PDA

View Full Version : Wireless remote flash problem?



Miaow
28-07-2009, 10:09pm
hmm yes im blonde is prob me lol

Got a cheap brand wireless remote for the speedlite(430ex ii) today )from a camera shop) - anyway i cant get it to fire

I have same channel i'm sure both areas - battery in of course - i'm sure i have them the right way round on the speedlight and camera?

Why wont it fire ? ive tried in ettl and M?


There is no instruction booklet with this stuff :eek:

Miaow
28-07-2009, 10:38pm
think ill ring up the shop tomorrow on it if i cant get it working :/

ehor
29-07-2009, 1:17pm
Flash fires correctly on camera?
Does the transmitter and receiver have a LED light that flashes when it transmit/receives?
If it does then put them side by side and press the test button on the transmitter to see if the receiver lights up.

Miaow
29-07-2009, 2:10pm
yes its fine on the camera - hmm I think i've just maybe found the cause why I couldnt get it to work lol - The litium cr2 battery appears to have a plastic cover on it :o (told you i was blonde}

Miaow
29-07-2009, 2:21pm
to add now the plastic has been removed its now receiving a signal lol

ricktas
29-07-2009, 2:23pm
Glad you worked it out Cat! We all have senior moments (sounds better than blonde moments)

Miaow
29-07-2009, 2:25pm
yes true it could be the old age catching up on me also lol

Miaow
29-07-2009, 2:56pm
Hmm test button works receivers getting signal but i cant get the flash to fire when press button on the camera ARGHHH - is there a specific setting the flash should be on???

kiwi
29-07-2009, 3:46pm
take the battery out again, whack yourself on the forehead with it, and try again

Miaow
29-07-2009, 3:54pm
Depding on the brand of the remotes..... in general try the flash on M Mode. Then try the test function. I assume the receiver is conencted to the flash (i have to ask the obvious, sorry!), if so is it via a built in hotshoe on the receiver or is it via a PC sync cable?

Perhaps a quick photo of your setup might help us with your setup?

Try the camera on M mode to, perhaps try a shutter speed of 1/90, just to make sure they work. Some Wireless remotes have had a problem in the past of firing at the camera's max sync speed. Im not saying yours will, but it will rule that out too.

Let us know how you go.

Dave

Dave, its one of those cactus type remotes - Ive tried flash on ettl and M - everything's connected as it should be is hotshoe on the receiver (not using the pc syth cable though) - flash is working fine on the camera but wont off it with the receiver on it :/ test is all working so i know the signals getting across - ...

This is exactly like it apart from this doesnt have cactus written on it http://martybugs.net/reviews/cactus.cgi


take the battery out again, whack yourself on the forehead with it, and try again

LOL dont have to take the battery out now its working (well on test anyway) lol

Miaow
29-07-2009, 6:18pm
hmm interesting its the same flash model also that people had probs with - This doesn't actually say on it it's a cactus but yeah looks exactly the same - will play around tomorrow (or later) with a few different speeds etc like they saying there... Thanks for the link

Miaow
29-07-2009, 6:27pm
hmm theres a dial thing under the transmitter part that goes on the camera - does that do anything?

Really wish this thing had come with instructions lol

mikec
29-07-2009, 6:44pm
Perhaps check that the channels on the reciever and the transmitter are both set to the same settings. It's the little switches shown on the bottom on that attached link.

Miaow
29-07-2009, 7:18pm
hmm - the channels fine cause works in test mode - hmm maybe its cause the connection isnt too tight on the hotshoe? ill try clamping it down more? Ill try changing the channel also in case that helps

Battery should be fine as its brand new (bought it yesterday) ....

Miaow
29-07-2009, 7:30pm
:( no luck - tried other channel and tightening the hotshoe connector :/

Edited to add : dont know anyone down here with a flash i can borrow easily to test it :/

oldfart
30-07-2009, 8:17am
Given the Flash fires from the Test Trigger button it should be assumed it's either the hot shoe mount or a camera setting.

You are mounting the sender unit in the hotshoe the right way around ?
(Hey the plastic was over the battery, it has to be asked :p )

MarkChap
30-07-2009, 9:20am
Definitely try connecting the receiver to the flash with a PC Sync cable. (does the 430 EXii have a sync port ??) instead of using the hotshoe.
Have read of / heard of many instances where there are issues with some flashes and these cheaper triggers (of various different names) when connected to the hotshoe

DAdeGroot
30-07-2009, 10:07am
Definitely try connecting the receiver to the flash with a PC Sync cable. (does the 430 EXii have a sync port ??) instead of using the hotshoe.
Have read of / heard of many instances where there are issues with some flashes and these cheaper triggers (of various different names) when connected to the hotshoe

The 430ex and 430exII do not have PC sync ports. You can get third party hotshoe to PC sync adapters that work well though.

Alas, I think you've probably got an incompatible trigger.

Unless buying Pocket Wizards, CyberSyncs or Skyports you're always advised to take your camera and flashs to the shop and try them out first as there are a lot of incompatible combinations out there.

Miaow
30-07-2009, 10:34am
Given the Flash fires from the Test Trigger button it should be assumed it's either the hot shoe mount or a camera setting.

You are mounting the sender unit in the hotshoe the right way around ?
(Hey the plastic was over the battery, it has to be asked :p )

Well as far as i know I am - and yes the plastic on the baterry was an embarassing boo boo lol The flash doesnt fire when press test - just i am getting a signal over to the receiver...


Definitely try connecting the receiver to the flash with a PC Sync cable. (does the 430 EXii have a sync port ??) instead of using the hotshoe.
Have read of / heard of many instances where there are issues with some flashes and these cheaper triggers (of various different names) when connected to the hotshoe


The 430ex and 430exII do not have PC sync ports. You can get third party hotshoe to PC sync adapters that work well though.

Alas, I think you've probably got an incompatible trigger.

Unless buying Pocket Wizards, CyberSyncs or Skyports you're always advised to take your camera and flashs to the shop and try them out first as there are a lot of incompatible combinations out there.

Yeah its looking like it might be incompatible at pres :/ I'll still play around and see if i can get it to work someway:)

JM Tran
30-07-2009, 10:40am
good chance its more the incompatibility

I have PT04 trigger/receiver for th 580EXII and the firing accuracy is 70% at best with a variable effect range of 3-5m, pathetic compared to the Cactus V2s and V4

MarkChap
30-07-2009, 11:27am
good chance its more the incompatibility

I have PT04 trigger/receiver for th 580EXII and the firing accuracy is 70% at best with a variable effect range of 3-5m, pathetic compared to the Cactus V2s and V4

And yet I have the PT-04's and have no trouble with them using both the 580EXII and a moded Metz 45 CT-1

I would guess that I get 98-99 % firing accuracy on both flashes, the one time I was having trouble I changed the frequency and that solved that problem, I was at Mt Archer here in Rocky that has TV and Radio and Telstra towers so there is a lot of RF interferance, it even played havoc with the remote for my car door locks

oldfart
30-07-2009, 1:34pm
The flash doesnt fire when press test - just i am getting a signal over to the receiver...

OK, then the wireless aspect is working ok.

The wireless receiver has a hotshoe on it that you have the flash plugged into ?

From memory, my flash unit (580exII) needs to be in manual mode before it will fire like that
also it had a nasty habit of going to sleep before I used it, and the remote trigger fails to wake it.

DAdeGroot
30-07-2009, 1:43pm
Well if you've got a 580exII you can use the PC Sync port instead of the hotshoe. Sometimes the cheap triggers have hotshoes that are a little dodgy (mind you sometimes it's the PC Sync port that's dodgy).

As for sleep mode - go to Custom Functions on the flash and change C.fn 01 to 1. No more sleep :)

Miaow
30-07-2009, 2:42pm
Its a 430ex ii - so no sync port :/ And actually it is a PT-04 remote/trigger - has that written on it... Have tried in manual (on flash) also :/

Will play more later haven't had a chance to this afternoon with it

JM Tran
30-07-2009, 9:53pm
And yet I have the PT-04's and have no trouble with them using both the 580EXII and a moded Metz 45 CT-1

I would guess that I get 98-99 % firing accuracy on both flashes, the one time I was having trouble I changed the frequency and that solved that problem, I was at Mt Archer here in Rocky that has TV and Radio and Telstra towers so there is a lot of RF interferance, it even played havoc with the remote for my car door locks

its a bit of a mixed bag with the PT04s for canon flashes really, as there are warnings on the net for triggers that are pre-V2s era - is problematic with canon flashes

you are not the first to say u have no problems, while others and myself have problems with it:D

I will probably sell the set on AP soon for 20 bucks or something lol, dont really use it due to the inconsistency with my flashes

Miaow
31-07-2009, 5:15am
I think if I can't get it working that I'll take it to the next meet up I goto and see if it works on someone else's camera/flash - That way I'll know if it just this flash its having problems with..