Cheap and simple flash trigger...

[rpcrowe]

Most studio strobes have optical slaves incorporated. Older studio strobes cannot be adjusted in power from the camera but, must be adjusted at the strobe itself. So, all one needs is a trigger which will fire the strobes.

I have a very cheap but, extremely reliable trigger for the older strobes which I use effectively with my White Lightning ("coffee can") WL-5000 strobes. https://www.ebay.com/itm/221946563874

I have been using one of these triggers for years with no problems until I forgot and left a set of cheapie batteries which leaked and ruined the unit. I was able to find a replacement for less than twenty five dollars including shipping...

The only downside of his unit is that you need line of sight between the trigger and the slave of the strobe. However, you only need L.O.S. to one of your strobes since the flash from that strobe will trigger all the strobes which have optical slaves...

Sure, using a more modern radio system is perhaps easier since I can adjust the power of my units from the camera position and I can group my strobes but, this little trigger does the job quite well to just fire older strobes...

[xpatUSA]

Most studio strobes have optical slaves incorporated. Older studio strobes cannot be adjusted in power from the camera but, must be adjusted at the strobe itself. So, all one needs is a trigger which will fire the strobes.

I have a very cheap but, extremely reliable trigger for the older strobes which I use effectively with my White Lightning ("coffee can") WL-5000 strobes. https://www.ebay.com/itm/221946563874

Richard, I see that the trigger is IR; is IR necessary for your strobes, or is there some advantage to using an IR trigger over simply using a camera's built-in flash or a hot-shoe Metz? (assuming no in-camera pre-flash to mess things up, of course).

I hardly ever use flash, so please pardon my ignorance.

[rpcrowe]

Richard, I see that the trigger is IR; is IR necessary for your strobes, or is there some advantage to using an IR trigger over simply using a camera's built-in flash or a hot-shoe Metz? (assuming no in-camera pre-flash to mess things up, of course).

I hardly ever use flash, so please pardon my ignorance.

Just seems easier for me - it could be habit! I tend to gravitate to ways of shooting that I am more comfortable with, as long as they produce results with which I am satisfied...

Some of my cameras do/did not have a hotshoe flash. However, I have used my Godox flash as a trigger for the studio strobes but, it seems easier for me to use this IR trigger rather than worrying how to adjust the hotshoe flash so that its light doesn't contribute to the overall lighting of the subject. This is especially true when I shoot close up work when the camera is closer to the subject that the studio strobes...

I also got used to using this type of trigger when I was shifting back and forth between Canon and Sony camera bodies. I just left the trigger with my studio strobe setup and didn't have to worry which flash I had picked up to use because this type of trigger worked equally as well with either type body...

[xpatUSA]

<> ... it seems easier for me to use this IR trigger rather than worrying how to adjust the hotshoe flash so that its light doesn't contribute to the overall lighting of the subject. This is especially true when I shoot close up work when the camera is closer to the subject that the studio strobes...

Thanks, that's the bit I didn't realize ...