Skyport won't work on Hotshoe

[Aszental]

Hey.

Well when i have my hotshoe off the camera, and use the test function, it works fine triggering my flash.

The problem i have is that when i put it on my 5d Mark II"s hotshoe, it suddenly becomes erratic in firing, only works about 1/6 times.

Even if i connect it to the pc sync socket on the camera, it still has the same problem.

Anyone know what would be causing the problem?

Does setting channels have anything to do with the effectiveness of the trigger?

Thanks

[tim]

My three sky'ort transmitters work fine with the test button, the sync port, or on the hotshoe - though I wish they would stay on the hotshoe properly. Sounds like you have a faulty unit. Test it on another camera before you decide that though.

[tenoverthenose]

I assume you have checked / replaced the battery?

[Aszental]

Yep battery works fine.

[Hermes]

One of my transmitters has this problem. I've been meaning to get it replaced but I always end up putting it off and just using one of the others.

Try putting the transmitter in in the hotshoe backwards and see if that helps.

[Aszental]

Yep, might try take it in to get it replaced.

Also, how fast does your skyport fire? If you put the flash to recycle instantly, can you just keep pressing the the shutter without the skyport misfiring? Or do you have to wait a second between each shot?

[Hermes]

Not really sure what you mean by that last question. The skyport triggers whenever I press the shutter button, whether the flash is ready or not. Are you saying that your actual transmitter has to rest between shots?

[SkipD]

Yep, might try take it in to get it replaced.

Also, how fast does your skyport fire? If you put the flash to recycle instantly, can you just keep pressing the the shutter without the skyport misfiring? Or do you have to wait a second between each shot?NO flash unit will "recycle instantly". However, when using my Skyport system to fire my AlienBees (at significantly less than full power), I can pop them with a series of shutter releases that are a little less than a second apart.

I'm sure the Skyports will trigger a lot faster than at 1 second intervals, but it takes at least that long for the flash units to recycle at full power.

[tim]

Also, how fast does your skyport fire? If you put the flash to recycle instantly, can you just keep pressing the the shutter without the skyport misfiring? Or do you have to wait a second between each shot?

Interesting question. With a 580EX II on 1/128th power, and a 40D on 6.5fps, the flash fired every time the camera told it to. It seemed to do 6.5fps no problems, perfectly synchronised with the camera on 1/250th.

[Mark]

Interesting question. With a 580EX II on 1/128th power, and a 40D on 6.5fps, the flash fired every time the camera told it to. It seemed to do 6.5fps no problems, perfectly synchronised with the camera on 1/250th.

I have shot swimming with damp skyports and 1d mark III at 9fps 3 frame bursts with 580exII at 1/4-0.3 power.... 1/250th not a single misfire or black frame.....

[Aszental]

OK, well i think my transmitter is busted then.

[Aszental]

whats the normal sync rate for a 5d Mark II?

I can only sync up to 160th of a sec, is that fine?

I took it in to the shop today, they tested it for an hour, said it works as it should... Gonna go back in an check it out, cause it definitely doesn't seem to be working as it should be.

[tim]

1/160th isn't too surprising for a 5D. I can usually get 1/250th with a 40D, but the 5D is slower.

[Aszental]

Ah k, well how can i prove to the shop that they aren't functioning as normal?

They fire 3/4 times, they claim that's good enough. It drops down even further when on the hot shoe.

[tim]

3/4 is not good enough for a product of this price. Mine are 100/100.

[Aszental]

success! They first tried to flog them off that their ok, I then asked them to compare them to a new one, they as straight away that they were faulty. Got a brand new transmitter, then to my suprise they replaced the receiver as well!

So happy, they are working now as they should, was causing me so much grief before!