yashica mat 124 g + canon speedlight 550 or 580 ex

[micheleberti]

<p>Hello everyone, I got this camera from my father and must admit I am really new to medium format and TLR system. By the way I would like to take some indoor portraits with this camera and I wonder what I need to connect one of my flash units (either a canon 550 ex or a 580 ex) to the Mat 124 G. Thank you all in advance.</p>

[marc_batters]

<p>If your flashes do not have a PC Sync cord socket, you will need a<br /> PC Sync cord-to-Flash Shoe adapter, (pictured).<br /> http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/598245-REG/Paramount_PMRHSFPC_PMRHSFPC_Sync_Cord.html<br /> There are many sellers of these on the auction site.</p>

<p>Also, inexpensive wireless triggers can be used, (a transmitter, and a receiver).<br /> Just ensure the transmitter accepts the sync cord from the camera.<br /> Most receivers incorporate a common hot shoe for the flash to slide into.<br /> http://www.ebay.com/itm/PT-04-Wireless-Hot-Shoe-Flash-Trigger-Receiver-For-Canon-T3i-T2i-1100D-/321036407392?pt=Camera_Flash_Accessories&hash=item4abf42d260</p>

<p>Marc</p>

[jamie_robertson2]

<p>This simple cable will work with the 580EX and 124g: http://www.jackthehat.co.uk/30cm-male-male-flash-sync-cable-p-359.html</p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>I've had a couple of the Yashicamats (and still have one). They are excellent cameras. If you're just starting I would recommend a simple PC cord. It's the simplest and cheapest solution, around $20 even for a long cord (15 feet or so) so you can mount the flash on a light stand, a little less for a shorter cord. The 580EX does have a PC connection but take a close look at it. If it appears the same as the connection on the Yashicamat, you will need a male-to-male cord. Paramount is the biggest and most reliable maker of PC cords. they are carried by <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com">www.bhphotovideo.com</a> and others. <br />If you want to use a radio trigger, by all means do, but good ones are expensive and cheap ones, well you get what you pay for. Pocket Wizards are the gold standard but cost about $135 each and you need a pair of them to get started (one on the camera and one at the flash). PWs have a built-in hot shoe but come with a cable that will plug into the PC contact on your Yashicamat and also into your flash. But again, they are expensive, so I would walk before you run and just get a $20 PC cord.<br />BTW, the Yashicamat does have a shoe, but it's a "cold" shoe rather than hot, meaning it will hold a flash but doesn't have any electrical connections. You need to use a PC cord with it. Or you can use it to mount your Pocket Wizard (though you would still have to connect the PW with a PC cord)</p>

[joseph_dickerson]

<p>I don't believe any of the Canon flashes have had a PC connector for many years. A hot shoe to PC connector should work but you'll have to use the flash in the manual mode. So you'll need a flash meter, although a digital camera can be used as a substitute. Sometimes you can encounter a polarity problem and the hot shoe to PC connector won't trigger the flash. You just have to try it and see.<br>

Other than that it should work fine.<br>

JD</p>

[walter_degroot]

<p>brand name 35mm cameras use a dedicated flash unit..<br>

there use some extra contacts.<br>

it is most likely that the flash unit will ignore<br>

the extra contacts. and if the flash has a pc connection<br>

then a generic cable will let you use the flash.<br>

OR you can buy a Vivitar 283 or Minolta auto 28 /32<br>

which are generic non-dedicated auto flash units<br>

with a hot shoe ( which you will not use)<br>

and a pc cord. Expect to pay about $15.00.<br>

one that uses 4 aa cells will be more powerful and will have two or more power settinhgs.<br>

the automatic flashes will have a dial to tell you where<br>

to set the f/stop on the yashica,<br>

such a flash is perfect for many older cameras.</p>

<p> </p>

[w_t1]

<p>the older flashes (vivitar 283 for example) will have a pc socket. (woops as Walter mentioned)</p>

<p>the only thing I will say on the yashicamat, make sure the flash synch lever is set to X. I had mine set to M-(flashbulbs) on my first flash shoot years back, and got a nice roll of nothing.</p>

[jamie_robertson2]

<blockquote>

<p>I don't believe any of the Canon flashes have had a PC connector for many years.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>The 580EX II has a female PC connector and matches that of the 124G. A simple male to male cord will suffice for triggering.</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>The price of a male-to-male P-C cable is a bit inflated since a normal P-C extension cable is male-to-female. It's probably cheaper and more flexible to use a radio trigger set <a href="http://www.pentaxforums.com/accessoryreviews/cowboystudio-fm-radio-trigger-npt-04.html">like this</a>. They can be bought slightly cheaper from eBay sellers, and you can also get sets of one trigger and two or three receivers to fire more than one flash at once. Using radio triggers also removes the inconvenience and trip hazard of a cable.</p>

[micheleberti]

<p>the 580 has a PC connector while the 550 hasn't so I wonder if something like this will work with both flash unite (see file attached)</p>

 

[marc_batters]

<blockquote>

<p>...I wonder if something like this will work with both flash unite...?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Michele,<br /> Yep...just like the example I mentioned earlier.<br /> Marc</p>

[micheleberti]

<blockquote>

<p>Yep...just like the example I mentioned earlier.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>thank you Marc</p>