Much As I Love Skyports, I'm Ready To Throw Them Out The Window

I'll start by saying that I really like the compactness and functionality of the Elinchrom Skyport transmitter. However, since day one I was disappointed in the build with regard to the circuit board mounted slide switches used to control and change settings. DIP switches would have been a better choice but these mini slide switches are a joke.

There's no question about the fact that the switches are cheap and no matter how much I like the ability to adjust power I'm really not liking the system due to it's poor build quality, and that is very unlike Elinchrom, as most of their gear is of very high quality when it comes to design and build.

Anyway, here is why I'm annoyed. The power switch is a 3 position switch that goes from OFF to GROUP or ALL. You can feel each position click but after the ALL position there is a small amount of play that almost feels like another switch position but it's not. It doesn't affect performance but it's annoying and typical of the DIP switch construction.

Now the real problem. The GROUP switch has four positions to select from group 1, 2, 3 or 4. The last few times I was shooting I noticed some strange issues with selecting groups but didn't have time to sort out the problem. I thought perhaps it was just time to change the battery. Today I had the opportunity to take a look at the problem. The first thing I did was to check the battery and it was working fine and still showing 3 Volts.

When the power switch is in the ALL position everything works fine. All strobes fire without a problem. When I switch to the GROUP position I start getting problems. For instance.... I have 2 strobes set up with one Skyport RX set to channel 1 and the other set to channel 2. If I set the TX to Group 1 both strobes fire, if I set it to Group 2 both strobes fire, if I move the switch a few times and play with it and then switch it to Group 1 then the strobe on Channel 1 fires, if I switch to Group 2 they both fire. If I juggle the switch again Group 2 may fire alone or both strobes may fire. There's no rhyme or reason to it.

Just to make sure I wasn't having battery issues I replaced the battery with a brand new one and got the same results. One interesting thing I noticed was that if I switch to Group 1 and adjust the power level it works fine and if I switch to Group to and adjust power then it works fine. It's somehow only a problem with triggering.

I'm going to call BogenImaging and see what they say. I don't know if they'll want me to send them the transmitter alone or the transmitter and receivers to really diagnose the problem.

Even if I wasn't having this problem I would still be very dissatisfied with the slide switches and build quality and that's a shame because it's a great system and I love the size.

I'm glad I have Pocket Wizards as a backup and for Sekonic meter triggering and I, for one, would gladly pay more for Skyports if they were built better with more solid construction and components.

OK, there's my rant.

TMR Design wrote in post #8363281
I'll start by saying that I really like the compactness and functionality of the Elinchrom Skyport transmitter. However, since day one I was disappointed in the build with regard to the circuit board mounted slide switches used to control and change settings. DIP switches would have been a better choice but these mini slide switches are a joke.

There's no question about the fact that the switches are cheap and no matter how much I like the ability to adjust power I'm really not liking the system due to it's poor build quality, and that is very unlike Elinchrom, as most of their gear is of very high quality when it comes to design and build.

Anyway, here is why I'm annoyed. The power switch is a 3 position switch that goes from OFF to GROUP or ALL. You can feel each position click but after the ALL position there is a small amount of play that almost feels like another switch position but it's not. It doesn't affect performance but it's annoying and typical of the DIP switch construction.

Now the real problem. The GROUP switch has four positions to select from group 1, 2, 3 or 4. The last few times I was shooting I noticed some strange issues with selecting groups but didn't have time to sort out the problem. I thought perhaps it was just time to change the battery. Today I had the opportunity to take a look at the problem. The first thing I did was to check the battery and it was working fine and still showing 3 Volts.

When the power switch is in the ALL position everything works fine. All strobes fire without a problem. When I switch to the GROUP position I start getting problems. For instance.... I have 2 strobes set up with one Skyport RX set to channel 1 and the other set to channel 2. If I set the TX to Group 1 both strobes fire, if I set it to Group 2 both strobes fire, if I move the switch a few times and play with it and then switch it to Group 1 then the strobe on Channel 1 fires, if I switch to Group 2 they both fire. If I juggle the switch again Group 2 may fire alone or both strobes may fire. There's no rhyme or reason to it.

Just to make sure I wasn't having battery issues I replaced the battery with a brand new one and got the same results. One interesting thing I noticed was that if I switch to Group 1 and adjust the power level it works fine and if I switch to Group to and adjust power then it works fine. It's somehow only a problem with triggering.

I'm going to call BogenImaging and see what they say. I don't know if they'll want me to send them the transmitter alone or the transmitter and receivers to really diagnose the problem.

Even if I wasn't having this problem I would still be very dissatisfied with the slide switches and build quality and that's a shame because it's a great system and I love the size.

I'm glad I have Pocket Wizards as a backup and for Sekonic meter triggering and I, for one, would gladly pay more for Skyports if they were built better with more solid construction and components.

OK, there's my rant.

Gotta agree with you on this one, Robert. The build quality of the Skyports is shameful. I have problems with the "All" setting on mine. If I move the slide switch from "Off" to "All" too quickly, only one group will fire. However, if I move the slide switch to "All" slooooowly, all groups fire. It's very annoying. I know others have reported the same issue.

Elinchrom should also have provided a screw-down locking collar on the transmitter foot. Drops of Gorilla Glue shouldn't be needed to keep it securely in place.

Dave F.

tetrode wrote in post #8363343
Gotta agree with you on this one, Robert. The build quality of the Skyports is shameful. I have problems with the "All" setting on mine. If I move the slide switch from "Off" to "All" too quickly, only one group will fire. However, if I move the slide switch to "All" slooooowly, all groups fire. It's very annoying. I know others have reported the same issue.

Elinchrom should also have provided a screw-down locking collar on the transmitter foot. Drops of Gorilla Glue shouldn't be needed to keep it securely in place.

Dave F.

Hi Dave,

Shameful is the word. Considering that there's no other way to control power of Elinchrom strobes remotely they shouldn't be worrying about price point or competitive pricing for triggers. Elinchrom users would probably pay the price for that functionality.

After switching back to a Nikon D700 I'm happy to report a very snug fit so I removed the Gorilla glue but I do agree that with tolerances in hot shoe's being all over the place, Elinchrom should have given us a screw down a la Pocket Wizards.

Haters the lot of ya!!:p

Im sure you understand why i use pw for triggering and skyport only for power adjusments. Also why i would never have unit like skyport dangling from my meter...

Still my skyport have worked flawless thus far(as far as build goes), but again i only use my transmitters as power remotes and most of the time i have tucked away in my pocket.

A total revamp of the design would be more then welcome!

I dropped my Skyport transmitter on the gym floor once, maybe a 3 foot fall. Both switches broke off. Bogen replaced it under warranty but it seems like it should be designed to withstand such a drop.

I've had issues with the switches too. I always have to futz arround with them to make a group fire. Anymore I just turn it to "all" and manually turn lights on and off for metering.

I really like the low profile design of the transmitter. It allows me to keep my left eye open and see the subject with the camera in vertical orientation. Too bad these things are built like cheap chinese crap.

MR do little wrote in post #8363445
Haters the lot of ya!!:p

Im sure you understand why i use pw for triggering and skyport only for power adjusments. Also why i would never have unit like skyport dangling from my meter...

Still my skyport have worked flawless thus far(as far as build goes), but again i only use my transmitters as power remotes and most of the time i have tucked away in my pocket.

A total revamp of the design would be more then welcome!

Absolutely Paul. When I got my Skyports I kept hearing people tell me to sell my Pocket Wizards but I didn't want to do it for this exact reason, and I'm with you on the dangling Skyport off the meter. I never liked the idea and see it as one more thing to become intermittent or fail.

I'm going to see if I can have my transmitter repaired or replaced and then use the Skyport TX only for power adjustments and Pocket Wizards for triggering.

Mine are still okay so far. They do feel pretty cheap though for having "elinchrom" painted on 'em.

Really seems a shame to have to use two devices for the functionality one provides. Makes me glad to not have gone off my interfits for Skyports; even though I can't adjust power

hawk911 wrote in post #8363654
Really seems a shame to have to use two devices for the functionality one provides. Makes me glad to not have gone off my interfits for Skyports; even though I can't adjust power

I was already integrating Skyports and Pocket Wizards. For users of Sekonic meters with the Pocket Wizard transmitter module this is common and gives the greatest flexibility all the way around. Regardless of how well the Skyports work we would still be using both systems. It may cost more and many can't justify the expense but it's a very cool way to work and have the best of both worlds.

MR do little wrote in post #8363445
Haters the lot of ya!!:p

Im sure you understand why i use pw for triggering and skyport only for power adjusments. Also why i would never have unit like skyport dangling from my meter...

Still my skyport have worked flawless thus far(as far as build goes), but again i only use my transmitters as power remotes and most of the time i have tucked away in my pocket.

A total revamp of the design would be more then welcome!

No, no, no.... you've got it all wrong, haters would be if a cybersync or PW user who has never used a skyport jumped in and started telling everyone that they sucked, that's the difference.

P.S.
Skyports suck, the PCB Cyber Commander is waaay better.

My Skyport transmitters will only switch between groups if I make the switch WITHIN 5 SECONDS of last firing the transmitter.

If I wait longer than that and then switch groups, the transmitter will first trigger the previously selected group - it will only trigger the newly selected group on the second fire. It's as if the transmitter goes to sleep after 5 seconds of inactivity, and therefore is unable to register the switch between groups.

In practice this means using the 'test' button every time I switch groups (to ensure that the transmitter has registered the group change).

Others have recently reported this behaviour on the Stobist Flickr group. It seems to be a design flaw. I can live with it, but I'm surprised it gets little mention in all the glowing online reviews. I guess not many people use the 'group' feature.

Elliot

p.s. Robert, you say there is no rhyme or reason to your transmitter's unpredictable behaviour when switching between groups. That is how I felt until I eventually figured out that the transmitter's behaviour is based on how long it has been inactive. However I have never experienced what you've described - both lights firing when switching between Group 1 and Group 2. That sounds like a different fault to the one I am aware of - but perhaps related.

elliot_n wrote in post #8364040
I guess not many people use the 'group' feature.

I use it all the time. UGH!

but remotely controlling power settings is only on the RX lights, right? I know I can't on the Dlite series....

hawk911 wrote in post #8364436
but remotely controlling power settings is only on the RX lights, right? I know I can't on the Dlite series....

You can remotely control power on the RX, BXRi, Ranger and Quadra.

okay- but just not at my level of lighting.