Off camera options for multi interface shoe

[stopherjones]

Hi all, newbie question so apologies if this has come up before (although I couldn't find it when I searched)

 

I have an A77ii and a Nissin i40 flash, both with the multi interface hot shoe. This is my first flash head and I want to know what options are available for using the flash off camera, either wired or wireless. Ideally without additional adapters. The flash head doesn't have any ports so I was thinking of a cable from the camera (either PC port or from the hot shoe?) to the shoe on the flash. Or a wireless trigger. Nissin do one for a different flash but not the i40.

 

Grateful for any advice you can give me, and whether the different options allow HSS / TTL

 

Thanks

Chris

[Guest Peter Kelly]

Unfortunately there aren't any TTL options for remote working with that flash. Some triggers might work for HSS but it will be on manual and I can't swear to it. In any event you will have to buy some extras, as there are no external ports for direct wire sync.

 

The simplest would be an optical slave trigger, such as http://www.electronicsfirst.co.uk/search.asp?find=Slaves, but this is fully manual.

You can get kits from Phottix, Pocketwizard, Yongnuo, and Pixel, amongst others, but they can be expensive.

 

Probably the cheapest and most effective off-camera flash for the Sony is the Nissin Di700 with Air Commander. This will give you all the options mentioned and, in my experience, is very reliable and easy to set up.

The biggest pain is that the commander isn't compatible with the i40...   

[michelb]

You need 2 units of Sony FA-CS1M: Flash shoe to cable ( and you can still have a flash on top of the shoe)

 

 

Minolta Cable CD ( or Sony FA-MC1AM ) cable from shoe to other shoe below flash which allows a distance of approx 1m

 

Minolta Cable EX ( or Sony FA-EX1AM ) for further extension of another 1m ( Minolta suggested that you do not use more than 3 in one line )

 

Option to replace the first FA-CS1M on camera

Minolta OS-1100 cable ( or Sony FA-CC1AM )

mounted on this Sony ADP-MAA adapter

 

To connect up to 3 flash units this way, you would need to add the following plus other cables EX for each line of flash you want to add

Minolta TC-1000 (or Sony FA-TC1AM) But not the older but similar Minolta Triple Connector

 

Once you see the prices of all of these you will realize that you could afford a Sony HVL-F43M flash (or a F32M) as WL controller and by simply adding older used flashes from Minolta 3600HS(D) or 5600HS(D) or Sony HVL-F36AM, F56AM, F42AM, F43AM, F58AM or F60M, would have cost you the same or less with more flexibility.

[stopherjones]

Peter, Michelb, thanks so much for your full and helpful replies, exactly the information I needed. I had seen some of those connectors but wasn't sure which I needed and they did look expensive so didn't want to splash out on the wrong thing. Does look like a second flash might provide a better option in terms of flexibility / value for money.

 

Thanks again, much appreciated

Chris