wired up a little cable with one end's ring connected to the other's tip, and vice versa, thinking that this would solve a polarity problem. The two flashes in question still wouldn't work together.

Nowadays when I want to run multiple flashes I use slaves. Perhaps if I get another SCA flash ...

Cheers,

Dan

[Struan Gray]

Believe it or not, Struan, this isn't always the case.

I can believe it. The laziness of design and penny pinching in execution of even brand name flashes never ceases to amaze me. There might have been some excuse twenty, thirty years ago when it was actually tricky and/or expensive to build a fast trigger that could drive a few hundred volts. These days it's pure cost cutting.

The 385HV flashes have a low voltage sync and are supposedly fairly robust at handling external voltages applied to their pins. As the voltages are low, testing isn't going to fry anything.

As you say though, slave triggers are cheap insurance, provided you're not at something like a wedding where they'll be tripped by a hundred Uncle Bobs and Auntie Marges all blasting away. The Wein safe-sync makes a useful buffer if you don't want to get into radio or IR slaves.

FWIW, I use an eBay radio slave to decouple my camera from a pair of small monolights. Despite my best attempts to hack it with better antennae it is always unreliable with more than one receiver, so I use just the one, with sync cables running to the strobes. I need a pair of power cords anyway, so this is less intrusive than it sounds, and gives me a nice mix of freedom and reliability. On the very rare occasions the flash doesn't trigger, *all* the lights fail to pop, so I know it has happened. Not a 'professional' solution, but it works for me.

[Archphoto]

Struan, why not a "professional solution" ?
It works, and is therefore a professional and reliable solution.

Peter

[Peter De Smidt]

Pocket Wizards are very reliable. Others brands are often dodgy. Don't know why.

[Scott Knowles]

I can believe it. The laziness of design and penny pinching in execution of even brand name flashes never ceases to amaze me. There might have been some excuse twenty, thirty years ago when it was actually tricky and/or expensive to build a fast trigger that could drive a few hundred volts. These days it's pure cost cutting.
Pocket Wizard is quite clear about one receiver per flash. But I don't think it has to do with trigger voltage as the flash input resistance the PW sees, which in turn changes the voltage. PW's can't account for the myriad of combinations of flashes and input resistance of each for the correct voltage to each input. All it sees is the resultant one input resistance. It's not a design flaw so much as design simplicity.

[Ben Syverson]

Pocket Wizards are very reliable. Others brands are often dodgy. Don't know why.
I've shot somewhere around 1000 photos in the studio over the past week (long story), using the cheapest Chinese radio triggers on eBay... Not a single misfire.

Pocket Wizards are amazing for their long range and ability to control the camera, but if you're in a studio or other controlled environment, they may be overkill.

That said, some people always buy "the best" so they never have to worry about it again. There's merit to that too.

[Ash]

My cheapo Chinese radio triggers play up for some reason. It's something to do with the actual triggering from the camera into the transmitter, as the test button works fine.

When they work they work great, but I can say that up until right now mine worked perfect and now they don't work 100%

[Archphoto]

Anything electronic in a studio or around it can play havoc with radio triggers: a laptop, a cellular, sory cell-phone, anything that uses high-band frequencies.
Most of the radio triggers have more than one channel: if one does not work propperly try a diferent chanel.

At my place in Holland I could not use my cell-phone 75% of the time: a transmitter on top of the building from a diferent provider interfered with it.......

Peter

[Donald Miller]

Years ago I used slaves on my monolights. I never had much success connecting via cables unless connecting individual heads to a power pack.

More recently I used a pocket wizard on my Profoto lights (until they were stolen). I recently repurchased my stolen digital camera and two Canon 580EX lights that are initiated by a dual channel infrared camera mounted trigger. That is a really wonderful system allowing for all of the master/slave adjustable light output permutations that one could wish for.

[Jim C.]

A optical slave would work to sync your Vivitars, but it depends on the sensitivity of the
optical slaves, and where the strobe is situated in relation to the slaved strobe, I've had
troubles triggering becaust the flash of the master strobe just wasn't seen by the slave.
I'd steer clear of the eBay radio triggers, if you really want a budget
radio slave look into the one's that Paul C Buff (http://www.alienbees.com/cybersync.html#cst) sells I have them and they're pretty reliable and
inexpensive compared to the Pocket Wizards.

[Ben Syverson]

My cheapo Chinese radio triggers play up for some reason. It's something to do with the actual triggering from the camera into the transmitter, as the test button works fine.
I had one start doing that, first with the hotshoe, then with the connector on the side. I found out it's the battery dying. I think it's probably cheaper to replace the whole transmitter than to buy a new battery!

[Struan Gray]

Archphoto/Peter, I don't use the professional solution because I'm not a professional. I do very little people photography, even less with strobes and almost none in a situation where I can't use a slave. My monolights are mostly used to document my son's Lego constructions :-)

The eBay trigger I have works well for me, and I have mapped out its limitations by testing so I know when it is going to fail and when it is going to work. It's good enough for my needs. I shot a niece's wedding with the eBay trigger (plus suitable cable-based backups) and it worked well without breaking the bank. Were I doing a lot of outdoors flash-assisted work, or more weddings, I would invest in more versatile triggers.

Scott: Pocket Wizard play safe, and for valid reasons. The all-over-the-map amateur measurements of sync voltages is a good indicator that there is no standardisation of the input/output impedence of flash trigger circuits, or that if there is, nobody respects it much. My point was just that control circuitry that can send trigger information without being confused or damaged by unexpected loads or inputs is easy enough to design and build these days, and the cost isn't so outrageous compared to semi-pro and pro on-camera flashes, let alone studio units.