Radio trigger issue!

[CCC223742]

Hi everyone, I am having trouble with my ebay radio trigger. I used to be able to sync it with my D70 at 1/350 shutter speed. Now I can't sync faster than 1/60 shutter speed. I changed both the sender and receiver batteries with no luck to solve the problem. Does anyone know how to solve this issue?

I am using:

-Cheap ebay radio trigger.
-D70
-AB800 lights.

I test it with the sync cords and it was fine.

Thanks in advance and hope you can help me solve this.

CCC

 

[paulbuff]

These triggers send a repeated stream of fire commands. If you have weak batteries or distance or nterference problems their trigger delay time can increase and cause this problem.

Paul

 

[Scottydog]

If you check the Menu, is the D70 sync accidentally set at 1/60?

--
'The question is not what you look at, but what you see.'

• Henry David Thoreau

 

[ekn]

Sounds like you changed the flash triggering to REAR-CURTAIN instead of FRONT-CURTAIN.

I'm not sure what this is called in Nikon speak, but in essence you have the ability to fire the flash at the beginning of the exposure (Front-curtain) or the end of the exposure (rear-curtain). As the radio triggers have a slight amount of latency to them, the rear-curtain exposure would cause the flash to fire after the shutter is closed.

 

[CCC223742]

Thanks for your replies! But haven't been able to solve the problem.

-I got fresh batteries for both the sender and receiver.

-My D70 is set to 1/60 sync; i don't know where to set it, I think this apply only when using the internal flash.

-I can't set the curtain, either front or rear, because I am not using internal flash.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks again for those who took the time to help me out, hope there are others willing to help.

Cheers,

CCC

 

[swu]

this is what I will do if the cord works but not the remote

• check battery level, I used a charger that tells me the battery freshness. You should not use rechargeable.

• check distance from your trigger to the receiver, it should be far enough, say if 8 ft works, if yes then get closer.

• reset the camera, dial in manual mode with sync speed to 1/125 with external flash mode, then see if that works.

 

[CCC223742]

Tried fresh batteries, diferent distances with and without interference, and no success.

I don't know if I can set sync shutter with external flash in the D70, I've looked for it but didn't find anything. The only setting for syncing shutter is for the the built in flash.

Thanks anyways.

If anyone else might know, how to solve this problem, please drop me a line, I am desperate. It sucks to go back to wires.

Cheers,

CCC

 

[rockjano]

I have a D70 also and I just bought a cheap Chinese radio trigger (not from E-bay but it should be similar, Guang Bao about 70 dollar)

I can sync up to about 1/500, which is good enough for normal studio work.

BUT with cable I could sync up to 1/8000 which is great to reduce power and freeze motion.

With that I could photograph jumping people and I could get tack sharp freezed motion, seems not to be possible with radio trigger, it is slower.

Thanks
jano

 

[CCC223742]

I used to be able to do tht before. Now I can sync up to 1/60 with both my AB800s. When using an old Olympus flash (OM) i can get to sync up to 1/500. So, I guess the problem is with my AB's, not the Radio trigger.

CCC

 

[paulbuff]

There's a lot of strange stuff on this thread.

What camera ca do flash sync at 1/8000? Certainly not a DSLR with a shutter. Older non SLR digital cameras can sync faster the SLRs and I don't know the details, but 1/8000 sounds awful fast.

The minimum delay time of this family of trippers is about 1/1600 second, which is fast enough to keep up with the maximum flash sync speed of DSLRs, which are normally from1/125 to around 1/320 depending on the camera. However these trippers transmit a long stream of trigger commands - around 1/100 seconds worth. If the batteries are weak or the reception is poor the signal can be received late and thus cause long sync speeds.

As for ABs VS other lghts there is no reason for any of this that I am aware. When they receive a fire command they fire instantly - in about 1/100,000 second. If there were an interface problem they would not fire at all. The only situation I could see is that this particular tripper is sensitive to the AC power field around the AB or other AC studio flash that might be interfering with the receiver and causing it to fire late.

The trippers we are talking about are not my product so I can't add much more than this. But I can say that we have never had a report of any late firing issues with our RFT1 trippers whatsoever. I use them regularly at the max sync speed of my Canon 400D and have never seen a late sync.

 

[Bach184117]

There's a lot of strange stuff on this thread.
What camera ca do flash sync at 1/8000? Certainly not a DSLR with a
shutter. Older non SLR digital cameras can sync faster the SLRs and
I don't know the details, but 1/8000 sounds awful fast.

Paul, the D70 has mechanical AND electronic shutter speed that allow the camera to get up to 1/8000s. Upper than arround 1/100s-1/160s the camera use electronic shutter speed that allow the camera specs to get 1/500s XFlash.

In manual mode and with the center pin flash contact (and side) ... the camera use the electronic shutter (so no first and no second curtain ... or only to open and close the gate). Just a read out of the sensor ... which allow 1/8000s.

The minimum delay time of this family of trippers is about 1/1600
second, which is fast enough to keep up with the maximum flash sync
speed of DSLRs, which are normally from1/125 to around 1/320
depending on the camera.

With my D1x I can get 1/1000s (mechanically I think) with radio triggers ... and Strobes.

As for ABs VS other lghts there is no reason for any of this that I
am aware. When they receive a fire command they fire instantly - in
about 1/100,000 second.

Yes, but IHMO, final result may also depend on the T(x). Does the OP use full power with your AB (?) if not what is your T1 and T5 curve from minimal power to max power ?

The trippers we are talking about are not my product so I can't add
much more than this. But I can say that we have never had a report
of any late firing issues with our RFT1 trippers whatsoever. I use
them regularly at the max sync speed of my Canon 400D and have
never seen a late sync.

In my opinion the OP may jus purchase another wireless trigger - the same model as someone suggested. There too much unknown variables on the using trigger to give a useable answer ihmo.

If possible, the OP may use wire for the first strobe and put all other on built in slave ??? Have ABs Built in slave sensor ? If so which is the slave sensor delay combine the fire command delay combine the strobe Flash delay ?

Bach.

 

[ekn]

-I can't set the curtain, either front or rear, because I am not
using internal flash.

From what I've been able to ascertain, the F/R sync is set using the Flash Button and the Main Command Dial.

This should be universal for all flash triggering regardless of internal or external.

 

[paulbuff]

There's a lot of strange stuff on this thread.
What camera ca do flash sync at 1/8000? Certainly not a DSLR with a
shutter. Older non SLR digital cameras can sync faster the SLRs and
I don't know the details, but 1/8000 sounds awful fast.

Paul, the D70 has mechanical AND electronic shutter speed that
allow the camera to get up to 1/8000s. Upper than arround
1/100s-1/160s the camera use electronic shutter speed that allow
the camera specs to get 1/500s XFlash.

In manual mode and with the center pin flash contact (and side) ...
the camera use the electronic shutter (so no first and no second
curtain ... or only to open and close the gate). Just a read out of
the sensor ... which allow 1/8000s.

The minimum delay time of this family of trippers is about 1/1600
second, which is fast enough to keep up with the maximum flash sync
speed of DSLRs, which are normally from1/125 to around 1/320
depending on the camera.

With my D1x I can get 1/1000s (mechanically I think) with radio
triggers ... and Strobes.

As for ABs VS other lghts there is no reason for any of this that I
am aware. When they receive a fire command they fire instantly - in
about 1/100,000 second.

Yes, but IHMO, final result may also depend on the T(x). Does the
OP use full power with your AB (?) if not what is your T1 and T5
curve from minimal power to max power ?

The trippers we are talking about are not my product so I can't add
much more than this. But I can say that we have never had a report
of any late firing issues with our RFT1 trippers whatsoever. I use
them regularly at the max sync speed of my Canon 400D and have
never seen a late sync.

In my opinion the OP may jus purchase another wireless trigger -
the same model as someone suggested. There too much unknown
variables on the using trigger to give a useable answer ihmo.

If possible, the OP may use wire for the first strobe and put all
other on built in slave ??? Have ABs Built in slave sensor ? If so
which is the slave sensor delay combine the fire command delay
combine the strobe Flash delay ?

Bach.

Bach,

Very valuable and interesting info. I'll have to study the D70 - seems like a great sports camera. Maybe I'll have to buy one and do some sync speed testing.

Ron Galbraith and I have been discussing this issue. It seems such a camera with electronic shutter can clip off the trailing end of studio flash like AB. Were you to use electronic shutter at 1/1500 you would cut off the last 1/2 of the flashpower cleanly and end up with a t.5 AND t.1 (and t.01 for that matter) and ambient of 1/1500. Stop action dead.

With an SLR synced at 1/250 you would get t.5 of 1/1600. t.1 of 1/500 and ambient of 1/250. Huge difference for stopping action and shutting out ambient!!
Canon/Nikon - listen up - put these shutters on pro cameras!!!

I just did a rigorous study of flash duration VS power for AB1600 tonight. Here are the results (t.5) (t.1 times are three times as long on most all studio flash and still show some ghosting). You should get similar results with other studio flash with voltage variable flashpower (most are).

Full Power (640WS) = 1/1600 second, 1/2 = 1/1450, 1/4 = 1/1230, 1/8 = 1/1032, 1/16 = 1/930. 1/32 power = 1/880

Also, ABs and WLs work perfectly well with RFT1 trippers at 1/200 on Canon 400D

Regards,

Paul

 

[rockjano]

Sorrily this electronic shutter is only in the D70 and D50 (maybe in the D40 as well not sure)

Just the 6 Mpixel Sony CCD.

The newer 10Mpixel CCD in D80 D200and D40x cannot do that.

And it only works until 1/4000 usually, above that there are readout problems of the D70, it gets a kind of strange pattern a mash.

I am keeping my D70 just because of that. You can freeze motion under studio circumstances, without breaking the bank and buying Profoto or Broncolor.

Of course you cannot measure this light you are using just part of the flash light, you have to watch the histogram.

Thanks
jano

 

[paulbuff]

What a shame the camera makers can't understand that photogs use their stuff with studo lights to take sensational pictures. So many corporate types running around in circles copying one another making the same stuff with different labels (to a large degree). Same in most other industries.

Paul

 

[rockjano]

Well... yes they don't care much about people working in studio environment.

Relatively few people do that probably.

But I think it is much more a technical question, this certain Sony CCD is capable to do that trick.

But megapixel race sells more than this little technical magic.

And being honest newer cameras has much improved noise cancelling methods.

And 10 Mpixel is really more than 6. So I will also change to D80 just keep the D70 for motion freezing

Thanks
jano

 

[Bach184117]

With an SLR synced at 1/250 you would get t.5 of 1/1600. t.1 of
1/500 and ambient of 1/250. Huge difference for stopping action and
shutting out ambient!!

Hi Paul,

Woud you rate these .... action or ambient or both ?

Synced at 1/1000s (3 monolights) - single drop



Synced at 1/1000s (3 monolights) - twin drops



Regards,

Bach.

 

[paulbuff]

I would rate the first one in particular as superb. What camera to sync at 1/1000?

Paul

 

[paulbuff]

Well... yes they don't care much about people working in studio
environment.

Relatively few people do that probably.

But I think it is much more a technical question, this certain Sony
CCD is capable to do that trick.

But megapixel race sells more than this little technical magic.

And being honest newer cameras has much improved noise cancelling
methods.

And 10 Mpixel is really more than 6. So I will also change to D80
just keep the D70 for motion freezing

Thanks

jano

You are absolutely correct. It usually comes down to companies like mine coming up with solutions to issues the corporate giants don't address. I myself am currently engaged in intense R and D toward solving some of these speed issues. I just wish there were more innovators and fewer copy cats.

Hey, how about ambient light cancelling circuitry?

Paul

 

[wantabe]

I tape the rear two terminals on the sb800 and achive 1/8000 sinc but studio lights do not sinc that fast.