Using multiple flash units and the ST-E2 for formals?

Anyone using a multiple flash setup with Canon's ST-E2 during your formals? I thought it

would be nice to side light the B&G at around 30 degrees with a fill on camera. Question

though.... I tried it once and the flash didn't fire consistently using a 550ex as the trigger.

Does the body of the receiving flash need to point towards the trigger to read the infrared

correctly? Also is there a sensor on the flash that needs to point directly at the subject to

give correct exposure?

 

On another note, can you use a diffuser like the Omnibounce or Lightsphere on the off

camera flash or does the flash head need to be pointed at the subject for proper exposure.

Yep, you can use an ST-E2 and compatible flashes to do formals. I use a 550ex and 420ex with the ST-E2 on camera and it puts out on ok amount of light, nothing too substantial. Sometimes it doesn't fire consistently in bright sunlight, so to give it every chance here's what to do. To increase the range and consistency of firing, turn the body of the flash (which is usually on a stand) back towards the camera with the head pointing towards the subject. I usually use a lens hood and place the flashes a little in front of the camera, off to the side. Because its the camera that calculates the amount of flash output the flash body doesn't have to point towards the subject. You don't <i>have</i> to point the body back towards the camera, often inside the signal just bounces off the walls and gives you all the range you need anyway. FInally the omnibounce makes no difference to the flash performance other than cutting down max range. Outside it doesn't make much difference because it can't bounce off anything. Inside I tend to use Lumiquest products on the flashes, but because you're a few meters away with a formal group that doesn't make a huge difference either.

I've been thingking about getting the ST-E2 and a pair of 420s and stands to go with. Is it worth the money? Do they do a good job (ST-E), or am i going to be left dissapointed.

 

Thanks

Andrew,

 

I use two 550's and ST-E2. Sometimes I use OCSC-2 and set on camera 550 to Master and off camera 550 to Slave. Sometimes I use ST-E2 on camera and set both 550's to Slave. When using the ST-E2, the 550's head is set and fixed to 24mm if I remember correctly. You can manually zoom head if you choose, but it does not auto zoom, as it does with OCSC-2, if you are using a zoom lens.

 

For formals I set one 550 on a stand 15~30 deg. to left side of camera. Always on the left because I use a Strobo Pro-T bracket and when in vertical position IR signal is not blocked by direct pointed flash head. The IR signal does get bounced around and in most indoor set-ups it will find off-camera flash (OCF), but I like to do all I can to insure I don't get mis-fires. For that reason, I always point body of OCF at the ST-E2 or on camera flash. So far I have only two 550's but I want to get a third to give me more light for large group shots or use as a background light. I shoot the on camera flash direct and OCF with a Lumiquest 80/20 bouncer with white insert and panel diffuser. I usually set OCF to -1.5 ~ -2 FEC either on the flash or using ratio on ST-E2 or master. You can experiment with this until you find results you like. You may like the OCF as main light and setting on camera flash as fill.

 

At receptions I again set 550 on stand with Lumiquest and position where I can cover most of dance floor and area where toast, garter throw, etc, will happen and not get stand in my frame. I try not to have to move OCF much. I use this flash just to light background, sometimes bouncing it off back wall. Because it is not lighting main subject, I have found the E-TTL system is not reading OCF and so it fires at full output. I haven't tested this, so I'm not sure how E-TTL reads it, but I do know that the OCF seems to put out way to much light. For that reason, I FEC the OCF to -2. I like the resulting output better. When I get a third flash and have an assistant to move it around, I would like to use it at receptions to get off camera light on main subjects.

 

The IR signal is more sensitive when used outdoors. I tested mine by changing distances and angles from ST-E2 and on camera flash as Master. ST-E2 is more sensitive, read will mis-fire, to longer distances and wider angles than on camera 550 as a Master.

 

Cliff

"Does the body of the receiving flash need to point towards the trigger to read the infrared correctly?"

 

No, but it helps. More so with the ST-E2 than a 550 master.

 

Also is there a sensor on the flash that needs to point directly at the subject to give correct exposure?

 

No, or not that I know of.

 

"On another note, can you use a diffuser like the Omnibounce or Lightsphere on the off camera flash or does the flash head need to be pointed at the subject for proper exposure."

 

I've just got a lightsphere and I suspect it will work, perhaps just a bit better than some of the lumiquest products. I've used the ultrasoft and mini softbox, and they work okay remotely. I think the omnibounce is a little too small and tends to still make cross shadows even if you are using two. The lightshpere in my initial testing produces a much more even spread, even with subjects relatively close to a wall. I'm thinking I should have bought two lightspheres, but the lumiquest ultrasoft can probably balance it okay since it is almost as large.

Thanks for the replies! My questions were answered well. If anyone else wants to post

how they use their ST-E2's and multiple lighting set-ups I'm all ears!

I use the ST-E2 with 2-3 420EXs. In small/medium rooms it will work well and reliably. In large wedding halls you'll have to mind the direction of the sensors and test it a few times before the "action" starts. Outside in sunny/bright overcast conditions the setup is not reliable. If you're doing formals and all units are within 10-15' of eachother it will work but not 100% of the time. If you have to depend on the setup 100% of the time at every wedding I'd go with radio-slaves and some Sunpack/Vivitar combo (or 550EXs if you have the $$$)

I often use it with 2-550's on stands shooting into umbrellas. I position them about 4' apart to avoid shadows from person to person. If you set them at a 1:1.5 ratio its not bad for groups up to about 20.

 

It is a little inconsistent as a trigger (about 1 in 15 fails) unless, as suggested, you face the flash body towards the ST-E2, and Hood the lens with the stands slighty forward of the cam, slightly forward.