Using strobes outdoors. Problem not fireing

[wseed]

I tried for the first time to use my strobes, 2x Paterson Interfit Color Flash 300, outdoors and I was surprised to find that the slave did not fire. I had my camera connected to one unit via the PC cable and that fired but it failed to trigger the 2nd unit. I also tried to trigger them with my hotshoe mounted flash a 550ex which I'm sure I've done before and again no luck.

Does anyone know why this is? Is it because the sunlight was blocking out the flash or is it that I wasn't in a confined enough space to have whatever triggers them to hit the sensor?

Is there any way of syncing strobes outdoors?

[ssim]

I've had this problem before but not all that often. I believe that it is because your master slave is positioned in such a manner that it is not being able to trigger your slave. Indoors you can have the same relative positioning but they will probably fire consistently because you get light bounce off of the walls and ceilings.

I eventually went the route of pocket wizards to ensure that everything was firing every time. If you do any amount of work these are great investments and gives you peace of mind about this part of your shoot.

[wseed]

Thanks for the reply I suspected that might be the answer. I found it odd that even if I placed the 2 less than half a meter apart they wouldn't trigger. I don't do this enough to justify the pocket wizards but I will look into the cheaper radio triggers. I presume I need 1 receiver per strobe.

[JustinL]

yessir, 1 receiver per strobe.
ebay linkage: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140016397196&ssPageName=MERC_VIC_ReBay_Pr4_PcY_BIN_IT&refitem=140015081104&itemcount=4&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&usedrule1=CategoryProximity&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget

I had to buy 2 sets because each set only comes with 1 transmitter and 1 reciever

[wseed]

Wow they're cheap. They're the same as you use? I think I'll test my strobes indoors tonight and order a couple of those. Thanks

[JustinL]

i was shocked on how well they work right out of the box. Cheaper than pocket wizards by a landslide (I dont see myself needing to trigger lights 1600ft away from me... yet)

[eosguy]

Only problem with this setup is that you lose E-TTL or whatever computerised metering. But I am using this setup as well and have been enjoying it. Too bad the flash isn't that powerful with bright sunlight. :(

[JustinL]

Only problem with this setup is that you lose E-TTL or whatever computerised metering. But I am using this setup as well and have been enjoying it. Too bad the flash isn't that powerful with bright sunlight. :(

Kenny,

Are you speaking in terms of being powerful for fill flash?

[SkipD]

For outdoor use, I have a few Wein Peanut slaves to solve the described problem. When I use my strobes outdoors, I will often connect a Peanut slave to a PC cord and aim the slave at the master flash. That way, the slaved flash units always "see" the master.

Someday I will get a decent radio slave system, but for now this works.

[FlashZebra]

This thread highlights one the downsides of flash monolights (as opposed to a power pack with plug in flash heads).

And, before you work yourself into a froth, yes, I am aware that monolights have many other grand upsides.

But, just because there are a lot up upsides, does not mean the downside list is not to be at least considered (and a power pack/plug in flash head system has it own distinct set of upsides/downsides) .

Enjoy! Lon

[brivett]

Been there, done that.... the answer is very simple...

Interfit colourflash heads are very sensative to ambient light... they won't photocell slave in my conservatory let alone outdoors. Even if you pointed it directly atr the sensor it probably would be outside the threshold.

Blatent self publicity I know, but hit the studioflash.co.uk website below for UK based radio slave sets which are proven with the Colorflash range

Baz

[wseed]

Thanks for the info all. I don't think I'd ever use them much outdoors but the radio triggers will save me constantly reconnecting the PC sync lead that drops out of my camera at every inconvenient opportunity. So sorting both problems with 1 solution.

[grandad35]

Only problem with this setup is that you lose E-TTL or whatever computerised metering. But I am using this setup as well and have been enjoying it. Too bad the flash isn't that powerful with bright sunlight. :(
Could you please expand on this? Will the flash still automatically adjust its power output in response to the camera's commands sent to the hot shoe? My 420EX doesn't allow manually setting the power level. Does the preflash still function?

[wseed]

grandad35, to be honest I'm not sure what eosguy is getting at. I was talking about strobes which have no communication with the camera at all you set the power levels on the lights and then meter them with a flash meter.

I guess he is suggesting that if you were using a radio device to trigger a flash that would have ETTL using an off shoe cord then you wouldn't get the communication you and metering you would through the cord.

[SkipD]

Could you please expand on this? Will the flash still automatically adjust its power output in response to the camera's commands sent to the hot shoe? My 420EX doesn't allow manually setting the power level. Does the preflash still function?
grandad35, to be honest I'm not sure what eosguy is getting at. I was talking about strobes which have no communication with the camera at all you set the power levels on the lights and then meter them with a flash meter.

I guess he is suggesting that if you were using a radio device to trigger a flash that would have ETTL using an off shoe cord then you wouldn't get the communication you and metering you would through the cord.No studio type flash will work with ETTL (of any form). None of them have been taught how to communicate with cameras. When using them, you must either use a meter to determine aperture settings or guess at it and use a trial-and-error method.

[wseed]

Yes that's what I was trying to suggest. I think EOSGUY is talking about a flash like a 430ex and triggering using a radio as apposed to an off shoe cord which would give him ETTL.

[eosguy]

Hi

I might be off the actual topic at hand here, but here goes:
http://www.motion-ds.com/gallery/d/4219-1/_MG_4894_PP.jpg
http://www.motion-ds.com/gallery/d/4222-1/_MG_4923_PP.jpg

The 2 pictures above was lit by an off shoe 420EX, triggered by my 550EX which was set to bounce. The 420EX had to be in the line of sight of the 550EX to trigger properly. Using any optical slaves with strobes might not work that well unless those optical slaves are very sensitive, especially if you use them in bright daylight. This is the reason why Pocket Wizards are so popular.

http://www.motion-ds.com/gallery/d/4709-1/_MG_7819_PP.jpg
The above image was shot using 550EX and 430EZ, with those cheap eBay radio transmitter/receivers. The downside of this setup is that you need to shoot in shade or when the light levels aren't too strong, if you want to create highlights and shadows in your picture.

Hope that this helps and hope that I'm not breaking any rules by posting images here.
Edit: Read about the rules on not embedding images, so they are now links.