New Pocket Wizard Challenge

[wcameron]

I just got my mini TT1 and Flex TT5 - yippee. I'm having a challenge with them. First, I upgraded them to the latest firmware I believe it is v1.250).

-with mini only on 1D III and flash connected to flex, the flash fires fine.
-add a 580 exII to the mini and a vivitar 283 to the flex and the 580 fires but NOT the 283. I also tested by attaching the vivitar to a PWII+ with the same result. I get the same result if I put the flex on camera with the 580 in its hot shoe and connect the 283 to the PWII+ (580 on, it only flashes, 580 off and 283 flashes). Oddly though Push the test button on either the flex or mini and BOTH flashes fire.
-turn off the 580, but still leave it on the hot shoe of the mini and the 283 now fires

Am I missing something? I thought I read a thread similar to this on this site but I can't seem to find it now. Any suggestions?

[wcameron]

I think I might have solved this. I turned my 580 exII to master mode and it fires both flashes. I'm a bit confused as to why I need to do this since I'm just firing the flashes in manual without ettl at all. Am I on the right track?

[wcameron]

Update: I found this in the User's Guide, pg 13:

"IMPORTANT: The Speedlite in the MiniTT1’s top shoe must be in <MASTER> mode, otherwise the remote flashes will not trigger."

so yes, regardless of what mode your remote flashes are in, the camera atop the mini MUST be in master mode. Hope this helps someone else that is too keen to test to go through the entire manual first (and to prove that I do eventually get around to it lol)

[drh681]

Oh man!
you mean I'll need to read the manual?

Nuts.

[wcameron]

Yup - even if it makes no sense. Now if I could just figure out a way to get my Sekonic L-758DR to fire flashes on the flex! Aaaargh.

AND I READ THE MANUAL (at least most of it)

[picturecrazy]

what? Must be in master mode? I remember reading that you can put a 430 in the mini hotshoe and use it as a pseudo master. But the 430 doesn't have a master mode.

weird...

[k_strecker]

what? Must be in master mode? I remember reading that you can put a 430 in the mini hotshoe and use it as a pseudo master. But the 430 doesn't have a master mode.

weird...

Then you setup the mini on your computer to be a full-time master.

The reasoning of needing to switch the 580 to master is that if you're in a situation such as . . .

shooting wedding formals using slave strobes in front of the altar, then wander outside to do some more creative stuff, you can switch off the remote flashes and use the on-camera without popping flashes needlessly in the other room . . .

and to mimic the canon system, if you were using the 580 as a master (as canon intended)

see! it makes perfect sense . . . :p

[telles75]

What about the Force Master option?

[Koopy]

What about the Force Master option?

I haven't tried it yet, but if you had a 430EXII on camera in the force master mode and were following the bride and groom outside and now only wanted to use the light on camera, you would program ahead of time via USB cord and software to have one channel (e.g. C1) allow the force master mode, then simply switch to the second channel (C2) where you would disable the force master mode. I think that would do the job.