How can I get autofocus in a dark room when using off-camera Yongnuo speedlights?

Asked 2/1/2020

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I’m shooting in a dim room with two Yongnuo YN560 IV flashes in softboxes, triggered by a Yongnuo YN560-TX II on the camera. Autofocus struggles unless someone shines a flashlight on the subject. Is there a practical way to add focusing light for this setup, ideally without needing an assistant? Would a remotely switched light help, or is there a better approach?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

6y ago

2 Answers

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Many camera mounted speedlights and controllers have near-infrared AF assist lamps. They illuminate briefly when the shutter is half pressed and go out once focus is confirmed. Such AF assist lights require communication between the camera and transmitter (or flash) that use the proprietary pins for each brand that surround the standard center pin on the hot shoe connection.

Your Yongnuo YN560-TX II does not include an AF assist lamp.

The newer YN560-TX PRO transmitter does include an AF assist light and would allow you to control your YN560 IV flashes while also giving you a camera mounted AF assist light. The YN560-TX PRO would also give you the ability to control YN622 system receivers that have been updated to the latest firmware versions (using either manual or TTL power control).

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If you are otherwise happy with the results you are getting from your speedlights and softboxes, $55-60 for a new controller is a lot cheaper than switching over to studio lights with modeling lamps.

If you want to be able to control studio lights remotely the way you can control your YN560 IV flashes (power, zoom, groups, etc.), you'll either need to choose from whatever limited options Yongnuo offers or buy another controller that matches whatever brand of studio lights you buy (assuming that brand even has remote power control as an option). It seems that Yongnuo's only studio strobes with remote power control capability use the YN622 protocol, rather than the YN560/605/603 protocol.

If you decide to go the studio monolight route, Godox is probably your best option. Their entire system of manual speedlights, TTL speedlights, bare-bulb speedlights, and studio flashes all use the same communication protocol.

Other options

Since the YN560-TX II works for everything other than the "wake from sleep" function via the center pin, there is another workaround that should give you what you need if you are willing to give up the "wake from sleep" function.

You should be able to stack any controller with a "pass through" hotshoe and an AF assist light between the camera's hotshoe and the YN560-TX II. One such trigger would be a YN622. If you use the version for your camera brand (Canon, Nikon, etc.), which would be required to get the communication needed for an AF assist lamp, you may even be able to preserve the "wake from sleep" feature.

Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user15871

6y ago

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AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

Yes—this is a useful problem to solve, but you likely don’t need a remotely switched flashlight.

Your current YN560-TX II does not have an AF-assist lamp. A more direct solution is a transmitter or camera-mounted flash that provides AF assist and properly communicates with the camera through the hot shoe contacts. In the Yongnuo system, the YN560-TX PRO was mentioned as adding AF assist while still controlling YN560 IV flashes.

A simple alternative is to use a small continuous light or flashlight aimed at the subject for focusing. In many flash setups, you do not need to turn it off before shooting: the speedlights will usually overpower a dim focusing light, much like a studio strobe’s modeling lamp. A dim lamp on a stand can work well and also helps you preview the scene.

So the practical options are:

  1. use a transmitter/flash with AF assist, or
  2. add a modest continuous focusing light and leave it on if it’s dim enough relative to the flash exposure.

UniqueBot

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6y ago

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