[Trudger1272]

Hey folks! I ran into some difficulty yesterday while shooting with my K-3, a Pocket Wizard & strobes in the studio yesterday. What happened was after I setup and shot around thirty images, my K-3 stopped firing the strobes. I tried two other Pocket Wizards and the strobes still wouldn't fire. But when I checked out a Canon from the school, the strobes fired. So I know it has something to do with my camera. Unfortunately, the Canon was so awkward to me I called it a day. This was a sad way to end my first shoot. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

[stevebrot]

my K-3 stopped firing the strobes

Does your K-3 fire through the hot shoe at all anymore?


Steve

[maxfield_photo]

Did you accidentally bump the shutter speed above 1/180th?

[Trudger1272]

Does your K-3 fire through the hot shoe at all anymore?

I'm not sure. I'm just praying someone tells me I accidentally turned it off.

Did you accidentally bump the shutter speed above 1/180th?

With strobes I shoot at 1/125, but it's possible. Not knowing about above 1/180 issues, I never checked. Tomorrow I'm taking in another model, I'll check it out then. My professor emailed last night telling me he'll give me a Canon crash course if all else fails.

If I need, I'll get the K-3 repair. I also know I need a second body. Wanting two K-3 bodies, I hastily sold my K30 before getting the second K-3 for backup. Now I might just as hastily get a K-5iis.

[maxfield_photo]

With strobes I shoot at 1/125, but it's possible. Not knowing about above 1/180 issues, I never checked.

When I shoot in the studio, I've gotten into the habit of using X mode instead of M. That locks the shutter speed at the camera's max sync speed. The other thing I check instinctively when my strobes don't fire is if my transmitter is seated properly on my camera.

[Trudger1272]

When I shoot in the studio, I've gotten into the habit of using X mode instead of M. That locks the shutter speed at the camera's max sync speed.

Regardless of the outcome, this is great to know for future reference. Thank you.

---------- Post added 11-18-14 at 09:04 PM ----------

Did you accidentally bump the shutter speed above 1/180th?

"That's why I love this place!"
It's a good chance this is the problem. I got offline to watch T.V. then thought, "since I hadn't deleted the black images yet I could just check them in camera and wouldn't you know it?! 1/200
Thanks!!

The instructors couldn't tell me because they don't know Pentax!

Hey folks! I ran into some difficulty yesterday while shooting with my K-3, a Pocket Wizard & strobes in the studio yesterday. What happened was after I setup and shot around thirty images, my K-3 stopped firing the strobes. I tried two other Pocket Wizards and the strobes still wouldn't fire. But when I checked out a Canon from the school, the strobes fired. So I know it has something to do with my camera. Unfortunately, the Canon was so awkward to me I called it a day. This was a sad way to end my first shoot. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

If you tried two other triggers, you eliminated seating so, unless you have an infantile failure, you bumped your shutter speed. I do it all the time.

[Digitalis]

Check the hot shoe connectors and the hot shoe itself on your camera - typically I use a small cable connected to my PC sync port to use my Elinchrom skyport and pocketwizard radio triggers to my 645 and K series cameras. I have experienced communication problems by simply relying on the shoe connection, so I use the cable for redundancy which helps prevent complete failure.

When I shoot in the studio, I've gotten into the habit of using X mode instead of M

same here - Pentax did well to ad the X -synch mode on their cameras.

[Trudger1272]

If you tried two other triggers, you eliminated seating so, unless you have an infantile failure, you bumped your shutter speed. I do it all the time.

Yeah infantile failure is exactly what it was. I just checked and it appears to be the case. I'm still going to get another body ASAP, then back to the regular LBA. I'm so happy to find this out, I just knew I'd hurt my baby!

---------- Post added 11-18-14 at 09:24 PM ----------

You should have seen me trying not to tear up in front of my model and classmates. (Shhh! Don't tell nobody!) Well honestly, they looked like they wanted to cry for me. Everyone there knows how much I love my Pentax gear.
Well for now on x-sync it is!

[Dreamsong]

Yeah infantile failure is exactly what it was. I just checked and it appears to be the case. I'm still going to get another body ASAP, then back to the regular LBA. I'm so happy to find this out, I just knew I'd hurt my baby!

---------- Post added 11-18-14 at 09:24 PM ----------

You should have seen me trying not to tear up in front of my model and classmates. (Shhh! Don't tell nobody!) Well honestly, they looked like they wanted to cry for me. Everyone there knows how much I love my Pentax gear.
Well for now on x-sync it is!

I see you already figured it out with the help of others but keep in mind that as pointed out X mode locks you at 1/180 shutter speed. You indicated you prefer to shoot at 1/125 for flash so X mode is not possible for that. I do generally shoot in X mode myself for flash but if I do choose M mode for whatever reason and the flash does not fire I always just check the shutter speed to make sure I did not accidently knock it over the sync speed. As long as you keep it in mind it is not an issue and you have it all fixed for the next shot

[Trudger1272]

You indicated you prefer to shoot at 1/125 for flash so X mode is not possible for that.

I should have worded my statement a little different. I'd done two lighting exercises at 1/125 and this was my 1st shoot, so I haven't formed the habit of shooting at a specific shutter speed yet. It was the speed for our exercises but we now have freedom to change speeds. So 1/180 shouldn't be bad.

[bdery]

Did you accidentally bump the shutter speed above 1/180th?

that was my guess too. Looks like it was indeed the case.

NEVER happened to me 8-)

When I shoot in the studio, I've gotten into the habit of using X mode instead of M. That locks the shutter speed at the camera's max sync speed. The other thing I check instinctively when my strobes don't fire is if my transmitter is seated properly on my camera.

I use X mode too. In fact, with the K-3 one of the user modes is set to my favourite studio setting. X-mode, f5,6, ISO 250, flash WB, etc. That way I can mount my strobes and hit the ground running, with very little adjustments necessary. And no risk of playing with the shutter speed. If I really want to change the speed, for specific reasons, I can always switch to M.

[Trudger1272]

Hey! Just need to let you guys know, it was the shutter speed. So all is well.
Thanks a million!!!

---------- Post added 11-19-14 at 07:52 PM ----------

I think I did okay. The first image I attempted to process, the second is only cropped. I need to do my processing in the lab at school, because my monitor has never been calibrated, so I don't know what you guys see.

Shot 1: Monday (when shoot ended abruptly)

Shot 2: Earlier today

[Dreamsong]

Hey! Just need to let you guys know, it was the shutter speed. So all is well.
Thanks a million!!!

---------- Post added 11-19-14 at 07:52 PM ----------

I think I did okay. The first image I attempted to process, the second is only cropped. I need to do my processing in the lab at school, because my monitor has never been calibrated, so I don't know what you guys see.

Shot 1: Monday (when shoot ended abruptly)

Shot 2: Earlier today

Very nice, welcome to the world of flash photography

[Trudger1272]

Very nice, welcome to the world of flash photography

Thank you very much!