What are the pin-outs for the 540 EZ hot shoe connector?

In particular, which pin carries the quench signal and what is the quench signal's specification?

I want to make a generic TTL slave interface.

-- Ray Milgrom (milgrom@NTLWorld.com), October 02, 2001

Answers

I'll be really surprised if you get an answer to this. Few people outside of Canon's engineering department know the answer. At least one person at Ikelite has figured it out though, since it's the basis of there Lite-Link. Who knows, they might even tell you if you asked them, but probably not since they had to figure it out for themselves at what must have been a substantial cost.

The Lite-Link is only $80 at Adorama.

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), October 02, 2001.

You're almost certainly correct about that.

However I'm unwilling to spend $80 on kit that I can (maybe) make myself for about £5 plus a generic hotshoe adaptor.

It's just that it would have saved me quite a lot of effort and uncertainty to get that documentation.

-- Ray Milgrom (milgrom@NTLWorld.com), October 03, 2001.

Well, I'm in support of your efforts with this Ray. If you figure it out, post your info back here. There have been other requests for the same thing.

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), October 03, 2001.

Well, I've spent a few hours playing with photo-cells, op-amps and stuff and have got to the point where I want to try a new toy.

On balance it seems best to invest in an "off camera shoe cord 2". I can then cut this, repair it with some plugs and sockets then use the availability of the connections to look at Canon's signals and most of all I'll be able to connect into the flash gun without having to make a hot-shoe adapter.

I'm always enthusiastic about projects at this stage and just now and again they work out.

Watch this space. No go away and have a look in a few weeks' time - you always find loads of snags when you think you're just about there.

You figure it will be easier, and maybe cheaper, to buy a Lite-Link. You're probably right but where would the fun be?

-- Ray Milgrom (milgrom@NTLWorld.com), October 07, 2001.

Yeah, the cord will cost more than half the price of the Lite-Link, but you're right, where would the fun be?

I'll definitly be checking back.

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), October 11, 2001.