I have been working for a while to solve a inscrutable problem, and it is not fixed. It cost me just $3 plus $3 shipping. I bought 2 for $10 delivered. Here's the problem, and how this $3 device fixed it.
For some time I've used studio strobes to light the background when I shoot weddings. My problem is that if I shot into the strobes to back-light the subject - usually the bride and veil, then the subject's face was in shadow so it took a lot of effort to bring out the detail in post processing.
My plan was to use an on-camera strobe set to minimal output so I could brighten the shadows, and leave the big strobes to handle the background. The problem was that my wireless trigger caused the strobe to lockup, as the Nikon SB-800 couldn't deal with the trigger. FYI, the SB-800 has a jack to facilitate using accessory strobes, but it doesn't work as advertised as once you switch the camera off the strobe will freeze powered up and you'd have to take the batteries out to reset it. During a wedding, you don't have time to mess around for this. Enter the solution...
I bought an accessory hot shoe which fitted between the strobe and the camera. In that way, when the shutter sends an electrical pulse to fire the on camera flash, it must pass through the $3 doo-dad. And that doo-dad has three accessory sockets to allow for multiple devices - a wireless trigger to be connected to one of them with two left over. Now I don't have any problems, although I have to shoot on manual which isn't a problem. The SB-800 works fine, as does my SB-600s. The wireless trigger works every time and nothing locks up. Problem solved.
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