SB900 and PW Mini or Flex on camera to fire an Einstein MC2

<p>I'm trying to use an SB900 on camera and an Einstein across the room. There's an MC2 in the Einstein, and either a Mini TT1 or a Flex TT5 between the camera and the SB900... I can only get the SB900 to fire in sync with the Einstein when it's in Manual Mode. <br /><br />In any other mode (on the SB900), the Einstein fires but doesn't sync, or it just won't fire or the SB won't fire, and sometimes neither will fire. I was about to go back to a couple of old school PW (Plus 2) and sync cords, but that doesn't work either. This used to work great with my old Lumedynes. Is High Tech too high for it's own good? I just shot the job with twin SB800s on a stand, fired by PW II and a PWII on one camera with the SB900. Another camera was firing the dual SB800s via a Mini TT1.<br /> <br /> I really need to use the SB900 on the Nikons in TTL, while an Einstein is simultaneously triggered by whatever wireless slave will do the trick.<br>

What am I missing?... t</p>

Does the SB-900 need to be in the hotshoe? If not use an AC-3 in the MiniTT1 or FlexTT5 hotshoe.

<p>First I tried the Flex with the SB on it. Nada. Then the Mini. Ziltch. Frustrating. Hill, even the PW Plus II didn't work. <br /><br />It must be a setting on the Nikons...? But three of them? I tried resetting all the flash shutter speed limits, but nothing.<br>

The Einstein is firing before the shutter opens (I can see it fire in the view finder and it doesn't register even at a 1 sec exposure).</p>

<p>The SB900 need to be in the master mode. The turn on sequence is to turn the SB900 on normally. Turn on the PW. Turn on the camera. There should be a flash. Then put the SB900 in master mode.</p>

<p>Yeah I tried that. It seems only to have RPT mode. There's no way to change it from that (SEL button selects Channels, on/off button turns each channel on/off, Mode button does nothing, third button top row (with green dot) does nothing. <br /><br />And the display looks much different from the display in the <a href="http://www.pocketwizard.com/inspirations/tutorials/sb900/">Pocket Wizard video about this subject</a>. And I made sure to follow that "top to bottom" sequence they and you indicate: In order turn on Flash> Flex or Min> Camera. Nada.</p>

<p>Use the camera's P-C socket to fire the radio trigger or the strobe directly. The P-C socket always triggers from the camera shutter and ignores any TTL pre-flashes.</p>

<p>BTW Tom, the pre-flash TTL metering will only give a predicted correct exposure for the SB-900 alone. As soon as the Einstein fires it'll add to the no-longer-valid TTL exposure to give overexposure.</p>

<p>I've used this technique very successfully for several years with old school Pocket Wizards and Lumedynes with an SB800 and 900. I was taught the technique by a guy that uses it with a Q flash. <br /><br />I don't think the Einstein has an optical slave that might be infrared sensitive to any preflash from the SB900.</p>

<p>Besides, I tried plugging the PW II into both the sync on the SB900 and the sync on the D700 and D300s (The D600 has no PC connector) and saw no change in behavior. I haven't tried this with the Mini or Flex, and I don't think they have a PC port, anyway.</p>

<p>The optical slave *was* on (Thanks RJ). Turning it off allowed the Pocket Wizard II units to work, with SB900 TTL on camera, PW II attached to the SB's pc outlet and a PW II plugged into the Einstein. So I'm at the level of control I had with Lumedynes, with the advantages of the Einstein.</p>

<p>Ideally, I want this to work with the Mini, so I can have remote control over the Einstein's power settings.<br /><br />But with the Flex or Mini, the Einstein just won't fire, no matter what settings I put in for Channel and Frequency, or with the various options on the Mini and Flex.<br /><br />I have a request for help in with PW tech support... t</p>

<p>Tom, is the technique using the Einstein as main and the on camera speed light as on camera axis fill but still allowing you to move around because you are using ttl? </p>

It's for PR work. The Einstein is a gridded spot on a speaker at a podium in a conference hall. The SB is on camera with

radio slave. Usually two cameras, with wide and long lenses.

 

See here:

 

https://m.facebook.com/147448202010838/albums/586137908141863/

<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.586137908141863.1073741828.147448202010838&type=1&l=821b9dcefc">Correct link</a></p>

<blockquote>

<p>Yeah I tried that. It seems only to have RPT mode. There's no way to change it from that (SEL button selects Channels, on/off button turns each channel on/off, Mode button does nothing, third button top row (with green dot) does nothing<br>

</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I am not sure I understand? You power up from the top down. The flash is in the "on" position. When the flash fires, you switch the flash from the "on" position to the "master" position. Other than that, I would make sure all devices have the most current firmware.</p>

<p>I'm not sure *I* understand... set it all up with the SB in "On" position, fire once then change it to "Master" position?... okaaay. I'll give it a shot. Thanks... t</p>