Off camera Flash lighting and Image

**sureshgvv** · 04-04-2013, 06:58 AM

Guys,

I am just getting started on the off camera flash lighting. I have an umbrella from the cowboy studio and a light stand and some wireless triggers.

I was trying to get some shots yesterday, and noticed that the pentax AF 360 does not trigger all the time. I had my shutter speed at 1/160 (Sync Speed) and less, however it does not trigger all the time.

Also when the flash triggers, on some of the images, i see that half of the image is Black. any Ideas why this is happening?

I will post some pics this evening to show what i mean half of the image is black.

Thanks,
Suresh

Anvh · 04-04-2013, 07:14 AM

Tigger voltage of the wireless trigger most likely.
Which triggers are you using?

atupdate · 04-04-2013, 07:33 AM

The battery in the wireless flash trigger may need replacing.

SOldBear · 04-04-2013, 08:05 AM

What are the "some wireless triggers"?

Are they optical? RF? How do you set them up?

What camera? Lens?

If you want meaningful replies, provide more details.

**sureshgvv** · 04-04-2013, 10:03 AM

Sorry folks,

here are more details :

I have the cowboy studio RF triggers. The cameras that I have are the K20D and K30 and this happens with any lens.

For the flash to trigger, sometimes I have to turn off the flash and sometimes I have to turn off the camera and turn it back on..

Thanks,
Suresh

bdery · 04-04-2013, 10:27 AM

Maybe the flash simply has not finished recharging? Check iits batteries and check the trigger's batteries. Also make sure you're in M mode on the camera and that the flash is also in M mode.

Anvh · 04-04-2013, 01:28 PM

Problem with the Cactus v2 was that the trigger voltage was to low of the flash so the circuit did not work like it should inside the trigger.
It sometimes did fire with very fresh batteries or when it was warm.

philbaum · 04-04-2013, 01:53 PM

My experience has all been with variants of the Cactus triggers, but maybe some of this relates.

a. One time I thought the flash was not working and replaced the batteries on the spot - still no luck. Problem: turned out that i had the flash power down so low, like 1/128, that it didn't show up in the picture and i couldn't see it. Solution - increase power

b. The cactus always used triple A batteries. They seemed to not keep their charge very long. I always had better luck recharging them right before the usage to some degree. I was also easy to leave them on without being conscientious about turning them off between uses. At least the transmitter mode was rated for a football field length, and that seemed to drain it faster as well - at least thats what i imagined.

c. There's chargers and then there are better chargers if using rechargeables. To make sure you charger is not the problem, try fresh akalines and see if that makes a difference.

best of luck, radio triggers are great when they work :-)

**sureshgvv** · 04-04-2013, 06:33 PM

Couple of examples of the issue

I will try with a new set of batteries for dealing with the trigger issue. Would the issue in the images be related to the battery as well?

SOldBear · 04-04-2013, 06:45 PM

Lower the shutter speed until the "half black" problem goes away. That's the max sync speed you can use.

There may be a way to modify the transmitter to increase the max sync speed to 1/180 sec. But I don't have the Cactus V2 so I don't know for sure (I use Yongnuo RF-602).

**sureshgvv** · 04-04-2013, 06:55 PM

I have gotten absolutely perfect images at the same shutter speed as well.

Ken T · 04-04-2013, 08:14 PM

Originally posted by Anvh

Problem with the Cactus v2 was that the trigger voltage was to low of the flash so the circuit did not work like it should inside the trigger.
It sometimes did fire with very fresh batteries or when it was warm.

My V5 duo do not work with Eneloop, even with fresh full charged.

SOldBear · 04-04-2013, 10:16 PM

Originally posted by sureshgvv

I have gotten absolutely perfect images at the same shutter speed as well.

In the case of "half black" images, does the flash need to be waken up (I know the 360 goes to sleep after a period of inactivity)? Maybe waking it up takes some time?

HockeyDad · 04-05-2013, 05:45 AM

I also have the cowboy studio triggers and one thing they are known for is not firing reliably when they are too close together. Is your flash just a couple feet away or are you mounting it to your stand and placing it a little further away? No set distance that I have noticed, in fact mine mostly work fine, but when they fail to trigger I'm always really close. Also, mine are using some energizer AAA rechargeables that I grabbed from the local hardware store. I have AA Eneloops for flash and camera but haven't tried AAA Eneloops yet.

Half black certainly does look like examples I have seen of the trailing curtain already closing when the flash fires. I'm too much a novice to address why that might be occurring with both bodies... Only perhaps to suggest looking at the flash settings on both cam and flash to see if something is set to slow/high speed sync or something ( but I really am clueless when it comes to that stuff).

crossmr · 04-05-2013, 08:56 AM

half black is shutter speed. My aputure triggers had the same problem. They should sync up to 1/250,180 for pentax, but for some reason on pentax the old basic trigger only synced at 1/100 (new ones sync at 1/180)
the triggers obviously have issues. If they're supposed to work with pentax and sync to 180, then you should exchange them, if they're not, try a different model

04-04-2013, 06:58 AM	#1
sureshgvv Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Jacksonville, FL Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,115	Off camera Flash lighting and Image Guys, I am just getting started on the off camera flash lighting. I have an umbrella from the cowboy studio and a light stand and some wireless triggers. I was trying to get some shots yesterday, and noticed that the pentax AF 360 does not trigger all the time. I had my shutter speed at 1/160 (Sync Speed) and less, however it does not trigger all the time. Also when the flash triggers, on some of the images, i see that half of the image is Black. any Ideas why this is happening? I will post some pics this evening to show what i mean half of the image is black. Thanks, Suresh

04-05-2013, 05:45 AM	#14
HockeyDad Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Michigan Posts: 482	I also have the cowboy studio triggers and one thing they are known for is not firing reliably when they are too close together. Is your flash just a couple feet away or are you mounting it to your stand and placing it a little further away? No set distance that I have noticed, in fact mine mostly work fine, but when they fail to trigger I'm always really close. Also, mine are using some energizer AAA rechargeables that I grabbed from the local hardware store. I have AA Eneloops for flash and camera but haven't tried AAA Eneloops yet. Half black certainly does look like examples I have seen of the trailing curtain already closing when the flash fires. I'm too much a novice to address why that might be occurring with both bodies... Only perhaps to suggest looking at the flash settings on both cam and flash to see if something is set to slow/high speed sync or something ( but I really am clueless when it comes to that stuff). Last edited by HockeyDad; 04-05-2013 at 05:53 AM. Reason: Fixing typos

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04-04-2013, 07:14 AM	#2
Anvh Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 4,616	Tigger voltage of the wireless trigger most likely. Which triggers are you using?

04-04-2013, 07:33 AM	#3
atupdate Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dayton, OH Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,724	The battery in the wireless flash trigger may need replacing.

04-04-2013, 08:05 AM	#4
SOldBear Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Alameda, CA Posts: 3,206	What are the "some wireless triggers"? Are they optical? RF? How do you set them up? What camera? Lens? If you want meaningful replies, provide more details.

04-04-2013, 10:03 AM	#5
sureshgvv Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Jacksonville, FL Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,115 Original Poster	Sorry folks, here are more details : I have the cowboy studio RF triggers. The cameras that I have are the K20D and K30 and this happens with any lens. For the flash to trigger, sometimes I have to turn off the flash and sometimes I have to turn off the camera and turn it back on.. Thanks, Suresh

04-04-2013, 10:27 AM	#6
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,362	Maybe the flash simply has not finished recharging? Check iits batteries and check the trigger's batteries. Also make sure you're in M mode on the camera and that the flash is also in M mode.

04-04-2013, 01:28 PM	#7
Anvh Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 4,616	Problem with the Cactus v2 was that the trigger voltage was to low of the flash so the circuit did not work like it should inside the trigger. It sometimes did fire with very fresh batteries or when it was warm.

04-04-2013, 01:53 PM	#8
philbaum Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Port Townsend, Washington State, USA Posts: 3,659	My experience has all been with variants of the Cactus triggers, but maybe some of this relates. a. One time I thought the flash was not working and replaced the batteries on the spot - still no luck. Problem: turned out that i had the flash power down so low, like 1/128, that it didn't show up in the picture and i couldn't see it. Solution - increase power b. The cactus always used triple A batteries. They seemed to not keep their charge very long. I always had better luck recharging them right before the usage to some degree. I was also easy to leave them on without being conscientious about turning them off between uses. At least the transmitter mode was rated for a football field length, and that seemed to drain it faster as well - at least thats what i imagined. c. There's chargers and then there are better chargers if using rechargeables. To make sure you charger is not the problem, try fresh akalines and see if that makes a difference. best of luck, radio triggers are great when they work :-)

04-04-2013, 06:33 PM	#9
sureshgvv Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Jacksonville, FL Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,115 Original Poster	Couple of examples of the issue I will try with a new set of batteries for dealing with the trigger issue. Would the issue in the images be related to the battery as well?

04-04-2013, 06:45 PM	#10
SOldBear Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Alameda, CA Posts: 3,206	Lower the shutter speed until the "half black" problem goes away. That's the max sync speed you can use. There may be a way to modify the transmitter to increase the max sync speed to 1/180 sec. But I don't have the Cactus V2 so I don't know for sure (I use Yongnuo RF-602).

04-04-2013, 06:55 PM	#11
sureshgvv Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Jacksonville, FL Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,115 Original Poster	I have gotten absolutely perfect images at the same shutter speed as well.

04-04-2013, 08:14 PM	#12
Ken T Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: California, USA Posts: 536	Originally posted by Anvh Problem with the Cactus v2 was that the trigger voltage was to low of the flash so the circuit did not work like it should inside the trigger. It sometimes did fire with very fresh batteries or when it was warm. My V5 duo do not work with Eneloop, even with fresh full charged.

04-04-2013, 10:16 PM	#13
SOldBear Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Alameda, CA Posts: 3,206	Originally posted by sureshgvv I have gotten absolutely perfect images at the same shutter speed as well. In the case of "half black" images, does the flash need to be waken up (I know the 360 goes to sleep after a period of inactivity)? Maybe waking it up takes some time?

04-05-2013, 08:56 AM	#15
crossmr Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Liverpool, UK Posts: 318	half black is shutter speed. My aputure triggers had the same problem. They should sync up to 1/250,180 for pentax, but for some reason on pentax the old basic trigger only synced at 1/100 (new ones sync at 1/180) the triggers obviously have issues. If they're supposed to work with pentax and sync to 180, then you should exchange them, if they're not, try a different model