Can I use a TTL flash with my Yongnuo YN-560 IV, and what trigger setup will work?
Asked 12/13/2017
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I currently use a Yongnuo YN-560 IV, which is a manual-only flash, and I’m happy with it. However, I’d like to add a second speedlite and try TTL. I’m unsure how a TTL flash would work alongside my existing YN-560 IV.
Is there a TTL flash and trigger combination that can be used with a YN-560 IV? I understand that pre-flash may prevent the YN-560 IV from acting as a simple optical slave with a TTL flash, so I’m mainly asking about radio trigger compatibility and what functions I would lose or keep.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
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Depends on your definition of "work".
In the Yongnuo system, their three separate triggering systems (560/60x, 622, and RT) are mostly incompatible. While you can purchase a TTL flash/triggers and use them in 603 mode with your YN-560-TX, using 603 mode pretty much renders your TTL/HSS gear as manual-only gear.
If you use the add-on 622 TTL/HSS triggers, you'll have full TTL/HSS/power control over the new TTL speedlight, but you lose power control over the YN-560IV (which can only be power-controlled from a YN-560-TX). Unless you switch the triggers to 603 mode, which then is identical to using YN-560IVs with your YN-560-TX. Sync and power control, no HSS/TTL.
If that's okay to you and you only want TTL on the hotshoe, then most of the Yongnuo flashes with names that don't end in 0 do TTL, and anything that's 500 series or later is likely to have 603 mode, although you will want to check the individual model specs. Flash Havoc is a great website for that. (See also: What are the Yongnuo flash naming conventions?).
However, if you want to mix TTL/manual only gear with full function on all gear, and without going all-TTL gear, you need to swap out of the Yongnuo system altogether: it just doesn't work that way. Luckily, others do. The Phottix, Godox, and Cactus V6II systems allow for mixing of manual and TTL gear in the same triggering system. Godox, however, is the only system with similar pricetags to Yongnuo gear. And, of course, cheap Chinese flash technology changes very rapidly, so if you're reading this answer post-late-2017, do more research. Every brand I mentioned may have been superseded by something else.
I guess the current one could not work in slave mode because of the pre-flash.
You can use the YN-560IV in S1 or S2 mode with another flash using radio triggers, but not with flashes using a "smart" optical system. "Smart" optical systems, like Nikon's CLS system or Canon's optical wireless TTL system, use multiple pre-flashes. But if you use radio triggers, that system isn't being used.
The S1 mode will fire the 560 on the first flash burst sensed (if M mode is used on the radio slave); and S2 mode will fire the 560 on the second burst sensed (skipping the metering pre-flash if the radio slave is in TTL).
Originally by user27440. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user27440
8y ago
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Yes, but with limits. The YN-560 IV is manual-only, and Yongnuo’s radio systems are mostly separate. In practice, a TTL flash can be used alongside it, but not with full shared control.
Key point: if you use Yongnuo TTL/HSS triggers (the 622 system), the TTL flash can keep TTL/HSS and remote power control, but the YN-560 IV will not get remote power control through that system. The YN-560 IV is power-controlled only from a YN-560-TX.
If you switch everything to Yongnuo’s simpler 603-style triggering, then both flashes can fire together, but your TTL flash effectively becomes manual-only. You keep basic sync, and in some cases remote manual power control, but you lose TTL/HSS behavior.
So the answer is:
- Yes, you can mix them.
- No, there isn’t a single Yongnuo setup that gives full TTL/HSS control for the TTL flash and full remote power control for the YN-560 IV at the same time.
Also, your concern about optical slave mode is valid: TTL pre-flash can trigger a simple slave too early unless the slave system is designed to ignore pre-flash.
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