Is there way to trigger Canon speedlights from IQ3 PC cable?

[Joe Pulcinella]

I'm using an IQ3 60MP on an Arca Swiss tech camera and sync my monolights using the PC sync on the IQ back. But there are some smaller jobs where I'd rather use my Canon 600EX speedlights. Has anyone successfully fired their Canon speedlights using the IQ PC sync? I've tried using a PC to 1/8" connector on the Canon ST-E3-RT but it doesn't work. I've also tried using Pocket Wizard Flex TT5 units on both the speedlight and back but that doesn't work, either. The test button fires the flash in both configurations but the IQ back will not fire them.

Thanks in advance.

[C-M-B]

maybe you should try a hotshoe-PC adapter?
That's what I used when I was experimenting with a large format camera and some speedlights

[hemantchandwani]

have you tried the same by keeping the back in zero latency mode ?

[mkphotomedia]

Big thing: use a pc->hotshoe trigger rather than the 1/8, and start in the most manual modes possible (since you, obviously, won't get TTL on this setup since that requires camera dedication). For reasons I can't fathom, I've never been able to get a PC->1/8 cable to work coming off either my P45 or my IQ160. If someone has a recommendation for one that works, please share as I'd love to know. Just about every PC->hotshoe adapter I've used has worked a treat (at the cost of a somewhat less positive mounting setup on my Cambo WDS).

Couple of possibilities:

1. If you can fire the 600's with power control successfully on your TT5's and your Canon gear, it should work on your Phase gear as well. (I run a small coterie of 550/560EX's this way, with the AC3 power control widget). That combo works fine for me. If you don't have an AC3 (yet), put the TT5's into Basic Trigger Mode and the flashes into manual, and control the flashes off the flashes themselves.

2. As for the ST-E3-RT, I bet this is a ST-E3-RT-expecting-TTL-and-not-getting-it problem. A hotshoe adapter might get your around this if the ST-E3-RT can be put into manual mode. If you have a bunch of 600EX's, try the Yongnuo transmitter. Since you'll be shooting your speedlights in mono anyway, that's reported to give you manual power control on Sony bodies, which also means you'll very likely get manual power control off your Phase as well.

[mkphotomedia]

Also, zero latency will make no difference here--latency settings just deal with the sleep->wake transition on your back and not flash firing. Although if you suspect that flash sync speed is an issue here (and it might be), run your tests on a slow shutter speed until you know things are working. (I usually top out at about 1/150th on my tech cam rig with the FlexTT5's, which is annoying because my old RadioPopper setup used to give me a full 1/500th. Not that it matters all that often, but...)

[mkphotomedia]

Also also, on a TT5, your first camera flash after booting a TT5 won't fire the flashes--it's for calibration. Depending on your firmware settings, you may have gotten around this in the past on your DSLR rig.