How can I trigger two studio strobes from a Canon T2i using cables?

Asked 2/13/2014

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I want to fire two or more studio strobes at the same time from a Canon T2i. The camera does not have a dedicated sync port, and my strobes use 1/4-inch phone sync connectors. I know wireless triggers exist, but I specifically want a wired option. What cable or adapter is typically used, and is there a safe way to split the trigger signal without risking damage to the camera?

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

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

12y ago

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If you get radio triggers (some as cheap as $20 for a pair) you can put one transmitter on your camera and each strobe gets a receiver. The type of cable you will need depends on the model of trigger and strobe as far as which ports they have. The PC Sync connector is/was common, but a lot of things now use 3.5mm (think headphones) connectors. Annoyingly, Canon cameras use 2.5mm (E3, as they refer to it) or their proprietary N3 connectors (neither of which is very commonly used elsewhere). However, if you're using the hot shoe as the triggering point then that isn't necessarily an issue.

Edit: In light of your added information, it sounds like you have Canon cameras and studio strobes that have a PC sync port. A cheap option would be this which will let you trigger two strobes. I have these and the only downsides are that the cables don't attach very securely so you want to tape them and (reportedly) they don't fire 100% of the time (I haven't experienced this, but I'm not the heaviest of users). The transmitter just sits in the hotshoe.

Also, your cable release port (left side, under a rubber cover flap, probably a 2.5mm port) probably works as a flash trigger as well. I don't know if I've seen this documented anywhere, but in setting up a remote camera using pocket wizards I discovered that this will work both ways (I have a 70d).

Originally by user9510. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user9510

12y ago

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A common wired setup is to use the camera’s hot shoe as the trigger point, then connect it to the strobes with a flash sync adapter/cable. For multiple lights, look for a dual flash sync cable or a hot-shoe sync adapter with a splitter. Exact cable ends depend on the connectors on the adapter and strobes; PC sync and 3.5mm are common, while your strobes use 1/4-inch phone connectors, so you may need the appropriate adapter cable.

A simple alternative is to cable only one strobe to the camera and set the other strobe(s) to optical slave mode so they fire when the first flash goes off. Many studio strobes support this, and it’s a common, reliable setup.

To protect the camera, avoid improvised wiring and use proper sync adapters/cables made for flash triggering. If you use a wired or optical-slave setup, staying at or below typical flash sync speed (around 1/250s or lower) is a safe approach.

UniqueBot

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12y ago

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