Syncing old 430ex with new flash and controller

[A_S]

Hi all

Not in any way a flash expert - here to lesrn

I recently got myself a yongnuo yn600ex-rt ii and controller for that exact purpose

However I was wondering if it’s possible to sync these 2 with my old old 430ex mk1 as a space?

I’ve read the instructions and I understand the newer equipment has 2 methods of communications but other than that I am non the wiser

Can anyone advise!?

 

[Phil V]

The YN600 uses Canon’s radio protocol (it’s pretty much a clone of the Canon 600).

The older canon 430 uses Canon’s proprietary near IR communication method, this is older, less reliable to the point of being frustrating. Works fantastic in a living room, unusable outside in daylight or a larger space.

So whilst you can I think dumb down the 600 to transmit the near IR comms, it’s probably not the best solution. You could also resort to Manual and resort to simple slave.

There is a YN E3 RX receiver, to match the YN E3 TX transmitter that’s YN600 compatible which you could attach to your 430ex, however it appears to no longer be available in the U.K. if it ever was.

I’m afraid the moral to the tale is the age old tale of ‘ask before buying’ rather than making purchases to then find you’ve bought incompatibility.

The good news is you can probably sell the 430 to buy a second YN600, but this is the reason many of us bang on about flash protocols and compatibility, and importantly buying into a whole system.

 

[A_S]

Thanks Phil - I wasn't expecting them to work together actually, I just realised that I needed some newer equipment - so fortunately I am quite happy to have bought the YN600

It was more of an "is it possible" as I had tried to set it up as a slave but couldn't work out how to change the communication protocal and which I needed to use, the instructions aren't overly clear and I am a bit of a novice at this stuff. I need to do some reading up about this canon radio protocal as via the manual I had heard about

A.) the canon radio protocal
B.) 2.5ghz signal (which i think is the default coms between the flash and the controller)
C.) The old style system (near IR coms) which I couldn't remember the name of!

But obviously then playing about (in my living room ironically) I couldn't get the 430 to connect to the controller at all.

 

[Phil V]

Thanks Phil - I wasn't expecting them to work together actually, I just realised that I needed some newer equipment - so fortunately I am quite happy to have bought the YN600

It was more of an "is it possible" as I had tried to set it up as a slave but couldn't work out how to change the communication protocal and which I needed to use, the instructions aren't overly clear and I am a bit of a novice at this stuff. I need to do some reading up about this canon radio protocal as via the manual I had heard about

A.) the canon radio protocal
B.) 2.5ghz signal (which i think is the default coms between the flash and the controller)
C.) The old style system (near IR coms) which I couldn't remember the name of!

But obviously then playing about (in my living room ironically) I couldn't get the 430 to connect to the controller at all.

The YN 600 (never used one btw) likely has a mode button that cycles slave (s1, s2) master (radio) master (optical)
And you need to choose master optical.

Then set your 430 to slave mode and you’re off (unless the 430 added actual optical dumb slave modes, then you’ll cycle them too)

Put them both on the same channel and the 430 in group B, the on camera flash is always group a.

 

[Bebop]

I started my off camera flash journey (which to be fair has never gone terribly far!) with a Yongnuo YN-E3-RT transmitter. If I remember rightly it worked straight off with my Canon 600 ex rt flash and a YNE3-RX receiver for my Canon 430 ex flash. I think I bought both on Amazon.

I now also have a Godox Pro transmitter - used with studio flash, and if I hadn't bought anything that is where I would start now. Hmm maybe I should sell my Yongnuo bits.

If you can still get the YNE3-RX receiver, it should work for your purposes.

Edit: Just checked, and mine is the Canon EX430 ii, not the first (nor the later) version. I'm not sure if this makes a difference.

 

[Phil V]

There is a YN E3 RX receiver, to match the YN E3 TX transmitter that’s YN600 compatible which you could attach to your 430ex, however it appears to no longer be available in the U.K. if it ever was

If I remember rightly it worked straight off with my Canon 600 ex rt flash and a YNE3-RX receiver for my Canon 430 ex flash. I think I bought both on Amazon.

So it appears it once was possible to buy the RX., let’s hope you can find one.

BTW only slightly related to the problem, but how comes a Chinese company can not only make a flash completely compatible with the Canon wireless protocols, but it can also add in legacy protocols, and add a receiver making this new product seamlessly link into the old products. And yet Canon couldn’t.

But at least Canon did better than Nikon who couldn’t even design a wireless protocol that worked straight off their hot shoe without adding another widget to the camera.

Bearing in mind that several other companies had managed to do exactly that before Nikons fudge was launched.

It feels illogical.

 

[Bebop]

@Phil V yes, and the Canon trigger was so expensive. I believe the YN E3 trigger allowed off camera high speed sync too, which the Canon one didn't.... not that I've ever tested this.

I found the receiver on Amazon, but 'currently unavailable'. It seems lots of people did have trouble with it, so perhaps it was not compatible with the first versions of the E-TTL flashes?

 

[Phil V]

@Phil V yes, and the Canon trigger was so expensive. I believe the YN E3 trigger allowed off camera high speed sync too, which the Canon one didn't.... not that I've ever tested this.

I found the receiver on Amazon, but 'currently unavailable'. It seems lots of people did have trouble with it, so perhaps it was not compatible with the first versions of the E-TTL flashes?

I’d forgotten the high speed sync thing. Yes all the 3rd party ETTL triggers did hss, and none of Canons products do.

 

[A_S]

The YN 600 (never used one btw) likely has a mode button that cycles slave (s1, s2) master (radio) master (optical)
And you need to choose master optical.

Then set your 430 to slave mode and you’re off (unless the 430 added actual optical dumb slave modes, then you’ll cycle them too)

Put them both on the same channel and the 430 in group B, the on camera flash is always group a.

Sorry to dig this up - I posted it right in the middle of a manic event period. Now its christmas, I've proccessed and organised catelogs, updated my lightroom the V13 (needed to upgrade windows and various other things) I am ready to get this working. I'll give it a go over christmas with some testing

Thanks

 

[A_S]

I started my off camera flash journey (which to be fair has never gone terribly far!) with a Yongnuo YN-E3-RT transmitter. If I remember rightly it worked straight off with my Canon 600 ex rt flash and a YNE3-RX receiver for my Canon 430 ex flash. I think I bought both on Amazon.

I now also have a Godox Pro transmitter - used with studio flash, and if I hadn't bought anything that is where I would start now. Hmm maybe I should sell my Yongnuo bits.

If you can still get the YNE3-RX receiver, it should work for your purposes.

Edit: Just checked, and mine is the Canon EX430 ii, not the first (nor the later) version. I'm not sure if this makes a difference.

Thanks, I have the following:

I was hoping to use the on camera controller to control both

YN-E3-RT II on camera controller

https://www.amazon.co.uk/YONYNUO-Transmitter-Compatible-YN968EX-RT-YN600EX-RTII/dp/B07JZB8LS4/ref=sr_1_1?crid=OS6D746TN0C0&keywords=YN-E3-RT+II&qid=1703374585&sprefix=yn-e3-rt+ii%2Caps%2C67&sr=8-1

Do I need a seperate unit connected to the 430ex to allow this to communicate with the 430 or can I some how sync all 3 (the 430, the YN600 and the controller).

 

[A_S]

These are the options I’ve set via the controller but no luck - I think the communication methods are different so I need to link via another flash rather than the controller?

(Photos too big from phone so I’ll have to post them via computer)

 

[Phil V]

Yes they're completely incompatible.
The YN-E3 is a radio transmitter, the 430ex doesn't have a radio receiver, the only Canon flash that understands the YN-E3 is the 600EX, there are (as mentioned previously) Yongnuo receivers compatible with the YN-E3 but they're now as rare as hens teeth.

 

[Bebop]

It is as Phil says.

If you can get hold of the receiver YNE3-RX, then you can mount the 430EX flash on that, and that will allow it to communicate with the YN-E3-RT. Without connecting the flash to a receiver, it can only communicate optically (line of sight), it has no radio transmission capabilities. Actually mine is the 430EX ii, but I imagine yours will be the same.

I have two receivers that I use with my 430EX ii, one is for the YN-E3-RT trigger, and the other allows it to communicate with my Godox xPro trigger.

 

[A_S]

Thanks Both - I was hoping to get it working with line of site in conjunction with the Yongnuo 600EX mk2. I'll have a go but if thats impossible as well then it might be why I am struggling!

All the different modes on the controller and adjustable options are quite confusing. I can do the basic stuff of linking the Yongnuo flash and adjusting flash power from the controller (I think, although its hard to tell) but anything else i am still learning!


For what its worth and the cost of a second hand Yongnuo flash - you can get some of the mk1 600EXs on facebook market place for £40, thats probably the best option for a multi flash set up

 

[A_S]

Well I got it to work by setting optical transmission and master Chanel one on the flash - cycling through the options replaces a radio antenna with the flash symbol and this means the flash is working in optical rather than radio mode. Set it to master, Chanel one and A

Then on the 430ex I set slave, Chanel one and device A

Seems to work well However the controller only has optical so using the 4 in tandem is impossible it seems


——

I’ve poured over both manuals for the yn600 and controller for a couple of days using Google to translate the Latin back to English as nothing is really explained in layman’s terms - it’s like another world….!

In doing so though it’s brought up another few questions

The controller see,s to have a linked shooting mode - which allows you to trigger another camera (or multiple of) and flash together if the said camera has a second controller or a flash with linked shooting capabilities. I.e I could link my remote camera up into this setup - put a flash on it and use the controller to fire said flash and said camera at the same time (possibly separately via the test button?) as my main camera.

Brilliant - although on googling around again - it appears that the yn600 doesn’t have this capability - but the canon models do? Is this correct?

 

[Bebop]

Well I got it to work by setting optical transmission and master Chanel one on the flash - cycling through the options replaces a radio antenna with the flash symbol and this means the flash is working in optical rather than radio mode. Set it to master, Chanel one and A

Then on the 430ex I set slave, Chanel one and device A

Seems to work well However the controller only has optical so using the 4 in tandem is impossible it seems


——

I’ve poured over both manuals for the yn600 and controller for a couple of days using Google to translate the Latin back to English as nothing is really explained in layman’s terms - it’s like another world….!

In doing so though it’s brought up another few questions

The controller see,s to have a linked shooting mode - which allows you to trigger another camera (or multiple of) and flash together if the said camera has a second controller or a flash with linked shooting capabilities. I.e I could link my remote camera up into this setup - put a flash on it and use the controller to fire said flash and said camera at the same time (possibly separately via the test button?) as my main camera.

Brilliant - although on googling around again - it appears that the yn600 doesn’t have this capability - but the canon models do? Is this correct?View attachment 410603

I'm afraid it's outside of my experience and I only have one Canon camera now, so couldn't test it out.