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canon camera/cybersync issues
I have been renting out my studio and so far everyone who has come using a canon camera has not been able to use my PCB cybersync transmitter/receiver set. On Canon 40/50D it will fire the first shot and none afterwards. on rebels/xti it will never fire. On the first one, I figured it was a fluke. Now Im convinced theres something with canon cameras that needs to be set to trigger the flash signal when a non proprietary flash isnt in the shoe, so the camera isnt defaulting the flash to off. Its not the trigger, because I can take it right off, put it on my Sony A700 and it fires every time. moun t it back on a Canon camera and it will not work right. hit the test button, everything fires. Fortunatly everyone has had an external flash in their bag, so I just cturned every light to slave mode and bounced their 580ex into the ceiling. I know people are using canon cameras with radio triggers, so what gives. I am NOT familiar with the brand or the menus, and even with the person who owns the camera and is more familiar, we still cant figure out what gives. I did see via google there was some issue with live view and 50D not firing a non OE flash, and you had to turn LV off or something, but that seems hokie. Not having one at my disposal limits me to fumbling around with a clients gear when they paid for studio time. Thats not good either. I havent had any Nikon users rent yet, so I dont know what or if there is any issues there yet. Again, set up works fine, and I use it daily on my Sony A700. Nov 22 10 03:16 pm Link the only difference appears to be the fact that you have some sort of an adapter between the hot shoe and the cybersyncs when you are shooting with your Sony. taking that adapter off makes it not work. so the problem is somewhere in there? Nov 22 10 03:27 pm Link Have you tried calling PCB? Nov 22 10 03:30 pm Link I use the Cybersync transmitters/receivers CST/CSR (and more recently the Cyber Commander and CSR+, and now the transmitter with the Einsteins). Haven't had any problems - they work every time with my 5D and 5D Mark II. I switch from 580EX to transmitter and never change any of the settings - work straight out of the box. PCB is very good about answering questions - they normally answer right away. Nov 22 10 03:51 pm Link I suspect your CST is the culprit. I have used my CST on friends 5D and 5DMKII with no issues. I own older DSLR Canons than the ones you mention but don't think the basics for the flash system have changed that much. As cheap as they are if I were you I would buy a 2nd CST as back up for the studio anyway. Nov 22 10 04:04 pm Link Well I called a friend to come over who has a d300 and it worked fine, no adaptor. I can also use it via pc sync port on my a700 and the little 1/16 jack and no issues. I dont think its my transmitter. This seems to be only canon pro-sumer level cameras. the adaptor I use for my sony shoe is a hong kong knock off that has 2 wires just to make the circuit and no OE contacts are activated, so the camera cannot know a flash is on there. In my Sony menu, you can disable the pop up flash, but there is no provision for turning the hotshoe or pc port off, which is why i figured maybe the Canon had one and it was just a non issue for me because of one more thing Sony left out of the firmware. I guess I will call PCB tomorrow, as I have some rentals booked this weekend. Nov 22 10 05:20 pm Link Well problem solved I think... As far as I could decipher, it was only low end canons that was doing it. I had a guy rent with a 5d mk 2 and he got frustrated, saying it was my inferior triggers misfiring, when in actuality it was him trying to shoot on continuous mode. He didnt want to hear anything about recycle times, and switched to his pocket wizards, only to see the same problem (and ignore my solution of waiting until he hears the beep confirming the flash is recycled before shooting again), and then just shut up and kept shooting like a moron. Anyway, I had 4 people rent this last week with low end canons like rebels and 40D/ 50D. The first person with an older rebel, I took some time to sit down and play with it to see if I could figure it out. It took about 20 minutes of experimenting to figure out it wasnt a menu item or anything, but I noticed her hotshoe flash (had turned my slaves on for her session) kept slipping out of its position and she kept resetting it.. For soem reason a lightbulb went off in my head, and guess what... The Cybersync transmitter, when pushed all the way forward until it stops in the shoe, isnt making contact. pull it back about 2 mm, and it works perfect. this was still an issue, as everytime they bumped it when looking in the VF, it was out of contact again. I guess one of two things, the mfg tolerence is lower on them and combinded with the tolerance on my trigger, it just doesnt work out, or the plastic on my trigger is way out of "spec" but just happens to work on most cameras. This issue was resolved on EVERY canon camera that came thru my studio last week by sliding the trigger back about 2mm... Dec 19 10 10:44 pm Link Jason J Photography wrote: Good job! I got a new box of cyber syncs that I'll have to keep your tip in mind if I have issues with my Canon. Dec 19 10 11:19 pm Link Jason J Photography wrote: So are you saying that Canon has poorly designed hotshoe's or that the cybrecmndr needs to be redesigned? Dec 19 10 11:31 pm Link Craig Thomson wrote: This. Dec 19 10 11:49 pm Link funny how you can test for every camera and then find one that has a problem. temporary -- put peace of velcro in front of cybersynch should be right thickness --- or a layer of duct tape Dec 20 10 02:03 am Link I have 8 Cybersync CST's. They have worked on every camera they have been on. I do have one that someone dropped and the contact pin is pushed back inside and will not make contact. I haven't repaired it yet, but I will. One other has a broken test button. I will have PCB send a replacement switch with my next order from them. I can change the switch myself because I work as an Electronic Tech at my day job. The only cameras I know they don't work on is the Sony/Minolta, because of the proprietary hotshoe. If they have the adapter or a PC connector I can get them to work. I had been using the Fleabay poverty wizards. Nikon cameras tended to have a wide hotshoe so the transmitters needed a little twist to make the side contacts work right. Malodave Dec 20 10 04:18 am Link I am certain its my transmitter just has a poor tolerance manufactured base, but it happens not to be an issue except on canons. I have noticed the canons have sort of an open end on the hotshoe where other cameras have a definate stop. It looks like its not an issue with using a canon flash, but aftermarket accy's could be a prob. I only brought this up/sought an answer because I have a dozen people a week through the studio and invariably some of them have canon cameras. Asking them to bring their hotshoe flash "just in case" was seeming a bit unprofessional to me. Fortunatly I have had some cool people who understand plastic crap isnt always made as well as OE and let me play with their cameras to figure this out. My trigger is going back to PCB, but in case anyone else has this issue, try this. Dec 20 10 09:34 am Link |
