Using the 58 Flash with an old 3600.

[brien_szabo]

<p>I recently purchased the nice expensive 58 flash for my A700. I want to use it with my 3600 (Minolta). The 58 is the controller and the 3600 is the off camera flash. They both are on the same channel and I was told to switch to Ctrl 2 (I've tried on ctrl 1 as well) and still no luck in getting the 3600 to fire. Now - if I take off the 58 from the camera and use the popup on my A700, the 3600 fires as an off camera flash. I seem to have a disconnect going on with my 58 in talking to the 3600. I must be missing a setting. Can't figure it out at the moment and don't believe that it is an inability for the 3600 to work in concert with the 58. If anyone has ideas - I'm all ears.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

[gregory_king1]

<p>I can't keep it straight, but it might be that the A700 won't control the 3600 with the 58....it can only control other 58's. Only the A850/900 can control older flashes.<br>

<br /> There's a chart somewhere that shows the differences. Try dyxum.com.</p>

[daniel_p]

<p>HA!, I've got exact same setup, the 58 with the 3600. I also have found the same results when trying to trip the 3600 from the 58, that is, the lack of results.</p>

<p>I'm assuming this is a conscious decision to either exclude or more likely to not support the older models. I wonder however if the Sony 36 works fine.</p>

[gregory_king1]

<p>The simple answer is...the A700 wasn't programmed to use a shoe-mounted flash as a controller, and the 3600 wasn't programmed to respond to one (for digital, anyways...film was a different story).<br>

<br />So, the new control logic (one of the two CTRL settings) is required to allow the A700 to fire the 58, and have the 58 control another 58, without "confusing" the A700. The newer cameras were programmed to play nicer with the 58, so they can "pass through" the 3600HS-compatible control logic through the 58.</p>

<p>Clear as mud. :-)</p>

[timb196]

<p>I just got the 58am and tried in wireless mode with my a900 using the custom setting and chnaging co3(?) to channel 1. The 5600 says its on channel 1 but I get no joy. This is on my a900 set to wireless. There has to be a switch I'm missing here as with the OP so if anyone has the "step by step" approach, i sure like to hear it!<br />Tim</p>

[jehuck]

<p>Tim, I also have a A900 but the 56AM flash that I used wirelessly with my Alpha 100. Told the only flash that will work wirelessly with A900 is the 58AM and that I need two 58AM flashes to operate wireless. Very frustrating! More $$ to spend by the looks of it.</p>

[timb196]

<p>Judy:<br />Take a look at this (see table)<br>

<a href="http://www.mhohner.de/sony-minolta/flashcomp_setups.php#wireless">http://www.mhohner.de/sony-minolta/flashcomp_setups.php#wireless</a></p>

<p>At least according to this I should be able to fire the 5600 hs in wireless using the 58am as the controller. I just don't get it as to how to make this happen. I'm pretty sure I'm the problem.<br>

Tim</p>

[brien_szabo]

<p>From responses all over the web, it seems the 3600 will not work with the 58. Oh well..., guess I'll have to start saving lots of pennies if I want to do dual flash stuff.</p>

[timb196]

<p>Just to let everyone know where I'm at (:-(<br>

I have had the 58am set to Ctrl 2 mode which should allow the old protocols to be used. It is also set to Chnl1. The 5600 is set to wl cntrl on Chnl 1. I see the light flashing that tells me the 5600 is wl mode but I should be able to test it via the AEL button. The AEL b utton on my 900 certainly triggers the 58am flash but I show no evidence of the 5600 being tripped.</p>

<p>I did start to reverse it and see if the 5600 will trigger the 58am remotely but am currently on travel so....<br>

Still searching</p>

[george_kasten]

<p>I've got the 42AM and the 20AM flashes for my A850. The 20AM will trigger the 42AM or 58AM off camera. Only the 58AM on camera can give you ratio control, however. (Can't speak about the older 36/56 units or how it may or may not work on the A700.)</p>

<p>I've found the 20AM to be a very handy unit for fill or bounce flash, easy to carry when you don't want to pack a lot of gear since it fits in a shirt pocket, and available for under $100.</p>