[reknelb]

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I just recieved mine yesterday. I bought one transmitter and 2 recievers to operate my 540 flash and old af220 flash off camera. I cant operate my 540 wireless because my flash on my k10d broke the first month I had it. I wanted to try these cheapo wireless jobbies out before buying a pocket wizard system or elinchrome. Wireless Flash Trigger V2s for Pentax AF-540FGZ 360FGZ - eBay (item 180207998690 end time Jan-24-08 14:56:35 PST) This is the exact product from the exact seller I bought my stuff from. If you are thinking about buying these, DONT! They are the biggest pieces of ---- I've ever seen. The signal is so slow I cant get a shot with shutter speeds faster than 1/20. If I go any faster than that I get a half black picture, or a complete black picture. I guess they would be alright for some at home studio work. I realize they were cheap and i shouldn't have expected much but, i wished i would have saved the money to go towards a real wireless system. Just wanted to give everyone a heads up.

[Clem Nichols]

I can certainly understand how you feel. Your experience, however, is different from mine and that of many (apparently) who post on this forum. I have a transmitter and 3 receivers, and although mine won't sync at the maximum 1/180 speed without the black line across the bottom caused by the closing of the shutter, they will sync well at 1/125 second. Hopefully someone will be able to shed some light on your problem and how to correct it.

CN

[Mikhail]

Check your reciever and transmitter batteries, IE. put new ones in if you have any available and check your flash batteries as well. These units dont work that great with low batteries. Also check out the strobist flickr group and do a search of their discussion board to see for some help with your triggers [ theres a boatload of discussions going on ]
The above triggers are being used by a boatload of people and either you have a pair of duds or something but you shouldn't be getting such low shutterspeeds out of them.

Thanks

[jmdeegan]

i just got a set for 2 flashes, and everything works great. Only issue I ever have is if I pressed the trigger on the remote too quickly, before the flashes recycled--but, that has nothing to do with the triggers, everything to do with a trigger happy camera man.

love them, definetly would recommend them. see no reason for me to dump tons more money into anything else.

[reknelb]

Just put all new batteries all the way around, will still only sync at 1/30. Maybe I got a bad transmittor??

Update: I tried it with an older af220 pentax flash and it worked up to 1/180. Am I doing something wrong when I try it on the 540???

[pentkon52]

Don't know, but i bought those just before Xmas to use with a 360 and 285HV. They work well, a few misfires on occasion, but nothing i'm concerned with

Dave

[reknelb]

After doing some research on the net, it seems as though its a common problem with Pentax flashes. Something to do with polarity. The pentax flash wont sync properly if there is a positive charge due to wires being sottered in the wrong place in the reciever. i'm not really clear as to which wires yet.

[Mikhail]

After doing some research on the net, it seems as though its a common problem with Pentax flashes. Something to do with polarity. The pentax flash wont sync properly if there is a positive charge due to wires being sottered in the wrong place in the reciever. i'm not really clear as to which wires yet.

Ohh okay, your best bet would be to ask on the Strobist Flickr Group or to search it, if any one has a solution its that bunch!

Thanks

[tlfaust]

I've noticed a HUGE difference between what can be purchased from GI (or mpex) and the non-cactus ebay triggers. I'm using ONLY the Cactus V2s and am much happier.

I'm syncing with the Sigma 500 super, a Vivitar 288 and an old Canon speedlight. All without real problems.

Others are right about batteries. They need to be at full strength to sync at 1/180.

[deaner]

I did a lot of research on the Ebay triggers before I finally bought them, and I decided the cost was worth the purchase.

Having got them, I immediately bought new batteries and chucked the one that came with it. I also put a little extra solder at the solder joints on the inside. Also, I carefully superglued the PC sync ports on the backs of the receivers because I had read they were very fragile.

When I started using them, they worked perfectly. I have the 16 channel design (RF-616) and occasionally they work better on some channels than others, but I really haven't had any problems with misfires.

The only thing that would be better for me is if the range was longer. I start running into problems past 30 feet or so. I have this link:

Increase effective distance on 'ebay' flash remote trigger transmitter with antenna - Instructables - DIY, How To, art, tech

on my mind, but as of yet, I haven't done this. Soon, I think I will buy a couple of more transmitters so if something goes wrong, I have something to fall back on.

Bottom line, until I can afford Pocket Wizards, these will have to do. And they have done just fine for me.

[reknelb]

I did the antenna mod and battery box mod today. I can sync my old pentax flash to 1/180 now. My 540 still will only do 1/30. Like I said in another thread, I will buy a couple of old vivitars or sunpaks as they seem to work fine on these.
I used this guys instructions it was very easy.
Rants of a well-meaning madman: GI Cactus V2s Modification Tutorial