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I remember one thread where somebody saw something similar on a Nikon D40 (if I'm not mistaken).
Posted 55 months ago.
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Anyone with similar results?
I know these crops may not be the best examples, but the fact is this mod may be dangerous to your CAMERAS,
I mean, what is the point of saving 100$ if you then have to spend a a lot more on service, or even a few thousands on a new camera!!!
C'mon!!! this should be examined!!!! people with the antenna mod and Full Frame sensor cameras!!! go now and check if your radtio trigger distorts the pictures!!!
Posted 55 months ago.
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There was a topic about this a while ago, I think. I'll see if I can find it.
www.flickr.com/groups/strobist/discuss/72157600082093007/...
Originally posted 55 months ago.
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~ Aidan Dunbar edited this topic 55 months ago.
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hmmm, if anyone knows anything about this, please write!!!
that, at least for me poses another serious question:
what types of radio activity, or in fact any other electromagnetic field activity may distort the sensor readout.
I can see a potential problem for technical photography, where you have to shoot in a lab - say photograph a some high tech equipment, which produces magnetic field - how would that affect the sensor - I'm quite concerned as I plan to do a shoot at a university physics dept. (they are dealing with lasers and optics, generally, but still, that may me dangerous to your camera, if a simple antenna can do such things as distort the sensor readout ... )
Posted 55 months ago.
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Congratulations! You've discovered why FCC approval is required for devices that emit RF.
Posted 55 months ago.
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hehehe :D
Posted 55 months ago.
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But electronic devices are also normally FCC rated to ensure that they can handle stray radiation.
How close does the transmitter have to be to the camera? Can you get the same effect with other radio control systems. What's so special about 433MHz?
Posted 55 months ago.
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breaking news - the mod does not cause this effect, it only makes it more visible :D it's the trigger itself which causes the problem.
anyway - again - for me that makes the trigger unacceptable for any digital camera. (at leat 20d and 5d especially)
so much for the cheap triggers...
Posted 55 months ago.
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anyone wants to buy a modded cactus trigger?
Posted 55 months ago.
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Shit, not really into technicalities of radio waves vs. electronic equipment, but could this thing permanently damage the sensor?
Posted 55 months ago.
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It's unlikely that it's affecting the sensor, and more likely that it's interfering with the A/D converters that are pulling the data off the sensor. I don't think you'll get a straight answer from anyone as to whether this will do long term damage. Except possibly the sensor manufacturer (if they'll talk to you). If you're worried. Don't use it. If you're not, do.
Incidentally, I've not seen anything like this with my EOS 300D and I've shot a number of very dark shots using the trigger (before remembering to turn on the receiver).
Posted 55 months ago.
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Jon Senior - FCC ratings on consumer devices not designed as emitters typically state that they must not radiate interference, and they must accept any interference from the environment. Devices that do not have FCC acceptance (like a modified Poverty Wizard) may emit more RF interference than the FCC would find acceptable, and thus cause problems with other FCC type-accepted devices.
Posted 55 months ago.
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Look, if it's 433Mhz that's freaking it up, the PRICY Pocket Wizards will do the same :D
Posted 55 months ago.
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the point is pocket wizards do not do the same
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Did you try different channels? Maybe it's just on one channel.
Posted 55 months ago.
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the noise band appears with all channels
Posted 55 months ago.
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and any antenna mods just amplify the noise band - I found it's actually worse when you place the trigger left to the camera (as compared to hotshoe mount)
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wow this is real interesting so if they are both doing this i guess its time to purchase longer cords
=/
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Anybody have this problem with Nikon?
Posted 55 months ago.
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Out of curiosity how far away do you have to move the trigger before it stops? have you tried the PC cable to the trigger just to see?
Posted 55 months ago.
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As Barakyedidia sayd
Have anyone this problem with CCD cameras??????
I use Pentax :-P
Posted 55 months ago.
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I used the supplied pc-jack cord which is 30cm long (about 12 inch I guess) at "full stretch" and the transmitter still produced the band (sometimes even worse than placed on the hotshoe)
I don't think there is any point in checking further distances as the whole point of the wireless system is to be wireless, isn't it? (well, I can imagine you'd have the transmitter in your pocket - but that would require a good 1m working range - haven't checked that one yet. Still, I would certainly fint that inconvenient enough not to use it on a serious shoot.
Posted 55 months ago.
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a dpreview thread on a similar topic:
here
Posted 55 months ago.
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i shoot a nikon d50 (ccd sensor). and used unmodded poverty wizards for some time before making the antenna mod. when i first used them i shot at my max sync speed and noticed odd gridlike patterns appearing in some of my photos. they were more noticeable in the higher contrast shots, but there didn't seem to be any significance as to whether the shot was "dark" or "bright". when i dropped the sync speed down an notch to 1/400sec the problem went away. i just recently modded my antenna on my v2 trigger but haven't had a chance to really inspect any photos shot with it. actually today was the first day i'd really shot anything post mod. i still won't shoot faster than 1/400sec but i'll post whether or not the interference returns.
Posted 55 months ago.
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ok, so I've checked the banding vs sync speed
with 5D the bands are not visible below shutter speeds of 1/40 sec.
still that kind of sync speed does not make them my first choice triggers... and if it does interfere with the sensor at faster shutters, it may as well increase noise levels at slower shutter speeds...
Posted 55 months ago.
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well the d50 has an electronic sensor. i think it simply pulses the ccd sensor. using a pc cord i've been able to sync that thing up to it's max shutter speed of 1/4000sec. i'm not sure if that makes a difference. i'm not very electronically inclined so all i can offer is data, not analysis.
Posted 55 months ago.
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no lines on my Nikon D40.
Posted 55 months ago.
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I earned my first amateur ("ham") radio license in 1959 at age 11. Ham radio operators know a lot about various types of interference and how to minimize or stop it.
I'd like to make several points:
1) This type of interference will not cause permanent damage to a camera. It is temporary radio-frequency interference (RFI). When the interfering signal (from the Cactus transmitter) goes away, so does the interference.
2) When you modified the Cactus transmitter, you increased the field strength of the RF signal. (That's the whole point of the modification.) This also increased the RFI signal that the camera was receiving.
3) Moving the Cactus transmitter further from the camera may produce results that seem strange. This is because of unknown resonances that may exist within the camera and the cable that connects the camera to the Cactus transmitter.
4) This is why the Cactus units are inexpensive, and why they are not sold with an external antenna.
Posted 55 months ago.
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No issues when I use them on my F100 :)
Posted 55 months ago.
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Well damn it all. Thanks br-digiphoto for the info, hopefully eases some minds. I suppose this just goes to show that if we're gonna get serious, we'll all be drinking that PW kool-aid after all :-P
Posted 55 months ago.
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fstops and shutter speeds [deleted] says:
d70 and modded ebay trigger. Nothing to report here...
Posted 55 months ago.
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2 sets of triggers on my 40d and XTI (no mods) and I've seen nothing of the sort.
Posted 55 months ago.
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I don't have any valuable insights to add, but I figure I might as well punch in as another person who has experienced this. My friend using my unmodified V2 transmitter on his D70s and a grid (large enough to be seen on the screen of a D70s) appeared on the image when shooting at 1/500th of a second. The problem disappeared at slower shutter speeds, but we were puzzled.
The idea of radio interference never occurred to me, but it seems to make some sense.
Posted 55 months ago.
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hehe
interesting
wow.
c
Posted 55 months ago.
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I just received my Cactus and an extra receiver. Didn't know of the problem and haven't seen any signs of the lines on my 20D Canon. I do have another question, however. Can these triggers be synced at high speed? My 20D can only sync at 1/250 in Aperture mode unless i want the shutter to remain opened after the flash, which isn't very good for people shots. So i changed the sync to 1/250 and the flashes don't fire. Am i doing something wrong?
Also, does anyone have experience with Cactus shutter trigger? Does that unit also have interferences? I just haven’t tried it yet.
Thanks
Posted 55 months ago.
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!!!
I've noticed that sometimes that when using the triggers I get a completely black image on a misstrigger. What's suspicious is that I get no ambient at all. At first I just chalked it up to working f/5+ @1/60th but now I will investigate when it happens again.
Oh yeah I'm using a duracell battery.
and it has happened on my D70s and Coolpix 5400
Originally posted 55 months ago.
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Crantastic edited this topic 55 months ago.
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See also:
flickr.com/groups/strobist/discuss/72157601079586835/?sea...
In a nutshell: only visible at high ISO and REAR curtain synch on a D200
Posted 55 months ago.
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It is not my job to fix this but it has been my job to fix this type of problem in other products.
If I owned a set of these, I would try putting a ferrite choke on the sync cord. There is a good chance that the sync cord is conducting the interference to the camera and that the camera would be relatively immune to this frequency if it weren't for this transmission path.
Something like a wein safe-sync might also provide sufficient isolation.
An FCC approved intentional emitter would have to emit (mostly) only it's intended frequency and it would have to radiate that frequency and not conduct it.
Posted 55 months ago.
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I'm using 5D and recently i discovered the same prob with yours using my modded antena trigger. but i noticed that the distance between the cam and receiver is wat causes this affect. i'll have to buy a new set of radio triggers now. its not very pleasing effect to my pictures.
Posted 55 months ago.
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ok here is a summary of the facts:
1. Cactus and apparently other cactus-like triggers cause interference with the sensor reading circuits, which causes strange noise patterns visible mostly near the top egde of your photo. Sometimes, the pattern appears throughout the picture.
2. It happens mostly for canoon 5d, but some report it with nikon d40, d70s, d200 and canon 20d so far.
3. It seems that this kind of radio interference may deteriorate picture quality in some cases, as it increases noise and introduces noise patterns, although it seems that this does not damage the sensor permanently (I can tell that about 250 exposures did not do anything permanent to the 5d sensor I have)
4. for 5d, the noise banding occurs for both the pc and hotshoe transmitter connections
5. apparently, VR or IS lenses have nothing to do with this effect.
6. The effect depends on:
a) iso
- (for 5d, the higher the iso the less apparent the banding is - at least in my case, and for d200, a user reported structured noise patterns above iso 280)
b) shutter speed
the higher the sync speed, the more interference you get
for canon 5d the interference appears at 1/40sec, sometimes 1/60sec and increses with faster shutter speeds.
c) dstance of the transmitter from the camera body
I have found out that at a distance of more than 50cm the bands become virtually invisible, or casue minimal amounts of noise - but I guess this may vary depending on the kind of mods you've done.
so much for now.
Posted 55 months ago.
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It'd be interesting to see what effect, if any, the antenna mod that DH posted about a while ago (A pseudo parabolic reflector IIRC) would have on this. I would predict little on-camera, but enormous off-camera and pointed in the right direction.
Posted 55 months ago.
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Nikon D80, SB800, three SB26s, two stock EBay transmitters, and six stock EBay receivers. No image issues and no reliability issues after many months of professional use.
However, I recently bought an EBay radio SHUTTER RELEASE, which I've only tried a couple of times. It's a great unit used without the flash triggers, but apparently there's an interference problem and I've had a few black frames (but no funny image degradation) when using BOTH the radio shutter release and the radio flash triggers. I need to experiment more.
Bob
Originally posted 55 months ago.
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Mozella edited this topic 55 months ago.
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I'm curious, how many people are having this problem (or are just noticing it) with a modded transmitter, and out of those, what kind of antenna did you use? A coiled up length of wire vs. an old phone antenna or the likes vs. a store bought 433MHz antenna?
Posted 55 months ago.
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I had this EXACT same problem with my ghetto triggers and my 5D. My transmitter was not modded in any way.
It did not matter if the transmitter was on the hotshoe, on a off camera ttl cord or attached via a cable connected to the pc sync port. At one shoot at least 60% of the shots had this issue. At the time I had thought it was because I was shooting in a computer science building but now I realize the issue is deeper than that.
For me this went way beyond having to mod something to get it to work, this just doesn't work...
Because of this issue and others, I ended up dropping the cash for the Pocket Wizards. I have not had an issue since and am a much happier and more productive photographer even though my pockets are lighter :)
Posted 55 months ago.
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I have a problem with using Cactus triggers (no mods) with my 10D set at 1/200. Everything syncs Ok at slower speeds. The dark band is very slight at the bottom edge of the image.
Posted 55 months ago.
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These threads might be interesting reading:
photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00NDVL\
photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00IvZy
Posted 55 months ago.
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It is possible that it has nothing to do with radiated interference but it is transmitted through the pc cable or hot shoe. Normally the transmitters should not be transmitting when the sensor is being read out. If this is correct the transmitter could be modified with a couple of RF chokes.
When I was designing medical imaging equipment using CCDs this was a common problem. It takes place only after the exposure during readout of the image so if the exposure time is long enough the transmitter is fully shut down by the time the sensor is read hence no noise with long exposures.
Originally posted 55 months ago.
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Metrix X edited this topic 55 months ago.
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Your settings show 600 x 400 jpeg, iso 100. I am getting no problems with my raw images, perhaps it is the conversion in your cam? I shoot in raw, and have no iso 100. I tried to reproduce as close as possible, yet nothing. at iso 200 and same shutter speed as yours, but with raw I get no artifacts like yours. I tried with and without transmitter and with receiver close by. Still nothing and I have the antenna mod.perhaps I should try 600 x 400 jpeg in cam conversion? Can you try and reproduce with raw?
Originally posted 55 months ago.
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jeffegg2 edited this topic 55 months ago.
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@Mozilla - I was just experimenting with the shutter trigger/flash trigger combo this weekend. Like you, I had a few WTF!? moments. It seems that if you are still pressing the shutter trigger button (shutter trigger still transmitting) when the flash trigger transmits this causes the receiver to fire the flash late or not at all. I too thought I was getting black images but upon closer inspection they were just very dim. I also had at least one image where it was obvious that one of the strobes fired as the shutter was closing. I suspect that each channel is actually just a different tone on the same radio frequency. Since the flash and shutter triggers operate on the same frequency, when they both transmit a different tone, the receiver's simple electronics is confused.
Posted 55 months ago.
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Try at higher than sync speed and see what happens.
I'm pretty sure most of the image will have the grid across from it.
I also think that a lot of people that are not having problems have cameras with maximum sync speeds of 250 and 200, so they don't have problems like the 5d, that's capable of faster sync speeds.
Originally posted 55 months ago.
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VI™ edited this topic 55 months ago.
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I'll take that modded trigger if you ready to get rid of it. Sucks that you're having this problem.
Posted 55 months ago.
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No such problem on a Pentax K100D with unmodified Ebay (GI) triggers.
Posted 55 months ago.
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But does this happen with unmodified cactus triggers? Does the PW's get this? how do they avoid it?
Posted 55 months ago.
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I had no problems with my Evolt 500 and my unmodified GI V2s triggers.
I have an XTi on its way. I will post again once I get it.
Posted 55 months ago.
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ahhhhh, just wrap your camera in foil, problem solved. LOL
Posted 55 months ago.
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@ Elias.e.r - This did happen with my un-modded triggers. It does not happen with Pocket Wizards. Not sure how they avoid it but maybe that is part of the huge difference in price :)
Posted 55 months ago.
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From the links posted by others it sounds like the 5D is called out for this issue a few times specificially.
I'm curious if there might be any relation between the antenna mod specifics and the interference - would the exact length of on person's particular antenna mod affect the transmission in such a way that some interfere with the cameras in question while others don't?
So maybe a 5.75" antenna causes issues while a 4.8" one doesn't?
Anyone with enough RF experience to postulate one way or the other?
Or does chopping an inch or two off your antenna mod make the issue go away?
BTW for me, no problems with my Olympus E500 and a couple different antenna modded trigger units, but the E500 doesn't use a CMOS sensor either. The new Olympus cams use what Oly call an NMOS sensor, so I guess time will tell if that is affect.
Originally posted 55 months ago.
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benrobertsabq edited this topic 55 months ago.
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If you're using a $2700 camera, body only and before tax in Canada, then it might be time to upgrade your wireless triggers to something a little less ghetto.
-proud D50 and ebay triggers owner.
Posted 55 months ago.
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I had a problem with a concentric box-like pattern appearing in photos at 1/500+ on my D40 with a unmodified trigger.
Recently I modded the trigger to add an antenna and had my max sync speed go down to 1/200th. I removed the antenna and regained my 1/400th sync and recently, i tried syncing over 1/400th again with no ill effects until 1/1000. At 1/1000 the banding issue comes back again. The receivers are unmodified and the trigger has a hole in it and possibly lost solder from the antenna connection point.
Lenses, the receiver distance or location (environmental, etc.) seem to have an effect on this banding.
Posted 55 months ago.
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Is anyone having this problem with the store bought 433MHz antenna? It sounds like the problems are coming from the homemade antennas.
Posted 55 months ago.
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I use an unmodified Cactus V2s with a 5D and I haven't had any problems with banding even at high ISOs.
Does it show up in RAW or JPEG only?
Posted 55 months ago.
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iaincaradoc hahahaha. I was so waiting to see your response to this thread.
shemo_jasinski i think this is the chance you take with a mod, bro. get a pair of PWs and save yourself the headache.
Posted 55 months ago.
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@ Kuster - antenna mods just amplify the noise bands a bit, as it occurrs in unmodded triggers as well.
@ boxcarphoto
hehehe, believe it or not, I did wrap the camera in foil, and the trigger as well - much as I like aluminom foil, it didn't help this time :D:D:D
@ novafoto
what you're describing is probably an "out of sync" issue (a black band resulting form lack of flashlight) and not a noise band - resulting form interference, or whatever causes it.
@jeffegg2
these are just 100% crops, I shoot raw most of the time - but it happens for both raw and in camera jpeg.
Posted 55 months ago.
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@ james ravenell
:) well, to make it work I would like it work - I'd need at least 3 PW - and I'd rather buy a new lens for that right now.
(so I seriously consider the SKYPORTS)
anyone with skyports and 5D - do you have this problem? - I suppose you don't, but I'd just like to make sure before I buy one.
Posted 55 months ago.
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@ shemo_jasinkski - I'm wondering if all antennas are amplifying it, or just the homemade ones. I haven't heard of anyone having problems with the store bought antennas.
Posted 55 months ago.
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the thing is that the triggers without the mods also cause problems -anyway - I'm curious
what the dedicated antenna would do...
Posted 55 months ago.
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yeah, and I'm curious about these RF chokes. I have no idea how they work, or if it's a feasible option for this. If anyone can enlighten me, it'd be most appreciated :-)
Posted 55 months ago.
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I guess you'd have to shield the bottom of the trigger with some wiring... but that in turn may decrease the range for obscure shooting angles (say "up" ... I'm just speculating now...)
Posted 55 months ago.
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Just tested my 5D, 400D and Powershot G9 with my GI triggers. No problems at all with 400d (XTi) and G9. 5D with 1/50 th ist ok, at 1/60th the banding starts an gets larger with higher speeds. It occurs with and without external antenna.
Posted 55 months ago.
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Brian2550 [deleted] says:
My 350D and 430EX are working fine with GI V2 and antenna mod, no banding.
Posted 55 months ago.
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weird. I was just out shooting last night with this combo, and I had this problem happen to me.
Posted 55 months ago.
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update: just edited a batch of 200 photos i shot yesterday w/ my newly modded set of V2's. i didn't shoot any faster than 1/400sec and i noticed no interference whatsoever. i've used a store bought 433MHtz antenna. i'll have to do some test shots at 1/500sec to see if that grid pattern appears again as it did w/ the original unmodded triggers.
Posted 55 months ago.
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I recently did 1K plus shots for a jewelry shoot. Was firing with a ebay trigger (not gadget infinity but one recommended on DWF) to my Elinchrom strobes. Not one bad image. Shot at ISO 200, I think around 100 on the shutter. Shot a slightly below medium gray background...actually white but with distance and controlled spill made it gray...
Never had the problem in any of my other minor shooting with them either. Will keep on the lookout though.
Paul
Posted 55 months ago.
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I just received my new Cactus V2s transceiver kits and was I surprised to see that it has the FCC compliant logo printed on the side! My first kit was bought 2 months ago and did not have the said printed logo. Not only is there an "FCC" logo they also have a new printed manual.
As stated in the manual:
" Notices for Customers in the USA
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Radio Frequency Interference Statements
This equipment has been tested and to FOUND COMPLY(!) with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, IF NOT INSTALLED AND USED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS, MAY CAUSE HARMFUL INTERFERENCE to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation"
Capitalisations and punctuationmarks are mine, everything else is copied letter for letter .
If you are wondering why I bought another kit. It is because my first transmitter "cushioned" my old camera when it fell (my carelessness). : ( But by golly that Olympus must have been built like a tank because neither lens nor body came apart.
Originally posted 55 months ago.
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~{jon}~ edited this topic 55 months ago.
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@xysmas: Please tell me how you are getting a sync with a D40 over the max sync of 1/500s? and exactly what conditions are you getting interference with the triggers so I can attempt to reproduce this.
Posted 55 months ago.
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The D40 has an electronic shutter above ~1/125. See this post for more info.
The antenna i used was a piece of insulated wire. The receivers sync up to 1/800s pretty well if they are within eight feet of the the transmitter. The threshold for interference was lowered with the antenna in place and is higher without it.
Posted 55 months ago.
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To be honest I would have thought if you can afford a 5D you could afford Pocket Wizards... but maybe I'm just being stupid.
I also have noticed the grid like pattern when shooting with my D50 and the triggers when they're very close to my camera, but as soon as I move them further away, they're fine. For the price though I can't complain. I'm more than happy with mine, especially now they're modded.
Posted 55 months ago.
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I've been thinking about this topic, and I note that it has now reached the top of the Strobist website.
Every radio transmitter emits not only the desired signal, but also undesired signals known as "spurious" signals. The most obvious of these are the harmonics - for example, if a radio transmitter is designed to transmit a signal on 150 Megahertz (MHz), its second harmonic is 300 MHz.
Other spurious signals are closer to the desired frequency, and depend on the design of the transmitter and the quality of its components.
US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) type acceptance for Type 15 devices still does not guarantee that the device is not emitting spurious signals. After all, Type 15 devices are low power, unlicensed, and most important, inexpensive units.
Pocket Wizards are spec'd for a much higher distance than the Cactus and other radio slaves. I suspect that one reason for this is that the PWs are designed and built to put the majority of their radio frequency (RF) power into the desired signal. They don't waste power generating spurious signals.
Another reason that a particular camera may be susceptible to an interfering signal is the unintended resonances that may exist in the camera. For example, a Canon 5D may have certain wire lengths and internal capacitances that resonate with a primary spurious signal from the Cactus transmitter.
This type of interaction can be very difficult to diagnose and minimize, even for a radio engineer with access to sophisticated test equipment.
The bottom line is "cheap is as cheap does." There's no easy solution to this problem.
Posted 55 months ago.
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Just recently I had the same issue on my 5D on the top of the image and at first I thought that I trashed my sensor during the last cleaning. Some more test shots and it dissappeared again.
I have made dozens of pictures with the 16channel trigger in a studio with high key images and I it did not occour up to now.
My trigger is modded with a cheapo antenna cable and just yesterday came in my digi key order with the nice little antenna. Now I am really unsure if I should go on and make the neat mod on the trigger for a bigger distance :(
I like the ebay triggers a lot because of their compact size but those issues will unfortunately hold me back from using it often in the future until someone finds out a fix.
Thank god my PWs are on their way ! Skyports would have been a nice and very affordable solution but I dislike the design with the rechargable fixed batteries.
So lets hope for the upcoming 50$ Transceivers.
Posted 55 months ago.
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Can someone of you 5D owners try to pack the lower side of the transmitter with aluminum foil? To see if it's the radio interference itself...
If I had a 5d, I would just put the transmitter on the cable and let it hang away from the camera until I find a more decent solution :)
Posted 55 months ago.
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I'm looking to buy an unmodified Cactus V2s trigger and two receivers if anyone with the problems noted with the 5D is now planning to upgrade.
Posted 55 months ago.
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@JonMack.co.uk -
well, a set of 2 pocket wizards costs around $ 1000 in Central Europe... so no, it is not really the case that if you can afford a 5d you can also afford pocket wizards... (I'd actually need 4 of them ..., so that equals a good lens... and half of the 5d cost )
@Zedooo
did that - aluminum foil doesn't work here.
Posted 55 months ago.
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Foil could actually make things worse if the interference is conducted.
Try something like this on the sync cord (with the transmitter not mounted on the hot shoe):
search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name...
Good luck.
Doug
Posted 55 months ago.
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Hi.
I have had the excact same problem using my 5D with this trigger:
ritz-prolight.com/oscommerce_st/catalog/product_info.php?...
The dealer refuses, that the EMC noise is caused by the trigger and says that it is my 5D that is to blame. Not very service minded.
Se my test pics here: www.peterholm.org/triggertest.rar
Peter
Posted 55 months ago.
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I am horrified to realise that half of a set of pictures from a pr shoot have come out with this banding, I may have to re-shoot. Canon 5D with cactus trigger and three cactus receivers, banding appears across the top of the frame (left side as it's an upright image) here is a full frame (resized) and a 100% crop. The trigger set is of the V2 variety, I moded the anttenna but it didn't work so i removed it...but left a small piece of wire still attached the anttenna hole on the circuit board.
flickr.com/photos/grafic/2066880818/in/pool-strobist/
flickr.com/photos/grafic/2066881010/in/pool-strobist/
Originally posted 55 months ago.
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Grafic House edited this topic 55 months ago.
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I have looked back through some images taken on my 5D, taken with the older version of the ebay trigger and I can't seem to find any of this banding on any shots. I am going to do some tests with the old V1's against the V2's maybe the difference that makes the V2's fire more reliably with canon flash guns also causes the inteference.
Posted 55 months ago.
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I've just done a test. I basically have a canon 5D / 1Dmk2. a V1 set and V2 set of ebay triggers. on the 5D the V1's have only a very slight to hardly noticable band where as on the V2 it's obvious, can't understand how I didn't notice this before $%&*?£....
on the 1D mk2 I can't see any banding from either version of the trigger.
I am really p"£$ed off with this now, I have shot at least half a dozen jobs using these and to be honest I've only really just realised it's on every frame (images often get cropped in editing so I missed it) but at some point I could have ruined a job over trying to save myself money with cheap triggers.
Now considering I use the 5D for all my PR work now and the 1D for press work the 5D is the camera that's going to be using the triggers, the V1's are crap with canon flash guns because they randomly misfire and won't work at all with my 580EX.
SOOOOO is there any point continueing in the hope that someone will discover a solution because I doubt the manufacturers are gonna do anything, or is it time to bite the bullit and invest £300/400 quid in a set of three pocket wizards.????!!!!????????
Posted 55 months ago.
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I have 5D + Cactus V2 triggers and there is no banding. I will do the antenna mod and see if it appear.
Posted 55 months ago.
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There are many reports in the net that the EOS 5D had banding problems and many think it could be a problem that the sensor lacks proper shielding against RF interference -not only with the ebay triggers but with other RF sources-
Posted 55 months ago.
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I use my 5D for commercial work, if sheilding in general is an issue and I use it on a job where there is a lot of RF and i don't realise this till after the job I'm gonna lose work for bad quality images.
Canon's gonna start getting nasty letters from people.
Posted 55 months ago.
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I used to live near a TV tower - did not notice any weird noise patterns on my 5D - what I would worry about though is doing a shoot on that tower, or say, in a lab with strong magnetic/electro magnetic field emitters, etc.
I wonder is its just the 5d or any other camera with a full frame sensor
(hehe, anyone with a d3 or 1ds and e bay triggers, hehehehe)
I think I'm gonna go for skyports... you could actually get a set of one transmitter and three receivers for the price of one PW, if I got the latest prices right... (for central europe)
Posted 55 months ago.
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Folks, there is a simple solution... shoot film! ;-)
Posted 55 months ago.
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My friends I have bitten the bullet and ordered three shiny new pocket wizard plus II's, my way of shooting has changed a lot since discovering strobist and using ebay triggers for the last two months or so, and sadly now it seems they are not compatable with my 5D I can't go back to IR sensor or sync cable so I look at it as a commercial investment.
Posted 55 months ago.
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Yep Grafic same thing happened to me but the bright side is now you won't even have to think about if the triggers will work, they always will!
Posted 55 months ago.
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Are all ebay triggers the same.
Posted 55 months ago.
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Phototo - A number of varieties exist and I know of one that is considered a second generation. Most people in this group will refer to the amount of channels as the determining factor along with names like "gatget infinity" and "cactus". I think cactus is a brand and gadget infinity is the ebay sellers name.
I have the 16 channel version (1st edition). The four channel is the other popular one.
Posted 55 months ago.
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anybody know if this affects the 40D? I haven't bought them yet, but for me the price is right if they work.
Posted 55 months ago.
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Or the Rebel XT? Anyone report any issues?
Posted 55 months ago.
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I am expecting a set of 4channel PT04 (1st edition) soon. Will be testing it on my XTI, hope it works.
Posted 55 months ago.
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To Jassky and Invincible - I have not read or experienced this issue on anything but the 5D. I own a 20D and this does not happen with that body.
Posted 55 months ago.
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