Nikon D750 studio flash settings

[d750newbie]

Hi,

I'm a newbie, I use a cheap neewer studio lighting flash kit (bought from amazon) and I have a Nikon D750.

I have been using the neewer lights with a wireless trigger for a few months now and never had a problem. As its a bit dull outside at the moment I have been using my studio flash more. Last week all of a sudden for no apparent reason the flash decided to stop working mid shoot. Not completely, it flashes every so often. As far as I am aware I have not touched any settings no my camera, or the back of the lights, the batteries are all new in the transmitter and the receiver, of the 2 lights I have one of the bulbs has blown (I am in the process of trying to replace it - another story) but the other bulb is definitely working (as like I say every so often the flash decides to work) and nothing else has changed.

I am new to everything, this time last year I had never picked up a DSLR never mind used it to earn a living and as such I am still learning so please bear with me. I have a very basic understanding of it all so if anybody can help me at all with a solution to what could be wrong please explain like I am 5

I generally use the camera on aperture priority mode, since turning to full M mode the flash does go off more often, yet still not every time...this indicates to me that it has something to do with a setting on my camera??

Thank you for your help in advance.

Bec

 

[Dutch Newchurch]

You're setting the shutter speed to 1/200s or slower?

(I don't think that's the problem; I'd expect the flash still to pop, but leave part of the frame undexposed.)

 

[24Peter]

On my D750, I can only use 1/125th of a second with a third party transmitter and studio strobes to get clean shots (i.e., no partial shadows from the camera shutter.) I always shoot in full Manual mode - typical settings for a studio shoot - 1/125th ISO 100 F5.6 depending on the DOF I need. Product shots I can use F16, portraits and headshots F2.8-4.

Intermittent firing of flashes usually for me is when the battery is low in the transmitter or receivers. You say the batteries are good. I don't think camera settings would cause intermittent firing unless the camera is not able to focus. (The D750 in general may be set to not release the shutter when it can't obtain accurate focus, but that wouldn't be related to the flashes specifically.)

The only other thing I can think of is to check the contacts on the camera hot shoe and transmitter. Clean with a pencil eraser or a tiny dab of 100% isopropyl alcohol on a q-tip.

I did have one cheap third party transmitter go bad once for no apparent reason. I replaced it and things were fine. They are cheap enough that I now just get two of everything (transmitters & receivers)

--
Check out my new book: "Be Bigger Than You Think You Are!"
www.bebiggertoday.com
www.peteralessandriaphotography.com
Instagram
My DPReview Feature Article

 

[Klaus dk]

Could be radio interference, maybe you have introduced new electronics or a different wireless LAN? Have you tried changing channel on your trigger set?

 

[LordKOTL]

Hi,

I'm a newbie, I use a cheap neewer studio lighting flash kit (bought from amazon) and I have a Nikon D750.

I have been using the neewer lights with a wireless trigger for a few months now and never had a problem. As its a bit dull outside at the moment I have been using my studio flash more. Last week all of a sudden for no apparent reason the flash decided to stop working mid shoot. Not completely, it flashes every so often. As far as I am aware I have not touched any settings no my camera, or the back of the lights, the batteries are all new in the transmitter and the receiver, of the 2 lights I have one of the bulbs has blown (I am in the process of trying to replace it - another story) but the other bulb is definitely working (as like I say every so often the flash decides to work) and nothing else has changed.

I am new to everything, this time last year I had never picked up a DSLR never mind used it to earn a living and as such I am still learning so please bear with me. I have a very basic understanding of it all so if anybody can help me at all with a solution to what could be wrong please explain like I am 5

I generally use the camera on aperture priority mode, since turning to full M mode the flash does go off more often, yet still not every time...this indicates to me that it has something to do with a setting on my camera??

Thank you for your help in advance.

Bec

I'm not sure if Neewer has this same issue that the Godox ones do, but you might want to check if your transmitter is in close-range mode or not.

For Godox units, if you're too close occasionally the flash won't fire. There's a button press while turning on for the transmitter that puts it in close range mode. You might want to look into whether or not your Neewer transmitter has something similar.

 

[sirhawkeye64]

Hi,

I'm a newbie, I use a cheap neewer studio lighting flash kit (bought from amazon) and I have a Nikon D750.

I have been using the neewer lights with a wireless trigger for a few months now and never had a problem. As its a bit dull outside at the moment I have been using my studio flash more. Last week all of a sudden for no apparent reason the flash decided to stop working mid shoot. Not completely, it flashes every so often. As far as I am aware I have not touched any settings no my camera, or the back of the lights, the batteries are all new in the transmitter and the receiver, of the 2 lights I have one of the bulbs has blown (I am in the process of trying to replace it - another story) but the other bulb is definitely working (as like I say every so often the flash decides to work) and nothing else has changed.

I am new to everything, this time last year I had never picked up a DSLR never mind used it to earn a living and as such I am still learning so please bear with me. I have a very basic understanding of it all so if anybody can help me at all with a solution to what could be wrong please explain like I am 5

I generally use the camera on aperture priority mode, since turning to full M mode the flash does go off more often, yet still not every time...this indicates to me that it has something to do with a setting on my camera??

Thank you for your help in advance.

Bec

Your flash not firing each time may mean that it's not recycling fast enough. Also some of the budget flash systems have a lower reliability rate. My Yongnuo's are about a 70% success rate, whereas my Godox system fires about 95% of the time, and the few times it hasn't, it's because of user error.

The Neewer system, to be honest, is about at the level of Yongnuo. Godox/Flashpoint is a step up. It could also be your flash or your receiver on the flash went to sleep.

 

[d750newbie]

Just wanted to reach out to everyone who replied to my first ever post on here. Thank you! With all your ideas I had a little experiment and ended up learning a lot.

As it turns out I think the problem was with the flash itself and not the trigger. After around 10 minutes in to every session my flash needs a 5 minute break (to cool down?? not sure!)

I have finally managed to replace the other flash bulb and I have also invested in a second hand sb700.

I agree with one comment about the quality of my studio lighting, this is something I am looking in to, however it all comes down to cost at the moment. Once again thank you for your replies.