Triggers

chromo · 02-17-2012, 07:43 PM

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me : Are there any RF-603 triggers available for Pentax ?

Sol Invictus · 02-17-2012, 09:02 PM

RF 603s work with Pentax. I'm assuming you're shopping on eBay where the blurb say that the triggers are for Canon or Nikon. It's really all nonsense to draw customers. The Yongnuo's will work with Pentax cameras.

During shoots, I use Cactus triggers but I also put on the Yongnuo triggers when switching to other photographer's setups. I've had no problems.

joe.penn · 02-17-2012, 09:12 PM

Originally posted by Sol Invictus

The Yongnuo's will work with Pentax cameras.

The 603's? You have them working with Pentax bodies? The 602's work (the Canon model) with pentax bodies, the 603's have the changed circuitry pins and do not line up with the hotshoe-pin-ground on pentax bodies - I recently attempted to use the 603's on a K5, Kx and *ist and they will not fire off - a search of google should return a few threads/sites addressing this issue. Now, I have read (maybe on PF) that the Nikon version of the 603's will work, but only through sync cable which leaves some bodies out...

Anvh · 02-17-2012, 09:20 PM

But the centre contact is the same with Nikon, canon and Pentax right, since they are confirm with the standard for it?

joe.penn · 02-17-2012, 09:30 PM

Originally posted by Anvh

Nikon, canon and Pentax right

No and Yes - canon has extra/different pins that allows for more flash features via hotshoe, for the extra features Yongnuo chose on the 603's to allow for more canon features and thus use the different pin configuration. Now, about Nikon, can't really answer that one as I did not try the Nikon version 603's as I still shoot some with the Kx and there is no sync port on it.

Anvh · 02-17-2012, 09:40 PM

They all have extra contacts but the trigger contact and ground is the same.
You can take a canon flash put it on a Nikon or Pentax and it will work but it won't communicate with the body so everything is manual although auto mode of the flash will also work.

joe.penn · 02-17-2012, 09:41 PM

Here is a pic of the base of the 603, as you can see there is no center pin on the base to connect up with the center pin of the hotshoe on the body, when the trigger is seated in the hotshoe, the top pin is set about 1/4 off center, this is the issue with the 603's.

I believe for both models of the 603's the base pins are the exact same, the difference is the cable that comes with the set, the Nikon packaged one comes with the correct sync cable...

Quote:

You can take a canon flash put it on a Nikon or Pentax

It's not a flash issue, it's the circuitry of the 603 trigger that breaks the connection, circuitry that is canon and nikon compatible but not pentax...

Anvh · 02-17-2012, 09:49 PM

The top pin is the centre contact that everyone use.
Look here its in the same spot forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1025&message=33048482

joe.penn · 02-17-2012, 09:52 PM

Originally posted by Anvh

The top pin is the centre contact that everyone use.

Um, from your link:

Quote:

Here are three examples of hotshoe pinouts.
The Pentax and Nikon are based around the same contact pattern whilst the Canon is completely different.
The other issue are the pinout protocol differences.

So basically the link confirms what I have noted, the canon does not link up like the pentax one does.
In the image I posted, there is no center link up pin, that top pin does not link to the center of the pentax hotshoe and thus does not fire of the flash.

EDIT:
May have gotten the sync cable mixed up, the workaround is the Nikon set with the Canon cable (flickr discussion about this issue):

Quote:

Trevor - as I mentioned earlier I tried BOTH Nikon and Canon versions of the RF603s. Neither worked on either of my Pentax K10D bodies. The only work around I found was Nikon RF603 + C3 shutter cable which I consider too clunky to recommend. For some reason (maybe an earth connection) connecting the shutter cable enabled flash triggering... weird.

I understand you got different results. Possibly the RF603s are slightly different now, possibly they work better on other Pentax bodies. The K10s are both listed on eBay now as I've gone Nikon (I wanted full frame)... but my partner has an Olympus Pen I can can use for testing purposes.

The other issue was veeeery slow triggering : max 1/125 on my Pentax bodies. The other 3 triggers I tried all do 1/160 happily. What sync speed are you seeing with RF603s on Pentax?

@Mick : yes, range is fabulous if you have them on a supported camera body. Its just a pity they are picky about what they are used with unlike RF602s, Cactus V4s and Cactus V5s.

Anvh · 02-17-2012, 09:57 PM

The lay out of the extra pins are different but not the big contact in the centre that's use to trigger.
indeed look at your image... The top pin is in the centre of the shoe and that's what matter.

joe.penn · 02-17-2012, 10:03 PM

Originally posted by Anvh

The top pin is in the centre of the shoe and that's what matter

No, it's not center and this has been verified with the actual trigger - when the trigger is seated, the pentax body hotshoe pin (well, flat or ground contact) is directly in the center of the double pin with the top pin sliding approx 1/8" past the hotshow body grounding pin.

Sol Invictus · 02-17-2012, 10:03 PM

Ok I now feel like an ass. You are right. I was thinking about the 602s. They work fine with Pentax. I have no experience with the 603s. Ignore my previous ramblings.

I'm going to give myself a thumbs down for penance.

Anvh · 02-17-2012, 10:05 PM

Pull it back slightly, problem solved.

And its the trigger pin, ground is the metal sides

joe.penn · 02-17-2012, 10:11 PM

Originally posted by Sol Invictus

Ok I now feel like an ass. You are right. I was thinking about the 602s. They work fine with Pentax.

No worries, lol, I am probably wrong somewhere to.

Here is the pin layout and the differences - this is the layout of the 602 transmitter, the nikon one is the one that is used for pentax (notice the center pin):

This has changed on the 603's as both the 603's now have the 5 pin layout...

Quote:

Pull it back slightly, problem solved.

And its the trigger pin, ground is the metal sides

Lol, only if it worked that way - the 5 pin layout requires that multiple pins make contact to fire off, i figured this out by forcing a piece of light duty foil between the hotshoe and the transmitter contacts and got it to fire off, did that on the *ist so I wouldn't damge a Kx or the K5...

joe.penn · 02-17-2012, 10:24 PM

BTW: That was only my experience with the Canon ones, the Nikon ones could be totally different, I just didn't try those ones after reading about the issue online. I ended up returning those and bought a couple sets of -> http://www.amazon.com/Aputure-Trigmaster-Transmitter-Receivers-Powershot/dp/...9542512&sr=1-1

Good luck...

02-17-2012, 07:43 PM	#1
chromo Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: North Coast NSW Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 581	Triggers Hi all, Can anyone tell me : Are there any RF-603 triggers available for Pentax ?

02-17-2012, 09:52 PM	#9
joe.penn Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Maryland (Right Outside Washington DC) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,902	Originally posted by Anvh The top pin is the centre contact that everyone use. Um, from your link: Quote: Here are three examples of hotshoe pinouts. The Pentax and Nikon are based around the same contact pattern whilst the Canon is completely different. The other issue are the pinout protocol differences. So basically the link confirms what I have noted, the canon does not link up like the pentax one does. In the image I posted, there is no center link up pin, that top pin does not link to the center of the pentax hotshoe and thus does not fire of the flash. EDIT: May have gotten the sync cable mixed up, the workaround is the Nikon set with the Canon cable (flickr discussion about this issue): Quote: Trevor - as I mentioned earlier I tried BOTH Nikon and Canon versions of the RF603s. Neither worked on either of my Pentax K10D bodies. The only work around I found was Nikon RF603 + C3 shutter cable which I consider too clunky to recommend. For some reason (maybe an earth connection) connecting the shutter cable enabled flash triggering... weird. I understand you got different results. Possibly the RF603s are slightly different now, possibly they work better on other Pentax bodies. The K10s are both listed on eBay now as I've gone Nikon (I wanted full frame)... but my partner has an Olympus Pen I can can use for testing purposes. The other issue was veeeery slow triggering : max 1/125 on my Pentax bodies. The other 3 triggers I tried all do 1/160 happily. What sync speed are you seeing with RF603s on Pentax? @Mick : yes, range is fabulous if you have them on a supported camera body. Its just a pity they are picky about what they are used with unlike RF602s, Cactus V4s and Cactus V5s. Last edited by joe.penn; 02-17-2012 at 09:58 PM.

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02-17-2012, 09:02 PM	#2
Sol Invictus Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Calgary, Alberta Photos: Gallery Posts: 392	RF 603s work with Pentax. I'm assuming you're shopping on eBay where the blurb say that the triggers are for Canon or Nikon. It's really all nonsense to draw customers. The Yongnuo's will work with Pentax cameras. During shoots, I use Cactus triggers but I also put on the Yongnuo triggers when switching to other photographer's setups. I've had no problems.

02-17-2012, 09:12 PM	#3
joe.penn Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Maryland (Right Outside Washington DC) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,902	Originally posted by Sol Invictus The Yongnuo's will work with Pentax cameras. The 603's? You have them working with Pentax bodies? The 602's work (the Canon model) with pentax bodies, the 603's have the changed circuitry pins and do not line up with the hotshoe-pin-ground on pentax bodies - I recently attempted to use the 603's on a K5, Kx and *ist and they will not fire off - a search of google should return a few threads/sites addressing this issue. Now, I have read (maybe on PF) that the Nikon version of the 603's will work, but only through sync cable which leaves some bodies out...

02-17-2012, 09:20 PM	#4
Anvh Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 4,616	But the centre contact is the same with Nikon, canon and Pentax right, since they are confirm with the standard for it?

02-17-2012, 09:30 PM	#5
joe.penn Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Maryland (Right Outside Washington DC) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,902	Originally posted by Anvh Nikon, canon and Pentax right No and Yes - canon has extra/different pins that allows for more flash features via hotshoe, for the extra features Yongnuo chose on the 603's to allow for more canon features and thus use the different pin configuration. Now, about Nikon, can't really answer that one as I did not try the Nikon version 603's as I still shoot some with the Kx and there is no sync port on it.

02-17-2012, 09:40 PM	#6
Anvh Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 4,616	They all have extra contacts but the trigger contact and ground is the same. You can take a canon flash put it on a Nikon or Pentax and it will work but it won't communicate with the body so everything is manual although auto mode of the flash will also work.

02-17-2012, 09:41 PM	#7
joe.penn Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Maryland (Right Outside Washington DC) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,902	Here is a pic of the base of the 603, as you can see there is no center pin on the base to connect up with the center pin of the hotshoe on the body, when the trigger is seated in the hotshoe, the top pin is set about 1/4 off center, this is the issue with the 603's. I believe for both models of the 603's the base pins are the exact same, the difference is the cable that comes with the set, the Nikon packaged one comes with the correct sync cable... Quote: You can take a canon flash put it on a Nikon or Pentax It's not a flash issue, it's the circuitry of the 603 trigger that breaks the connection, circuitry that is canon and nikon compatible but not pentax...

02-17-2012, 09:49 PM	#8
Anvh Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 4,616	The top pin is the centre contact that everyone use. Look here its in the same spot forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1025&message=33048482

02-17-2012, 09:57 PM	#10
Anvh Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 4,616	The lay out of the extra pins are different but not the big contact in the centre that's use to trigger. indeed look at your image... The top pin is in the centre of the shoe and that's what matter.

02-17-2012, 10:03 PM	#11
joe.penn Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Maryland (Right Outside Washington DC) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,902	Originally posted by Anvh The top pin is in the centre of the shoe and that's what matter No, it's not center and this has been verified with the actual trigger - when the trigger is seated, the pentax body hotshoe pin (well, flat or ground contact) is directly in the center of the double pin with the top pin sliding approx 1/8" past the hotshow body grounding pin.

02-17-2012, 10:03 PM	#12
Sol Invictus Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Calgary, Alberta Photos: Gallery Posts: 392	Ok I now feel like an ass. You are right. I was thinking about the 602s. They work fine with Pentax. I have no experience with the 603s. Ignore my previous ramblings. I'm going to give myself a thumbs down for penance.

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02-17-2012, 10:05 PM	#13
Anvh Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 4,616	Pull it back slightly, problem solved. And its the trigger pin, ground is the metal sides

02-17-2012, 10:11 PM	#14
joe.penn Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Maryland (Right Outside Washington DC) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,902	Originally posted by Sol Invictus Ok I now feel like an ass. You are right. I was thinking about the 602s. They work fine with Pentax. No worries, lol, I am probably wrong somewhere to. Here is the pin layout and the differences - this is the layout of the 602 transmitter, the nikon one is the one that is used for pentax (notice the center pin): This has changed on the 603's as both the 603's now have the 5 pin layout... Quote: Pull it back slightly, problem solved. And its the trigger pin, ground is the metal sides Lol, only if it worked that way - the 5 pin layout requires that multiple pins make contact to fire off, i figured this out by forcing a piece of light duty foil between the hotshoe and the transmitter contacts and got it to fire off, did that on the *ist so I wouldn't damge a Kx or the K5...

02-17-2012, 10:24 PM	#15
joe.penn Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Maryland (Right Outside Washington DC) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,902	BTW: That was only my experience with the Canon ones, the Nikon ones could be totally different, I just didn't try those ones after reading about the issue online. I ended up returning those and bought a couple sets of -> http://www.amazon.com/Aputure-Trigmaster-Transmitter-Receivers-Powershot/dp/...9542512&sr=1-1 Good luck...