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Author Topic: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing  (Read 4590 times)

kevs

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I've not noticed this before, but I had two lights with two grids ( D1s), on a job,  and the second light would not fire. I finally figured it out, and the grid on the first keeps the light from reaching the 2nd light. What to do?

I think I've shot with the D1's with multiple lights with grids before without and issue, so I'm puzzled.
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Canon 5DS4/ 5D2/ Canon 16-35, 24-105, fixed 85, Profoto D1s

FelixWu

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Re: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2016, 11:56:20 pm »

Use radio to trigger instead of slave. You can place those lights apart and they will still be triggered.
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kevs

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Re: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2016, 01:43:47 am »

Thanks Felix. I had it set to both radio and IR. (what is the difference between radio and IR?)

Anyway, I changed both heads to just Radio, but the problem is the same. I clicked test on either one and the other does not flash.
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scyth

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Re: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2016, 09:47:25 am »

what is the difference between radio and IR?

a stupid answer = a range of wavelength' for a start
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Ellis Vener

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Re: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing
« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2016, 12:25:44 pm »

Thanks Felix. I had it set to both radio and IR. (what is the difference between radio and IR?)

Anyway, I changed both heads to just Radio, but the problem is the same. I clicked test on either one and the other does not flash.
Does the second head fire at all?
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kevs

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Re: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2016, 12:52:56 pm »

Thanks Ellis. All 4 heads fire fine. But with grids, I cannot sync. Don't know why this is happening. I have fired three head with three grids before. Stumped.
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calindustries

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Re: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing
« Reply #6 on: August 11, 2016, 10:05:25 am »

Thanks Felix. I had it set to both radio and IR. (what is the difference between radio and IR?)

Anyway, I changed both heads to just Radio, but the problem is the same. I clicked test on either one and the other does not flash.

Are you just firing one from the head itself and the others aren't firing? You should fire from the transmitter. Also, just checking, are they all on the same channel? Infrared must be in the line of sight of an infrared transmitter. Radio doesn't have to be.
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kevs

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Re: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing
« Reply #7 on: August 11, 2016, 11:19:53 am »

Cali, thanks.

So test button from head wont work? That will not fire off the other head with grids?

Do I have to be firing from the Profoto transmitter? I can't fire from Pocket Wizard tranreceiver to Pocket Wizard Receiver?
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UlfKrentz

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Re: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing
« Reply #8 on: August 11, 2016, 02:34:39 pm »

Cali, thanks.

So test button from head wont work? That will not fire off the other head with grids?

Do I have to be firing from the Profoto transmitter? I can't fire from Pocket Wizard tranreceiver to Pocket Wizard Receiver?

Just try to understand what is happing here. You have to make sure each unit receives a trigger signal. Pressing the test button on one unit won´t send out a trigger to other units, same applies for the PW. So yes, you will have to use a Profoto transmitter to reach the built in receivers or connect a PW receiver to each unit. Slave trigger will need to "see" the flash from other units, so make sure the one receiving your sync signal has some spread or just fire one to a bounce / ceiling, whatever. If the triggered unit is equipped with a narrow grid it won´t have enough spill to be seen by the other units. Also position of the cell and lighting conditions (e.g. bright ambient light hitting the cell) will have great impact. HTH.
Cheers

Ulf

kevs

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Re: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing
« Reply #9 on: August 11, 2016, 03:05:29 pm »

Ulf, now today, I had everything set to Radio, with umbrellas and no sync happened. I switched to Slave and it was fine. So Radio is just a Profoto thing?

Ok: My Profoto Air Remote broke, (50$ battery leak), ruined whole unit. Using Pocketwizard instead, so that is why issues with grids?  With Air remote you don't even need for light to hit?

That said, I've used grids for years with Lumedyne and Speedetron with Pocket Wizard and never had this problem. Why did I do ok with Lumdeyne and Speedetron grids and Pocketwizard but no Profoto/Pocketwizard?

What is PW? and what is HTH?
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UlfKrentz

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Re: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing
« Reply #10 on: August 11, 2016, 06:25:57 pm »

Ulf, now today, I had everything set to Radio, with umbrellas and no sync happened. I switched to Slave and it was fine. So Radio is just a Profoto thing?

Ok: My Profoto Air Remote broke, (50$ battery leak), ruined whole unit. Using Pocketwizard instead, so that is why issues with grids?  With Air remote you don't even need for light to hit?

That said, I've used grids for years with Lumedyne and Speedetron with Pocket Wizard and never had this problem. Why did I do ok with Lumdeyne and Speedetron grids and Pocketwizard but no Profoto/Pocketwizard?

What is PW? and what is HTH?

PW=Pocket Wizard, HTH=Hope this helps, unfortunately it seems as if it did not, so I give it another try.

Each units needs to get the information that it has to fire. This was usually done via a hardwired sync cable. If you added a second light that needs to get the signal from somewhere, too. So the slave was born, a light sensitive cell that triggered when it detected a quick rise of light like from your first flash unit. This light emitted from your triggered first unit may not have enough reach to trigger your additional units in slave mode when you use a grid on it.

To get rid of the sync cable IR (InfraRed) transmitters send the sync signal to receivers either attached to the packs or build into. Today we have RF transmitters like the Pocket Wizard or dedicated systems of the manufacturers.
All these transmitters will only work with units that are equipped (and ready to receive the signal from the dedicated channel) with corresponding receivers. I´m not familiar with Profoto so I cannot comment on a Pocket Wizard being able to trigger the internal RF receiver of your Profoto system, it might be but usually mixed brands won´t play together. If you have a Pocket wizard receiver use it with the unit that has the most light output and spill (e.g. your umbrella) and set the rest to slave mode and you´ll be fine or just replace your Profoto transmitter.

Ulf

kevs

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Re: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing
« Reply #11 on: August 11, 2016, 07:31:19 pm »

Thanks Ulf, good info. issue is completely with grids, umbrellas are no problem.

I think with them it comes dow to you have to either use their air remote or put a separate pocketwizard on each head for grids.
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Jimmy D Uptain

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Re: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing
« Reply #12 on: August 12, 2016, 05:53:31 am »

I highly suggest getting a Profoto Air Remote.

Since you don't have the B1, you can opt for the non-ttl version which is quite a bit cheaper.

I just saw one on ebay for 249.00.

There is a remote that is one tier below the Air Remote, but you cannot control light output from the remote. If this isn't an issue, you can save even more change.

Its a radio trigger that, in my experience, is very reliable. The only time I ever had an issue is with lithium batteries. It doesn't like those.

Using an umbrella may be a good workaround, but not a solution to your problem. You bought grids for a reason, make use of them.

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kevs

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Re: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing
« Reply #13 on: August 12, 2016, 12:24:31 pm »

Thanks Jimmy, got the air remote yesterday. Either that or you need to put a pocket wizard on every head.

What is the unit that cost less called? I don't ever adjust lights with it.
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kevs

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Re: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing
« Reply #15 on: August 12, 2016, 12:53:08 pm »

Thanks Jimmy will remember that when need be. 40% more than pocket wizard.. but that's life..
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Jimmy D Uptain

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Re: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing
« Reply #16 on: August 12, 2016, 01:10:20 pm »

I have PW too, just in case.
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kevs

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Re: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing
« Reply #17 on: August 12, 2016, 01:15:05 pm »

PW good, but unlike profoto you need a unit of each head (with cord)... so one is kind of locked in Profoto...for simplicity.
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Jimmy D Uptain

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Re: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing
« Reply #18 on: August 12, 2016, 05:11:29 pm »

Well here's the deal, I used to own the D1's. I prefered to pop the flashes with my Sekonic meter. The only way that wasn't so clumsy was to attach the PW(s) to the input of the flashes. I just didn't (A) taking the remote on and off or (b) lugging the camera around.

I know l_a_z_y. But I had the PW from when I was just using standard flashes as my strobes.

My D1's were stolen and insurance allowed me to replace them with the B1. Even though they are really good with TTL, there are times when I want to use my meter. So I kept the Pocket Wizards.

Plus, now I have a backup if something happens to the remotes. (Yeah, I kept the old air remote too)
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Geocolor

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Re: Profoto Grid and Syncing question - Grids blocking the syncing
« Reply #19 on: August 14, 2016, 04:10:17 pm »

Has anyone experienced any problems with Profoto Air Sync Transceiver? I have two of them and two Air Remotes which I use rarely, once a year. Last time I used them, a year ago, all worked seamlessly. Few days ago I tried to do a comparison vs my Elinchrom Skyports vs Broncolor RFS and found out that a Profoto Air Sync Transceiver although seemed working properly (lights, beep, channel, new batteries) wasn't triggering the other Profoto triggers nor my Profoto 8A generator. I've tried many times, no success. I searched the internet and found nothing, seems that none has ever had problems. Any suggestions?
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