Originally posted by slawek Hi all,
This thread is 11 pages long by now and has many detailed answers about range sync speed etc., but I couldn't find a simple description of how this system works.
I've found an item on Ebay (
RF602 Flash Trigger Pentax K10D K200D with 2 Receivers on eBay.ca (item 230476852951 end time 14-Jan-11 03:43:59 EST))
that has two receivers and TWO CABLES.
I have two flashes 540FGZ and 400FTZ (and one K20D). Do I need a cable for each flash? - The 540 doesn't have a connection!
Could you describe in a few short sentences (or perhaps post a link to) how do I connect everything, do I need cables (to trigger remote flashes) and in what modes those flashes have to (or can) be?
Thanks!
There are two different types of cables that come with the RF-602 units.
The first type is the remote shutter cable. On one end is the proprietary jack that you fit into the back of the RX (receiver) unit (in your link it is the end with the red collar). The other end goes into the remote shutter socket of your camera. This end comes in many different varieties, with different ones for different cameras since different cameras have different types of remote shutter sockets. E.g. if someone had a Canon EOS 1Ds, or 5D, 5D2, 40D, 50D, etc, they they'd have to get the cable with the appropriate jack that fits into their remote shutter socket. Shooting Pentax, the remote shutter jack that fits our cameras is a 2.5mm stereo jack. This 2.5mm stereo jack is used by the K10D, K20D, K-5, K7, etc, and also Canon 350D, 400D, 450D, 500D, so the auction that you linked to will work with your camera. You use this cable when you want to use the RF-602 units as a remote shutter release. You plug the proprietary jack end of the cable into the RF-602 RX, and the other end into the remote shutter socket of your camera. You half press the RF-602 TX (transmitter) unit, and this should act in a similar manner as if you half-press the shutter button on the camera; full press, and this should act in a similar manner as if you fully press the shutter button on the camera, i.e. you take a photo.
The second type of cable is the flash sync cable. One end is the proprietary jack that you fit into the back of the RX unit. The other end terminates in a 3.5mm mono jack, and in the auction that you linked to, there is a supplied 3.5mm->6.5mm mono adapter. This cable is used if your flash unit has a 3.5mm or 6.5mm sync socket (such as in some studio strobes), and is used when you use the RF-602s as a wireless flash trigger. You plug the proprietary jack end of the cable into the RF-602 RX and the other end into your flash/strobe. You put the TX onto your camera, and when you take a photo, the TX should send a signal to the RX which then makes the flash/strobe fire.
Now, you want to use the RF-602s with your 540FGZ and 400FTZ. The good news is, you don't need to worry about the cables at all, because you can just slide your flash units into the hotshoes of the RX! Put the 540FGZ in the hotshoe of one RX, and put the 400FTZ into the hotshoe of the other RX. Put the TX into the camera hotshoe, make sure all units are on and using the same channel, and that's all you really need. The flashes can be in almost any mode, as long as the mode does not turn off the flashes' hotshoe connection.
I know you asked for a few short sentences, but I gave you a wall of text. Sorry