Pixel King ETTL Trigger Controller

[CliveyBoy]

Mike, you are following correctly, and Dan - I agree completely: right tools for the job at hand.

Mike, ETTL would be useless IMO.

I would use my 6 Speedlites, and add 2 King RX to give me 6. I'd use the 3x 550EXs set manually on-flash and connected to an RX in "dumb" manner (and use a gofer to adjust). The remotest ones would be the 580EXII and the 2x 430EXIIs mounted on RXs and controlled from camera flash control menus in Manual mode, in 3 groups. Take a test shot and adjust to taste.

Most of the last 8 posts have nothing to do with the Pixel Kings (other than an enabling technology), and would be better in a new Lighting thread where others are more likely to contribute.

[NoNameYet]

I hope this post is on thread CliveyBoy:

Are you sure the King Tx Hotshoe is completely disabled? I'm thinking not though I have not put it through the meter test.

Also is anyone using Kings and Opas to trigger remote flashes and cameras at the same time? Here is my scenario:

Master camera (5D Mk II) with King Tx mounted on hotshoe triggering both a remote King Rx with 580EX II mounted on it and a remote slave camera (50D) wired to Opas Rx to trigger it's shutter, all on the same channel.

I do get occasional (quite frequent) shutter misfires on the slave camera only, while the flash triggers consistently with no misfires.

Also when the slave camera does get triggered, it is not in synch with the flash. I attribute this to the delays adding up so the slave camera is some milliseconds lagging behind. The solution I see to this is adding another King trigger set on to the slave camera but for now it's still on order waiting to be shipped. This will allow the slave camera to have it's own flash triggered on another channel via it's own King Tx and Rx.

My main concerns for now are the slave camera's shutter misfires. Any ideas?

[CliveyBoy]

Originally Posted by NoNameYet

Are you sure the King Tx Hotshoe is completely disabled? I'm thinking not though I have not put it through the meter test.

The hotshoe on the King TX for Canon is not disabled. It is simply not wired as a "pass-through" connection. It is connected to the King's microprocessor and is driven solely by the software. It will be firmware-enabled when/if Pixel releases an accessory for it.

[NoNameYet]

Any ideas about the slave camera's shutter misfires in my previous post?

One thing I'm noticing is that when I mount an Opas trigger as Tx on the master camera's King Tx and set it to the same channel, it seems to solve the slave camera's shutter misfire problems. This leads me to think that the King Tx hotshoe contributes in some way.

Is anyone else using/experimenting with such uses?

[btmlinedan]

i have a weird one, when i have the tx and rx hooked up (580 on board the rx) I can shoot at whatever. BUT, when i turn off the TX it limits my SS to 1/300 (1d mark IV) sometimes I want to shoot without flashes in the same 'scene' but don't want to have to adjust every single time. I am shooting manual.

Any ideas besides removing the TX every time b/c that's a pain...

[rchuri]

Originally Posted by CliveyBoy

Bob, you are correct - the 550EX just fires at full dump, unless it is setup as a dumb flash and on-flash manually set. Very annoying, because they had it working - I think that support was dropped to make room in the firmware for newer gear.

The 40D can control FEC with the 430EX, in TTL mode. The top button, or the LCD settings for FEC can be used. No camera can remotely control it under Manual, because the 430EX does not have the capability.

Given a 40D camera with a 430 EX and 550EX.
I should be able to control the 430 FEC from the camera and simultaneously fire the 550 in Manual mode.
Is that right?
Thanks
Bob

[CliveyBoy]

Originally Posted by btmlinedan

when i turn off the TX it limits my SS to 1/300 (1d mark IV) sometimes I want to shoot without flashes in the same 'scene'

AH, you haven't read my review. The Kings are not fully off, and the camera detects its presence.

Go to your flash control menu: first item on the page - disable flash. The King holds all its settings that way. Turning the King off causes it to lose its initialisation.

[CliveyBoy]

Originally Posted by rchuri

Given a 40D camera with a 430 EX and 550EX.
I should be able to control the 430 FEC from the camera and simultaneously fire the 550 in Manual mode.

Yes, and no. The 40D will do it's ETTL with FEC thing with the 430EX, using the Kings. However, support for the 550EX was removed from the Kings to make way in the firmware for later models. Damn.

The 550EX can be sync'd by not mounting on a King RX but connecting it via a PC-sync cable to the RX and using an adapter shoe. Or, using an adapter shoe that isolates all but the centre pin. It cannot be remotely controlled.

[rchuri]

Originally Posted by CliveyBoy

Yes, and no. The 40D will do it's ETTL with FEC thing with the 430EX, using the Kings. However, support for the 550EX was removed from the Kings to make way in the firmware for later models. Damn.

The 550EX can be sync'd by not mounting on a King RX but connecting it via a PC-sync cable to the RX and using an adapter shoe. Or, using an adapter shoe that isolates all but the centre pin. It cannot be remotely controlled.

Thanks for the responses, i hate to drag this out but it keeps getting more convoluted.
For the 550Ex to work I would need:
- a short "male to male Flash PC Sync cable" and a
-"Hot shoe adapter with PC sync socket".
Is that correct?
Also, any suggestions for an adaptor shoe that isolates all but the center pin.
thanks
Bob

[CliveyBoy]

Originally Posted by rchuri

For the 550Ex to work I would need:
- a short "male to male Flash PC Sync cable" and a
-"Hot shoe adapter with PC sync socket".
Is that correct?

The Kings usually come with a PC-sync screwlock cable. The 550EX needs an adapter - screwlock to hotshoe.

Alternatively (and neater) is an adapter that has a hot foot to mount on the King RX, and a hotshoe with ONLY the centre pin and the rails connected. I have details of one device somewhere back in this thread.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...1#post14289858

[btmlinedan]

Originally Posted by CliveyBoy

AH, you haven't read my review. The Kings are not fully off, and the camera detects its presence.

Go to your flash control menu: first item on the page - disable flash. The King holds all its settings that way. Turning the King off causes it to lose its initialisation.

so turn TX off, then turn it off in flash menu? then when im ready go back in and turn it on?

PS i've clicked on the link in your sig but it looks more like a spreadsheet. at the bottom it says "My full review here" but I can't click it, I'm assuming this is the one you're talking about? if so, link me!

[ultimachi]

Originally Posted by btmlinedan

so turn TX off, then turn it off in flash menu? then when im ready go back in and turn it on?

PS i've clicked on the link in your sig but it looks more like a spreadsheet. at the bottom it says "My full review here" but I can't click it, I'm assuming this is the one you're talking about? if so, link me!

I'm thinking leave the TX on and just disable from the menu. Once you turn off the TX, it resets when turning back on.

[CliveyBoy]

Originally Posted by btmlinedan

so turn TX off, then turn it off in flash menu? then when im ready go back in and turn it on?

PS i've clicked on the link in your sig but it looks more like a spreadsheet. at the bottom it says "My full review here" but I can't click it, I'm assuming this is the one you're talking about? if so, link me!

No, No - leave the King on. It is holding a map of the whole on-line setup in its memory' power-up sequence is important. You'll get misfires if the TX is not properly initialised and thre RXs lined up correctly.

Just disable it from the menu. Ultimachi is right.

The link is to the 2-page pdf os a table-form doc. It then has a link to the full 13-page review. The full review has a large number of tips.

[rchuri]

Originally Posted by btmlinedan

so turn TX off, then turn it off in flash menu? then when im ready go back in and turn it on?

PS i've clicked on the link in your sig but it looks more like a spreadsheet. at the bottom it says "My full review here" but I can't click it, I'm assuming this is the one you're talking about? if so, link me!

I agree, can't click on the full link.
I had it bookmarked, not sure from where;
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B77O...hl=en_GB&pli=1

[CliveyBoy]

Originally Posted by rchuri

I agree, can't click on the full link.
I had it bookmarked, not sure from where;
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B77O...hl=en_GB&pli=1

Thanks - I hadn't realised. Signature will not accept another link.

As rchuri says, the full review is at his link. Thanks.