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Author Topic: Triggering Studio Lights from Dynax 7D  (Read 1708 times)

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Offline 106dgc

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Triggering Studio Lights from Dynax 7D
« on: June 26, 2010, 04:27:43 PM »
Please can anyone help?
I can only trigger studio lights with the on-board flash active & set to low power. I've tried a few things:
1. Used a cable to connect PC socket to studio light with on-board flash down & it does not work
2. Used a transmitter in the hot shoe & still does not work. (Removing the transmitter from the camera & pressing test button sets lights off ok so I know that it is working).

Not sure what else to try - I've been through camera menus & cannot select the Wireless option under "flash mode" but guess that's not relevant as it does not work with a cable!

Anyone else have this problem or is it a "feature"?
Dave
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Offline Stef.

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Re: Triggering Studio Lights from Dynax 7D
« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2010, 04:27:05 AM »
Dave...I so know that is does indeed work, but I don't have the camera anymore and am not at home right now. (Actually it's 4 am right now and I am awake with jetlag...) Anyhow back to the topic: what happens if you set your camera to M mode when connecting the camera with sync cable to the studio flash? Wireless mode does NOT work with studio flash- it only works with triggering other Sony flashes.
Hope somebody can jump in to help?
Stef.
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Offline 106dgc

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Re: Triggering Studio Lights from Dynax 7D
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2010, 09:03:43 AM »
Thanks for the reply Steff - hope the jet-lag does not last too long!
I've tries shooting in all modes from P to M & it makes no difference. You say that wireless does not work - no problem, but should an Infra-red remote trigger be ok or is that the same as wireless in this context?
Dave
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Offline fother

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Re: Triggering Studio Lights from Dynax 7D
« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2010, 12:08:41 PM »

Dave,

welcome to the forum! :D

what sort of transmitter are you using, and how are you connecting it to the camera?

For example, I use an Elinchrom skyport, which sits on a hotshoe adaptor, and is connected into the camera's PC sync port, and it has worked faultlessly on both 7D and a700
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Offline 106dgc

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Re: Triggering Studio Lights from Dynax 7D
« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2010, 12:43:27 PM »
Fother
Thanks for the welcome. I'm using an Interfit411 on an adapter, but significantly I have no cable to the PC port. There is no connection on the transmitter but there is one on the adapter. Guess I need to find a PC to adapter cable & try it. Having said that, not sure if it will be any use as I currently still need my on-board flash up when I use a sync cable to the studio light.
Dave
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Offline ronny

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Re: Triggering Studio Lights from Dynax 7D
« Reply #5 on: June 30, 2010, 12:17:37 AM »
Hi Dave 

I am new here and new to using my Max 7D.  I believe its the same camera as yours. Correct me if I am wrong about this.

I put my Maxxum 7D through all the settings and with the pop up flash either up or down,

And it still fired the pc sync connected flash.


Going on that first statement...
1. Used a cable to connect PC socket to studio light with on-board flash down & it does not work.

Have you tried another cable to see if the first one is bad.  It may work in one device but not make good contact in others.

2. Your transmitter may not be able to talk to your camera.  The Minolta has a priority flash.
If it was working before then it maybe something else. 
If the transmitter worked on an older camera such as 35mm Minolta the language is different for the flashs.  But it should fire in manual mode.

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Offline 106dgc

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Re: Triggering Studio Lights from Dynax 7D
« Reply #6 on: June 30, 2010, 07:41:35 AM »
Hi Ronny
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm waiting on delivery of a cable at the moment, so hope that works.
Dave
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Offline d7d (aka Ronin, aka Shot by scott)

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Re: Triggering Studio Lights from Dynax 7D
« Reply #7 on: July 08, 2010, 09:08:57 AM »
Hi can I ask what mode your shooting in. A M P etc.
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Offline 106dgc

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Re: Triggering Studio Lights from Dynax 7D
« Reply #8 on: July 08, 2010, 02:16:35 PM »
I am shooting in M or A Mostly M.
Dave
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Offline d7d (aka Ronin, aka Shot by scott)

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Re: Triggering Studio Lights from Dynax 7D
« Reply #9 on: July 08, 2010, 02:47:01 PM »
from your description it sounds like the camera simply isn't sending the fire signal. dose it work with a normal flash
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Offline 106dgc

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Re: Triggering Studio Lights from Dynax 7D
« Reply #10 on: July 09, 2010, 01:54:10 PM »
Scott
Works fine with pop-up or flash gun in stand alone mode. Both options also fire the studio flashes.
Think I agree with you about the camera not sending a signal but was hoping I was doing/not doing something!
Thanks for the input
Dave 
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Offline Akshay Jamwal

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Re: Triggering Studio Lights from Dynax 7D
« Reply #11 on: July 12, 2010, 08:59:53 PM »
Back when I was using my 7D, I had the same problem. The PC sync socket on the camera died on me after about 6 months of usage.

If you're sure it's not the cable (as Ronny suggested, some cables can just be 'fussy' with different equipment), then you'll need one of these:-

http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/product.php?productid=16892&cat=0&page=1

...or something similar. I'm sure a similar accessory is available in the UK at a camera store like Jessops perhaps.

In case you're wondering, with the 7D and flashguns, 'Wireless' doesn't work through the infra-red port (which is for using the camera with a remote). Instead, it refers to the pop-up flash firing a pre-flash pulse at an appropriately (off-camera) placed KM flash, whereupon the flash fires and the camera takes a TTL reading.
As someone already mentioned, it will not work with studio flashes. The pre-flash always triggers the slave, causing the flashes to fire before shutter actuation.
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Offline 106dgc

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Re: Triggering Studio Lights from Dynax 7D
« Reply #12 on: July 14, 2010, 12:36:19 PM »
Thanks, Akshay.
I have a shoe adapter so tried plugging my sync. cable into it, rather than the camera & still nothing. Have tried two different sync cables without success.
I can only assume that there is something wrong with the camera so will continue to use a flash gun pointed to the ceiling to trigger the studio lights - not ideal, but better than nothing.
Dave
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Offline d7d (aka Ronin, aka Shot by scott)

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Re: Triggering Studio Lights from Dynax 7D
« Reply #13 on: July 14, 2010, 02:32:54 PM »
hmmmmm might be time for an alpha upgrade
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Offline Akshay Jamwal

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Re: Triggering Studio Lights from Dynax 7D
« Reply #14 on: July 14, 2010, 07:40:43 PM »
Oh, thought you were using the sync terminal on the camera. Sorry for not paying attention- missed the post where you mentioned the adapter.

Anyway, my hot shoe adapter eventually gave out as well.

In effect 106dgc, you might say that you and I have the same problem.

I think on the last shoot I'd undertaken using the 7D I'd done the same thing- bounced off a ceiling/wall to trigger a couple of slaves. The thing about using the on-board flash or flashgun as an optical trigger is that if you're shooting people you're likely to get an additional catchlight in their eyes. It can be distracting, depending on how close you are to your subject.

If the flashgun's firing, maybe it isn't the camera? I contemplated purchasing another hot shoe adapter but since I'm now using Nikon equipment I figured it just wasn't worth the bother, since they aren't available here and I'd have to order them from Hong Kong off gadgetinfinity.com.

They're relatively inexpensive, so perhaps it's worth a shot?
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