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As an adjunct to the Tangents blog, the intention with this forum is to answer any questions, and allow a diverse discussion of topics related photography. With that, see it as an open invitation to just climb in and start threads and to respond to any threads.
Getting monolights and speed lights to trigger simultaneously
tinaravitz
Member
I wonder if you can help me with a problem I have. When on the road, I am trying to get my speed lights to coordinate with an Elinchrom monolight. Although I can trigger my monolight with a Skyport, that set up would not trigger my speed lights. So I thought I could get my speed lights to trigger my monolight via an optical slave on the monolight. The problem is that, although both the speed lights and the monolight appear to be flashing simultaneously, the photo is dark. I am triggering my remote speed lights via a commander function in my Nikon D90 or via a commander speed light on top of the camera. I understand that the infrared communication between my commander and slave speed lights may use imperceptible pre-flashes that might be setting off my monolight too soon. Is this my problem? If so, how do I solve it?
Also, my camera's pop up flash emits light even though the D90 commander mode has the built-in flash set at --. I can keep the pop up light from going off if groups A and B are also set at --, but then I can't get the remotes to flash. I understand from Nikon that the flash I am seeing is the pre-flash referred to above and does not contribute to the overall exposure of the image. Is that correct? Do I need a small piece of equipment to flag that pop up light? Is there any other work around if, in fact, the built-in light is not just a pre-flash?
Thanks for your help.
Also, my camera's pop up flash emits light even though the D90 commander mode has the built-in flash set at --. I can keep the pop up light from going off if groups A and B are also set at --, but then I can't get the remotes to flash. I understand from Nikon that the flash I am seeing is the pre-flash referred to above and does not contribute to the overall exposure of the image. Is that correct? Do I need a small piece of equipment to flag that pop up light? Is there any other work around if, in fact, the built-in light is not just a pre-flash?
Thanks for your help.
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Comments
when i want to trigger my alien bees wirlessly while also using CLS for an off camera flash i use a splitter hotshoe ttl cord made my pearstone, it basically gives my camera an extra hotshoe, so i put my transmitter in one shoe and a speedlight set to master in the other
I even called elinchrom in switzerland I will get back to you with my findings in a few days as I am busy returning from vacation
Was the unit you used also the bx 500. ?.?
Naftoli -- so you use an on-camera speedlight as your master and a radio to trigger your Aline Bees. Do you ever have any sync problems?
Rlemish -- My Elinchroms are D-Lite monolights.
The Nikon guy at B&H Photo told me yesterday that I could use my Skyport radio to trigger the Elinchrom monolight and add a $20 hot shoe device to each speed light that would trigger them as optical slaves. See http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=dot+line+optical+slave&N=0&InitialSearch=yes. The reviews are a bit underwhelming, though. Has anyone tried this kind of method?
Nikon flashes have a built in otical slave. Set the flash to SU4 mode. Try this before you buy something that does the same thing.
Why don't you just use the pc sync port on your flash assuming its a Nikon speedlight? I find it much easier to remove my transmitter and speedlight from my camera as a unit when I need to and you don't need any other adapters.
yup its a Nikon speedlight sb910 problem is if i plug my transmitter into its pc socket it disables the flash for some reason and it only fires my strobes which have recievers, i called nikon and paulbuff it seems like its a problem with alien bees/cybersync transmitters that u cant connect them via an sb910s sync port
Interesting, I use SB800's and SB900's with Quantum and Radiopopper radios. Never had a problem. Just curious have you tried setting your 910 to master using the 910's pc sync?