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Slave Flash Trigger Kit, Optical with PIC Controller, Ver.III

Last Edit 9-1-09

Sorry but I am no longer selling the SFT in a kit or as a fully assembled unit.

If you are interested in obtaining the proprietary PIC code for manufacturing rights, please feel free to contact me.

Email address is shown in first picture below.

This is the ONLY slave flash trigger that works best if you use the camera's automatic setting.
You don't having to mess with the manual settings, because it knows to trigger on the last flash, no matter what camera is used or how many pre flashes it has.

The instructions, code and schematics included in this article are for personal use only. That means that you can build the unit, use it as a photographer, but you can not mass produce it. If you want to mass produce it, contact Rolf.

The Custom Software for this Slave Flash Trigger (SFT) was written by Evan Dudzik from my specifications:

1.Simple setup, ready to use seconds after turn ON, , works with all digital cameras and all flash settings, including TTL and Red-eye. Fires the slave flash exactly when the main flash occurs. Some flash settings on digital SLR's are not compatible with the Ver.II.

2. High sensitively with no chance of false triggering. The reflected (bounce flash) is sufficient in many cases to trigger the unit. This makes it more convenient to use because the opto sensor does not have to be in direct line with the camera flash.

3. This SFT is designed to be used with all flash units including commercial units with up to 400V triggers. Canon EX flashes can be accommodated on request.

4. The triggering event is indicated by a flash of the LED, shown in pictures below.

5. Long battery life, 300 hours of use or more. If not turned OFF after use , the unit will shut down after 15 minutes of inactivity. Battery life, with limited use, is around 10 months.

The circuit is similar to: http://www.fancon.cz/slave-flash-trigger/slave-flash-en.html
The case is a American Value Peppermints dispenser, 5/16" cut off from the open end.

Availability: Professional custom units with 90 day money back guaranty or complete kit. Write me for pricing.

HOW DO I KNOW IT IS GOING TO WORK WITH MY CAMERA? http://www.network54.com/Forum/259791/message/1173497423/Testing

A DIY for Ver.II construction article is here: http://www.diyphotography.net/tracker

Here is the HEX code for Ver.II : http://www.diyphotography.net/files/images/slave_flash_hex_v2.hex

NOTE:
Resistor R6, is now 20k, it has been added to improve noise immunity. When some older florescent lights and HV battery packs were close by they could causing miss-firings. It is now perfectly immune as far as I can tell. Posted below are two pictures of the finished kit.
Ver.II & Ver.III are the same except for the PIC coding.

Here is the HEX code for Ver.II: http://www.diyphotography.net/files/images/slave_flash_hex_v2.hex

HOW DO I KNOW IT IS GOING TO WORK WITH MY CAMERA? http://www.network54.com/Forum/259791/message/1173497423/Testing

A DIY construction article is here (Showing a earlier unit): http://www.diyphotography.net/very_cool_optical_slave_unit

How to get hold of me.
How to get hold of me.		 Bounce flash sample.
Bounce flash sample.		 Daylight triggering from 27' away! Picture taken with a Casio Exilim P&S.
Daylight triggering from 27' away! Picture taken with a Casio Exilim P&S.		 Slave Flash Trigger with Vivitar cord and connector.
Slave Flash Trigger with Vivitar cord and connector.
Inside the SFT. It normally comes with a PC connector.
Inside the SFT. It normally comes with a PC connector.		 Professional Model.
Professional Model.		 Mounted on a Vivitar 283
Mounted on a Vivitar 283		 Sample setup. (Earlier model.) Unit has PC cord used with a hot shoe adapter,
Sample setup. (Earlier model.) Unit has PC cord used with a hot shoe adapter,
Slave Flash Circuit as of Aug. 08. R6 is now changed to 20K.
Slave Flash Circuit as of Aug. 08. R6 is now changed to 20K.		 Printed circuit board front and back, from an earlier version,
Printed circuit board front and back, from an earlier version,

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Jim Avery 31-Dec-2009 05:46
Hi Rolf. Is there any way to buy something like this? I'm trying to trigger some studio strobes with Nikon Speedlights in CLS mode. There are 2 bursts of pre-flash in the first 10mS and then a 80mS delay to the main flash.
Brompting 30-Nov-2009 20:39
Hi Rolf

Could you send me a ver III or ver IIIa, preferably more than a kit.
I would like a hot-shoe conection and a conection for a camera sync cable.
Does it handle high-voltage triggering flash (old ones)?
Harry 25-Nov-2009 09:32
Hi Rolf,

I'm using a Fuji Finepix S5600 and will soon be using a Sony A700 with my Sunpak 555 and Minolta flashguns. Could you give me a price for an assembled trigger with the learning capability so I can use it with a variety of different digital cameras please.
olger scheepens 21-Jun-2009 14:42
Hi Rolf,

I have seen enough at I am interested in th trigger. I have the next problem and think you trigger will do the yob. I do underwater photography with a olympus mju760. I bough a nikonos SB105 to do the flash. But I need a trigger. I was thinking of making a Nikonos connector in the underwater hous to connect the strobe, and putting you trigger device dry and clean in the house. This should be easy. Can you sell me you trigger device asembled or in parts (I can put it together myself). The only remark is the shut down time. I need to have the automatic shut down time of 15 minutes to be dissabled, sine I cannot activate inside the underwater house.
regards
olger
bill 18-Jan-2009 21:51
Rolf
Is the ver III available as a kit? Cost? What's Included?
I also need a PC output for another flash I have.
thx
Bill
Rolf21-Aug-2008 15:33

Hi Raj,
a) What are all differences in ver II and ver III.
Answer:Ver.II has NO learning mode, works perfect with all point and shoot, all modes including Red-Eye. It also works with more professional DC, have no reports otherwise. Number of preflashes are inmaterial.
b) What is learning and do we need to make it learn every time, i.e suppose one time we use red-eye off and at other time, red-eye red on then will it need to learn twice? caonon rebexl xt sends strobes several times for pre-focus and will it ignore all such pre-flashes and at the other end when we do not use auto-focus then too, will it fire correctly?
Answer: See #1 above. When I test Ver.III with my Casio Exilim I do not have to re-learn the SFT when I change to Red-Eye (and back). So I assume it would work correctly with your Canon. Anyhow you have a 90 day warranty (minus shipping charges) for assembled units.
Never had one returned to this date, Aug. 21, 2008.
Note to other posters: My email addressee is shown in picture #1, so please send a copy of your comment to my email.
Raj. 17-Aug-2008 14:28
Hi Rolf,
a) What are all differences in ver II and ver III.
b) What is learning and do we need to make it learn every time, i.e suppose one time we use red-eye off and at other time, red-eye red on then will it need to learn twice? caonon rebexl xt sends strobes several times for pre-focus and will it ignore all such pre-flashes and at the other end when we do not use auto-focus then too, will it fire correctly?
Rolf05-Aug-2008 15:39
Chasy, please check your email.
Rolf05-Aug-2008 15:04
Brad, my SFT unit is only an optical (programmable) trigger for external flashes.
Caisy Ho 28-Jul-2008 19:29
Hi Rolf,

I have a few Bowen 500Ws monolights. Can I use your optical slave with it? Do you have the units already manufactured and tested? What about pricing for 1? Also, I have Canon 480 EX and 440 EX flashes, what kind of mod does it require? Thanks.

Caisy
Brad 28-Jul-2008 16:01
Probably a silly question but with this unit I still need an external flash? This plugs into a slave flash? I'm new to this. My camera is a Canon 720IS.
Rolf11-Jul-2008 02:11
Pramod and Lola chack your email.

Rolf
Lola 06-Jul-2008 20:29
Will the IIIa unit work with Canon P$S Cameras also? What is the cost of a completed Slave Flash Trigger II and the IIIa?
As for electronics, I flunked "wall switch", LOL.
Rolf31-May-2008 15:20
Hi stzdzn,
I am not familiar with models of flashes you are using.
Check your email.

Rolf
stzdzn 29-May-2008 20:02
Are these things for sale i need six
do they work in place of pre or cls in d300 to sb-800 flashes
Rolf 01-May-2008 01:57
Sorry johann, it is not a free commodity. Try Ver.II it might work.
johann 30-Apr-2008 15:05
Rolf may I ask for the hex code for ver.III I would like to try the slave with Nikon D80
Rolf05-Apr-2008 20:54
Furbyhun, the code is completely different. Ver.II has no learning mode and is designed to work with P&S cameras.
Furbyhun 02-Apr-2008 13:42
Hi!
Is the HEX code similar for the Ver.III and Ver.II?

Thanks!
Rolf21-Mar-2008 16:04
Victor, most use a hot shoe adapter with my SFT, because few flash units have a connector for any other triggers.
Check you email.
Viktor Dite 20-Mar-2008 11:31
hi, am i able to trigger a hotshoe flash with this?
JRElliott 18-Mar-2008 19:31
I finally got around to building one of these (had the parts lying around for some time). Construction took about an hour. Seems to work well with a Vivitar 285HV, an old workhorse, recently re-issued. This is a good project and a great value.
Rolf17-Mar-2008 20:11
Review fromhttp://www.diyphotography.net/tracker

Sat, 2007-09-01 21:33 — Mike (not verified)
latest version (IIIa) works great with Canon EX-series too!
I inquired Rolf about the possibility of designing an optical slave trigger that would work with the Canon EX series of flashes, specifically, my 580EX. We exchanged emails and decided it was possible. He set up a unit and sent it to me to test.

This thing just works! The original complaint about most (probably all, including Wein and other brands) optical slave triggers is that they won't work with the EX flashes. This is no longer the case, if you use Rolf's. His design accounts for whatever the EX flash requires in its circuitry to reset for the next flash.

I tested his unit, version IIIa (I'll declare that the 'a' stands for awesome in keeping with the DIYPhotography theme of renaming Rolf's inventions... ) with a Canon A570 IS. All settings worked beautifully. The unit synced with full auto, full manual, and everything in between, even with the flash exposure compensation turned down to -2ev. No resetting of the unit or the 580EX was required. This is a great unit, and serves my purposes beautifully. If I have the Rebel out in the field, and my wife wants to snap a few shots at home with the A570, with bounced (or at least more powerful) flash, now she can! Great! I could see this being very useful at the next wedding too, given how weak Canon's built-in EX IR signal is.

Thanks Rolf! Good luck with that unit. You have a good thing there!
Chris H 16-Mar-2008 04:37
Rolf
My unit worked great with my Minolta Maxxum 5D and a Vivitar 2800 flash once I had changed the keying transistor for the SCR. The unit appears to have good sensitivity without any false keying at least as far as my limited testing has gone. Super service from you and a great design! Thanks so much. Chris H. Woodinville
Rolf14-Mar-2008 17:48
Rey, please post a comment after you get your kit finished.
rey c 11-Mar-2008 09:08
please send me price info on your slave flash trigger kit
Rolf22-Feb-2008 16:04
Please email me for questions.
click on thumbnails for full image