Trigger flash/hotshoe without shutter release (R5)

[fredrikb81]

Is there a way to configure a button on the R5 to trigger the hotshoe without releasing the shutter?

I am looking to fire a remote camera (with a PocketWizard in the hotshoe) from the main camera, but I guess it would be the same if you would like to test fire a flash.

 

[Ray Chen]

...but I guess it would be the same if you would like to test fire a flash.

That would be correct unless I am missing something.

The main reason to connect a remote to the main shooter is so that you can get both cameras to fire from different shooting positions or with different lenses at the same time.

--
Ray

 

[gscotten]

Every flash and trigger I have ever used had a test button. I admit that is a very small sample and I have never used a PocketWizard, but it is worth looking carefully at it.

I am curious why you don't want to use the shutter button. Digital film is pretty inexpensive.

--
George
.
Feel free to retouch any photograph I post in these forums. They probably need it.

 

[fredrikb81]

I am curious why you don't want to use the shutter button. Digital film is pretty inexpensive.

Thanks for the replies!

3 main reasons why I don't want (or can't) sync with the shutter in the main camera:

1. The main camera is shooting all over the field (in this case football/soccer) and not just in the goal area. Having them synced at all times leaves me with thousands of useless images that I would simply prefer not having to deal with (even though there are efficient methods).

2. The hotshoe only triggers when I am in mechanical (or EFCS) and not in electronic shutter mode, leading to a need to trigger the remote in some other way if I am using the latter.

3. The memory card on the remote fills up quickly and I don't have access to replacing it during a game (and no appetite to spend money on huge expensive memory cards just for this).

I halve also seen solutions using a foot pedal to trigger the PocketWizard, but I am often sitting on the ground with my legs stretched out so it is not straight-forward to push it. Hence, the need for something I can operate with my hands.

 

[fredrikb81]

...but I guess it would be the same if you would like to test fire a flash.

That would be correct unless I am missing something.

The main reason to connect a remote to the main shooter is so that you can get both cameras to fire from different shooting positions or with different lenses at the same time.

Yes, but in 90% of the cases I am shooting elsewhere on the field with the main camera so it leads to thousands of irrelevant images that I have to deal with afterwards (plus the memory card on the remote is filling up quickly).

 

[PicPocket]

I am curious why you don't want to use the shutter button. Digital film is pretty inexpensive.

Thanks for the replies!

3 main reasons why I don't want (or can't) sync with the shutter in the main camera:

1. The main camera is shooting all over the field (in this case football/soccer) and not just in the goal area. Having them synced at all times leaves me with thousands of useless images that I would simply prefer not having to deal with (even though there are efficient methods).

2. The hotshoe only triggers when I am in mechanical (or EFCS) and not in electronic shutter mode, leading to a need to trigger the remote in some other way if I am using the latter.

3. The memory card on the remote fills up quickly and I don't have access to replacing it during a game (and no appetite to spend money on huge expensive memory cards just for this).

I halve also seen solutions using a foot pedal to trigger the PocketWizard, but I am often sitting on the ground with my legs stretched out so it is not straight-forward to push it. Hence, the need for something I can operate with my hands.

Looks like the main and remote don't need to share any control and you just need a portable remote trigger to fire the remote camera when you need to? Is there a use case where both need to actually sync?

Also, not sure I understand your ES use case. If you are in ES and it doesn't support flash sync, how are you expecting to synchronize the shutter with flash if you were to fire it?

 

[Scullen]

Depending on what PocketWizard radios you are using, there might be a way to trigger both remote and handheld as well as triggering your handheld only.

What PocketWizards radios are you using?

 

[Chesapeake Imagery]

I'm trying to understand the OP use case here. He seems to want to trigger a remote camera (and flash?) with the Pocket Wizard? Isn't a Pocket Wizard a controller for remote flash only? If he wants to control a remote camera, wouldn't he want to use a wireless remote control to activate the remote camera and whatever flash is connected to the remote camera?

I'm not clear on what the camera in hand is doing related to the remote camera if he is not interested in capturing an image at the same time as the remote camera. Or is it that he is trying to activate the remote camera and flash to capture the same event at the same time from a different angle?

 

[fredrikb81]

I am curious why you don't want to use the shutter button. Digital film is pretty inexpensive.

Thanks for the replies!

3 main reasons why I don't want (or can't) sync with the shutter in the main camera:

1. The main camera is shooting all over the field (in this case football/soccer) and not just in the goal area. Having them synced at all times leaves me with thousands of useless images that I would simply prefer not having to deal with (even though there are efficient methods).

2. The hotshoe only triggers when I am in mechanical (or EFCS) and not in electronic shutter mode, leading to a need to trigger the remote in some other way if I am using the latter.

3. The memory card on the remote fills up quickly and I don't have access to replacing it during a game (and no appetite to spend money on huge expensive memory cards just for this).

I halve also seen solutions using a foot pedal to trigger the PocketWizard, but I am often sitting on the ground with my legs stretched out so it is not straight-forward to push it. Hence, the need for something I can operate with my hands.

Looks like the main and remote don't need to share any control and you just need a portable remote trigger to fire the remote camera when you need to? Is there a use case where both need to actually sync?

Also, not sure I understand your ES use case. If you are in ES and it doesn't support flash sync, how are you expecting to synchronize the shutter with flash if you were to fire it?

No need to sync, just need a convenient way to trigger the remote (although I may need to do it simultaneously to the main camera.

Flash is not involved, just using the hotshoe to trigger the pocket wizard that triggers the remote.

 

[fredrikb81]

Depending on what PocketWizard radios you are using, there might be a way to trigger both remote and handheld as well as triggering your handheld only.

What PocketWizards radios are you using?

PocketWizard Plus IIIe

 

[fredrikb81]

I'm trying to understand the OP use case here. He seems to want to trigger a remote camera (and flash?) with the Pocket Wizard? Isn't a Pocket Wizard a controller for remote flash only? If he wants to control a remote camera, wouldn't he want to use a wireless remote control to activate the remote camera and whatever flash is connected to the remote camera?

I'm not clear on what the camera in hand is doing related to the remote camera if he is not interested in capturing an image at the same time as the remote camera. Or is it that he is trying to activate the remote camera and flash to capture the same event at the same time from a different angle?

The use case is this:

I am photographing football (soccer for Americans). The remote camera is positioned behind the goal and is triggered with a Pocket Wizard. The main camera is in my hand and capturing all over the field.

Whenever there is action outside the box, I just want to fire the main camera. When the action is in the box, I want to fire them both.

Currently I just have them on sync all the time, but that means that there are thousands of images taken with the remote that are just useless and I would like to avoid that,

 

[Ephemeris]

There is a Canon document that shows around 10 cameras connected. I read it only yesterday but can't find it. I wondered if something the document may help.

If one uses say the Godox Xpro-C wireless system what options does one have to trigger the remote flash?

https://www.ukdigital.co.uk/hahnel-captur-timer-kit-canon.html

These claim 100m range

 

[Ephemeris]

I'm trying to understand the OP use case here. He seems to want to trigger a remote camera (and flash?) with the Pocket Wizard? Isn't a Pocket Wizard a controller for remote flash only? If he wants to control a remote camera, wouldn't he want to use a wireless remote control to activate the remote camera and whatever flash is connected to the remote camera?

I'm not clear on what the camera in hand is doing related to the remote camera if he is not interested in capturing an image at the same time as the remote camera. Or is it that he is trying to activate the remote camera and flash to capture the same event at the same time from a different angle?

The use case is this:

I am photographing football (soccer for Americans). The remote camera is positioned behind the goal and is triggered with a Pocket Wizard. The main camera is in my hand and capturing all over the field.

Whenever there is action outside the box, I just want to fire the main camera. When the action is in the box, I want to fire them both.

Currently I just have them on sync all the time, but that means that there are thousands of images taken with the remote that are just useless and I would like to avoid that,

What distance does the wireless triggers from canon work? Appreciate it's activated by another small device.

Loading…

www.wexphotovideo.com

Can't something like this be used? Don't they have the ability to separately trigger another camera (and flash) ?

 

[Victor Engel]

Have you tried the depth of field preview button? That's what I use with my twin-light flash to trigger the modeling lights. With other flashes the same button triggers the flash. The operation is described in the flash manual, not the camera manual, so I'm guessing it varies by flash, or in your case, the remote control device.

I see this item in the manual.





This is on page 1050 in the section listing which items can be programmed to which buttons. I've not checked to see what settings are available, but I suspect it may be limited by what device is attached.

--
Victor Engel

 

[Ephemeris]

Victor Engel, post: 67940824, member: 132846"]
Have you tried the depth of field preview button? That's what I use with my twin-light flash to trigger the modeling lights. With other flashes the same button triggers the flash. The operation is described in the flash manual, not the camera manual, so I'm guessing it varies by flash, or in your case, the remote control device.

--
Victor Enge
[/QUOTE]
Sounds perfect. I use a flash so infrequently I'd totally forgotten. Cool ,

l

 

[Scullen]

Sorry for my delay in responding.

I completely understand what you are trying to accomplish. However, since there is only one mini-phone port on the Plus IIIe it is not possible unless you custom make a trigger cable that has a diode built into it that blocks the current from camera thru the trigger cable and to the Plus IIIe, and include a TRS Y cable.

If you were using a MultiMAX or Plus II, then this would be possible since both radios have two mini-phone ports

 

[gcrimmins]

I might be worth reaching out to customer support at PocketWizard to see if they have a good solution that would work for you.