Chinese Knockoff Flash Guns

Pentax Bob · 09-23-2010, 06:04 PM

I have been using 1/125 or less.

pop4 · 09-24-2010, 10:27 AM

One of these arrived the other day:

For $75USD delivered, and for it's use as a manual off camera flash (triggered with my Yongnuo RF-602 wireless flash triggers), I'm definitely not complaining. No issues at all either.

photoman022 · 09-25-2010, 08:08 AM

The one thing I notice about the YN460 -- and i just discovered it -- is that when your batteries wear down, the unit turns itself off. You turn it on, wait for it to charge up, and it turns off. I put in new batteries (always keep them on hand!) and the unit worked fine.

GeneV · 09-26-2010, 03:56 PM

Originally posted by Pentax Bob

Maybe I spoke too soon. My BY-26 no longer trigggers on my K-x. Have no clue why. It works fine on other cameras. Test flash also works. Other hot shoe flash units work fine on the K-x. I have been using manual mode on the K-x and the flash on Auto thyristor mode. I know the trigger voltage of the flash is 3.8 volts. Anybody got any ideas what might be wrong???

I've had various issues like that with one camera or another not making good contact with Chinese triggers. I pushed the transmitter around on the shoe and got it to work. However, with my old 645, I have only one YN transmitter that I can get to fire reliably. Maybe the contacts are small.

Muse · 09-28-2010, 07:41 PM

Originally posted by GeneV

I've had various issues like that with one camera or another not making good contact with Chinese triggers. I pushed the transmitter around on the shoe and got it to work. However, with my old 645, I have only one YN transmitter that I can get to fire reliably. Maybe the contacts are small.

Maybe you can clean the contacts, say with alcohol and Q-Tips.

GeneV · 09-30-2010, 07:01 PM

Originally posted by Muse

Maybe you can clean the contacts, say with alcohol and Q-Tips.

I'd say burnishing might be more needed.

adammm · 10-01-2010, 04:40 PM

My experience with a YN460 has been great. It is a simple to use manual flash. I use it with YongNuo radio triggers, and found it to be a great way to learn off camera flash at a low price.
I did modify mine (moved the sensor from the head to the body, a change which is apparently implemented in later models).

brecklundin · 10-02-2010, 01:17 PM

Originally posted by GeneV

I've had various issues like that with one camera or another not making good contact with Chinese triggers. I pushed the transmitter around on the shoe and got it to work. However, with my old 645, I have only one YN transmitter that I can get to fire reliably. Maybe the contacts are small.

yeah, it's kinda common with these "ghetto triggers"...but I love them as I don't really need full RF remote control and can deal with a few manual flashes in a small area no problem.

but yes about the temperamental nature of the triggers AND the flashes as well. Heck I have one of my original YN-460 flashes that needed both the control panel "foil" mod to get the buttons back to working but also I kinda....ummm....borked the case when nosing around inside and now it's held together with duct tape!!

I still am gonna order one of the newer YN-560's for the zoom feature as I really miss that function after being an dolt and selling my Canon EX480-II's when I switched to Pentax, I shudda just kept them as off camera manual flashes...man those are super flashes and were ~$160/ea when I bought them a few years back thanks to Bing's 35% cashback! d'oh!! But I did get $245/ea for them when I sold 'em...offset the loss on the darned Sigma 10-20...sorta.

GeneV · 10-04-2010, 07:33 AM

Originally posted by brecklundin

yeah, it's kinda common with these "ghetto triggers"...but I love them as I don't really need full RF remote control and can deal with a few manual flashes in a small area no problem.

but yes about the temperamental nature of the triggers AND the flashes as well. Heck I have one of my original YN-460 flashes that needed both the control panel "foil" mod to get the buttons back to working but also I kinda....ummm....borked the case when nosing around inside and now it's held together with duct tape!!

I still am gonna order one of the newer YN-560's for the zoom feature as I really miss that function after being an dolt and selling my Canon EX480-II's when I switched to Pentax, I shudda just kept them as off camera manual flashes...man those are super flashes and were ~$160/ea when I bought them a few years back thanks to Bing's 35% cashback! d'oh!! But I did get $245/ea for them when I sold 'em...offset the loss on the darned Sigma 10-20...sorta.

On my DSLR bodies, I've had very good luck as long as the sync isn't over 1/125. The 645 is a different story altogether. It probably had a hard life before I bought it, and the contacts may need some burnishing.

Pauld · 10-16-2010, 03:07 PM

I have a few things from Yongnuo and I am really surprised by the quality of their products considering the price they charge. I recently received my YN560 lens and it works great. For under $100 for a flash you cannot go wrong.

redeleon · 10-21-2010, 06:10 PM

I just got the YN560
this thing is great, I uesd a Metz 48 AF1 before, I can tell that this thing is built a bit more better than my metz!
and damn this thing is powerful!

Lloydy · 10-22-2010, 04:32 PM

My brother in law is quality manager for a very large European company that like many others now has all it's manufacturing done in China, so he spends a lot of time over there going around various factories.
I can't say which company or what products are involved because a huge law suit is under way.

Last year he was visiting a factory and the owner proudly told him that the machines never stopped, they ran three shifts, seven days, every week of the year making parts solely for this European company, and each machine made one component.

My brother in law did a quick calculation and running three shifts they would complete their order in five months. What where they doing with the other seven months of production?

It didn't take a genius to work out that the finished product that was assembled in Europe was contained within a casing, so after a bit of poking around he soon unearthed another shed at the back of the Chinese factory making different looking cases that accepted the European companies components.

In effect, the people who bought 'cheap Chinese' versions on market stalls and Ebay were actually getting the same quality as the original.

I'm not saying the flash units are the same, but apparently it's a widespread problem

redeleon · 10-24-2010, 12:21 AM

as it is stated,
"God created the heavens and the Earth, everything else is made in China"

10-22-2010, 04:32 PM	#27
Lloydy Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Shropshire, UK Posts: 1,114	My brother in law is quality manager for a very large European company that like many others now has all it's manufacturing done in China, so he spends a lot of time over there going around various factories. I can't say which company or what products are involved because a huge law suit is under way. Last year he was visiting a factory and the owner proudly told him that the machines never stopped, they ran three shifts, seven days, every week of the year making parts solely for this European company, and each machine made one component. My brother in law did a quick calculation and running three shifts they would complete their order in five months. What where they doing with the other seven months of production? It didn't take a genius to work out that the finished product that was assembled in Europe was contained within a casing, so after a bit of poking around he soon unearthed another shed at the back of the Chinese factory making different looking cases that accepted the European companies components. In effect, the people who bought 'cheap Chinese' versions on market stalls and Ebay were actually getting the same quality as the original. I'm not saying the flash units are the same, but apparently it's a widespread problem Last edited by Lloydy; 10-22-2010 at 04:33 PM. Reason: sp

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09-23-2010, 06:04 PM	#16
Pentax Bob Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Maryland Photos: Albums Posts: 119	I have been using 1/125 or less.

09-24-2010, 10:27 AM	#17
pop4 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: YMML Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,879	One of these arrived the other day: For $75USD delivered, and for it's use as a manual off camera flash (triggered with my Yongnuo RF-602 wireless flash triggers), I'm definitely not complaining. No issues at all either.

09-25-2010, 08:08 AM	#18
photoman022 New Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Manchester CT USA Posts: 4	The one thing I notice about the YN460 -- and i just discovered it -- is that when your batteries wear down, the unit turns itself off. You turn it on, wait for it to charge up, and it turns off. I put in new batteries (always keep them on hand!) and the unit worked fine.

09-26-2010, 03:56 PM	#19
GeneV Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Albuquerque NM Photos: Albums Posts: 9,830	Originally posted by Pentax Bob Maybe I spoke too soon. My BY-26 no longer trigggers on my K-x. Have no clue why. It works fine on other cameras. Test flash also works. Other hot shoe flash units work fine on the K-x. I have been using manual mode on the K-x and the flash on Auto thyristor mode. I know the trigger voltage of the flash is 3.8 volts. Anybody got any ideas what might be wrong??? I've had various issues like that with one camera or another not making good contact with Chinese triggers. I pushed the transmitter around on the shoe and got it to work. However, with my old 645, I have only one YN transmitter that I can get to fire reliably. Maybe the contacts are small.

09-28-2010, 07:41 PM	#20
Muse Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: SF Bay Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 211	Originally posted by GeneV I've had various issues like that with one camera or another not making good contact with Chinese triggers. I pushed the transmitter around on the shoe and got it to work. However, with my old 645, I have only one YN transmitter that I can get to fire reliably. Maybe the contacts are small. Maybe you can clean the contacts, say with alcohol and Q-Tips.

09-30-2010, 07:01 PM	#21
GeneV Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Albuquerque NM Photos: Albums Posts: 9,830	Originally posted by Muse Maybe you can clean the contacts, say with alcohol and Q-Tips. I'd say burnishing might be more needed.

10-01-2010, 04:40 PM	#22
adammm New Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: QLD Posts: 9	My experience with a YN460 has been great. It is a simple to use manual flash. I use it with YongNuo radio triggers, and found it to be a great way to learn off camera flash at a low price. I did modify mine (moved the sensor from the head to the body, a change which is apparently implemented in later models).

10-02-2010, 01:17 PM	#23
brecklundin Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Photos: Albums Posts: 1,674	Originally posted by GeneV I've had various issues like that with one camera or another not making good contact with Chinese triggers. I pushed the transmitter around on the shoe and got it to work. However, with my old 645, I have only one YN transmitter that I can get to fire reliably. Maybe the contacts are small. yeah, it's kinda common with these "ghetto triggers"...but I love them as I don't really need full RF remote control and can deal with a few manual flashes in a small area no problem. but yes about the temperamental nature of the triggers AND the flashes as well. Heck I have one of my original YN-460 flashes that needed both the control panel "foil" mod to get the buttons back to working but also I kinda....ummm....borked the case when nosing around inside and now it's held together with duct tape!! I still am gonna order one of the newer YN-560's for the zoom feature as I really miss that function after being an dolt and selling my Canon EX480-II's when I switched to Pentax, I shudda just kept them as off camera manual flashes...man those are super flashes and were ~$160/ea when I bought them a few years back thanks to Bing's 35% cashback! d'oh!! But I did get $245/ea for them when I sold 'em...offset the loss on the darned Sigma 10-20...sorta.

10-04-2010, 07:33 AM	#24
GeneV Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Albuquerque NM Photos: Albums Posts: 9,830	Originally posted by brecklundin yeah, it's kinda common with these "ghetto triggers"...but I love them as I don't really need full RF remote control and can deal with a few manual flashes in a small area no problem. but yes about the temperamental nature of the triggers AND the flashes as well. Heck I have one of my original YN-460 flashes that needed both the control panel "foil" mod to get the buttons back to working but also I kinda....ummm....borked the case when nosing around inside and now it's held together with duct tape!! I still am gonna order one of the newer YN-560's for the zoom feature as I really miss that function after being an dolt and selling my Canon EX480-II's when I switched to Pentax, I shudda just kept them as off camera manual flashes...man those are super flashes and were ~$160/ea when I bought them a few years back thanks to Bing's 35% cashback! d'oh!! But I did get $245/ea for them when I sold 'em...offset the loss on the darned Sigma 10-20...sorta. On my DSLR bodies, I've had very good luck as long as the sync isn't over 1/125. The 645 is a different story altogether. It probably had a hard life before I bought it, and the contacts may need some burnishing.

10-16-2010, 03:07 PM	#25
Pauld Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Calgary, Alberta Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 507	I have a few things from Yongnuo and I am really surprised by the quality of their products considering the price they charge. I recently received my YN560 lens and it works great. For under $100 for a flash you cannot go wrong.

10-21-2010, 06:10 PM	#26
redeleon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Manila Photos: Albums Posts: 226	I just got the YN560 this thing is great, I uesd a Metz 48 AF1 before, I can tell that this thing is built a bit more better than my metz! and damn this thing is powerful!

10-24-2010, 12:21 AM	#28
redeleon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Manila Photos: Albums Posts: 226	as it is stated, "God created the heavens and the Earth, everything else is made in China"