Elinchrom Quadra RX & Skyport Speed sync test

I did a quick test to check the sync speed of the lights. These are the settings where you start to see shutter creep, I've not put up all the images but the speed previous to these are clear.

Settings on camera 30D set to manual f/8 varying the shutter speed. The two modes for the new Skyports are R1 and R2 and these are mutually exclusive so you need to be in each setting. Both the pack and the transmitter need to be in the same mode otherwise they won't communicate. The pack was set to half power, as there was little to no difference between the power ratios, the B channel performed slightly better but there's not much in it. Overall even in standard (R1) mode 1/250th looks usable with relatively no creep for outdoor work. I see little need in moving up to the R2 mode for most purposes, especially since you're sacrificing distance.

The manual doesn't explicitly state that the R2 mode is the new Speed mode, so it took a bit of head scratching to figure out what Elinchrom had done. If you put your transmitter into Speed mode (R2) then it will no longer communicate with the pack, not even to change power or test fire the lights.

Seeing as how the 30D only syncs with the flash up to 1/250 sec, your images look about like they should except for that lower left hand corner in the R1 1/250 image right? Weird that the R2 mode doesnt communicate with the lights, but if R1 works for ya...

I just realised what I wrote. Each mode is mutually exclusive. What I meant to say both the trigger and the pack must be in the same mode to work otherwise you won't get any communication.

It'd help I didn't do this half asleep! The shutter creep happens on both 30Ds, so it's a bit annoying if you're shooting hot backgrounds.

My question is why is your shutter at an angle? Does the 30D posess some strange quality? I don't think i've seen it at an angle before.... unless you capture is so fast that speed is bending it...

mumbles wrote in post #10256758
My question is why is your shutter at an angle? Does the 30D posess some strange quality? I don't think i've seen it at an angle before.... unless you capture is so fast that speed is bending it...

Good point... The way the shutters are designed on these cameras it should def be straight across and appear perfectly level in the image...

I've no idea! I thought that as well, but the camera works fine. Ought to recheck the second camera to see what happens with that.

You should. Just to be sure...

Redid the test this morning, the angle is normal(?!) as both cameras exhibit it, but this one is far more pronounced. The backup syncs slightly better than the main one but there is still creep from the blades.

I'm now debating retiring the 30D for a 5D II earlier than anticipated as it's not worth the cost to get the shutter repaired.

If the camera is working well otherwise, there may be nothing wrong.

We all assume the blades on these things are perfectly parallel to side of the sensor, move perfectly parallel, etc - and that the timing (shutter speed) and flash trigger circuitry of them is accurate to within a Nth degree of precision from body to body. In reality the latter (indicated speed) can vary between samples (and I suspect shot-to-shot to a much smaller degree) -- as you're seeing with your slightly better sync speed between two bodies.

WRT the former, you might just be capturing another small, and from a picture taking point of view, irrelevant, manufacturing variance - that may also come across looking more pronounced due to the shooting conditions.