flash sync with Waist level finder

[alifatemi]

Hi is it possible to use flash with XF body with Waist level finder since there is no place for connecting sync cable if I use flash system other than Profoto? XF body has a build in Profoto trigger FYI. Thanks.

[Joe Towner]

https://www.phaseone.com/~/media/NEW_WEB/XF_page/Brochures/XF_Tech_Spech_A4-160414-WEB.ashx

Page 6, flash sync port on the back itself.  It's on the left side, under one of the square rubber caps I think.  One is a X sync port, the other is for a wake up cable I believe.  I can't find an image of the left side of an IQ back with the ports exposed...

[Doug Peterson]

Or you can use an Profoto Air receiver on some other brand of lighting.

[DanielStone]

Does the XF not have an x-sync port for a flash cable? If not, how did P1 miss including this on a professional tool like this? I mean, c'mon, redundancy?

[Doug Peterson]

Does the XF not have an x-sync port for a flash cable? If not, how did P1 miss including this on a professional tool like this? I mean, c'mon, redundancy?

The x sync port on the digital back can be used.

[Joe Towner]

Does the XF not have an x-sync port for a flash cable? If not, how did P1 miss including this on a professional tool like this? I mean, c'mon, redundancy?

Sync from the back is actually more important (technical camera et al), but it would have been awesome to have a sync shoe on the WLV.

[Christoph B.]

@Doug: Yeah but you have to admit - Daniel is right, it's a bit weird that there's no X-Sync port on the camera body itself. I always prefer connecting stuff to my camera and not the back, especially when you want to remove the back to quickly remove dust or for whatever reason.

Redundancy is also quite important; if the X-sync connector on the back should become faulty during a shoot and you don't have the prism you're pretty screwed...
I'm saying that because when I sent my back in to be serviced they exchanged the flash connector and they wouldn't have done that if it wasn't necessary. So it can happen and it does happen.

[Ken Doo]

I really don't see an issue here or a failure in not providing multiple x-sync ports or a port on the camera.  The XF can't be used without a MFDB, so really the MFDB is "part of the camera."  I'm not aware of any other cameras with multiple x-sync ports.  Any?  You can use the hot shoe for flash or your transmitter, and for sure you lose the hot shoe with the waist level finder in use, but then again, most cameras don't offer a waist level option either.  Built-in Profoto Air---awesome.  Not many cameras with built-in transmitters come to mind...

ken

[Christoph B.]

Well, not everyone uses Profoto and as the x-sync port on the back can fail and as the DF/DF+ and AF versions all had an X-sync port on the camera body, it's a bit weird that P1 chose to put the X-sync on the prism instead of keeping it on the camera body itself.

I don't think anyone would call it a failure from P1, it just seems like a random action that didn't really improve anything.

[Doug Peterson]

Our XF IQ3 owners have the following otions/backup to flash sync failure:
- x sync on the standard viewfinder*
- hot shoe on the standard viewfinder
- x sync on the digital back
- internal/built-in Profoto Air transmitter**
- free same day loaner from our NYC or LA physical locations (or wherever your local dealer is)
- free next day loaner shipped priority overnight

In addition it should be noted:
- I can't remember the last time I had a customer with a failed flash sync on a modern back. We replace them sometimes if we see wear and tear during service checks or during Phase One Tune Up days prophylacticly but only because the component cost is so low.
- The flash sync port is actually field replaceable. Some of the Phase One Certified Professional techs keep one in their "just in case" bag. It takes around 30 seconds if you include 20 seconds to find and open the bag with the spare and the spanner tool.

All in all I'd say an XF IQ3 kit is probably the *least* likely camera to you high and dry on a job without a way of syncing to flash.

*almost every XF we have sold has included the standard viewfinder.
**can be used with any brand of flash, just use an Air receiver

[gdh]

Our XF IQ3 owners have the following otions/backup to flash sync failure:
- x sync on the standard viewfinder*
- hot shoe on the standard viewfinder
- x sync on the digital back
- internal/built-in Profoto Air transmitter**
- free same day loaner from our NYC or LA physical locations (or wherever your local dealer is)
- free next day loaner shipped priority overnight

In addition it should be noted:
- I can't remember the last time I had a customer with a failed flash sync on a modern back. We replace them sometimes if we see wear and tear during service checks or during Phase One Tune Up days prophylacticly but only because the component cost is so low.
- The flash sync port is actually field replaceable. Some of the Phase One Certified Professional techs keep one in their "just in case" bag. It takes around 30 seconds if you include 20 seconds to find and open the bag with the spare and the spanner tool.

All in all I'd say an XF IQ3 kit is probably the *least* likely camera to you high and dry on a job without a way of syncing to flash.

*almost every XF we have sold has included the standard viewfinder.
**can be used with any brand of flash, just use an Air receiver

Doug, it's unfair to use common sense to put down bs issues--for shame!

[Christoph B.]

gdh, it's embarrassing to use sarcasm to react to a real issue.

I really don't understand why P1 put the PC-port on the prism - after all it already has the hotshoe anyway. Putting both flash connections on a removable item isn't really a bright thing to do and you don't have to be snide if you want to defend such a strange decision because it does not make any sense.

Dougs points are valid if you're a client of his. If you're not they're not (well, except for the first three points, they are not valid at all).

The OP asked how he can sync his camera when he's using the WLF and the answer is: you have to use the port on the back because the XF does not have an x-sync, only its accessories do. And that's truly strange. You can laugh about that - but you shouldn't laugh at the people who are bewildered by it.

[william]

I'm really having trouble picturing a scenario where this would be a problem in practice, as opposed to just preferring that the sync port be on the body. 

If you're shooting with the waist level and the back itself craps out, then the whole thing's a brick: you can't use it at all unless you have a second/backup back (in which case, the sync port on that back should be operational and you're back in business).  So it would have to be a scenario where the back is still functional and only the sync port has died.   

If I were worried about that scenario - which I'm not - my backup plan would be one of the following:

(1) To toss a profoto receiver, which can be plugged into any strobe, in my kit.  They weigh far less than a pound and take up very little space.

(2) More likely: to always have both the prism finder and the waist level with me.  If I'm on a shoot using the waist level and the sync port on the back dies, I'd reattach the prism and keep shooting.  Preferable? No: presumably there was a reason I wanted to do the shoot with the waist level. But there are very few situations I can imagine where, in an emergency, using the prism would be completely infeasible. 

(And I also can't imagine anyone buying the XF without the prism, so it's not like you'd buy one just to have as a sync port backup plan.   

[alifatemi]

Can we somehow use P1 built in trigger to excite  Broncolor somehow? I try it with Broncolor Siros series but didn't work

[Doug Peterson]

Can we somehow use P1 built in trigger to excite  Broncolor somehow? I try it with Broncolor Siros series but didn't work

Put an Air receiver on the Broncolor and it will trigger via the transmitter built into the XF.