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I just got a Yongnuo 600EX-RT and my biggest gripe is their manual! I'm trying to figure out how to get it to trigger my Canon 430EX II and I can't figure out how to set it to Optical Master mode either through its own menus or those in the camera.

When I go into the camera, the menu option is there, but it only wants to go into wireless mode, every time I click "optical" it just returns to "wireless".

I can't for the life of me figure out how you change this setting on the flash itself.

Any guidance would be very much appreciated!

Additional info:

I can get it into Master Wireless mode, just not Master Optical. I have a Canon 70D. Pressing the lightning button just cycles through modes....either Master (1 option) or Slave options or Normal mode.

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I found an Amazon review that states that, unlike the Canon 600EX-RT, the YN-600EX-RT cannot be used as an optical master, only as an optical slave. Looking over the manual, there are sections to set the flash as an RT master, as an RT slave, and as an optical slave, but no section on setting optical master mode. So, I think it's likely that the flash simply doesn't have this functionality, despite what the specs say.

If it's true that you cannot use the YN-600EX-RT as an optical master, then your only recourse to trip the 430EXII from the 600EX-RT is going to be attaching a Yongnuo YNE3-RX receiver onto the foot of the 430EXII. On the plus side, you'll have RF triggering, rather than optical, and full TTL/HSS capability. In addition, you'll have ID code, groups D&E, and Gr mode control over a 430EXII--features that it doesn't do on its own in Canon's optical slaving scheme. You'll also have wireless 2nd curtain sync, which Canon's own RF and near-infrared systems don't do.

2017 update: Yongnuo has released a YN-600EX-RT II, which includes "smart" optical master capability.

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As an actual YN600EX RT user, I can verify and agree with inkista's answer here. Can't use the YN 600 as an optical master - only as a radio master. I have a Canon 430 EX II (optical only) and I tried to trigger the 430 with my new YN's ... and I eventually found out it couldn't be done unit-to-unit. You'd have to follow inkista's suggestion to have the YN 600 trigger the Canon optical slave.

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From it's features list: "Canon and Nikon Optic Wireless Slave Modes", while it's "Canon RT Wireless Support (Master and Slave Modes)". So it can't be optical master. I too didn't noticed this point until after bought it.

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Yep. I found the same issue, but only after having bought two YN-600EX RT's . I was planning to use them with a Canon 430ex II and realized they can't do optical master. I asked my local retailer for a solution (the largest retailer in Easter Europe, not just any store) and they confirmed that the only solution is to use a Yongnuo YNE3-RX receiver on to the foot of the 430 ex II .

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