New Canon Speedlites and ST-E3!

[tedhunter]

I thought I read somewhere that you can trigger the shutter remotely with the new 600EX/STE3 combo. For instance, with the ST-E3 mounted on the body, I believe you can trigger the shutter on the camera via radio with a 600EX. Can anyone confirm or refute this? I really like the Odins, but this feature would be a nice perk.

Actually don't have the STE3, but I have tried this with multiple 600EX-RT units, it works very well.  Not only does the trigger work consistently at a very distant range but the slave unit you are triggering from can  also flash for the exposure if it's part of the groups you have configured to fire.

One question that I had that I wanted someone with an STE3 to confirm is, can you really set second curtain sync on a remote flash triggered from the STE3 or is that incorrect in the documentation?

[FunPhotons]

One question that I had that I wanted someone with an STE3 to confirm is, can you really set second curtain sync on a remote flash triggered from the STE3 or is that incorrect in the documentation?

http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/5/0300007515/01/st-e3-rt-c-en.pdf

What page does it say that? As far as I can see 2nd curtain isn't mentioned at all.

[tedhunter]

I was looking at the page here, under the specifications tab:

http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/product/accessories/speedlite_transmitter_st_e3_rt.do

[FunPhotons]

I was looking at the page here, under the specifications tab:

That's a puzzle, I can't explain it.

Syl Arena, who got a pre-release ST-E3-RT and 3 600-RTs, has said on several occasions that second curtain sync still isn't available, and he seemed to throughly have tested it. My guess its an oversight.

[roumin]

I thought I read somewhere that you can trigger the shutter remotely with the new 600EX/STE3 combo. For instance, with the ST-E3 mounted on the body, I believe you can trigger the shutter on the camera via radio with a 600EX. Can anyone confirm or refute this? I really like the Odins, but this feature would be a nice perk.

Actually don't have the STE3, but I have tried this with multiple 600EX-RT units, it works very well.  Not only does the trigger work consistently at a very distant range but the slave unit you are triggering from can  also flash for the exposure if it's part of the groups you have configured to fire.

One question that I had that I wanted someone with an STE3 to confirm is, can you really set second curtain sync on a remote flash triggered from the STE3 or is that incorrect in the documentation?

I just got my ST-E3 and the 600EX and the only 2 sync options are first curtain and HSS - NO second curtain option.

[AvTvM]

I just got my ST-E3 and the 600EX and the only 2 sync options are first curtain and HSS - NO second curtain option.

Canon is charging outrageous prices for the new flashes and ST-E3 but did NOT update their ancient wireless ETTL-protocol to include flash on 2nd curtain. It is ridiculous and a real shame and one of the reasons I am holding off from buying an RT-set.

The Phottix Odin however enables 2nd  curtain flash with Canon Speedlites, including 580EX/II and 430EX/II.  It is obvioulsy neither difficult nor costly to include 2nd curtain flash in a radio trigger protocol. The Odin also allows triggering of monolights - even in mixed sets with Canon Speedlites.

I will wait to see, whether or not Canon brings out RT-receivers to include existing Speedlites (especially 580/II and 430/II) as well as monolights in a wireless setup and updates  their wireless ETTL-protocol  to include 2nd curtain flash.

These 2 features [2nd curtain, RF-triggers for existing speedlites and monolights] will be important factors in my decision on how to replace my 7D plus EF-S and EF glass in the future. The longer Canon drags its feet on this, the higher tNikon's chance to also bring out radio flash triggering with full iTTL support. :-)

[briansquibb]

I have always enabled 2nd curtain in the camera not the flash ...

[AvTvM]

I have always enabled 2nd curtain in the camera not the flash ...

this  will only work with Speedlites in the hotshoe or connectd to the hotshoe via cable.

If you are using speedlites on a wireless connection - both the "old" optical method or RT/radio - you will not get flash on the 2nd curtain using Canon-only gear. 2nd curtain flash is simply not implemented in Canon's wireless ETTL-protocol.

Phottix Odins however seem to be capable of this (not tested myself, and no idea, how exactly they get htis to work), don't know about other third party radio triggers (PW-Flex, RadioPoppers) ...

I don't care, HOW Canon implements it, I just want them to do it ... quickly! It should really, really have been included with the new set of radio-trigger flashes  (600EX-RT) and controller (ST-E3-RT).

[Marsu42]

If you are using speedlites on a wireless connection - both the "old" optical method or RT/radio - you will not get flash on the 2nd curtain using Canon-only gear. 2nd curtain flash is simply not implemented in Canon's wireless ETTL-protocol.

You're correct - I only discovered that after I got my 480ex2 flash. It's ridiculous I can use hss sync and not x-sync when operating it on infrared, and imho it is plausible that this is a shortcoming of the ettl protocol. As it is, it ruins the creativity for sport shots with non-direct flash.

[Strobe the globe]

I have recently bought the Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT flash, and I did an "Unboxing Hands-On Video Review", if you're interested ...

Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT - Unboxing & First Look

I'm super happy with it! It has great power when zoomed in e.g. illuminating faces very well when zoomed in to 200mm shooting more than 10 meters away from my subject.

[pwp]

I use HSS a lot and depend on it. But DUH...it's taken until today to find out about the PocketWizard MiniTT1 and the power efficiencies it provides when using HSS.  I gather it will work beautifully with my 1D4 but no action with the 5D3. Current speedlights are 580ex & 580exII. Fully prepared to update to 600ex-RT to get optimum HSS performance.

Does the ST-E3 offer the same efficiencies as PocketWizard MiniTT1 in HSS mode when paired with 600ex-RT? Given I'll be working with 1D4, 5D3 & 1DX, what hardware combination is going to deliver the optimum HSS outcomes?

Paul Wright

[Daniel Flather]

I have two 600ex-rts on order; when will the ST-E3-RT be available?  No one seems to have the ST-E3-RT.

[Daniel Flather]

Got my st-e3-rt last friday and I'm loving the set up.

[wickidwombat]

Phottix Odins however seem to be capable of this (not tested myself, and no idea, how exactly they get htis to work), don't know about other third party radio triggers (PW-Flex, RadioPoppers) ...

the odins have the screen with controls on the transmitter so you enable HSS second curatin etc on that the same as you would on a 580, you can also control your seperate group powers etc from there A:B ratios etc

another neat trick i tried with the odins was got a 3.5mm stereo splitter cable and plugged it into 1 reciever the plugged the PC-sync cables into 2 flashes (In manual mode) and the 1 reciever can fire 2 flashes! great for blowing backgrounds to white etc

[Marsu42]

I will wait to see, whether or not Canon brings out RT-receivers to include existing Speedlites (especially 580/II and 430/II) as well as monolights in a wireless setup and updates  their wireless ETTL-protocol  to include 2nd curtain flash.

The only indication I've seen is a post here: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/indepth/canon/announcements/new-canon-600ex-rt-speedlite-flash-powerhouse stating that Canon will release a legacy radio trigger add-on, I guess once everybody who is in a hurry bought multiple 600rt flashes.

Any news/schedule on the radio tigger add-ons, or if they'll be able to trigger non-Canon flashes as well?

If they are, except for 2nd curtain x-sync the 3rd party alternatives become obsolete, but on the other hand Canon might be hesitant to radio-trigger cheap Yongnuos cannibalizing their own expensiv flash sales. What do you think?