550D/Remote problem

[RobbieKB]

Evening chaps,

So I've been out all day shooting today and a reoccurring problem is now driving me absolutely nuts. It could have ruined the day and lost me the work potentially.

So I use these:



They will be working fine (and have done for over a year) but recently they very suddenly, for no reason I can spot, no longer fire. I will press half way and the camera will focus, the light on the remote goes from red to green as does the receiver - as normal. Then I press it in fully and where it would usually shoot (for as long as I hold it on Bulb) it just won't fire. I've changed receiver, I've changed batteries, I've reset my camera back to factory settings, I've tried aperture/shutter priority and now I'm out of ideas. The kicker is, it will sometimes start working again a bit later (not today). I can't work it out and I need it sorted by next week latest.

Any advice would be superb.

[LongQ]

RobbieKB said:

Evening chaps,

So I've been out all day shooting today and a reoccurring problem is now driving me absolutely nuts. It could have ruined the day and lost me the work potentially.

So I use these:



They will be working fine (and have done for over a year) but recently they very suddenly, for no reason I can spot, no longer fire. I will press half way and the camera will focus, the light on the remote goes from red to green as does the receiver - as normal. Then I press it in fully and where it would usually shoot (for as long as I hold it on Bulb) it just won't fire. I've changed receiver, I've changed batteries, I've reset my camera back to factory settings, I've tried aperture/shutter priority and now I'm out of ideas. The kicker is, it will sometimes start working again a bit later (not today). I can't work it out and I need it sorted by next week latest.

Any advice would be superb.

Realistically if next week is very important I would buy new units.

Meanwhile .... do they work when cold but not if warm (or when they have been on for some time)?

I don't know the units - I have Elinchrom stuff - but the obvious concerns would be the trigger to camera connection and whether or or not there may be some sort of electrical breakdown in one or other unit - I would assume trigger rather than receiver if you have multiple receivers and none work. Failing electronic component or a 'dry joint' on a circuit board can cause intermittent working. I doubt that the cost would justify any attempt at repair. Especially within a week.

Could be something else of course so let's see what others come up with.

[RobbieKB]

Cheers LongQ.

Not sure about the heat, I guess it could be but my intuition says it isn't.

Any ideas of good receivers and wireless remotes for Canon?

[LongQ]

RobbieKB said:

Cheers LongQ.

Not sure about the heat, I guess it could be but my intuition says it isn't.

Any ideas of good receivers and wireless remotes for Canon?

Not excessive heat - just the electronic warmiong up enough separate hairline cracks in circuit boards or the solder used to attach components - that sort of thing. Can be very intermittent. My old Dell notebook went that way a few months ago after years of use. It starts up fine and then, more often than not, just stops and after a short time the boot sequence blue screens. If I 'twist' it a bit when booting it will often alter the pattent and fail to boot up at all or go further thorugh the sequence before failing. No way is it worth trying to find out what is causing the problem.

I would be tempted to say jut but more of the same on the basis that if you already have other components and are happy with them all you be doing is adding to a pool of kit some of which will fail form time to time.

I'm not really up with the latest technologies in triggers - bought mine about 3 years ago - but there is a web site somewhere that keeps tabs on what is around. Can't remember the name but a search should find one or two I would guess.

Budget may be a factor ... Pocketwizards (older type Multimax for example) are still expensive even used. Elinchrom Skyport Universal (again the older models) are about half the PW price but still not cheap.

You can rent such things if you think that might be worth considering. I think that The Flash Centre will still do both PW and Elinchrom.

[Simpo Two]

Are you confusing flash triggers with remote controls Mr Q or is it just past my bedtime?





If there's money involved, buy decent stuff.

[LongQ]

Simpo Two said:

Are you confusing flash triggers with remote controls Mr Q or is it just past my bedtime?





If there's money involved, buy decent stuff.

Possibly but I have used the Skyports in both roles, albeit simply firing the camera in a fully auto mode rather than attempting the use of bulb and so on. I assume PWs can do the same. I seem to recall reading articles about people using them to control remote cameras as well as remote flashes.

The comments about electronics and erratic operation should be valid no matter what although maybe turn out to not be the problem in ths case.

[londonagent]

I have a Hahnel TF combi for my 550D which works a treat both as a wireless remote and as a remote flash trigger. If you can get to SW london you are welcome to borrow it as I'm unable to use the my camera due to a dislocated shoulder.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hahnel-Combi-TF-Wireless-C...