What is going wrong here?
LRussoPhoto
Registered Users Posts: 458 Major grins
Can someone please tell me what is going on here? Doesnt happen with every shot, but I would say one out of 3 come out like this. This the setup, d90 in manual using pocket wizards to fire an sb900 and an sb700 in su-4 mode. Narrowed it down to be coming from the sb900. I tried a different body and it had the same results. turned off the sb700 and still had the same results. I did find the f stop on the camera did not match the f stop on the flash? Also the zoom and the camera and flash with not set the same, would either of those things matter?
D300s D90
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
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Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
www.zblackwood.com
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
I had issues with a failing, sticky shutter curtain, that looked kind of like this, but had nothing to do with electronic flash.
I did get an email recently from Pocket Wizard encouraging me to update the firmware in my Pocket Wizard gear. Not sure that will help, but it does seem like the most recent strobe is where your synch is failing, and it does not occur, apparently, with Commander mode, but only with your PWs. Worth a try, at least.
Try a longer shutter speed, say 1/125th and see if the issue still occurs, too. With PWs you should be able to use a much shorter shutter speed than 1/160th. PW is very proud of how short the shutter speed can be and still synch properly also, that is why I wonder if your PWs need updated.
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
How do I know if the firmware is up to date? Wouldnt they have the most recent firmware be on the pocket wizards since i just purchased them last week.
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
Here is the link for updating PW firmware, -- http://www.pocketwizard.com/support/downloads/ -
Once you have the update software installed, it can read the firmware in your pWs, and tell you if it needs updating.
It is easy to do, and pretty straight forward.
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
In the mean time if anyone has any other thoughts on what the problem could be please let me know. Im not 100% its the pocket wizards but ill try replacements and see how it goes.
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
Check to make sure none of the cameras are set to rear curtain sync or anything other than normal. It is probably not the problem, but one more thing to check
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
Did you check for firmware update on the sb900
could it be that the 900 did not fully cycle and is giving a weaker output and hence a shorter strobe.
It's not what you look at that matters: Its what you see!
Nikon
http://www.time2smile.smugmug.com
Still happening but only when I get close to sync speed. Happens a lot at 200ss and sometimes at 160ss. I mean it shouldn't right? If im below sync speed there shouldnt be a problem.
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
https://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/16174
It's not what you look at that matters: Its what you see!
Nikon
http://www.time2smile.smugmug.com
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
Fresh batteries are a must. strange things start to happen as the batteries get depleted.
Other radio frequencies can interfere with sync WiFi, cell phones, Police Radios Wireless microphones ect.
The advertised flash sync speed is for flash on camera, not radio synced flash or external studio strobes.
You can clean all of the flash, hotshoe, radio slave, electrical contacts with a pencil eraser.
( do not clean lens to body contacts this way)
Test your setup without the Pocketwizards using the Nikon infared TTL sync. If the setup works that way, then it is not the flashes or camera settings.
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
Can someone please explain why that happens??
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
When a flash goes into "standby mode", the control circuits are turned off to save power and only a "watchdog" circuit remains powered to watch for activity from the camera. After activity from the camera is sensed, the control circuits are again energized, but that takes a tiny bit of time to energize those circuits. That time delay is apparently causing your sync issues, which makes perfect sense.
Depending on the flash, it may be possible to turn off the power-save function of the flash, which should avoid the sync problem, but that will run your batteries down much faster.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin