Phottix Strato II Fires Flash Rapidly????

Ok, I tried various camera settings(auto zones, creative zones, Al Servo, Al focus, One shot, manual & auto focus, IS on & off, lens changes) and no change. I do have some details though.

A) Setup: Testing with 40d. Metz off-camera, Yongnuo on-camera(mounted via Phottix II transmitter).

1) With a push of any of the camera's top adjustment buttons(ISO, WB, AF/drive) the Metz flash will fire once. It sends a signal to fire for some reason.

2) When I properly set the Metz to manual mode(off camera), it does the rapid firing as described. However, when I set the Metz to ettl mode, it only fires once with the half-push of the shutter button.

3) When the Metz begins the rapid firing I can turn off the Phottix transmitter and the Metz will stop. If I quickly turn the transmitter back on, the Metz will continue with the rapid firing. If I wait a few seconds before turning the transmitter back on, the Metz is idle with such. It's as if a short command is being sent. If only interupted very briefly the Metz will continue with the rapid firing. If interupted for a few seconds, as if the commad finished, the Metz is logically idle upon turning the transmitter back on.

4) If I turn the Yongnuo flash off, even though the Photix II transmitter is on, the Metz receives no signal. It should but doesn't.

If I then remove the Yongnuo flash, leaving only the Phottix II transmitter in the hot shoe, the off-camera Metz works properly as previously described.

5) This isn't new but only a reminder. If I reverse flashes (Yongnuo off-camera, Metz on-camera) everything works properly.

B) Setup: Testing with 20d. Everything works properly. I can swap out flashes, make adjustements, etc and everything fires as expected. No surprises.

I'm stumped. It's not a real issue at the moment, as I prefer the Metz on-camera, but could become an issue with future setups.

God Bless

Doh! I was thinking that the Strato II was an intelligent trigger, so was well astray. Sorry.

Are all your hotshoes and hotfeet Canon compliant?

CliveyBoy wrote in post #14753919
Doh! I was thinking that the Strato II was an intelligent trigger, so was well astray. Sorry.

Are all your hotshoes and hotfeet Canon compliant?

Yes. Everything I have is made specifically for Canon. It's just makes no sense to me and yes the Phottix Strato II is just a dumb trigger, with exception of allowing pass through ettl. No signal other than a firing command should occur? There is just something different about the 20d and 40d. I'm curious if anyone else has run into this issue.

I've sent an inquiry to both Phottix and Metz but may also contact Canon. I really don't won't to keep testing the unit any further for fear of possibly causing damage.

Take care,
Ralph

Phottix has confirmed there is a compatability issue with the Yongnuo flashes. Their site specifically denotes the yn-465, bottom of page, but they confirmed to me it applies to all Yongnuo flashes.

You can attach the Strato II transmitter via pc sync and have a Yongnuo flash in the hotshoe alone, but you cannot use both in the hot shoe together in firing off camera flashes. It causes the off-camera flashes to malfunction as I described.

Ralph

Ralph III wrote in post #14754770
Phottix has confirmed there is a compatability issue with the Yongnuo flashes. Their site specifically denotes the yn-465, bottom of page, but they confirmed to me it applies to all Yongnuo flashes.

You can attach the Strato II transmitter via pc sync and have a Yongnuo flash in the hotshoe alone, but you cannot use both in the hot shoe together in firing off camera flashes. It causes the off-camera flashes to malfunction as I described.

Ralph

Hi Ralph, I am confused here a bit. Please could you help me out here?
Now that we know that YN flashes will not be triggered by Strato II (YN mounted on hot shoe portion of Stratto II receiver/trigger), would YN flash fire with pc cord attached to the it?
And would YN fire with PC cord if I have a canon 580 EX II on my Stratto II sender/emitter as ettl (pass true)?

Thanks

I think its just YN mounted on the Tx pass thru hotshoe that is an issue.

You should be fine with the Canon flash on the Tx hotshoe and YN's on the receivers.

Armans Photography wrote in post #14775331
=Arman's Photography;14775331]H​i Ralph, I am confused here a bit. Please could you help me out here?
Now that we know that YN flashes will not be triggered by Strato II (YN mounted on hot shoe portion of Stratto II receiver/trigger), would YN flash fire with pc cord attached to the it?
And would YN fire with PC cord if I have a canon 580 EX II on my Stratto II sender/emitter as ettl (pass true)?

Thanks

Hello Arman,
I answered in the other thread but will do so here also. The issue however is very specific and limited as follows.

You basically cannot use a Yongnuo flash and a Strato II transmitter together, in a camera's hotshoe, to fire off-camera flashes. It causes the off-camera flashes to malfunction. Note #2.

1) I could however turn the on-camera Yongnuo flash to "off" and the off-camera flashes would then begin functioning properly.

Vice-versus: I could turn the on-camera Strato II transmitter to "off" and the on-camera Yongnuo flash would then function properly. Actually, the on-camera flash might have functioned properly in all cases. You just wouldn't use it in a setup that causes off-camera flashes to malfunction.

2) The incompatability issue must also be contingent on which Canon camera your have because everything worked perfectly on my 20d. The compatability issue only shown while testing with my 40d.

3) The Strato II transmitter and Yongnuo flash worked perfectly if attached via the camera's pc sync. I cannot say whether you maintain ettl with that setup though? I didn't test for such.

4) Both the Yongnuo flash and Metz flash worked perfectly with the Strato II "receiver". You could put the flash in the shoe of the reciever or attach it via pc cord. You do not have ettl though. Strato II's only allow pass-through ettl in the camera hot shoe and maybe also via camera pc sync.

Good luck

I seem to be having the same problem using my 5D Mark II with both my Canon 580 EX II and my Yongnuo flashes. They fire rapidly for no reason. When I am ready to take a picture they have already fired. It drains the batteries and is annoying. I tried changing the channels (ABCD,1234) and nothing helps. I also use the Phottix Strato II. The problem is happening with both the Canon and Yongnuo 565EX flashes. Can anyone help?

NYC2BGI wrote in post #14800162
I seem to be having the same problem using my 5D Mark II with both my Canon 580 EX II and my Yongnuo flashes. They fire rapidly for no reason. When I am ready to take a picture they have already fired. It drains the batteries and is annoying. I tried changing the channels (ABCD,1234) and nothing helps. I also use the Phottix Strato II. The problem is happening with both the Canon and Yongnuo 565EX flashes. Can anyone help?

What is your setup?

I mean are you attempting to use a flash in the camera hotshoe with the Strato II Transmitter -or- are you setting up with all the flashes "off-camera"?

Ralph III wrote in post #14801870
What is your setup?

I mean are you attempting to use a flash in the camera hotshoe with the Strato II Transmitter -or- are you setting up with all the flashes "off-camera"?

I was using the flashes most of the time with a the transmitter and a flash on camera and the others off camera. It seems to happen all of the time and even when there is no on camera flash.