Can not get correct Sync, Please help! :(

[MHO]

Hi all,

I got an Interfit EX150 strobe kit for myself the other day.
This is my very first experience of shooting with lighting equipment and I am having extreme difficulty getting the Strobe units and the Camera (5D mk2) to get the correct Sync speed. All my shots come out completely dark! BLACK as the night!

I am using an STE2 transmitter. I have changed the sync speed in the camera's custom function settings but it is still the same!

When I use the wired set up it all works perfectly! I experienced this problem one before as well with my 40D and a friend's borrowed kit, so I know the problem is from me! :oops:

Any help to get this going would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks in advance :)

Mo

[Johnny V]

Is rear curtain sync on?

[dedsen]

The STE2 is a proprietary controller for Canon Speedlights. I am not sure how you are trying to get that to trigger the Interfits.

[DerekW]

That's what I was thinking. The st-e2 only works with Canon speedlights

[MHO]

Johnny, No idea how to even check that!

Dedsen, It does trigger and fire but with incorrect sync.
STE2 is like a bottom section of a 580ex. Its an IR transmitter, so should be able to do the same job as a Speedlite when it comes to setting the strobes off!

I have read the instruction manual and it is not helping! :(

[Olar]

Mo is the strobe unit firing but just out of sync? If so then it may be a case of the STE2 triggering the strobe with a pre"flash" prior to the shutter opening. Actually I'm surprised that the light emitted from a STE2 is bright enough to optically trigger a unit. I'm not familiar with the workings of the STE2 so I can't give you much advice. If it's possible to take it out of ETTL mode and into manual then that may eliminate the preflash occurring.

Hopefully someone with STE2 experience will jump in and help.

Cheers

[MHO]

Thanks Olar,

Yeah, the strobe fires but its totally off sync! If the STE2 is at fault then I would be very annoyed!

[PacAce]

Mo is the strobe unit firing but just out of sync? If so then it may be a case of the STE2 triggering the strobe with a pre"flash" prior to the shutter opening. Actually I'm surprised that the light emitted from a STE2 is bright enough to optically trigger a unit. I'm not familiar with the workings of the STE2 so I can't give you much advice. If it's possible to take it out of ETTL mode and into manual then that may eliminate the preflash occurring.

Hopefully someone with STE2 experience will jump in and help.

Cheers

What Olar said. :)

Re the light output from the ST-E2, it's strong enough to communicate with and trigger a compatible EX flash so it'll also be able to trigger any optically triggered flash or strobe. Of course, the flash or strobe will trigger prematurely so it wouldn't do any good to use the ST-E2 for that purpose.

[FlashZebra]

Johnny, No idea how to even check that!

Dedsen, It does trigger and fire but with incorrect sync.
STE2 is like a bottom section of a 580ex. Its an IR transmitter, so should be able to do the same job as a Speedlite when it comes to setting the strobes off!

I have read the instruction manual and it is not helping! :(
You will not be able to use the ST-2E.

If you have any sort of flash that has a manual setting use that.

Set the flash to a low power setting.

Enjoy! Lon

[Johnny V]

Lon's the man for flash knowledge!

[Titus213]

Johnny, No idea how to even check that!

Dedsen, It does trigger and fire but with incorrect sync.
STE2 is like a bottom section of a 580ex. Its an IR transmitter, so should be able to do the same job as a Speedlite when it comes to setting the strobes off!

I have read the instruction manual and it is not helping! :(

Not quite - the 580EX uses its main flash head to communicate the IR commands - the bottom of the 580EX is a receiver and focus assist light. The ST-E2 is a very low powered flash with an IR filter in front of it.

And you should have the answer as far as tripping your studio lights.

[MHO]

So would the answer really be to ditch the STE2 all together and use my 580EX for triggering the Strobe heads?
What I cant get my head round is how comes I can trigger the heads but cant get the correct sync?
So how do the other transmitter systems work? I suppose they come with a receiver that gets plugged into the wires sync plug?

[int2str]

MHO, the answer has already been provided you above. I'll try to clarify some more.

Your Interfit EX150 *IS NOT* compatible with the Canon ST-E2. The ST-E2 is used to control Canon Speedlites. It uses infrared pulses to transmit information to the flashes *before* the actual flash is triggered. Your Interfit EX150 has a "Built in infra red sensitive slave". It "sees" the pre-flashes from the ST-E2 and fires before your shutter even opens probably.

You would be much better served triggering the EX150 using one of the often discussed wireless triggers (CyberSync etc.).

If you have an ST-E2 already you can also use it to control Canon Speedlites (430EX, 580EX etc.) remotely.

Your issue has nothing to do with "getting correct sync".

[MHO]

I see it now! :P
Thanks

My problem is the limitations of STE2. Thats why I can set the 580ex to not flash but to set the strobes alright!

Thanks for the explanations and the helps chaps.
...and sorry for sounding like a right chump!

Newbie to flash systems :P

[PacAce]

I see it now! :P
Thanks

My problem is the limitations of STE2. Thats why I can set the 580ex to not flash but to set the strobes alright!

Thanks for the explanations and the helps chaps.
...and sorry for sounding like a right chump!

Newbie to flash systems :P

If the 580EX does not fire, it will not be able to trigger your strobe optically. An optical slave requires a blast of light to trigger it so when using the 580EX for that purpse (in manual mode), it'll need to fire.

[Titus213]

If the 580EX does not fire, it will not be able to trigger your strobe optically. An optical slave requires a blast of light to trigger it so when using the 580EX for that purpse (in manual mode), it'll need to fire.

+1 - just put it in manual and turn it down.

[MHO]

Thanks Guys :)

what would I do without you lot ;)