Elinchrom D-lite Triggering Problem?

[Hermes]

Hey Everyone,

Haven't posted on here in a while but I'm in a bit of a bind and I thought one of you more technically-minded photogs might be able to help me out.

I bought 2 Elinchrom D-Lite 4's a couple of weeks ago to replace an EL 500 that one of my models very gracefully knocked over and smashed to pieces. Although the heads work fine, and flash every-time when using the sync-cord attached to the camera, I cannot get them to fire using my radio trigger and receivers.

The triggers in question are the ones from studioflash.co.uk - I'd like to say right now that i've never had a problem with the triggers before (they still work fine with my remaining EL 500 heads), and Barry has been more than helpful in trying to sort out the problem for me. We've tried different types of receiver (battery and mains powered), 3 different 3.5mm converters, reversing the polarity and a whole lot of other stuff to no avail.

As I've said, the heads flash fine with the PC cable, I can even get them to flash OK by inserting a 3.5mm mono plug into the socket and touching the bare wires at the other end. I've got a pretty big shoot on Monday and I desperately need the lights to be working reliably so I'd be grateful for any ideas on what's causing the problem or how to try and solve it.

Thanks in advance.

[invisiblegirls]

Hermes,
Did you ever slove this problem?
I have the d-lite 2 and they won't trigger from my remotes.
The 350d doesnt have a sync out skt so I can't test that.
My triggers opperate my flash and the flash triggers the strobes but I'd like to trigger the strobes from my remotes.
Stan.

[cdmonkey]

I cant really help as I havnet bought my triggers yet, I use my 580ex flash in manual to fire mine. I would like to find out if there is a problem with using radio triggers as I plan to get some from ebay soon.

keep us informed if you get it working.

Carl

[urbandancer]

Hi Hermes, im goona buy that kit next week. Im using an EOS 350D also so im pretty interested in this issue. Nice topic.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=241161
Feel free to post any inconvenients with this Kit if you want to.
Thank you so much.

[invisiblegirls]

I'm hoping to borrow an old Nikon tomorrow to test the sync via the leads. I'll keep you informed.
Urban dancer
Hope to post my 1st shots with the new lights soon v. busy yesterday
Stan.

[akiwi]

I have the D-lites and 350D. I am having major problems triggering from my camera, but this is definitley a camera problem. I am using an adapter in my flash shoe, but recently it has stopped working unless I putt at an angle on the cable. I bought a new adapter from Hama which can be screwed onto the hotshoe, but it doesn't work at all.
I have been reverting to triggering with my 580 & am thinking of getting a radio trigger (But need to buy a new computer first). Will watch this thread.

[amarasme]

I use my 580ex flash in manual to fire mine.
Carl

I would be interested to know if it would be possible to use the 580EX to fire the strobes AND other Canon Speedlites, all working together.

I have used so far a setup based on Canon Speedlites (580EX + 2x 430EX) for on location portraiture, but I am considering now the purchase of a lighting system (like the D-lite) to build a studio. The idea is to use the new strobes together with the Speedlites I already have (for hair, background, etc).

[SkipD]

I would be interested to know if it would be possible to use the 580EX to fire the strobes AND other Canon Speedlites, all working together.

I have used so far a setup based on Canon Speedlites (580EX + 2x 430EX) for on location portraiture, but I am considering now the purchase of a lighting system (like the D-lite) to build a studio. The idea is to use the new strobes together with the Speedlites I already have (for hair, background, etc).You cannot mix Speedlites working in an automated (ETTL) exposure control mode (communicating with the camera) and uncontrolled flash sources such as studio flash units.

The reason is fairly simple. The Speedlite network communicates with the camera. The Speedlites emit a pre-flash which is measured to determine the exposure settings. Then the camera determines the aperture to use, and tells the Speedlites what power level to emit for the main flash. If you triggered external lights at the timing of the main flash (which is possible with a so-called "digital" slave), they would cause an overexposure of the image. That's because this extra light was an unknown entity to the camera when the exposure settings were calculated.

If you want to mix Speedlites and studio flash units, you need to have the whole system - camera, Speedlites, and exposure calculations - all working in a totally manual mode. I don't know if it is possible to have a master/slave arrangement of Speedlites when all are operating in a purely manual power level control mode. Someone else should be able to answer that.

Speedlites do not have a built-in optical slave that will respond to a flash burst from another source. Add-on optical slaves don't all work with them either. There are ways to make a radio slave work with Speedlites but, from what I have read, it is not a simple (or inexpensive) task to make them work properly.

[invisiblegirls]

amarasme,
What you ask is possible although as skipd says you will have to work in manual.
The 430ex's will as you know work as slaves to the 580ex which I think is what you are already doing. The d-lites have a built in optical trigger which will respond to any 'flash' source.
Stan.

[FlashZebra]

Hey Everyone,

Haven't posted on here in a while but I'm in a bit of a bind and I thought one of you more technically-minded photogs might be able to help me out.

I bought 2 Elinchrom D-Lite 4's a couple of weeks ago to replace an EL 500 that one of my models very gracefully knocked over and smashed to pieces. Although the heads work fine, and flash every-time when using the sync-cord attached to the camera, I cannot get them to fire using my radio trigger and receivers.

The triggers in question are the ones from studioflash.co.uk - I'd like to say right now that i've never had a problem with the triggers before (they still work fine with my remaining EL 500 heads), and Barry has been more than helpful in trying to sort out the problem for me. We've tried different types of receiver (battery and mains powered), 3 different 3.5mm converters, reversing the polarity and a whole lot of other stuff to no avail.

As I've said, the heads flash fine with the PC cable, I can even get them to flash OK by inserting a 3.5mm mono plug into the socket and touching the bare wires at the other end. I've got a pretty big shoot on Monday and I desperately need the lights to be working reliably so I'd be grateful for any ideas on what's causing the problem or how to try and solve it.

Thanks in advance.
What type of plug receptacle are on the D-lites.

In addition, can you post an image of the plug that you are trying to plug into it.

If these are 3.5mm "mini plugs" any possibility that this is a stereo/mono mini plug issue?

I suspect the radio sync slaves you are trying to use have a mono version of the 3.5mm mini plug (two conductors), so that should work even it you plug it into a stereo mini plug receptacle (three conductors) on the D-lite unit.

But if it is a mono receptacle on the D-lite unit and you plug a stereo mini plug into it, it might (repeat only might) cause there to be no contact.

Enjoy! Lon

[amarasme]

amarasme,
What you ask is possible although as skipd says you will have to work in manual.
The 430ex's will as you know work as slaves to the 580ex which I think is what you are already doing. The d-lites have a built in optical trigger which will respond to any 'flash' source.
Stan.

Thank you, and thank you SkipD. I know it is not possible using ETTL exposure, but I was not sure if the mix would work in manual mode. It is good to know that it does. (Actually, in a studio I use my speedlites mostly in manual mode.)

It was interesting to me to read that using the 580EX as a "trigger" for a D-lite system was considered as a problem. Any downsides, compared to using other devices like pocketwizards, etc.?

[invisiblegirls]

Generally the problem is with using the 580 mounted to the camera.
I use e-bay radio triggers to fire my 430ex (off camera)and that optically fires my d-lites.
Stan.

[amarasme]

Generally the problem is with using the 580 mounted to the camera. I use e-bay radio triggers to fire my 430ex (off camera) and that optically fires my d-lites.
Stan.

Ok, but could you please tell me about it? What is the problem with using the 580 on camera? (Assuming of course a person already has it.)

Heavy? Reach? Not reliable?

Thank you.

[cdmonkey]

The problem Ive found with the 580 on camera, is as your moving around , and changing the camera from portrait to landscape, the light may not reach the strobes and wont fire.Im constantly repointing the flash head towards the direction of the strobes and changing the power to get them to fire, and when you have to add more power you add light were you dont want it.

Carl

[invisiblegirls]

My problem is that if I'm setting up using stobes I want to be able to move my position relative to the subject but have the lighting fixed in relation. A camera mounted flash means I'm adding light from wherever I move to which by choice I don't wan't to happen. My original reason for getting 'studio lights' was to not be tied to having a light source wherever the camera is.
It maybe a personal thing because I'm only a beginner but those are my thoughts.

As an update to my original problem the jack plug on the radio triggers and on the d-lites are the same size and both mono. The d-lites trigger with a light meter and sync cord. So off to find my multimeter to work out the difference between the radio trigger and the light meter trigger.
Stan

[amarasme]

A camera mounted flash means I'm adding light from wherever I move to which by choice I don't wan't to happen. My original reason for getting 'studio lights' was to not be tied to having a light source wherever the camera is.
It maybe a personal thing because I'm only a beginner but those are my thoughts.


Thank you for your answer.

As a suggestion though, I think you could set the mounted 580EX not to fire, but just to trigger another Speedlight which is in the position you want the light to come from; or alternatively you could set the 580EX to fire but with such a reduced output that would not influence the overall amount of light coming from your studio lights into your subject.

Hope it helps.

[invisiblegirls]

Good point except in my case I only have the 430ex which I don't think is able to be used as a master flash, so that is why I went for radio triggers. My thoughts were meant as a general reason why camera mounted flash was considered to be a problem.
Appologies if I caused confusion
Stan

[cdmonkey]

I didnt think you could use a speedlite to trigger another that would trigger the strobes. when using the speedlite in a master slave configeration the master will emit a preflash that will trigger the strobes.

I might be wrong on this, but this is what I read. I have a 550 and 580 and I couldnt get it to work (didnt try for to long tho)

Carl

[amarasme]

I didnt think you could use a speedlite to trigger another that would trigger the strobes. when using the speedlite in a master slave configeration the master will emit a preflash that will trigger the strobes.


We have been precisely discussing this issue. You can use the speedlites in manual mode for that purpose. There will be no preflash in manual mode.

[cdmonkey]

sorry amarasme, I should have checked back before I posted, I will have a go tomorrow with mine and see how I get on.


Carl

[amarasme]

sorry amarasme, I should have checked back before I posted, I will have a go tomorrow with mine and see how I get on.
Carl

Please post results. I would love to know how it goes from your experience.

[cdmonkey]

I dont know how to get the slave into manual. Ive tried on both the 580 and 550?

Carl

[invisiblegirls]

Carl,
Pg 43 of the manual !!!!!!
http://eosdoc.com/manuals/?q=580EX
Stan.

[amarasme]

I dont know how to get the slave into manual. Ive tried on both the 580 and 550?

Carl

You only need to set up the master into manual mode, then most things can be done from the master, like controlling the slaves output, etc.

[cdmonkey]

Well I finally got a chance to try using my 580ex flash to fire my 550 which fires the dlites, it worked great, i could move the camera around much more than just trying to get them to fire just of the 580. I could have the power settings really low so they didnt add much unwanted light.
here are the pics ive taken, I didnt have a chance to play with different light setups to find if it works ok in all situations.
http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=247007

Carl

[amarasme]

Well I finally got a chance to try using my 580ex flash to fire my 550 which fires the dlites, it worked great, i could move the camera around much more than just trying to get them to fire just of the 580. I could have the power settings really low so they didnt add much unwanted light.
here are the pics ive taken, I didnt have a chance to play with different light setups to find if it works ok in all situations.
http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=247007

Carl

Thank you for the info. It is good to know that it works.

Very nice pics! Congrats!