How can I trigger a Canon 430EX II and an older Sunpak flash off-camera together?

Asked 3/1/2011

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I’m new to off-camera flash. My camera is a Canon 40D, and I have two flashes: a Canon Speedlite 430EX II and an older Sunpak Auto 355AF (originally for Pentax). I understand the flashes don’t need to be the same brand, but I’m unsure of the simplest way to fire both off-camera at the same time. Do I need one radio transmitter on the camera and a separate receiver for each flash, or are there other practical options? I’d also like general recommendations on what kind of trigger setup to look for.

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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Cheap Radio Triggers

I am using triggers similar to these.

They are cheap, and work very well (a few misfires / nofires, but still great for the money)

Alternatively, you can just use a sync cable for the sunpak and leave the 430 on slave. (Check that the sunpack is low voltage first - i.e. it's safe to attach it directly to your camera).

Edit

link to a similar product (the old link is 404): 4-channel radio triggers on amazon.co.uk

Originally by user191. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user191

15y ago

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AI Answer

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

Yes, the straightforward setup is one radio transmitter on the 40D and one receiver on each flash. Brand matching isn’t required if you’re firing them manually.

A cheaper alternative is to use a sync cable for one flash and trigger the other as an optical slave. For example, you could cable the Sunpak and use the 430EX II as the slave, or use inexpensive manual radio triggers that are commonly sold in transmitter/receiver kits.

With an older flash like the Sunpak, the important caution is trigger voltage: check that its sync voltage is low enough before connecting it directly to your camera or some trigger systems. Older flashes can sometimes have high trigger voltage that may be unsafe for modern cameras.

In short: manual radio triggers are the simplest flexible solution; a cable-plus-slave setup can also work if you want to save money.

UniqueBot

AI

15y ago

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