PW MiniTT1 failed to trigger FlexTT5 in first shoot

I've been using PW MiniTT1 paired with FlexTT5 (Nikon) for 3 years+ and they all worked fine.

 

In my recent two studio shooting events, I changed all TT5 to Basis mode and two Nikon SB600 flashes in M mode. Unfortunately, the first shoot (first shutter pressed) was not able to trigger two flashes on FlexTT5.

 

1) The first shoot failed, then the following shoots back to normal. However, if the camera idled for 5 minutes or more after a few shoots, the first shoot failed again.

2) The distance between TT1 and TT5 was less than 60 feet.

3) Even when I pressed directly on the Test button on TT1, it's not 100% successful trigger the flashes in every press.

 

what causes this trigger problem ?

a) Basic Mode ?

b) Weak battery power on TT1 ?

c) on camera TT1 connection issue ?

d) need firmware update ? I updated all firmwares in July 2015.

 

Thanks.

 

<p>For starters, I don't understand what you mean when you say you put the SB700's in M mode.</p>

<p>When you use SB speedlights (I use SB 400/SB800 and SB910's) with PW's TT5's, you should not change the setting of the speedlight on the speedlight itself, but simply leave it with the M Master and R remote settings off.<br>

I believe the SB700. has the same kind of button and selector set up as the SB910, so that boils down to simply setting the on/of selector on 'On', not on remote R or master M.</p>

<p>Same goes for the flash mode Mode setting, just leave it on TTL or BL/TTL.</p>

<p>Through the remote control M function of your camera or with the AC3 you can then set your remotes in A, M (and selected power settings) or off position.<br>

<br />Secondly I don't understand what you mean with Basic Mode either. Do you mean you reset the TT5's to standard factory settings, nothing fancy with HSS etc. ?<br>

I personally have been shooting with my TT5's in the above described way for years, and met no issues doing so.</p>

<p>That IMO leaves three of the four option you mention</p>

<p>Weak battery power on TT1 : possible, but check the batteries of the TT5's as well to be sure. The batteries of the TT1 are a bit funky, I chose to work with TT5's only as I then can use AA batteries only for all units.</p>

<p>On camera TT1 connection issue : I would suggest to use a TT5 to trigger the other TT5, so you can see whether you have a problem with the hotshoe of your camera. Of course you can also check whether your TT1 is functioning correctly without having to mount it on the camera, just hold it in your hand and push the test button. If the hotshoe of the TT1 should be broken (although that usually means that the plastic is broken, not the electronics) a replacement will cost as little as 20 to 30 US $ ( US 20$ in 2011 http://www.jarodknoten.com/?p=2617 )</p>

<p>Firmware update: the lastest version for Nikon is 3.800 from 2/20/2015 so if yours is from July this year you should be covered.</p>

<p>HTH</p>

 

<p>Basic mode is when the triggers just triggers on the center pin in the hotshoe, no iTTL/CLS <strong>communication</strong>. So the slave speedlights have to be in manual mode for this to work as expected.</p>

<p>I think the problem is that the SB600 goes into sleeping (standby) mode after a while. The first flash trigger wakes it up, but since it's asleep it wont fire that time around. Next time it will fire though.</p>

<p>The solution is to disable the standby sleeping on the flash. You have to do it through the menu.</p>

<p>+1 to the standby or "sleep" mode diagnosis. The behaviour of ignoring the first trigger after a while of unuse is typical of "sleeping" flash units. Just disable or lengthen the sleep time on the flashes.</p>