Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

What I need to do is be able to control the power of Einsteins via Cyber Commander/CyberSync but still trigger the Einsteins via the optical trigger.

The idea is to mix the Einsteins with some Speedlights, and be able to control the power of everything.

I know RadioPopper makes a system that allegedly allows Einsteins and Speedlights to work together, but I tried it and they're crap. The website says it's "compatible with most Canon compatible flashes" but they don't work with ANY non-canon brand Canon compatible flashes (Sunpak, Metz, Yongnuo). I called their tech support and they said "we don't test or guarantee compatibility with non Canon brand flashes". HUH? If my camera can control the power of my other non-canon brand flashes, why can't the RadioPopper??
I digress....

Pocketwizards have too many interference problems with Canon flashes to even be considered.
So I've resigned myself to using different controllers for the OCF's and the Einsteins, and I don't think there's a way to connect both the speedlight trigger (Yongnuo 622) and the Cyber Commander to the camera at the same time, so I'm hoping to trigger the Einsteins optically from the speedlights while still being able to set the power with the Cyber Commander.

Ideas?

If the speedlites flash in a manual, one "pop" manner, then yes, the slave eye can be active and triggered from the speedlites. If the speedlites are in TTL or otherwise fire preflashes, the Einsteins will trigger too early.

Alternately, the YN622 receivers have a PC port to which you *may* be able to connect a CST, so that one TN622 is triggering a speedlite and the CST via direct connection, and the CST then relays the fire signal to the Einstein.

Alternately, the camera you are using may have a PC terminal to which you can connect the CST, and the camera triggers both the CST and YN622, each going to their respective receivers.

Alternately, you can get a pass through hot shoe adapter that has TTL pass through and a PC terminal. This would be sandwiched between the speedlite and the camera, and the CST is plugged into its PC terminal.

(I use the CST in these examples, as it is smaller and easier to mount than the CC would be. The CC would be kept on a lanyard or in a pocket.)

Alternately, you can use the CC and CSXCV receivers to control power of Einsteins, but use a YN receiver in the sync jack of the Einsteins to trigger with the rest of the YN remotes. Since you do not need the TTL functionality of the receivers for this application, YN may carry receivers that can be triggered by but not support TTL transmitters. Presumably, they would cost less than additional 622's.