[flanoizele]

Hi everyone, i just recently joined this group so my apologies if this question has already been discussed in other posts but I could not manage to find it and it's pretty urgent...

I just bought my 645Z a couple of months ago and overall I am very satisfied with just about everything this camera has to offer.
I was of course well aware of the sync speed limitation of 1/125 but even at that sync speed I still have a lot of banding issues. A lot of my pictures still have this black strip indicating that the sync speed was to high. When I slowed down at 1/100 the problem seems to be gone.

Any ideas how to overcome this issue?

Thanks a lot!

Frederic

[645user]

Hi Frederic.

Do you use a radio trigger? If so try to use pc sync cord cable or try to open other flash(es) optically with flash mounted camera hot shoe instead. Does this solve your problem. If so radio triggering causes the problem. I use original 645D in studio and forced to use 1/100 if I use camera with elinchrome flashes and skyport radio trigger.

Andrus

[flanoizele]

hi Andrus, thanks a lot for your quick reply. I did indeed use a radio trigger and maybe I should try it with a cable. But, to be honest, that would be a big issue since I really don't like to use a sync cable in studio.

But I will give it a try anyway.

Thanks again,

Frederic

[maxfield_photo]

I agree, it sounds like you either have a slow light or a slow trigger. If you're using a pack & head or monolight system, it would be worth trying the PC cable just to determine where the lag is occurring. If you hard wire the camera and still get black bars, then the problem is with the lights, if that fixes the problem, then it lies within your radio trigger. You might try a different brand of triggers, the Cactus brand has been very reliable for me. I can sync up to 1/500th on my Schneider 4x5 lenses with my V5s or V6s. Cactus is supposed to go all the way up to 1/1000th, but I have no way of testing that.

[flanoizele]

Well to be honest I am pretty sure it's neither due to the trigger nor the lamps. I had another photographer shooting with me using a Nikon D800 system and he didn't experience the same issue. I also can't imagine these triggers behaving differently based on the system the are used on.

[maxfield_photo]

I also can't imagine these triggers behaving differently based on the system the are used on.

Believe it, I frequently run group shoots where several photographers using the same brand of triggers, (and different brands of triggers) are all tied into the same sync strip plugged into a pack and head unit, and some experience black bars while others are fine. I've also seen one brand apparently slow down the response of others. If the problem is as urgent as you say, then performing a simple 5 minute trouble shooting exercise seems to make logical sense. It is possible of course that there is something wrong with the hotshoe of your camera, so a work around might be to connect the trigger to your PC socket.

Also, you might want to tell us a little more about your setup so that we can offer more specific advice. What brand of triggers? What brand of lights? What type of lights? Pack & head, monolights, speedlights? Are there things in the environment that might be causing interference? Do you have fresh batteries in your triggers?

[645user]

In some reason Pentax shutters do not work well with radio triggers. I remember I already needed to use 1/160 with my Pentax k20 to avoid that shutter vigneting (black stripe ). Pentax k20 sync speed is 1/180. Same time with same studio canon camera did not suffer the problem at all. I do not remember specific Canon model. And now all Pentax K-5 cameras I use need 1/125 or 1/160 to avoid shutter vignet. And if I use pc sync cable or flash mounted in hotshoe I can use 1/180 without vignet. So i believe if you use cable then you are able to use 1/125 with your 645Z. But yes there is something specific not only with your 645z but all Pentax cameras that i tried. And yet there are some radio triggers that works better with Pentax and others not so well. Just try cable and you see it. Pentax camera do not like radio trigger. And I know the cable is not solution for you. That`s why I just live with that 1/100 when I use 645D

[dShelly]

I am using the 645z with Pocket Wizard transceivers and my Profoto D4 pack, in addition to also using my Profoto B1's with the Profoto Air remote. Both have worked just fine at 1/125. I have not experienced any banding issues.

[jonby]

I work with Calumet-branded radio triggers and Bowens monolights regularly and only get guaranteed sync at speeds of 1/125s, using Canon and Nikon DSLRs with sync speeds of 1/200s. So I agree with others saying that this is a common problem with certain combinations of radio triggers, lights and cameras.

Probably the only solution is to try some other triggers or try triggering optically, though this may not be possible if you're working on location.

[flanoizele]

Well it seems that it was a trigger issue. The other photographer told me yesterday that he also had a couple of images with the same issue.

@Maxfield_photo : I was working on location and unfortunately I didn't write down the brand of the triggers or the studio strobes.

Anyway, I just acquired a studio set of Bowens strobes and did some tests yesterday and everything seems to work just fine at 1/125.

Thank you all for your help. If I still have the issue in the future I will use a sync cable or get myself a pair of pocket wizards.

Frederic

[vivavegas]

For me, it seems its a hot shoe issue. Im using Paul Buff Cybersync triggers, and using the Cybersync transmitter via hot shoe every 60-70 shots I get a blackish bar peaking thru. But when I use the transmitter connected via pc sync to the transmitter I have yet to see the black bar. Seems its a hot shoe issue for my Z. (at 1/90 sec via transmitter on the hotshoe I haven't had any problems).

[constable]

For me, it seems its a hot shoe issue. Im using Paul Buff Cybersync triggers, and using the Cybersync transmitter via hot shoe every 60-70 shots I get a blackish bar peaking thru. But when I use the transmitter connected via pc sync to the transmitter I have yet to see the black bar. Seems its a hot shoe issue for my Z. (at 1/90 sec via transmitter on the hotshoe I haven't had any problems).

FWIW I am having issues with my Cactus V6 ... firing about 80% of the time.

Ed

[texandrews]

FWIW I am having issues with my Cactus V6 ... firing about 80% of the time.

Ed

I'm not having as much problems as you, but I am having a few. No banding, but some "no-fires", maybe 10-15%? . Using 1 540FGZ and 2 new cactus flashes. The 2 cactus flashes seem to eat batteries, and the trasceiver needs to really be seated on the camera---it will seem seated but not be.

[dShelly]

Perhaps you can go to a camera store that has a rental department and try out a Pocket Wizard to see if you get more reliable results.

[constable]

I'm not having as much problems as you, but I am having a few. No banding, but some "no-fires", maybe 10-15%? . Using 1 540FGZ and 2 new cactus flashes. The 2 cactus flashes seem to eat batteries, and the trasceiver needs to really be seated on the camera---it will seem seated but not be.

I'm having about 80% success, so the difference is not so great.

My typical set-up is with a V6 between the 645z and a Pentax AF160FC ring flash, with an external cactus flash or 540FGZ II on a V6, with with a soft-box. The pass through to the ring-flash is very temperamental (the seating issue) and there is also a delay in the system, subjectively about 100 ms but i have not timed it. But then, every so often the 160 fires but not the slave, although the recharge cycles is good.

Mind you, when it all works it is great