Triggering my 2XElinchrom Style FX flash units

[sneakypete]

Hi, I am brand new to this site, and studio photography. I have had my Canon

Eos 300D from release, but have just made my first foray into studio lighting.

Two days ago I bought:

 

1x Elinchrom Style FX 400 to go Set (shoot through umbrella, reflector

umbrella,small softbox)

1x Giotto Background System kit

1x Manfrotto tripple hook system (paper roll hanging kit)

 

 

I soon realised that my 300D has no flash synch socket, and I need to find the

best means of triggering the flash-heads.I intend on purchasing the Sekonic

L358 light meter and see that it has an optional "Plug-in Radio Transmitter

Module".

 

My Question is, what trigger system would be compatible with the Sekonic L-358

so that i can wirelessly trigger the flash units from the light meter when

taking a reading ?

Elinchrom make a "EL-Skyport Trigger set". Would this kit be compatible with

the optional transmitter module in the Sekonic light meter?

 

http://www.elinchrom.com/

 

I would appreciate any help, thanks for letting me join your community

 

Thanks again

 

Sneakypete

[chris_vincent2]

The lowest cots option - but very effective, is to buy the Elinchrom Prolinca IR Trigger. This will trigger the flash units so long as you have their photo cells switched on.

 

When metering you just slip the trigger off the camera and press the trigger's fire button, with your meter in the other hand.

 

The L-308S will do everything you need in the studio. You can connect the meter to any unit via a sync lead to trigger one or both units using their photocells. But the IR trigger is the best option to fit to your camera.

[guy ronkar]

I think there are two separate topics:

 

<ul> <li><b>Triggering the strobes when taking a reading with your meter.</b> <br>Your Sekonic has a standard PC connection, plus the optional wireless trigger module. A PC cord that fits Elinchrome's proprietary connector on the flash should be provided with your flash, and works perfectly for triggering just 1 flash while taking a reading. The other flashes (if you use any) can be triggered by their built-in optical slave. <br><br> The wireless optical trigger module for the Sekonic is manufactured by Pocket Wizard, and is used to trigger Pocket Wizard receivers ONLY, so it will not work with Elinchrome's Skyport receivers.

<br><br>

<li><b>Triggering your strobes when taking a picture</b>

<br>You can trigger your flashes either by an on-camera flash via the built-in optical slave triggers (be carefull to set the on-camera flash to manual, otherwise you'll have a pre-flash and your Elinchromes will fire too soon). This option is the least recommended, as the on-camera flash will affect your lighting.<br>Otherwise, you can trigger via the provided PC cable connected to your camera (not possible on the 300D), or wirelessly via a radio trigger of some sort, or an infrared trigger and the built-in optical slave.<br><br>Elinchrome has an infrared trigger in their product range which works quite well indoors, outdoors there may be problems in bright sunlight. The infrared trigger is quite affordable and really good.

<br><br>There are a number of radio triggers, including (top of the list, but very pricey) Pocket Wizards, Elinchrome Skyport (new, almost as good as PW's, but more affordable and with more limited range), eBay radio triggers (cheap but unreliable). <br><br>Bowens seems to have radio triggers in their lineup too, but I've got no experience with these.

<br></ul>

<p>The way I usually work is to use the provided PC cable connected to the meter to trigger while taking a reading, and to use either the Elinchrome infrared trigger (before I had the Skyports), or the Elinchrome Skyport trigger and receivers (I do use them exclusively now) to trigger the flashes while taking a picture. <br><br>Hope this helps.

[john_murphy1]

<p>I assume that when you say you can't connect the PC sync cord to the 300D you are

aware that you can use a hotshoe adapter.</p>

 

<p><a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?

O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=245292&is=REG&addedTroughType=search">an example of

a hotshoe to PC adapter</a></p>

<p>The reason I eventually went wireless was because I got tired of moving the cord from

the camera to meter every time I needed to take a reading.</p>

[sneakypete]

Thanks Chris, Guy & John. Your info and experience with these transmitters has been invaluable. The vast number of different set-ups is confusing to an amaetuer, but I'm starting to get a handle on it.

Everyone raves about the PW's but they're expensive and bulky, I'm starting to lean toward the Elinchrom Skyport's. I was tempted by the PW optional wireless trigger for the Sekonic L358, but I don't think it will be that much of a hassle to unplug the sync cord from the camera transmitter and plug it into the light meter to take a reading.

 

Thanks again guys!

[sneakypete]

Hey John, what wireless system do you use? Do you have the wireless trigger for your light meter? Are you happy with it?

[john_murphy1]

I use the Pocket Wizard system with the Sekonic meter. They are expensive, but they work

well. Sometimes the PW fails when the meter is attempting to trigger an Elinchrom Beauty

Light (while the receiver is behind it) which seems to block the signal. The Elinchrom wireless

devices weren't around when I bought the PW's, but I'd definitely consider them today.