My 540 EZ will not do stroboscopic flash mode

I bought a used Speedlite 540 EZ some weeks ago (for off camera use - full manual). I thought it would be fun to try out stroboscopic flash mode, but it just doesn't want to work. It will let me set it up in stroboscopic mode, and it does work when I press the pilot button, but if I've got it on camera (350D) or via Skyport, it will only give me a single flash. Anything I can do about it? For use with the Skyport I'm using the FlashZebra hotshoe adapter (#0038).

It should work fine on camera, just need to ensure that you have shutter speed sufficiently long to take into account of the frequency & number of strobes you have set i.e. at 2 hz for a total of 6 flashes, your shutter speed needs to be 3 seconds.

It won't give you sproboscopic flashes via the skyports, it will fire once but that is it.

You're right... guess I hadn't tested enough on camera... but what's the reason for the problems off camera... when using the Skyport? I've read somewhere that it does work with PW.

Not as far as I am aware, us Kiwi's generally dont use PW's so much, they are a horrendous price here but I would doubt that they would work with PW as they are basically the same as other RF triggers, just that, a trigger for a flash.

The only way I know that you will get stroboscopic off camera is via a off-camera cord connected to the camera hotshoe.

If you were to buy one & if they are still available, I would get the Mk2 version for your 350D (despite its poorer physical construction) They're have been some issues with the pins on the Mk3 version not working 100% with the 350D.

There are plenty of threads here for extending the cord if you are a bit DIY capable. Its a worthwhile mod.

Cheers

Mark

Edit to above, the ST-E2 will also do the off camera stroboscopic trigger but not with the 540 and you are limited to the line of site of the IR beam


Cheers


Mark

Ok Thanks Mark. The stroboscopic capability isn't really that big of a deal for me. Just thought it would have been fun to play with, as the flash can do it Maybe I'll play a bit with it on camera.

Thanks again for the info

I just got some 540EZ's to play with my 400D/Xti and have been trying to figure out how to use the stroboscopic/multi mode. I have my power at 1/128, 3 shots, 20 hz and mounted on my camera. If I press and hold the "pilot" light/button, I can see all 3 flashes fire. When I push the shutter button, only 1 flash fires.

Is there any setting I'm missing on the flash/camera to take stroboscopic shots with the 540ez flash on a digital body?
(Apologies for the thread resurrection, but Google said my answer should be found here so I'm trying to place it here for future wanderers!)

pdelux wrote in post #6670745
I just got some 540EZ's to play with my 400D/Xti and have been trying to figure out how to use the stroboscopic/multi mode. I have my power at 1/128, 3 shots, 20 hz and mounted on my camera. If I press and hold the "pilot" light/button, I can see all 3 flashes fire. When I push the shutter button, only 1 flash fires.

Is there any setting I'm missing on the flash/camera to take stroboscopic shots with the 540ez flash on a digital body?
(Apologies for the thread resurrection, but Google said my answer should be found here so I'm trying to place it here for future wanderers!)

Welcome to POTN pdelux. It did work for me when I had the 540EZ mounted in the hot shoe of my 350D, but not when I tried to trigger it off camera.

I suppose you've got your camera in manual (M) mode? The shutter speed also needs to be quite slow for it to work. Try setting the shutter speed to one or two seconds just to try if that changes anything.

fi20100 wrote in post #6670777
The shutter speed also needs to be quite slow for it to work.

Ok, that was it! I was in manual mode with the flash at around 1/250 or something... I changed to 1/4 and could easily see the multi/stroboscopic flash. Thanks! I'm glad to see the stroboscopic function also works with the new digital bodies. I'm looking forward to learning to gauge the lighting and my flash the "manual" (old) way, for both the experience of it and to save $$! =) The 540ez ($70 on ebay) is much cheaper than the 580ex ii ($370 amazon)! It just requires more work. =)

Actually you have to be quite lucky to get one for $70, I got mine for $90 but still a good deal. It is a little more than a new vivitar 285 but I think its build and features beat the vivitar. The nikon SB's seem to be best for off camera work but those are very popular on the ebay running well over $100, the built in PC connector and the optical triggering makes them really versatile.

cvt01 wrote in post #6692849
The nikon SB's seem to be best for off camera work but those are very popular an the ebay running well over $100, the built in PC connector and the optical triggering makes them really versatile.

You know what... I just realized that! Good point! Unfortunately I just "assumed" that a high end flash like the 540ez/580ex (ver1 - apparently ver2 has one) from Canon would have one of the PC sync/mini audio jacks for using radio/remote triggers (Pocket wizards, Elinchrom Skyport, Ebay radios from China, etc)! So now I need to either hack/mod my 540ez's to have a sub-mini jack, or buy something like the Paramount Miniphone to Hot Shoe (PW-MHSF1) with mini jacks at ~$40/each. So SB's at $100 now sound like a deal to me!

For miniphone to hotshoe (and for everything cable related for that matter) I go to flashzebra, great prices and quality service:
http://flashzebra.com/​wizardcables/hotshoe.s​html