flash triggers. a question.

[Magic_x_uk]

Hi, just curious what dedicated flash triggers are used for.

As I was under the understanding that flashes can be used off of camera & the camera can trigger flashes.

Ie I have a nikon D80 & if a bought a speedlight 600 / 900 etc I can put it on its stand away from the camera & the camera can remotely make It fire.

So what does a flash trigger dedicated ones do that the camera cannot


Thanks

 

[Hunders]

You get a longer range, the ability to put a flash out of sight and still have it fire and you are able to use them in bright sunlight where a camera's preflash will just get washed out among other things.

 

[Demon]

As above, Most wireless on-camera triggers use the on-board/hotshoe flash to trigger the other flashes 'optically'..

This means that
1. you add light to the scene from the camera flash (not always desirable)
2. It doesn't work well over distance, or where the flashes don't necessarily see the light from the master.

However, all cheap triggers just trigger the flash, they don't do proper TTL metering of the flash as you get with on-board wireless triggering, you have to pay quite a bit for triggers that do TTL (£100 a pair minimum)..

I use basic triggers for studio work as I don't want the on-camera flash adding light to the scene when I have carefully setup studio flashes..

 

[Hunders]

The Yongnuo 622c transceivers offer Canon wireless ETTL flash triggering for around £55 for a pair on eBay.

 

[PistolPete]

Not all cameras can optically trigger all flashes, flash triggers solve that issue.
I'm using the Yongnuo YN-622c on my 7D as it's much better than the on board optical triggering - cheap too.