Affordable remote flash triggers for Canon DSLR: TTL vs manual options
Asked 1/7/2011
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2 answers
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I’m looking for a budget remote flash trigger for a Canon DSLR. Ideally I want: under $50, support for the same communication as a directly connected flash, the ability to expand to two or more strobes later, and usable outdoors. If that full feature set isn’t realistic at this price, what’s the cheapest solution that still supports multiple flashes and outdoor use?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
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I don't think you're going to get #1 (Cost less then $50) in combination with #2 (Can transmit the information the same as if I had the flash directly connected to my camera.) The PocketWizard devices that send the full digital flash protocol information don't seem to be available in some cheap chinese knock-off version (yet, at least).
You could go with flash units that use Canon's optical wireless protocol (using the built-in flash as a controller on models 40D/50D/60D and up), but that leaves #4 iffy. (Can work, depending on the circumstances.)
I know that's not what you wanted to hear, but there it is.
Originally by user1943. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1943
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Under $50, you generally won’t get full Canon TTL/e-TTL communication from a radio trigger. The community consensus is that TTL-capable radio systems are in a higher price tier, while budget triggers are usually manual only.
If you can live without TTL, inexpensive radio triggers like Cactus V4 or CowboyStudio-style triggers fit your other goals well: they’re wireless (not line-of-sight), can be expanded with additional receivers for multiple flashes, and are suitable for outdoor use. The tradeoff is that you’ll need to set flash power manually.
Canon’s optical wireless system can provide more camera-to-flash communication on compatible bodies, but outdoors it can be less reliable depending on conditions because it relies on optical signaling.
So the practical answer is:
- For under $50: choose a manual radio trigger system.
- If you need full on-camera flash communication/TTL: expect to spend more than that budget.
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