Linked Shooting mode ST-E3-RT Advice

Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
6,980
2,602
Alberta, Canada
Since my 1DX2 doesn't have remote unless I fork out big dollars I am wondering if this is a viable option - mount the 600 flash on the camera and use the ST-E3-RT as a remote trigger. I guess the obvious downside is that it's just shutter release. I can purchase a trigger that is useful to me for flash purposes for USD $140 and that's what started this thought process. Anyone using this mode?

Jack
 
Dec 11, 2015
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Jack Douglas said:
Since my 1DX2 doesn't have remote unless I fork out big dollars I am wondering if this is a viable option - mount the 600 flash on the camera and use the ST-E3-RT as a remote trigger. I guess the obvious downside is that it's just shutter release. I can purchase a trigger that is useful to me for flash purposes for USD $140 and that's what started this thought process. Anyone using this mode?

Jack

Jack, you can have one under $100 and it's really awesome. The range and features are amazing.

Hardware:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0088PPFP4/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EK4IRRE/

Software (Android or jailbroken iOS):
http://dslrcontroller.com/guide-wifi_mr3040.php

For the "normal" iOS you need a different firmware and app - https://dslrdashboard.info/

I know there is some overpriced commercial product that's using the same modem but rebranded.
 
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Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
6,980
2,602
Alberta, Canada
Jopa said:
Jack Douglas said:
Since my 1DX2 doesn't have remote unless I fork out big dollars I am wondering if this is a viable option - mount the 600 flash on the camera and use the ST-E3-RT as a remote trigger. I guess the obvious downside is that it's just shutter release. I can purchase a trigger that is useful to me for flash purposes for USD $140 and that's what started this thought process. Anyone using this mode?

Jack

Jack, you can have one under $100 and it's really awesome. The range and features are amazing.

Hardware:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0088PPFP4/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EK4IRRE/

Software (Android or jailbroken iOS):
http://dslrcontroller.com/guide-wifi_mr3040.php

For the "normal" iOS you need a different firmware and app - https://dslrdashboard.info/

I know there is some overpriced commercial product that's using the same modem but rebranded.

WOW, thanks very much for this information. It looks like the way to go but I'll have to study it all to understand better given I'm not a youngster familiar with all the technology.

Looks like I'll still pick up the ST-E3-RT (US $128) for flash purposes but not really anticipate it being overly useful relating to my original question.

Jack
 
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Jan 29, 2011
10,675
6,121
I use the ST-E3-RT and the "overpriced commercial product" which, quite frankly, isn't overpriced when you consider it is 100% stable in a professional environment and you get replies to emails from the developer within hours, you also never have to 'load a new firmware' and new camera support just works.

I actually use them both at the same time when I am doing twilight real estate shoots with patches of flash to layer in, I fire the camera with the flash and look at the result via the CamRanger on the iPad.

Both are very useful tools and when you consider how well the CamRanger holds its value it isn't too bad a purchase either. Or get one off eBay and by the time you sell it, if you don't like it, you have lost nothing but your eBay commission.
 
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Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
6,980
2,602
Alberta, Canada
Well I now have the ST-E3-RT and using it to fire my two flashes is straight forward but I couldn't get it to fire my 1DX2 with the flash as a slave mounted on it. The link light would be green and as I held the ST-E3-RT linked button down to get into linked shooting master mode, it would go out. Finally gave up.

Jack
 
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Jan 29, 2011
10,675
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Try this, put the ST-E3-RT on the camera, power up one 600-EX-RT, the ST-E3-RT should be the Master. On the 600 push the menu button until you get the REL option on the left. push that, the camera and the flash in your hand should fire. The is not Linked Shooting Mode, this is just remote REL mode.

If you want to fire the camera with a hotshot mounted flash from the handheld ST-E3-RT then I think you have to have the camera mounted flash set to Linked Slave and the ST-E3-RT set to Linked Master, then push the REL button to fire the camera and flash from the ST-E3-RT. This is single camera Linked Shooting mode.
 
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Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
6,980
2,602
Alberta, Canada
Scott, manual page 46 bottom is confusing me as it seems to suggest that it's possible to fire cameras with slave flashes using REL without the master being on a camera. That is why I figured I could hand hold the ST-E3-RT and fire my camera with its flash set as slave. Too tired to think, maybe tomorrow will be better.

I do understand your suggestion as a workaround way of remote firing my camera and that could be useful perhaps.

Edit: rereading your comment that's exactly what I was trying to do but the green light doesn't remain on as I transition into linked shooting mode so pushing REL does nothing.

Jack
 
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scottkinfw

Wildlife photography is my passion
CR Pro
I would add that the CamRanger is much more than a remote trigger. It allows you to adjust all of the camera settings remotely from up to 100 ft. It also allows for tethering to an iPad with ability to focus from the iPad. I believe it lets you do focus stacking to. Time lapse, no problem.

For us old guys, if you can work a 1DX II, you can use this. It will take some practice and reading of manual before you go out and use it.

A smaller and less able alternative is the Alpine Labs Pulse.

https://alpinelaboratories.com/pages/pulse

Have fun.

Scott
 
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scottkinfw

Wildlife photography is my passion
CR Pro
I don't see how this would work. I think the st needs to be on the hot shoe, and in the master setting.

Scott
Jack Douglas said:
Scott, manual page 46 bottom is confusing me as it seems to suggest that it's possible to fire cameras with slave flashes using REL without the master being on a camera. That is why I figured I could hand hold the ST-E3-RT and fire my camera with its flash set as slave. Too tired to think, maybe tomorrow will be better.

I do understand your suggestion as a workaround way of remote firing my camera and that could be useful perhaps.

Jack
 
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Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
6,980
2,602
Alberta, Canada
No way can I get the slave flash mounted on the 1DX2 to fire when the camera shutter is remote activated. Well, that does give a remote RF release function that I didn't have with the 1DX2 at all before. Except maybe I did based on owning two 600's and not realizing there was this linked shooting mode??

Jack
 
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Jan 29, 2011
10,675
6,121
Jack Douglas said:
No way can I get the slave flash mounted on the 1DX2 to fire when the camera shutter is remote activated. Well, that does give a remote RF release function that I didn't have with the 1DX2 at all before. Except maybe I did based on owning two 600's and not realizing there was this linked shooting mode??

Jack

No with two 600's you are just shooting REL mode not Linked, therefore you get the capacity to fire both flashes, or just one, or none, it is your choice in simple REL.
 
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Dec 11, 2015
1,054
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scottkinfw said:
I would add that the CamRanger is much more than a remote trigger. It allows you to adjust all of the camera settings remotely from up to 100 ft. It also allows for tethering to an iPad with ability to focus from the iPad. I believe it lets you do focus stacking to. Time lapse, no problem.

You can do the same with DSLR Controller, but 3-4 times cheaper :) 100% same hardware (no longer supported by TP-Link though). This guy claims the modem cost around $29 in 2016: https://petapixel.com/2016/07/14/wirelessly-control-dslr-less-40/. But since it's discontinued and no longer manufactured the price went up probably. The good news is qDSLRDashboard uses unmodified OpenWRT and can work with virtually any OpenWRT device, and the list of compatible hardware is huge. Someone mentioned a $15 device from AliExpress https://dslrdashboard.info/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=2170.
 
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Dec 11, 2015
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privatebydesign said:
I use the ST-E3-RT and the "overpriced commercial product" which, quite frankly, isn't overpriced when you consider it is 100% stable in a professional environment and you get replies to emails from the developer within hours, you also never have to 'load a new firmware' and new camera support just works.

I actually use them both at the same time when I am doing twilight real estate shoots with patches of flash to layer in, I fire the camera with the flash and look at the result via the CamRanger on the iPad.

Both are very useful tools and when you consider how well the CamRanger holds its value it isn't too bad a purchase either. Or get one off eBay and by the time you sell it, if you don't like it, you have lost nothing but your eBay commission.

TP-Link doesn't support the modem anymore, and even if the developer can patch software - without a proper hardware support it doesn't have much value. Most likely they will have to find another device to replace the 3040 soon.
 
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Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
6,980
2,602
Alberta, Canada
privatebydesign said:
Jack Douglas said:
No way can I get the slave flash mounted on the 1DX2 to fire when the camera shutter is remote activated. Well, that does give a remote RF release function that I didn't have with the 1DX2 at all before. Except maybe I did based on owning two 600's and not realizing there was this linked shooting mode??

Jack

No with two 600's you are just shooting REL mode not Linked, therefore you get the capacity to fire both flashes, or just one, or none, it is your choice in simple REL.

Scott, maybe I need a context of understanding to better appreciate what's going on. I don't come with any flash background but it seems strange to me that the transmitter would fire the camera via the slave on the camera but not also fire that slave in the process. So, I have a flash sitting on top of the camera serving only as a shutter release when it could also be providing lighting??

Jack
 
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Jan 29, 2011
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I think if you look at it from the designers point of view it might help.

In simple REL mode you are expected to use one camera and several lights so the lighting being triggered is desirable. In Linked Mode the primary purpose is to fire several remote cameras with whatever you have to hand, the idea that you'd want light coming from different angles whilst mounted on camera isn't considered desirable so the lights don't trigger in Linked Mode.

However to use an ST-E3-RT as a stand alone remote trigger you have to put it in Linked Shooting mode, that is the quirk that doesn't make sense to me, but if you use the setup like I do the ST-E3-RT is mounted on the camera and the 600 is used as the handheld trigger whilst I point he light where I want it. This is how I expect the designers anticipated REL mode being used so that is how they enabled it. A single camera with on camera flash isn't an optimal remote shooting setup for the situations they envisioned.

Of course there are always exceptions, that's why we get MkII's! I can see a remote camera being set up for wildlife with a better beamer type flash on camera then the ST-E3-RT should be able to be used to trigger them both, but I don't think they can be used like that.
 
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Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
6,980
2,602
Alberta, Canada
privatebydesign said:
I think if you look at it from the designers point of view it might help.

In simple REL mode you are expected to use one camera and several lights so the lighting being triggered is desirable. In Linked Mode the primary purpose is to fire several remote cameras with whatever you have to hand, the idea that you'd want light coming from different angles whilst mounted on camera isn't considered desirable so the lights don't trigger in Linked Mode.

However to use an ST-E3-RT as a stand alone remote trigger you have to put it in Linked Shooting mode, that is the quirk that doesn't make sense to me, but if you use the setup like I do the ST-E3-RT is mounted on the camera and the 600 is used as the handheld trigger whilst I point he light where I want it. This is how I expect the designers anticipated REL mode being used so that is how they enabled it. A single camera with on camera flash isn't an optimal remote shooting setup for the situations they envisioned.

Of course there are always exceptions, that's why we get MkII's! I can see a remote camera being set up for wildlife with a better beamer type flash on camera then the ST-E3-RT should be able to be used to trigger them both, but I don't think they can be used like that.

What a great explanation that I can understand. It's my lack of experience and training working against me as usual but you and others help immensely!

Jack
 
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