Canon ir vs pocketwizard mini/flex

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Originally Posted by RustBeltRaw

If third-party, often-flighty Pocket Wizards can send shutter speed information, then Canon can probably handle it too.

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Uh, not... really. The PWs and YN-622c/Photix Odin/Pixel Kings are basically just relaying all five signals on the hotshoe. We know the hotshoe can do 2nd-curtain. The wireless protocol is not the hotshoe. When you invoke Canon's wireless protocol with any of these triggering systems, then you lose 2nd-curtain. With the YN-622c triggers, if wireless is enabled in the camera menu, you no longer have access to 2nd curtain.

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... Really, I'm not sure why 2CS isn't the default setting for on-camera and slave flashes. ...

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Probably because you're using relatively normal shutter speeds and never shoot eTTL :). With eTTL, once your shutter speeds get low enough, the delay between the preflash and the actual flash with 2nd-curtain might be enough that your subject is caught full-blink (or in motion) on the actual flash burst. With 1st-curtain, you have the absolute shortest delay between preflash and main flash.

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Originally Posted by inkista

Uh, not... really. The PWs and YN-622c/Photix Odin/Pixel Kings are basically just relaying all five signals on the hotshoe. We know the hotshoe can do 2nd-curtain. The wireless protocol is not the hotshoe.

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Sorry, that statement was rather imprecise. The fact that shutter speed info is on the shoe is clear since the PWs can send it, I'm just surprised that Canon doesn't have a wireless system (protocol) that does so.

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Originally Posted by inkista

Probably because you're using relatively normal shutter speeds and never shoot eTTL . With eTTL, once your shutter speeds get low enough, the delay between the preflash and the actual flash with 2nd-curtain might be enough that your subject is caught full-blink (or in motion) on the actual flash burst. With 1st-curtain, you have the absolute shortest delay between preflash and main flash.

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Not sure I follow. Are you saying that 2CS isn't the default setting because the pre-flash can sometimes illuminate the subject at the start of exposure? I've certainly had that problem, but even so, I don't know of any cases where you'd want to freeze motion at the start of exposure.

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Originally Posted by RustBeltRaw

... Not sure I follow. Are you saying that 2CS isn't the default setting because the pre-flash can sometimes illuminate the subject at the start of exposure? I've certainly had that problem, but even so, I don't know of any cases where you'd want to freeze motion at the start of exposure.

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No, what I'm saying is that if you are a snapshot shooter who wanders down to, say, a 1/15 or 1/8 second shutter speed with 2nd-curtain and eTTL, then there's enough separation between pre-flash and main flash, that the subject may mistake the first for the second, and you get a portrait with the person's eyes closed.

Canon likes to idiot-proof stuff.

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Originally Posted by inkista

Uh, not... really. The PWs and YN-622c/Photix Odin/Pixel Kings are basically just relaying all five signals on the hotshoe.

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Kinda, the PW does it a little differently though in that it "translates" that into it's own protocol along the way, with a few "secret sauce" ingredients thrown in for good luck (eg the ability to quadruple the pre-flash power (and presumably compensate the corresponding flash power instruction), and correct a 2nd curtain synch mis-timing that they feel Canon has, whereas the likes of the radio popper just "re-package" the signals faithfully.

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Originally Posted by inkista

No, what I'm saying is that if you are a snapshot shooter who wanders down to, say, a 1/15 or 1/8 second shutter speed with 2nd-curtain and eTTL, then there's enough separation between pre-flash and main flash, that the subject may mistake the first for the second, and you get a portrait with the person's eyes closed.

Canon likes to idiot-proof stuff.

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Apparently so. I guess avoiding blink by taking multiple shots when doing flash portraits isn't as basic a technique as I thought. :rolleyes: But I have had that problem (usually on the first shot in a rapid series) with slow shutters and 2CS, so there's clearly some merit to Canon's decision.