Radio Popper PX on Canon 7D

[PeteQ]

I just picked up a 7D and will be giving this a try when I get a few spare moments. Crazy busy right now...

[ntbone]

Interestingly I have a opposite issue. First, I verified that my IR system is working correctly (Turns out that my 7D had something wrong and won't fire on channels 2, 3, and 4). I tested this all on a friends 7D.

I ran the following tests
ETTL Mode, with and without ratios works fine

Manual Mode
Flash Output (all flashes have same output) - Flashes always fire, all show up in image (at least 99% of time)
A,B, C (each group can have a diffferent put) - Flashes always fire, don't always appear in images. Partly depends on power. From 1/16th to 128th power, from 20 to 50% of the time, the flashes do not show up in images
Flash Output: Popup Flash Output (all flashes have same output, popup included in output) - Flashes fire all the time
A,B,C : Popup Flash Output - same results as A,B,C mode.

I have contacted RadioPoppers support. Still waiting for some advice.

Everything also works fine if I use my 580 EX II as a commander. Its only the 7D that seems to not work.

Very disappointed. I bought this system hoping it would be reliable and its not.

[IanWorthington]

Hi,

See http://speedliting.com/forum/showthr...ut-do-not-sync

I'm having the same issue with my 7d puf. RPs work fine, so far (still testing), with 580exii and ste2, but trigger early with the puf.

I'm in discussions with RP. Please make sure that Brent there is aware of your problem.

i

[ntbone]

I have been in contact quite a bit with Brent at RP trying to figure out the reliability issues with the RP's and my 7D. I have established that my 7D actually is faulty and have since sent it in for repair to Canon. Still resolving the repair. You should try your IR canon wireless system on all 4 channels. My Canon camera does not trigger my flashes on channels 2, 3, and 4 and there is a noticeable change in the popup flash when I am in these channels. Its less bright and less loud (the click it makes when it fires).

Please try your flash system without the Px's on all 4 channels and confirm they work. Perhaps there is a known issue with 7D that canon is unaware of. I had never tested my 7D on the other channels till my problems came up.

I tried a friends 7D which did not have the above issue and the reliability of the Px's (Radio Poppers') is about 80 %. 2 out of 10 shots are not catching the flashes. This is only in the A,B,C mode manual mode where each of A,B,C are set to different power levels. If I set it to just flash output (all same) then it works 100% of the time.

Nicolas

I own a 430 EX and a 580 EXII. Yesterday I use the 580 EX II as a master and I had reliability all the time, regardless of the modes I used with my 430 EX. I even tested distance and it worked at about 100 meters (before I ran out of room for testing).

[gadget]

Hi, I just got my poppers and i am having the same issue with the on camera flash. the off camera flash fires early and shot is dark. when using the 580 and the popper as the master everything works fine.

I am also using the nikon mount filed down as previously suggested with a small mod. i filed down the side that hits the switch but also filed down the rest of the mount and glued a small non conductive piece of material to the bottom left side of the nikon mount that helps support the mount when in the shoe. This material is not as wide as the whole shoe, its just wide enough to miss the switch. this gives you extra support on the nikon mount. This way both sides have pressure on the up side of the shoe leaving a nice gap over the leaf switch.


Anyway, has anyone figured what the issue is?

[IanWorthington]

@Gadget: I got a note from Brent yesterday. He's back in the office from WMMI and has my first tx which failed, like the 2nd, with the 7d puf. He said they tried some 7ds at wmmi and have so far been unable to reproduce the problem.

Questions:

1. Is yours a *new* 7d?
2. Have you informed Brent @RP?

The more information we can get to them, the easier they've find it to fix.

i

[gadget]

Ian my 7D is just 1 year old. had an issue with a battery door last month so its been in for repair and updated to newest firmware. The poppers are used, just got them from ebay. they work fine with the 580EXII as the master on the camera. I have an ST-E2 coming tomorrow to check the poppers on also. i am now going to test the other channels as suggested. if you pm me i can give you my email and then we can update the site as we find things out. ive been all over the web and there is no definitive info on this subject that i could find.

[IanWorthington]

Interesting. Could it be a firmware issue? I'm on 1.2.3, which I think is the latest, as well. Seems to have been out 3 months now. Are backlevels available anywhere?

Mine works just fine with the 580exii and ste2. Just the puf makes it trigger early. I've tried different channels and a 2nd tx.

I'll pm you my email but I think we should try and keep as much as possible here so any one else affected can find it.

And you're right: I can't find anything else on this anywhere.

i

[IanWorthington]

Hmm. 1.2.3 fixes:

Fixes a phenomenon in which the Macro Ring Lite (MR-14EX, MT24-EX) and slave flashes do not sync while shooting wirelessly.

i

[gadget]

Hmmm just checked, i have 1.2.2 firmware. so going backwards at this point probably would not work. just tried all channels and A B and C and still fires early. Manual works as we all seem to agree.

PS. it says "administrator has disabled instant messaging" looked all over my settings and cant find out how to enable it!