Are flashguns supposed to be unreliable?

[kazysaurus]

Hello,

I use a Phottix Mitros+ TTL Transceiver Flash and Odin II TTL Flash Trigger Transmitter for Sony both privately and sometimes also for professional work - and I have achieved good results with this setup many times.

What bothers me is that the flash fires extremely inconsistently. Sometimes the flash fires when I press the shutter button, and often it does not, with the exact same settings.

In my mind, M (Manual) means that the flash is supposed to fire when I want it to regardless of ambient light - is this correct? Also the camera is set to M.

Very often the flash does not even fire when I press the Test button on the flashgun (with fresh batteries)! Does this mean that the flash is broken? I cannot fathom any other explanation.

I had to send back the first Phottix flashgun I got as it was too unreliable after a few weeks, and the second one I got has started to become unusable too, after a couple of months. I just never know when these things will work or not.

I usually shoot in M mode (both camera and flash), both with the flash on camera and off camera.

Are flashguns known to be this way? Why is the flash working on Wednesday and not on Thursday - even though I did not touch a single setting and both flash and camera are in Manual mode?

- If there a "flashgun lottery" as with CPUs? You never know if your flashgun is going to work or not?

- Do I need to purchase expensive Broncolor gear if i want consistent flash?

- Is Phottix known to be crap?

- Am I the only one with this problem?

- Do you believe that it is my settings rather than the flashgun?

I would love a discussion on this. Any feedback is much appreciated. Thank you.

Regards,

 

[FrancoD]

Yes. It's a built in feature.

 

[Acrill]

Sounds like you need to check the recycle time of your flash unit. It takes some time to charge up between flashes.

the M manual settings has nothing to do with when the flash fires - that is a control to determine how much light it outputs.

 

[kazysaurus]

Sounds like you need to check the recycle time of your flash unit. It takes some time to charge up between flashes.

the M manual settings has nothing to do with when the flash fires - that is a control to determine how much light it outputs.

Thank you for the comment.

The flash sits next to me now and does not appear to care whether I give it one minute or five hours between flashes to charge back up. I am aware that it needs more time to recharge especially after firing on full power, but this does not appear to be the reason why it is so inconsistent.

If the camera is in TTL mode, is it correct to assume that the flash will sometimes not fire when the camera believe that there is "enough light" to receive good exposure without the flash?

In M mode, pressing the shutter button on the camera nor the Test button on the flash makes the flash fire. It might want to fire in two hours, or tomorrow. I just never know when it will work. Despite ambient lighting being the same as I have not changed a single setting.

Its frustrating because I cannot understand what the reason could be.

Regards,

 

[NickZ2016]

Not sure why you're blaming the flash.

It could be anything . The flash. The camera. Some setting on either. Unless you can send BOTH in to be checked you'll need to try swapping parts. Try a different camera with the flash. Does it work?

 

[kazysaurus]

Not sure why you're blaming the flash.

It could be anything . The flash. The camera. Some setting on either. Unless you can send BOTH in to be checked you'll need to try swapping parts. Try a different camera with the flash. Does it work?

 

[NickZ2016]

Pro level flashes should have pro level reliability. Virtually 100%

 

[kazysaurus]

Pro level flashes should have pro level reliability. Virtually 100%

 

[khunpapa]

- Do you believe that it is my settings rather than the flashgun?

I would love a discussion on this. Any feedback is much appreciated. Thank you.

Regards,

There are millions of flashes out there. Generic assumption is never be good. There's nothing 100.00% reliable except death and US tax.

 

[kazysaurus]

- Do you believe that it is my settings rather than the flashgun?

I would love a discussion on this. Any feedback is much appreciated. Thank you.

Regards,

There are millions of flashes out there. Generic assumption is never be good. There's nothing 100.00% reliable except death and US tax.

Thanks for the comment.

I can agree with that. I assume your recommendation it to test other products before making any conclusions about flashguns.

Its just interesting that there are millions of flashes, but not very many that complain about the reliability - hence I was wondering if I am just unlucky.

Thank you.

Regards,

 

[Guy Parsons]

- Do you believe that it is my settings rather than the flashgun?

I would love a discussion on this. Any feedback is much appreciated. Thank you.

Regards,

There are millions of flashes out there. Generic assumption is never be good. There's nothing 100.00% reliable except death and US tax.

Thanks for the comment.

I can agree with that. I assume your recommendation it to test other products before making any conclusions about flashguns.

Its just interesting that there are millions of flashes, but not very many that complain about the reliability - hence I was wondering if I am just unlucky.

Thank you.

Regards,

In my case never any flash problems over many years. In the last years of film used maybe 4 types of Nikon flashes with no problems, migrated those to Olympus digital cameras again with no problems (except no TTL of course). Eventually bought Olympus flashes to use on Olympus cameras and a Panasonic camera, no problems at all, they work when they should.

The flash should always fire when in manual mode and the camera set to trigger flash. Some cameras do it differently but Olympus has Redeye/Auto/Fill/Manual/Off (plus some second curtain choices etc) as the choices on the body - where Redeye does the very annoying pre-flashes, Auto fires the flash when the camera thinks it may be needed (as TTL), Fill to make it fire every time (as TTL), Manual to fire every time but with body control of flash power.

From your descriptions to me it seems the flash is faulty. If it won't reliably trigger when the test button is pressed then there's something definitely wrong.

Regards...... Guy

 

[kazysaurus]

- Do you believe that it is my settings rather than the flashgun?

I would love a discussion on this. Any feedback is much appreciated. Thank you.

Regards,

There are millions of flashes out there. Generic assumption is never be good. There's nothing 100.00% reliable except death and US tax.

Thanks for the comment.

I can agree with that. I assume your recommendation it to test other products before making any conclusions about flashguns.

Its just interesting that there are millions of flashes, but not very many that complain about the reliability - hence I was wondering if I am just unlucky.

Thank you.

Regards,

In my case never any flash problems over many years. In the last years of film used maybe 4 types of Nikon flashes with no problems, migrated those to Olympus digital cameras again with no problems (except no TTL of course). Eventually bought Olympus flashes to use on Olympus cameras and a Panasonic camera, no problems at all, they work when they should.

The flash should always fire when in manual mode and the camera set to trigger flash. Some cameras do it differently but Olympus has Redeye/Auto/Fill/Manual/Off (plus some second curtain choices etc) as the choices on the body - where Redeye does the very annoying pre-flashes, Auto fires the flash when the camera thinks it may be needed (as TTL), Fill to make it fire every time (as TTL), Manual to fire every time but with body control of flash power.

From your descriptions to me it seems the flash is faulty. If it won't reliably trigger when the test button is pressed then there's something definitely wrong.

Regards...... Guy

Thank you very much for the reply. You have confirmed my assumptions.

Phottix just got back to me and said the exact same as you, "it won't reliably trigger when the test button is pressed then there's something definitely wrong.".

Their customer service is very good, but I am nervous about flashguns as they do appear to degrade after a while, perhaps a bit too quick?

Regards,

 

[NickZ2016]

I still have a Metz 45 hammer type flash that must be over 30 years old. It still works. Problem is modern cameras are smarter than it is.

 

[Tom_N]

Are flashguns known to be this way?

Not as a rule. That's assuming that your batteries have juice left, that you have given the flash time to charge, and that the camera is set up to fire the flash.

- Do I need to purchase expensive Broncolor gear if i want consistent flash?

My flashguns are from vendors other than "Broncolor", and they fire reliably.

- Do you believe that it is my settings rather than the flashgun?

It's a possibility, but in a later post you said that the test button on the flash has the same problem, and that you see the problem even after leaving the flash alone. That points to weak batteries or a defective flash.

 

[kazysaurus]

Are flashguns known to be this way?

Not as a rule. That's assuming that your batteries have juice left, that you have given the flash time to charge, and that the camera is set up to fire the flash.

- Do I need to purchase expensive Broncolor gear if i want consistent flash?

My flashguns are from vendors other than "Broncolor", and they fire reliably.

- Do you believe that it is my settings rather than the flashgun?

It's a possibility, but in a later post you said that the test button on the flash has the same problem, and that you see the problem even after leaving the flash alone. That points to weak batteries or a defective flash.

Yes, I just put fresh AA batteries in and nothing happens when pressing the Test button. It powers on, but doesn't fire, so its like its braindead.

Just an example, but I wonder if something like this would be more reliable. I prefer not having to use cables and battery packs if possible: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1383954-REG/godox_ad600pro_witstro_flash_and.html

I think we are both leaning towards "defective flash". Thanks for the reply and your valuable input.

Regards,

 

[D Cox]

I still have a Metz 45 hammer type flash that must be over 30 years old. It still works. Problem is modern cameras are smarter than it is.

I recently dug a Metz hammerhead gun out of store. It hadn't been used for at least 20 years. The battery had to be replaced and then it works perfectly.

Very heavy beast.

 

[Mike_PEAT]

Most of the issues with flashes going defective (cheap ones AND top of the line OEM units) is people machine gunning the flash at high power levels beyond the stated limits in the manual.

In the manual it's usually stated how many times in a set period of time you can fire the flash at a specific power level.

The top of the line flashes will shut down and display something like HOT in the display.

Cheaper flashes may just burn out, or melt.

Flashes generate HEAT, and a portable battery operated flash is not meant to be machine gunned.

In the studio I use large metal strobes that are FAN COOLED...although I've been to other studios who's strobes AREN'T fan cooled, and we fried the strobes during the event.

 

[kazysaurus]

Most of the issues with flashes going defective (cheap ones AND top of the line OEM units) is people machine gunning the flash at high power levels beyond the stated limits in the manual.

In the manual it's usually stated how many times in a set period of time you can fire the flash at a specific power level.

The top of the line flashes will shut down and display something like HOT in the display.

Cheaper flashes may just burn out, or melt.

Flashes generate HEAT, and a portable battery operated flash is not meant to be machine gunned.

In the studio I use large metal strobes that are FAN COOLED...although I've been to other studios who's strobes AREN'T fan cooled, and we fried the strobes during the event.

Thanks for the comment.

I am not going to say that I do not "machine gun" the flash sometimes. I need to for the stuff that I shot. I never thought the Mitros+ was a very "cheap" flashgun though. Maybe in the mid-range for small flashes. If it did burn out/melt however it is curious that it still works from time to time.

I am starting to feel like flash units are like computer software - no one can say what the real problem is even after hours of troubleshooting.

I might need to look into something larger and more reliable so am curious about Profoto B1X, Godox AD600 Pro or Broncolor Siros 400/800 L.

Regards,

 

[Bob A L]

Maybe that brand does, but I have numerous flashes that are so old I could not guess how old they are that still work. I have never had a flash fail. I've had almost every brand imaginable through the years.

 

[richiebee]

I used to find my Elinchrom trigger to be very unreliable. Manufacturer suggested changing channels - could be caused by local interference on a particular channel. Didn't work for me, but could for you. Switched to their new type of triggers and the problems disappeared.

I have Yongnuo triggers (TTL and manual ones) that work flawlessly with speedlights, and my Godox one works flawlessly with my Godox AD-200's.