580ex II won't fire off camera w/ a pc cord

[R_Mitchelle]

I cant seem to get my 580ex II to fire off camera with a pc to pc cord that I made. I don't know if you guys are familiar with the strobist website but it is exactly the one they have that i made a replica of.

I have a canon 400d and used a hot shoe-to-male pc adapter on camera. And then i connect the other end with the male pc to the female pc socket on the 580ex II, and i cant get anything out of it.

The flash works fine as long as I have the flash on the camera hot shoe.


(pictured is exactly a similar pc to pc cord that I made). Anyone have any ideas on why my 580ex wont fire?

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3792/2480/1600/PCfullcord.jpg

[PacAce]

1. Check to make sure that the flash is not in Master mode. If it is, get it out of master mode and see if it works now.

2. If the flash is not in master mode, set the flash to a very low power, e.g 1/128.

3. Unplug the long PC cord from the hot shoe adapter that's mounted on the camera. With the flash turned on, touch the inside pin of the PC plug to the outside sleeve of the PC plug with a metal paper clip (or anything similar). Does it fire? If not, go to step 4 below. If it does, either the hot shoe adapter is bad or you don't have a good connection when you plug the PC cord into it. Plug the PC cord into the adapter again and recheck the connection. If that doesn't help, replace the hot shot adapter and try again.

4. Unplug the PC cord from the flash and use a straightened paper clip to touch the center of the PC port to the outer edge of the port. (Touching the center with the paper clip at a slight angle should do the trick.) Does the flash flash? If so, then you have a bad PC cord. Replace the cord and test again. If not, go to the next step.

5. If you can't get the flash to fire at this point, you probably have a defective flash.

[R_Mitchelle]

1.) its not in master mode

2.) tried this a well, well I pretty much tried it a couple of times in all power levels.

3.)Will check this, and get back on here with results.

4.)Will check this, and get back on here with results.

5.)Oh Man, I hope not.

[Curtis N]

Your picture isn't showing up for me.

I want to see the hotshoe adapter you're using on the camera.

Double-check the polarity of your homemade PC cord.

[R_Mitchelle]

3.)It didn't fire so i moved on to step 4

4.)The flash did go off, i guess that homemade pc cord didn't work out.

Thanks, im going to see if i can go and work the bugs out on the pc cord. And if not im planning on getting some radio triggers from alien bees anyway. Im just glad that my flash isn't bad.

thanks PacAce

[R_Mitchelle]

Your picture isn't showing up for me.

I want to see the hotshoe adapter you're using on the camera.

Double-check the polarity of your homemade PC cord.


Im going to go and do this as well just to double check. Im going to go to HomeDepot right now to go buy an electric tester.

Do you guys know what a good gauge wire to use for a pc cord?

[PacAce]

3.)It didn't fire so i moved on to step 4

4.)The flash did go off, i guess that homemade pc cord didn't work out.

Thanks, im going to see if i can go and work the bugs out on the pc cord. And if not im planning on getting some radio triggers from alien bees anyway. Im just glad that my flash isn't bad.

thanks PacAce

You can troubleshoot your home made cable the same way. take it apart one piece at a time, starting with the end farthest from the flash and short out the end to see if the flash fires. Good luck.

[PacAce]

Im going to go and do this as well just to double check. Im going to go to HomeDepot right now to go buy an electric tester.

Do you guys know what a good gauge wire to use for a pc cord?
It doesn't have to be heavy duty or anything like that since there's not much current flowing through it. Normal gauge should be fine. Even a 20 will do.