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02-17-2011, 03:09 PM - 2 Likes   #166
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Apologies - I've been very busy with work - here is quick couple of pics inside. The Capacitor is simply a 10uF one, rated to 16V.

I'll get some better ones when I have more than 10 minutes to spare...

The very last pic is taken with the Nikon Trigger reassembled and back on the camera - its a 2 flash shot taken using X-Sync @ 1/180.. and from my very untrained eye - doesn't appear to have any shutter shadow at all.

The full size images are up on my website at http://adr1an.net/Flash-Trigger-Mods if someone wants some high-res ones.

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Last edited by adr1an; 02-17-2011 at 03:10 PM. Reason: Added Full-Size URL
02-18-2011, 05:44 AM   #167
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QuoteOriginally posted by adr1an Quote
Apologies - I've been very busy with work - here is quick couple of pics inside. The Capacitor is simply a 10uF one, rated to 16V.....
Thanks for that. From that test shot, it looks like it's fully syncing at 1/180th. I wish I had known about this hack beforehand, but if I ever get any more RF-602 TX, I just might try this mod.
02-24-2011, 03:32 PM   #168
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Thank you adr1an! I modified my RF-602 exactly like you have described and now i get constant 1/160 with my K-x.
03-05-2011, 07:18 AM   #169
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Is there a similar mod for the Canon version ?

03-06-2011, 06:40 AM   #170
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My Mods for Canon Version

I went a little different route with my mods on the RF602. I used common items and received the desired results. I use 4 receivers at times and have had no problems with this setup. All sync to 180, wish we had 250, but maybe the next camera release will offer that. Please review the attached photos for my rubber band ( from a bunch of celery)and a popisle stick. Don't forget to move stick to off position after use I use the other half of the stick to assist with turning the receivers on and off. Another design problem cannot reach switch when a flash is mounted to receiver. Might not be pretty but it works great and is removal if needed.
Mike
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03-06-2011, 06:47 PM   #171
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QuoteOriginally posted by agrumos Quote
Is there a similar mod for the Canon version ?
Unfortunately no - Same theory - but no matter how I played with it I couldn't get the Hot-shoe pinouts to match up (I even tried modding the plate so it could mount backwards in a hope to get one of the bottom pins to make contact... nope )

In the end I just put a small micro switch inside, and notched a hole in the side to allow it to protrude fractionally... but I always forget to turn it off
03-07-2011, 02:28 PM   #172
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I just recently bought one. hope this would work at 1/180.

03-14-2011, 05:30 PM   #173
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mine just arrived today. pretty quick shipment I should say which took about a week and a half considering it's free shipping.

here is my evaluation,

the set comes with the tx and rx transmitter and receiver along with connecting cable, shutter release cable and a converter jack.

the construction isn't really the best in terms of durability but fair I would say. as long as you don't try to force it or use your common sense, it won't break. installation and use is pretty elementary and intuitive.

wireless flash trigger communication has pretty long range I should say. the flash sync works perfectly at 1/125 shutter speed with the flash that I'm using. at 1/160 and 1/180, the lower banding occurs about 1/16 or 1/32 of the screen below. tried the half-press trick which worked and able to shoot at 1/180 without the banding. although this might pose a problem in some scenarios since you have to press it on a regular basis. anyway, some solutions have already been mentioned, so it's not that much of a difficult problem to fix.

tried the wireless shutter function as well. this works perfectly.

here is my summary and verdict for this.

pros:

1.> cheap
2.> reliable and consistent
3.> fair build
4.> wireless shutter release perfectly
5.> dual function - wireless flash trigger and wireless release shutter.
6.> flash synch works perfectly til 1/125

cons:

1.> not very strong/durable
2.> banding at 1/160 and 1/180
3.> modifications needed to solve inconvenience.

as you can see, there is not much to complain about this product once you solve the only evident problem which is the banding. banding is solved by putting a tape, rubber band inorder to keep the button half-pressed or open. some modify the circuit to keep the contacts open which would mean the transmitter is always on, if you don't mind. others just leave it as is and just hold the button in an overhand position on the camera. the only inconvenience that this might create is when using mf lenses or zoom lenses in a quick snap photo situation, as you try to focus, adjust focal length, and push the transmitter button manually as well. if that's the case, then just put a tape on it. although it can still be negligible on most situations.

I would recommend this product if you are using Sigma flashes. otherwise, the Cactus triggers works as well without the banding issue and priced the same although it is reported that they have some compatibility issues working with the Sigma flashes.
03-14-2011, 10:57 PM   #174
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Unless you bought a specific shutter release kit - the included cable is actually a PC-Sync cord using the 'newer' 3.5mm standard... and the converter is for use on studio strobes/moboblocs which I'm lead to believe use the 6.5mm jacks..

At least thats my experience purchasing them so far...
03-14-2011, 11:29 PM   #175
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QuoteOriginally posted by adr1an Quote
Unless you bought a specific shutter release kit - the included cable is actually a PC-Sync cord using the 'newer' 3.5mm standard... and the converter is for use on studio strobes/moboblocs which I'm lead to believe use the 6.5mm jacks..

At least thats my experience purchasing them so far...
actually I got 2 cords as I mentioned. one fits the shutter release socket perfectly. the only thing that was missing though was the x-synch cord for the other strobes, which I don't think is still necessary unless you still need another extra slot for a flash. atleast this was the wireless trigger kit for the Pentax that I bought include.
03-15-2011, 03:47 AM   #176
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QuoteOriginally posted by Pentaxor Quote
I would recommend this product if you are using Sigma flashes. otherwise, the Cactus triggers works as well without the banding issue and priced the same although it is reported that they have some compatibility issues working with the Sigma flashes.
Which Sigma flashes are you referring to?
The Sigma EF-530/500 DG ST is known to require connection to all hot-shoe contacts (not just the centre trigger contact) to work. This means, it doesn't work with the RF-602 either.

The vast majority of radio triggers do only one very simply thing, they short the centre contact with the ground contact. The only reasons I can think of why a trigger cannot fire a flash are
  • the flash is a dedicated flash requiring communication with the camera before it enables the centre pin to fire it. There are only a few flash models behaving like this and they don't work with any of the non-TTL triggers.
  • the voltage drop of the trigger is too large. This was a problem with Pentax flashes (very low trigger voltage) and Cactus V4 triggers in cold weather. The Cactus V5 no longer has this problem.
03-15-2011, 04:04 AM   #177
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I'm curious now too - I've got a Sigma EF-500 DG Super - and happily popping away on RF-602's... The test shot I posted was actually backlight/filled using an Achiever TZ250 (hey - I picked it up for $10 ! ) and the key light (if you can call the hot spot a 'key light' lol ) off of the Sigma in manual at about 1/8th from memory..... It wont work in P-TTL mode obviously, or in 'slave' mode, but appears to work fine in standard Manual mode (modelling light even works) - But I'm really just getting into the strobist thing so maybe I'm missing something entirely here... It may also be that mine has had the FW update to work correctly with the K10D/K20D built-in flash wireless P-TTL Slaving which perhaps has 'fixed' the issue as well that you refer to Class A?

Re the cable - glad to hear that your cable is a shutter release - My apologies on the clarification about the cable - Yongnuo don't make a "pentax" kit - just the Canikon ones... But as the canon trigger cable is also useable on the pentax I noted that some sellers sell the canon ones (RF-602/C1?) as a "Pentax" kit in the description.. (but its still just the C1(?? - mebbe C3) kit) The 'standard' kits without a shutter cable supply a similar looking cable, but with 3.5mm jack and its actually the PC-Sync cord (will shutter release, but wont AF on half-press unless you have "AF on remote shutter release" selected in the menu..)...
03-15-2011, 05:02 AM   #178
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QuoteOriginally posted by adr1an Quote
It may also be that mine has had the FW update to work correctly with the K10D/K20D built-in flash wireless P-TTL Slaving which perhaps has 'fixed' the issue as well that you refer to Class A?
A firmware update could very well fix the "cannot be triggered without full connectivity to the camera" problem.

My Centon FG105D has the same problem. I tried everything to make it fire off camera. By eliminating every other scenario, I found out that it requires data exchange with the camera through the "digital" pin before it "arms" the centre pin. A manufacturer could easily change such a behaviour with a firmware update.

Since the Centon FG105D can fire with the built-in optical slave without being attached to a camera, I made it usable off-camera by adding a trigger socket that piggy-backs on the optical slave mechanism.
03-15-2011, 07:47 AM   #179
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QuoteOriginally posted by Class A Quote
Which Sigma flashes are you referring to?
The Sigma EF-530/500 DG ST is known to require connection to all hot-shoe contacts (not just the centre trigger contact) to work. This means, it doesn't work with the RF-602 either.

The vast majority of radio triggers do only one very simply thing, they short the centre contact with the ground contact. The only reasons I can think of why a trigger cannot fire a flash are
  • the flash is a dedicated flash requiring communication with the camera before it enables the centre pin to fire it. There are only a few flash models behaving like this and they don't work with any of the non-TTL triggers.
  • the voltage drop of the trigger is too large. This was a problem with Pentax flashes (very low trigger voltage) and Cactus V4 triggers in cold weather. The Cactus V5 no longer has this problem.

I see. I have to see this myself to confirm. but anyway, thanks for the heads-up.
03-15-2011, 07:54 AM   #180
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QuoteOriginally posted by adr1an Quote

Re the cable - glad to hear that your cable is a shutter release - My apologies on the clarification about the cable - Yongnuo don't make a "pentax" kit - just the Canikon ones... But as the canon trigger cable is also useable on the pentax I noted that some sellers sell the canon ones (RF-602/C1?) as a "Pentax" kit in the description.. (but its still just the C1(?? - mebbe C3) kit) The 'standard' kits without a shutter cable supply a similar looking cable, but with 3.5mm jack and its actually the PC-Sync cord (will shutter release, but wont AF on half-press unless you have "AF on remote shutter release" selected in the menu..)...
Yes, it's the canon type version. actually I was worried when I saw the hotshoe contacts and contemplated on returning it immediately. but I did try it just in case and it worked. I think the standard kits now come with the secondary cable (for Pentax) and the first one I think was for the Canon if I'm not mistaken and jack for any external strobe use. the half-press AF works as well, thanks and would be instrumental for many other uses. not just for self/family portraits but for studio and candid as well.
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