I've taken the plunge and ordered a 580 flashgun.

I'm hoping to be able to use an old basic Jessops 280 AZ manual flash to overexpose backgrounds in portrait shots, but wondering how to trigger the flashgun? It doesn't have a socket on it, either.

Am I going to have to buy another flash? If so, what's the cheapest I can get away with? Wallet is quite light after the 580 purchase :)

Camera is a 350D.

Look on Warehouse express under flash Accessories "Kaiser" for 1501 Remote Flash Trigger.£17.99.
A flash shoe with photosensor built in to fire secondary flash unit without the need for connecting cords.
Or try Jessops Jessops.com - Digital camera, camera, digital dv camcorder and accessories - Jessops (http://www.jessops.com/Store/c448/1-132-182-448/Home/Accessories/Flash/Slave-Units/details.aspx)

Only problem with using a flash trigger is if your 580 is in TTL then any pre flashes will set the slave off too early. I do basically the same thing with 2 Nikon SB800's and 2 slaves and need to be in manual. Which is the best way to do it anyway if you have a studio style set up.

I haven't got anything setup yet...

This may be a dumb question, but how do I work in full manual? Copy the meter settings from aperture priority?

Think I need to read some more info on flash techniques :D

James, you'll need to work with the camera set to Manual (M) - best way as Dave says.

Set shutter speed to 1/200sec on your 350D, then try a few different lens apertures and/or ISO settings to get correct exposure. You may need to play around a bit, but when the image on the LCD looks okay, and you've got a nice histogram (see instruction manual - very easy) you're in business.

You can vary the exposure of your old manual gun by moving it (even a foot or so can make quite a big difference) or cover it with a tissue. Make a note of all distances/settings for future reference.

Richard.

Thanks for the advice, think I need to do a bit of experimenting...

if you're using the smart canon gun off camera, and it's remote triggered by the popup flash, even in manual, you may find that the opto slave thing (technical term) prematurely fires the old skool flash.

I'm working with a similar setup, only nikon - an SB600, and an old manual flash. Even if I set the commander mode to manual, the onboard pops a flash which tells the SB600 to fire - but in a few milliseconds time - meanwhile that pops the opto slave.

My solution is that the old skool flash is fired off the camera with a (homemade) long sync cable; the opto slave is stuck on the bottom of the 'smart' SB600 used in manual (for studio style stuff).

BE VERY CAREFUL putting an old flash on a modern body. The older flashes often sync at a much higher voltage (80v for my old one), and can FRY your camera (the D70 is unusually tolerant and can take 250v - I believe canons are less so.) Check the manual, and measure the flash by putting a voltmeter between the terminals on the base of the flash.

Outside of that, I use the SB600 alone, in smart mode.

As folks have said, it's digital, so you can easily do exposure by the "pop one, examine and adjust" method.

Strobist (http://strobist.blogspot.com) is a good source of inspiration / information.

The SB600 has no manual mode whereas the SB800 has SU-4 thus making things very easy. Don't know Canon but I'd imagine the the 580 will have a manual setting with slave??

SB800's to manual (adjustable power settings)
Slaves (manual anyway)
Camera to manual (1/200 F???) as Richard said.
Camera flash also needs to be in manual (lowest setting) just to remotely fire the other guns/slaves....My D200 set to 1/128 power

I also use a cheap flash meter to set the ratio's. Find that +1 stop sufficient to blow a white background.

Using this method:
http://dbphotographic.smugmug.com/photos/16595394-L.jpg

http://dbphotographic.smugmug.com/photos/20366442-L.jpg

The SB600 has no manual mode whereas the SB800 has SU-4 thus making things very easy. Don't know Canon but I'd imagine the the 580 will have a manual setting with slave??


Ahem!

Not that it's relevant to this chappie, but the SB600 most definately DOES have a manual mode. It doesn't do SU4 (dumb slave?) mode, but can be used, and controlled from the camera in manual mode by a commander flash (D200, D70, etc builtin, and SB800/SB-whatever the dedicated commander is)

It does not have SU-4.

It can also be used in set-on-the flashgun manual and fired by a dumb opto slave - which is I think similar to SU-4 mode?

It CANNOT be a commander however.