Help with Triggering 7D+580EXII to Elinchrome D-Lite 4 Strobes

[Deming86]

Heya CS-ers,

Could I get some advice on this from experienced studio photographers? I set up my own home indoor studio for fun and exploration. I have 2x Elinchrome D-lite 4 strobes which i use as main and background light. Instead of buying a strobe, I thought of using my existing 580EXII as a a fill light. I am aware that reflectors can be used instead to provide some fill light but my question is: Is it possible to sync my Canon 7D wireless trigger-580EXII firing with the strobes?

Here's how I tested out before this post:

1. I used my 7D in-built pop up flash with my 580EXII placed away on its own. (a)I tested the external flash only, and though the inbuilt flash did fire, it fired before the 580EXII which produced a photo which only had the 580EXII lighting in it. (b)Compared to external flash + in built flash where the photo is visibly lit by both the in built flash and the 580EXII. So the 7D wireless flash triggers worked as expected for its own line of speedlites.

2. I switched my 2x Elinchrome strobes on optical sensor to detect external flash. Using my set up from (1a), I noticed that all my desired lighting (2x strobes + 580EXII and the pre-flash trigger from the 7D) fired off but from the photo, only the lighting from the 580EXII was captured.

I hence deduced that though my 7D in built flash fired off my 580EXII in sync, the elinchrome strobes on optical trigger were perhaps fired too slow to be captured. (My shots were all about 1/200-1/150secs). My question is there any way I can make it so that my 580EXII (triggered by my 7D inbuilt flash trigger) fires in sync with the 2x Elinchrome strobes without having to buy other any expensive equipment? If you are aware that it is a true technical limitation please let me know too.

Many thanks for everyone's sharing in advance!

Cheers

 

[Deming86]

Oh yah to add, the kit comes with an Elinchrom EL-Skyport-Eco trigger for the strobes. I believe there is no way it can trigger the 580EXII correct? Do correct me if I'm mistaken =]

 

[DesignMatters]

2 possible reasons:

1) i think Shutter sync speed too high for elinchrom, but works for 580ex.

If you are on 1/250 try 1/200 or even 1/160, and see if this works.

2) Or else the problem is that the Pre-flash from you camera body flash is triggering the elinchrom and the elinchrom is firing before the 580ex. I believe you can adjust the elinchrom to ignore the pre-flash and trigger correctly on the "fire" flash, so that they fire together. Read the manual regarding the slave mode.

The pre-flash carries the TTL info which is not used by the Elinchrom.

I would rather use the skyport to trigger the Elinchrom, use them as main and fill. Use the 580ex or even just a cheap yongnuo strobe as a background light. I think its a waste to use the elinchrom as background light, but that's just my view. Maybe you can use a remote trigger off the PC sync on the camera to trigger the 580ex together with the skyports on the hotshoe?

 

[kel77]

What modes are the pop up flash and 580EXII on? E-TTL?
Set all to manual and try again.

 

[eleveninth]

Use the skyports to trigger, get a optical peanut to trigger the 580EXII

or just get the same triggers ( ebay since you're on a budget, or the cactus V5s) for all your lights.

 

[Deming86]

Thanks everyone! Will give all your suggestions a try and feedback this weekend! Cheers!

 

[catchlights]

your camera communicate with 580 via the pre flash of your built in flash, it trigger off the studio strobe prematurely, set your built in flash in manual mode as what kel77 suggested.

If you have a skyport trigger and receiver set, you can use the receiver set with your 580, and D-lite already have a built in receiver, or get a optical slave for 580 as what eleveninth suggested, if you don't have a receiver set.

 

[javabeans]

hi all, i am thinking of getting the elinchrom d-lite 4 for main and fill and to use my sony hvl58am for background. will it work? possible to advise on the setup for the flash?

 

[eleveninth]

hi all, i am thinking of getting the elinchrom d-lite 4 for main and fill and to use my sony hvl58am for background. will it work? possible to advise on the setup for the flash?

same as what catchlight said.

use with skyports should be no problem, i'm assuming skyports work with the hvl58am tho.