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receptive hydrant [deleted] 2:41am, 30 October 2011
The set up:

Canon 5D (vintage);
Yongnuo YN-560;
Yongnuo RF603 transceivers.

I'm firing just the one flash, set to manual.

1st Curtain Sync fails at 1/200. (1/200 is what I should be getting, no?) (Per the product specs, manual and discussions on this board.)

2nd Curtain sync > 1/200, as expected.

Grateful for pointers to what I'm doing wrong.

Thanks in advance-
MrDAT 12 years ago
Replace all batteries.
receptive hydrant [deleted] 12 years ago
All batteries are fresh. Just out of the charger.
Schnorschel 12 years ago
With the RF-602 the following trick works to boost sync speed on most setups: hold down the trigger button half-way as you shoot. Don't know, though, if this has any effect on the RF-603.
Pat MacInnes Posted 12 years ago. Edited by Pat MacInnes (member) 12 years ago
You often don't quite get stated sync speeds with some triggers. I use Phottix Stratos on my D2x, which has a sync of 1/250th (and the triggers are stated as having a maximum sync of 1/250th also).

I get 1/200th in reality, probably down to some timing delay between the signal being transmitted and the actual order to fire the flash. Shooting against white backgrounds I can see it's fine and then I go to 1/250th and I start to get banding, getting worse as I go up the shutter speed scale.

It's probably some timing issue in your case related to when the 'fire' signal is transmitted on standard setting as opposed to second curtain, which is later in the exposure.

I think with cheap triggers you have to expect a little bit of underperformance - you're not even losing half a stop so I wouldn't worry. If you need to ill the ambient more, just dial down the ISO or use an ND filter IMO....
useful cap [deleted] Posted 12 years ago. Edited by useful cap (member) 12 years ago
I have 3 bodies like yours. 2 of them sycronise at 1/160 and one at 1/200s... if you search forums you will find out that the 5D MKII is not complying with specs and most of them do not have syncro at 1/200s but at 1/160s :-(, yes it does at 1/200s with a Canon on flash camera...
mjkzz (a.k.a zwdeal) Posted 12 years ago. Edited by mjkzz (a.k.a zwdeal) (member) 12 years ago
With my YN560 + RF603C, + 550D, I can get 1/200, can't do 2nd curtain because my 550D does not support this for external manual flash.
receptive hydrant [deleted] 12 years ago
Thanks all. I'll live with the it. If I learn a workaround, will post it here-
bda668 12 years ago
Just out of curiosity, have you tried the same setup with alkaline batteries, and is the max sync speed the same? You say the batteries are just out of the charger, so maybe up to 1.3 volts - whereas fresh alkalines will be a shade above 1.5v.
receptive hydrant [deleted] 12 years ago
Thanks, Brian. Man, I hope that .8 ain't what makes the difference. But you may be right.
Schnorschel 12 years ago
Have you tried the half-press boost as I suggested above?
receptive hydrant [deleted] 12 years ago
@Schnorschel-

I don't follow, sorry. The RF 603 trigger button is a bit difficult to get at while shooting. How do you manage it on the 602's? Thanks-
Schnorschel 12 years ago
Simply hold the button of the transceiver (that acts as the trigger/transmitter) half-way down as you take your picture.

You'll need two hands for this. Hold down the transmitter button half-way with the index finger of your left hand. Take your shot with your right hand. Release the transmitter button.
receptive hydrant [deleted] Posted 12 years ago. Edited by receptive hydrant (member) 12 years ago
@Schnorschel-

Thanks again- yeah, did this at setup per Yongnuo's instructions. No help. Did per your post, ditto. I'll live with the issue.

Should this problem crop up in other threads, this post from photo.net may be a help:

"ALL RF triggers introduce a delay between the camera trigger and flash trigger units...

"The delay is typically several hundred microseconds and enough to introduce some trailing curtain cutoff with focal-plane shutters. As you've discovered already, the "cure" is to drop the synch speed on the camera slightly."
Schnorschel 12 years ago
Ok.

Well, that delay must be relative somehow though. I have a bridge camera (Casio EX-F1) with an electronic shutter that has a sync speed of 1/1000s.

With my RF-602's I am able to sync somewhere up to 1/640s. There is no banding because of the electronic shutter. The image just becomes more dimmed.

With the half-press boost I am able to get up to 1/800s, if I remember correctly.

How is it possible then, that DSLRs already have problems at much lower shutter speeds syncing when using the RF-602 system?
jon.m.baker 12 years ago
I am experiencing the same issue with the 7D + 580EX II + RF-603s. On camera or over an ETTL cable I can sync at 1/250 but with these triggers I am limited to 1/200. At 1/250 I get a very slight banding at the bottom of the frame.

I have tried fully recharging all batteries but have not tried with Alkalines, only Eneloops in the flash and triggers.
Alfredk 12 years ago
I really think this has nothing to do with the triggers and is a simple issue of the flash duration!
Most triggers will easely sync to 1/1000 !
On my D7000, I can get full sync speed with my SB's but have to drop to 1/160 when using my AB's.
The Einstein works up to full sync!