Radio trigger for older cameras

akaa · Nov 5, 2015

What kind of radio triggers can be used for older camras? Ie, mamiya rb, rolleiflex automat, etc.

My wife bought me the Cowboystudio triggers from amazon (cheap I know) and they work great until you hook them to a camera. None of my rb lenses, large format lenses, or rolleiflex will work consistently.

I know all the lenses can trigger a flash because I have an old vivitar flash that has a sync cord hard wired to it. All the above lenses trigger this old flash every time.

Suggestions?

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ic-racer · Nov 6, 2015

You would probably have to rig up something like this yourself with a servo and radio unit. Most modern film cameras wireless remotes are infrared, so if not in the line of sight, one would need to rig up something like this even with a modern camera.

mweintraub · Nov 6, 2015

I use CTR-301P triggers. They are rated up to 1/500s sync speed, but I wouldn't trust the full speed.

baachitraka · Nov 6, 2015

If you have,

Cold Shoe -> Adapter(PC - hot shoe) -> Trigger

Hot Shoe -> Trigger

No Shoe: Flash bracket -> Adapter(PC - hot shoe) -> Tigger.

PC- hot shoe: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/764546-REG/Nisha_HTS_D_Deluxe_Mult_Purpose_Hot_Shoe.html

Trigger: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Radio-Infrared-Slaves/ci/8007/N/4006633031

cramej · Nov 6, 2015

So long as they're plugged in, they *should* work with any lens that has a pc connection. Make sure you're on X sync.

I have some old JTL triggers that would quit if you accidentally changed the channel and didn't sync them again.

akaa · Nov 6, 2015

I've made sure all the lenses are on x-sync. What's baffling is that the flashes will pop every time if I use the test button on top of the transmitter. but as soon as it's hooked up with the pc cord - nada.

http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-..._cp_421_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1YXYGA2025BJXHPV9WW8

Here are the triggers I ended up with.

MattKing · Nov 6, 2015

My guess is that most modern triggers use very low trigger voltage and extremely low current in the trigger circuit.

The synch circuits in RB lenses were designed to handle strobes with high trigger voltages - my old Bowens units can be up to 600 volts - and may very well have built up some resistance over the years.

A CLA that includes cleaning the synch contacts (if that is possible) might solve the problem.

adelorenzo · Nov 6, 2015

My Pocketwizard PlusX triggers work with anything I hook them up to including PC sync, hot shoe, large format.... They are the simplest and least expensive models.

Maybe you just got an unreliable set of triggers?

MattKing · Nov 6, 2015

One further check: try triggering your flash using the radio triggers and a more modern camera (with a pc socket, if possible). Just to make sure that the triggers are working.

cramej · Nov 6, 2015

akaa said:
I've made sure all the lenses are on x-sync. What's baffling is that the flashes will pop every time if I use the test button on top of the transmitter. but as soon as it's hooked up with the pc cord - nada.

http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-..._cp_421_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1YXYGA2025BJXHPV9WW8

Here are the triggers I ended up with.

Does the transmitter have a hot shoe pin on the bottom? If so and you're using it in a metal cold shoe, try covering up the pin with electrical tape.

Also, if the flash you're using has TTL capability but is not on the compatible list for that trigger, the pins that are not being used on the receiver may cause problems with tripping the flash. I have had this happen when I use a dedicated flash on a different make of camera with TTL pins. A non-ttl flash with a single pin will always work on ttl adapters or shoes but not the other way around.

ToddB · Nov 6, 2015

I have a set of Paul Buffs cyber cync for my Rolleiflex. They work awesome and there not as expensive as Pocket Wizard brand. Great for Strobist work.

Todd

M Carter · Nov 7, 2015

This thread could go another few pages of guesses and "here what I own" - but in my experience, the cheap asian cowboy-studio stuff will not work with an RB lens.

I know, I have one. Works like a charm with my DSLRs and my 4x5 and my 1960's 35mm bodies. Great bang for the buck. Won't fire with ANY OF MY RB GLASS.

What does work? The old, half-a-house-brick sized Quantum Radio Slave. (In my case, the 4i). Still in production (but stupid expensive). Kind of ancient but a solid, dependable piece of pro gear. (Get the Ac adapter for the receiver while you're at it).

Ebay haz dozens of 'em. Have a look.

baachitraka · Nov 7, 2015

Yongnou RF 603 II should work but not the Yongnou RF 603(need a mod).

Kirks518 · Nov 9, 2015

I use this adapter: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/89979-REG/Hama_HA_6951_Hot_Shoe_Adapter_1.html

with cheap yongnuo triggers. I have no problems on the RB67, C330, or the 4x5

MattKing · Nov 9, 2015

Kirks518 said:
I use this adapter: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/89979-REG/Hama_HA_6951_Hot_Shoe_Adapter_1.html

with cheap yongnuo triggers. I have no problems on the RB67, C330, or the 4x5

That adapter triggers from a hot shoe.

My guess is that you are using it attached to the receivers - at the flash end of the chain.

I think the OP is having trouble with the transmitter - at the camera end of the chain.

M Carter · Nov 9, 2015

Yes, the issue I've had (and the OP) is that the RB won't fire the modern, cheap radio triggers. The post regarding voltages and so on is likely the heart of this.

I haven't tried my RB glass with the pricey stuff (Pocket Wizard and so on) since the cheapies work fine for everything else I own. But the old Radio Slave (specifically for me the 4Ti but possibly other models) work fine, I have one so don't need to spend $$ on another solution.

The Hama adapter in the b&H link simply adds a PC socket to a camera with a hot shoe but no PC jack. The RB (at least the RB67 Pro-S) has a cold shoe (actually called an "accessory holder" in the manual), so that adapter won't work. The RB already has a PC connector, on the lens, which is where the shutter is as well.

Why Kirks is getting a signal to trigger his flash from the Hama adapter is a mystery to me. For one thing, he doesn't need to "add" a pc connector since there's one on the lens, and for another, there should be no trigger signal at the cold shoe to "adapt" into a PC adapter, unless someone did a DIY project to his body. I assume he's confused this with something else.

MattKing · Nov 9, 2015

M Carter said:
Why Kirks is getting a signal to trigger his flash from the Hama adapter is a mystery to me. For one thing, he doesn't need to "add" a pc connector since there's one on the lens, and for another, there should be no trigger signal at the cold shoe to "adapt" into a PC adapter, unless someone did a DIY project to his body. I assume he's confused this with something else.

I expect Kirk's inexpensive transmitter does work with the older shutter, where yours does not.

Kirks518 · Nov 10, 2015

MattKing said:
That adapter triggers from a hot shoe.

My guess is that you are using it attached to the receivers - at the flash end of the chain.

I think the OP is having trouble with the transmitter - at the camera end of the chain.

Sorry, wrong link. I use the other one, that fires off the PC socket, to a hot shoe. This one - http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/89982-REG/Hama_HA_6952_Hot_Shoe_Adapter_2.html

It's a hot shoe triggered by the PC socket. I mount the transmitter on that unit, and the receiver hangs by the light.

Kirks518 · Nov 10, 2015

Actually, I just dug out the adapter, and it is the first one I linked to.

From the B+H description:

The very bottom of the device has a "hot" button, which is used to trigger anything attached to the bottomPC female socket when the entire device is inserted into a camera's hot shoe and that camera is fired. Whatever cord you would use to trigger a flash from the bottom PC female socket would need a "PC male" connection on one end, and whatever connection interfaces with your flash upon the other.
The top of this device also has a PC female socket, but that socket is not activated merely by placing the entire device into a camera's hot shoe and firing the camera. Instead, the top PC female socket fires the hot shoe which is on top of the unit. With cameras that have both a PC female connection and a hot shoe, this device allows you to simultaneously trigger two flashes---all by reliable cords!

Of course, I don't use any flash directly connected to it, I use it to trigger the transmitter, which in turn triggers the receivers. But that unit can be used with cameras with or without hot shoes. If the camera has a hot shoe, and that is connected to it, only whatever is connected to the bottom PC connection will fire. The hot shoe on top is triggered by the connected PC sync cord that is connected at the top female socket. So I bypass/don't use the hot shoe (bottom) when using a camera that doesn't have a hot shoe.

But the second one I linked to would work as well.

M Carter · Nov 10, 2015

Ah, I gotcha. I assume though - if a given radio trigger won't fire from the PC connector on the lens, adding more connections (and resistance) in the chain shouldn't make a difference? I'd guess your radio gear works with the RB either wired directly to the lens PC socket or going from socket to hot shoe adapter to transmitter?

I'd love to find a modern, tiny transmitter that works with the RB (since the Quantum unit is huge by today's standards) but I just clip the Quantum to my tripod or my belt so it's not critical for me. Someday I'll go to a camera store and test a few models. A couple of my RB lenses will fire it at 1/30th and slower, but it's hit and miss.

Radio trigger for older cameras

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