Attempting the impossible

Is there such thing as a cheap, at least mildly dependable wireless

slave/trigger set for under 100 bucks? I'm trying to get a nice flash set up

for my 350d that'll be fairly portable for on location shooting (trigger/slave,

hotshoe flash, stand, umbrella, etc.). I'm looking towards the Vivitar 285hv as

my flash and would really like a compatible slave/trigger set to go with it.

Any help would be great as I'm still fairly new to this. Thanks!

Cheap, dependable, and wireless ... you can have 2 out of 3. I say choose cheap and dependable by using sync cords. For the camera end get a PC male to HH male adapter, for the flash end get a HH female to Vivitar male adapter. Use a generic 2-conductor extension cord from the hardware store to make it as long as you want.

I'd make a phone call to your favorite reseller-- they'd have all that information. I trust B&H, but that's me.

Ok, I think I get this. I just called B&H and the guy told me I'd need a wein safe sync adapter to mount on my hotshoe. Then I'd need a vivitar pc cable to go from the 285hv to the safe sync on the hot shoe. I'm looking on ebay now and all I can find are 1 to 3 foot pc cables which sounds horribly impractical. Are vivitar pc cables the only ones compatible for a set up like this? Is there anywhere I can find longer ones say 25 or at least 10 feet? Sorry if I'm asking too many questions I just really want to get this right.

The gadgetinfinity eBay triggers are cheap and wireless, but not 100% dependable: http://photonotes.org/reviews/radio-flash-trigger/

<a href="http://paramountcords.com" target="_blank">Paramount Cords</a> can make

you any kind of sync cord you want, at any length. They are not cheap but their cables are

the best I've used.

 

I'm completely wireless, but if I were still using sync cables I'd second the earlier

suggestion to convert both the camera and the flash devices to household fittings with

short pigtail adapters, and connect them with cheap hardware-store extension cords.

 

Paramount can definitely hook you up with a male hotshoe-to-male-household cable of

any length, as well as whatever you need for the flash end of things.

Go back to B&H's web site. They sell every type and length of PC cord that's made. They sell cords that have the propriety Vivitar connector on end and a standard male PC connector on the camera end, but only in relatively short lengths as you've found out. But you don't need a long version of this cord. All you need is the little 6-inch cord that came with the flash. Buy a PC-PC extension cord in whatever length you like (they definitely have them in the 20 foot range). There will be a female PC connector on one end and a male PC connector on the other (the camera end). Plug the camera end of your 6-inch cord into one end of the extension, and plug the other end into the camera (or Safe Sync adaptor). That's all there is to it. Shouldn't cost you more than $25-30 (not including the Safe Sync). BTW, I highly recommed the Vivitar 285HV. I have four or five and they are far simpler to use, far more dependable and far cheaper that the expensive automated TTL Nikon and Canon units everyone seems to be in love with. If you're buying one brand new, they have been redesigned with a 6-volt sync voltage so you don't even need the Safe-Sync, just a standard hot-shoe to PC adaptor. And if you camera has a standard PC contact (probably not the case on the 350D) you don't even need the adaptor. Older ones have a higher sync voltage so you would need the safe sync with them.

I have the new Elinchrom Skyport Universal radio slaves and love them! They've been 100% reliable. About $100 each. Not sure they work with the Vivitar HV though. I use Nikon SB-25 units.

 

Kent in SD

the skyports are simply perfect for what they are expected to do!

 

they will NOT work with the new (well old but new in production) 285HV though (only with the older 285, which are not safe for hotshoe sync on digital cameras)

After some research I purchased one of the wireless triggers that are available on Ebay, made in china, probably has lead paint on it. But really these are very simple devices, like tv remote controls which cost 10 dollars. My trigger has been great, no real complaints although i do change the battery more than I expected. I would suggest that you start on ebay for $15 and move on if it isn't satisfactory. I made this suggestion before to someone and the response to my comment was that you have to spend $300 on a pocket wizard to impress your clients. I am just an amateur, but I have done about 100 portrait sessions and nobody has ever noticed my trigger.

 

Phil

<i>convert both the camera and the flash devices to household fittings with short pigtail adapters, and connect them with cheap hardware-store extension cords.</i> That's 2/3rd of the task: cheap and dependable, sort of... sync cords are so notorious for going bad, my rental house includes two with every pack they rent out.<p>Pocket Wizards aren't to impress clients. They keep the walkie talkies in hotels and passing trucks from firing my strobes. If you work in a residential area, this might not be a problem (garage door openers may be). <p>Some guys over on strobist have figured how to trip some radio slaves with their TV remote controls... t

I use the JTL Digifire. It runs about $100 per receiver and $100 for the firer. Like you say its cheap but works relitively well. cheap plastic housing and doesn't lock onto the camera so it can fall off. Overall I have yet to be disapointed by its firing capabilities. Good Luck

AlienBee has an 8-channel TX/RX set for $40 each. I haven't tried them so can't comment on how well they work.