ebay slave triggers

[sonshine_rae]

Okay so I bought some of the cheap eBay slave triggers, off another POTN member a while back. I've only used them a handful of times (like less then 5). But as I said they were 'used' when I got them.

One had a problem at the time of purchase and only works with my light meter, won't function with the camera.

The other was supposed to be fine, and did work sometimes with the camera. But it also sometimes did.. what it is now doing pretty much ALL the time. I get a black/dark lining/edging on the lower side of my images.

I tried changing lenses, adjusting the positions of the strobes, changing cf cards, etc Nothing I tried would make it quit adding the dark edge.. except shooting without the ebay trigger????

I've added one of many images.. that has that oh so annoying edge to it for you all to see what I mean. Please someone tell me, is this a fixable problem with the triggers, or are they no good now?

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o78/sonshine_rae/Photography/crw_2991.jpg

[awad]

i was going to say "check your shutter speed" but the same thing happened to me with my ebay triggers. i solved the problem by buying pocket wizards. i hope theres a simple solution though.

[rabidcow]

1/250 is a bit too fast for most studio light rigs, try 1/125.

[mmahoney]

It's a sync speed problem, not a problem with the strobes or triggers. From your sig you have a 300D which has a max sync of 1/200 (I think) .. so lower your shutter speeds to 1/200 or slower.

[sonshine_rae]

Okay I can try that.. although I remember doing some shooting at lower levels. I'm definitely 'game' to give it a try I really don't want to spend more $$$ right now.

But the question I'd have to ask in reply is... since I'm using a light meter.. to get the proper exposure. How do I figure the proper exposure then?

My light meter tells me 250 at f2.8.. or F4 .. depending on how much light output I have. Is there some setting I should be changing on my light meter in order to get lower shutter speeds? I'm using the Sekonic L-358 btw.

~Rae~

[Titus213]

It sure looks like a shutter sync problem to me. Your shutter speed should move down to 1/125 as suggested. Shutter speed only impacts ambient light when used within sync range with flash. As far as your meter goes - don't YOU set the shutter speed before measuring the flash? And the 358 gives you the percentage of light from ambient and flash?

Just checked real quick and the 358 operates as I've suggested. Set the unit to flash, set the ISO and the shutter speed desired and it will give you the f-stop.

[Curtis N]

Beyond what's been mentioned, if you still have a sync problem with slower shutter speeds, try replacing the batteries in the radio units. It has been reported that they begin to sync slowly when the batteries get weak.

My E-Bay cheapies will sync at 1/250, most of the time.

[sonshine_rae]

hmm okay Titus.. that just shows how little I've learned about my light meter lol.

I'll have to read the meter's manual a bit more..

There is btw no lights on but my strobes while working in the studio fyi, so I'm not concerned about mixing ambient and flash at that point.

Thanks again, *phew* I'll give the above advice a try and hopefully avoid another expense at this point :)!

~Rae~

[sonshine_rae]

Batteries?? ..... I didn't even know they had batteries!?

[FlashZebra]

Change the battery in the transmitter. It takes a 12 Volt Alkaline battery.

It is very common as the transmitter battery gets feeble, your possible sync speeds creep slower and slower.

Also, I would not use a shutter speed over 1/200 second (even slower, like 1/125 second is a good idea).

Enjoy! Lon

[TimothyHughes]

And don't use rechargeable batteries.