Hotshoe/PC sync and ERR99

Hi everyone - at the moment I seem to be migrating from forum to forum in the hope I can resolve this problem - or a least make sense of it!

Anyway, a kind soul pointed in this direction as being a knowledgeable place to ask. So after a few hours of searching on here and finding only one slightly related thread I thought I'd post.

I've been going through a recent upgrade to my studio lights and invested in a new "all singing, all dancing" wireless trigger that will control all the light functions (and add a few others) from the camera - just one problem every time I release the shutter I get an ERR99 message and the camera locks.

This is with both a PC cord and the hotshoe - now initially I thought it was a fault with the trigger as I have no issues with my basic trigger, but I dropped in on another photographer who has both a 10D and a 5D mkII. Works perfectly with his 5D but just gives the same ERR99 with the 10D like mine. The UK distributor is in discussion with the German manufacturer about the issue, but this is going slowly & they've experianced no problems with the units. Googling the problem seemed to point toward perhaps a polarity issue, but I'm at a loss to understand why I've never experienced this issue with any other triggers or using a direct sync lead! However, I have tried a sync lead with the plug wired in reverse and it gave exactly the same results - ERR99.

So is there a difference between the way the hotshoe/PC socket on a 5D is configured to the 10D and what other XX or XD's might I suffer this problem with?

I contacted Canon support and got the expected;

"...unfortunately we are unable to assist you with third party products..."

I then asked what the possible differences could be between the electrical/electronic interface of a 10D and 5D mkII and got the response;

"...I have checked if it would be possible to provide you with this, unfortunately this appears to be proprietary information and cannot be disclosed..."

I've now asked if they could tell me what camera's share the 10D interface (as opposed to that of the 5D) so I don't have to try every Canon to see if it is compatible with my studio equipment & I don't particularly want to buy a 5D. But I'm not to hopeful of a definitive answer.

I didn't really want to consider a new camera, but in reality the 10D is probably worth less than the Flash trigger (which I love the functionality of) and I may have to accept this is never going to be more than a glorified remote, without the trigger ability until I change to a new body. Trouble is I never change my kit that often - it's taken me nearly thirty years to start investing in new flash units, to me the 10D is still in its first flush of youth with a long life ahead of it...

The flash trigger that is currently sitting in its box mocking me is Multiblitz's (but not in my case) "Trigger Happy "

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE

Just got a notification that my ticket;

"...has been escalated to the next level..."

Obviously it won't resolve my problem, but will perhaps help with my next choice of body.

Ted

I believe the 10D only tolerates only 6v and under flash trigger voltage whilst newer Canon DSLRs can safely use higher (possibly all tolerate 250v) - this would explain the error99.

Try to find out what trigger voltage the Multiblitz is - I suspect it is a lot higher than 6v!

In the meantime don't try the unit on the 10D or you may fry something.............​..

PaulB wrote in post #12687432
I believe the 10D only tolerates only 6v and under flash trigger voltage whilst newer Canon DSLRs can safely use higher (possibly all tolerate 250v) - this would explain the error99.

Try to find out what trigger voltage the Multiblitz is - I suspect it is a lot higher than 6v!

In the meantime don't try the unit on the 10D or you may fry something.............​..

Hi, the trigger only uses 2 AA cells and has a measured quiescent voltage of 2.6v, so if anything I was wondering if there is a lower voltage limit. Historically Multiblitz (the heads themselves) have had a 9v trigger voltage & current models are <5v.

Ted

ted krazonowski wrote in post #12687520
Hi, the trigger only uses 2 AA cells and has a measured quiescent voltage of 2.6v, so if anything I was wondering if there is a lower voltage limit. Historically Multiblitz (the heads themselves) have had a 9v trigger voltage & current models are <5v.

Ted

I thought the trigger might use a 9v PP3.
Worth a try..............

As the 10D was first generation using E-TTL lots will have changed since then, perhaps the camera has to be E-TTL2 to be compatible with the trigger?

My other cheap Chinese trigger set-up (which works brilliantly) uses a 12v cell for the transmitter - but even there the quiescent voltage is only 3.4v. There would appear to be something more mysterious going on than voltage, unless it is a low voltage issue.

Ted

ted krazonowski wrote in post #12687386
Just got a notification that my ticket;

"...has been escalated to the next level..."

Obviously it won't resolve my problem, but will perhaps help with my next choice of body.

Ted

Or not as the final answer is;

"...I'm sorry that you are having problems with your 10D, unfortunately both the 10D and 5D MKII use the same voltages etc in the hot shoe so this trigger unit should work, as we do not test all trigger units we cannot say for certain that there is an incompatibility with the 10D and trigger unit, it could also be that due to the age of the technology used in the 10D that this could be the problem.

I’m sorry but we cannot help any further with this issue..."

Ted