>> Is there a commercial shoe isolator that will provide the center
>>> terminal only for connection? Or do I have to build one?
>>
>> A well-stocked photo store should have one. The shoe and central terminal
>> connect to a short lead with a PC connector. (I bought one a few years ago.)
>>
>> I'd recommend covering the bottom of the shoe with two or three layers of
>> Magic Mending Tape, then cutting out the area over the central terminal. The
>> tape keeps the extra pins from contacting anything.
>
>Afraid of the glue goo.
>Maybe some thin polycarbonate.
>
>I'll look for that shoe, I think I actuall hd one at one time so it is
>probably in the camera cabinet.
>But my flash does not have the standard PC connector I think.
>It is a unique Nikon connector.
>I have a cable for it but I hate to cut it up to use it.
>
>Thanks for the input.
>
Be sure that the voltage at the trigger contacts is 5 volts or less (as measured from the center pin to common). Canon cameras can only handle a trigger voltage of 5V, or less. Use a Hi-Z meter as the high voltage triggers have a many megohm resistor in series with the trigger terminal. Or, see
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for trigger volages.
You can buy trigger cables for $15 and cut out the evil control wires. Better yet, sick some Ethernet keystone connectors on the trigger cable and you can extend the cable with a simple Ethernet cable.
If you go with radio triggers, either get good ones like Pocket Wizards (many hundreds of dollars) or on the cheap side the Calumet triggers get good reviews.
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They are 2x the price of Cactus, and similar really bad Chinese triggers. These Calumet Chinese triggers are more reliable.