Bower flash wont sync in slave mode.

haassaasin · 07-03-2011, 01:41 PM

Hey guys, I bought a Bower SFD926P for my pentax k-x. It works fine when mounted on my camera, but when I use it as a wireless flash it wont sync 90% of the time. The flash fires all the time but will only sync 1 in 10 times randomly.

Is it because it is a cheap flash? (I can make my peace with that) or is there something I can do to correct this?

Thanks.

SOldBear · 07-03-2011, 01:55 PM

Disclaimer: I don't own and have never played with this flash unit.

I think the Bower SFD926P does not support Pentax p-TTL wireless flash, even though it does have a (dumb) optical slave function. In other words, in slave mode, it is triggered by any strobe.

Do this: set the Bower (off camera) in slave mode, set the camera in 2 second timer delay mode with the built-in flash up, try a test shot. You will see:

1. The preflash strobe from the built-in flash.
2. 2 second delay.
3. Mirror going up and the main strobe from the built-in flash.

Notice what the Bower is triggered by, (1) or (3). My feeling is it is trigger by (1), and probably also (3) depending on whether it recharges fast enough.

abmj · 07-06-2011, 10:27 PM

I own that flash and have had the same problem. As you noted, it is fully p-TTL capable when on the camera. It appears that in slave mode, the flash triggers on the preflash from the built-in flash instead of waiting for the main flash. It goes off but not while the shutter is open. It is very disappointing but I guess you get what you pay for.

My best way so far to get this flash unit off-camera is to use a radio trigger. That means that I can't use the on-camera flash to add a second light source so instead I use a second off-camera flash with an optical slave trigger. The radio triggers the Bower flash and that triggers the other one.

Coop · 08-23-2015, 09:16 AM

I found a solution that works for me thanks to the information you guys have shared here. To try and stop the off camera flash from being triggered by the on-camera flash "pre-flash", I took some black nylon material and made a screen that wraps around the off camera flash, filtering where the red sensor is to block out the pre-flash. Now the off camera flash only responds to the "real flash" and contributes to the photo. Hope this is still of some use to someone.

07-03-2011, 01:41 PM	#1
haassaasin Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Toronto Posts: 48	Bower flash wont sync in slave mode. Hey guys, I bought a Bower SFD926P for my pentax k-x. It works fine when mounted on my camera, but when I use it as a wireless flash it wont sync 90% of the time. The flash fires all the time but will only sync 1 in 10 times randomly. Is it because it is a cheap flash? (I can make my peace with that) or is there something I can do to correct this? Thanks.

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07-03-2011, 01:55 PM	#2
SOldBear Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Alameda, CA Posts: 3,206	Disclaimer: I don't own and have never played with this flash unit. I think the Bower SFD926P does not support Pentax p-TTL wireless flash, even though it does have a (dumb) optical slave function. In other words, in slave mode, it is triggered by any strobe. Do this: set the Bower (off camera) in slave mode, set the camera in 2 second timer delay mode with the built-in flash up, try a test shot. You will see: 1. The preflash strobe from the built-in flash. 2. 2 second delay. 3. Mirror going up and the main strobe from the built-in flash. Notice what the Bower is triggered by, (1) or (3). My feeling is it is trigger by (1), and probably also (3) depending on whether it recharges fast enough.

07-06-2011, 10:27 PM	#3
abmj Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Central California Posts: 600	I own that flash and have had the same problem. As you noted, it is fully p-TTL capable when on the camera. It appears that in slave mode, the flash triggers on the preflash from the built-in flash instead of waiting for the main flash. It goes off but not while the shutter is open. It is very disappointing but I guess you get what you pay for. My best way so far to get this flash unit off-camera is to use a radio trigger. That means that I can't use the on-camera flash to add a second light source so instead I use a second off-camera flash with an optical slave trigger. The radio triggers the Bower flash and that triggers the other one.

08-23-2015, 09:16 AM	#4
Coop New Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 1	I found a solution that works for me thanks to the information you guys have shared here. To try and stop the off camera flash from being triggered by the on-camera flash "pre-flash", I took some black nylon material and made a screen that wraps around the off camera flash, filtering where the red sensor is to block out the pre-flash. Now the off camera flash only responds to the "real flash" and contributes to the photo. Hope this is still of some use to someone.