I'm trying to sync Profoto 600B's with a Canon 580DX II for high ISO shooting. I'm using pocket wizards on the packs as well as connected to the PC terminal of the 580 but the Profoto's won't sync. Tried to hook up a pocket wizard to the pc terminal on the Canon 1DS MarkIII as well but with same result. Is there a conflict when using a flash mounted to the hot shoe at the same time as using a pocket wizard to trigger the profoto's? Tried multiple wizards and different cables but with the same negative result. Unfortunately I won't be able to use any devices between the camera hot shoe and the 580 flash as a Rayflash is added to the configuration. Any changes in positioning of the Rayflash on the camera would render the setup useless. Will post some samples if I get the concept to work.

All the best, Per Bernal

make sure that the Canon 580 is not set for ettl --- if it is it will emit the preflash and mess up your sync with the pocketwizards.

kman

I believe the trigger timing is different.
one of the lights go off first, probably the canons? if you drag your shutter you should be able to register both flashes in your picture.

Actually, this isn't true. I do manual flash using Pocket Wizards, and E-TTL using an on-camera fill light, all the time at events. I set up my Normans on manual using PW receivers, put a PW transmitter in my sync terminal, set the appropriate aperture, then put a 580EX in the hot shoe on E-TTL for fill light. Works great.

E-TTL only causes a problem when using *optical* slaves. Then the pre-flash fires the optical slave, causing problems.

So I need to make sure the optical slave button on the pack is set to off? I think I tried this but will try it again. Otherwise I want to do exactly what you're doing. Using the profoto's as main light and the 580 as fill at high iso so that I can use the ambient light as well.

Yes. I have not used Profoto packs, but every other strobe unit I have ever used automatically disabled the optical slave when a sync cord is plugged in.

I've mixed E-TTL flashes and strobes many times with no problems. Make sure any optical triggering is disabled on the strobes, and use Pocket Wizards or a direct cable connection to fire them. The setup of the E-TTL flashes is the same; you can have a flash in the camera's hot shoe trigger other E-TTL flashes configured as slaves, regardless of whether strobes are involved or not. The image below shows 4 Alien Bee strobes, 4 Canon speedlights, and a Nikon SB-28DX all firing together:

Click to view attachment

The strobes and SB-28DX (the flash on the tripod) were triggered via a cable connected to the PC socket on the camera. The 3 Canon speedlights lying on the floor were triggered by a fourth Canon flash in the camera shoe, which is also illuminating my hand. Using your Profoto strobes instead of the Bees should work just as well.

oops -- you are correct -- my bad

kman