# Triggering a 580EXII with a 600EX-RT



## photostudent1

Is it possible to trigger a Canon 580EXII with a 600EX-RT? If there was a way that I could put just one PocketWizard receiver on a 600 and trigger the 580 instead of buying another PocketWizard receiver to put on the 580 that would be awesome.


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## rexbobcat

Put the 580 in optical slave mode. It'll flash when it senses the flash from the 600RT


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## photostudent1

I'm trying to figure out the cheapest way to be able to trigger two flashes from my camera. I already have a 580. Would buying a 600RT and a PocketWizard transmitter and receiver be cheaper than getting a less expensive flash and two PocketWizard receivers?


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## rexbobcat

You can do it without either...unless the 600EX is setup way differently than the 580EX.

But if you want to, go ahead and buy another receiver. It's more reliable than the optical slave.


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## table1349

rexbobcat said:


> Put the 580 in optical slave mode. It'll flash when it senses the flash from the 600RT



Pray tell, how does one do this with the 580??


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## rexbobcat

gryphonslair99 said:
			
		

> Pray tell, how does one do this with the 580??



Hold down the zoom button, use the wheel to select slave mode to be on. It only works if you have another flash as the master though


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## table1349

rexbobcat said:


> gryphonslair99 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pray tell, how does one do this with the 580??
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hold down the zoom button, use the wheel to select slave mode to be on. It only works if you have another flash as the master though
Click to expand...


That's not OPTICAL slave mode.  That is wireless slave mode.


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## rexbobcat

gryphonslair99 said:
			
		

> That's not OPTICAL slave mode.  That is wireless slave mode.



It doesn't work without sensing input from another flash. It has to "see" the flash from the camera if the camera has a master mode like my 60D.

I don't exactly know if that's a true optical slave, but it does not work without another flash triggering it.

Wireless implies that it works like a radio trigger.

I find what they call it to be very misleading, because I've known people who are like "oh cool, it's wireless! "...Why is it not working..."


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## Tony S

Optical flash is  commonly though of aswhen the flash senses a light from another source, it can be triggered from any flash.

 Canon does confuse things though with the way it describes it's system as "optical based wireless ETTL".

 The Canon 580EXII uses infrared flash, still needs to be line of site and has bad issues in bright sunlight. 

  Now here's the good part, the new 600EX-RT is backward compatible with older Canon flash units. It has both systems built into it.

Canon DLC: Article: Speedlite 600EX-RT: Radio wireless basics


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## table1349

Yep, it is an infrared system that can also be triggered with the ST-E2 in place of a flash unit on/connected to the camera body.  Most canon units do not play well with true optical triggers, unlike Nikon units.


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## HughGuessWho

photostudent1 said:


> I'm trying to figure out the cheapest way to be able to trigger two flashes from my camera. I already have a 580. Would buying a 600RT and a PocketWizard transmitter and receiver be cheaper than getting a less expensive flash and two PocketWizard receivers?


If you are looking for "t*he cheapest way to be able to trigger two flashes*" take a look at Yongnuo RF-603 Wireless Flash Trigger/Wireless Shutter Release Transceiver Kits
They are certainly NOT professional grade triggers but work quite well are easy to use and are very reliable.


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## table1349

Cheapest is a relative term, depending on the need.  If the OP only has one flash currently then a Canon compatible flash may be cheaper than a flash and wireless triggers.  Cheapest also is relative to planned future need.  More info from the OP could be helpful here.


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## Ruliyanto

photostudent1 said:


> I'm trying to figure out the cheapest way to be able to trigger two flashes from my camera. I already have a 580. Would buying a 600RT and a PocketWizard transmitter and receiver be cheaper than getting a less expensive flash and two PocketWizard receivers?


attach the 600exrt to your camera, set it up to master, then there's a menu in the camera to set the external flash to optical then set the 580exii to slave, the 600exrt will trigger the 580exii.
Cheapest way ? use 580 as the master and buy YN560 and set it up to S2 as the slave.


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## TCampbell

Which Canon body do you have?  A *few* bodies can trigger a slave flash.  I know the 60D can (I've tested this), and I believe also the 7D, T4i, and possibly also the T3i can use the pop-up flash as a master to trigger a Canon slave flash.


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## ArtsyDaria

rexbobcat said:


> gryphonslair99 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pray tell, how does one do this with the 580??
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hold down the zoom button, use the wheel to select slave mode to be on. It only works if you have another flash as the master though
Click to expand...

WORKING GREAT!!!! TANK YOU FOR SAVING MY  SHOOT!!!!)))


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