yn622 setup with flash meter

[qleak]

Okay I just got my wireless trigger kit in the mail and have confirmed it works with my flashes and camera. I thought I had the wrong cord at first, it plugs into the "GPS" slot of my D7100.

1 x YN 622N-TX
2 x YN 622N

I'm considering the purchase of a flash meter maybe a sekonic L308 or a Minolta autometer 4F.

For incident light metering I'd guess it would be best to use the 622N-TX with the pc-cord out of the hotshoe connected to the meter.

What if I want to also trigger the shutter on the camera? Here are the scenarios I'm wondering about:

1. An additional YN622N in the hotshoe: Sync cable -> 3.5mm -> N3 shutter release
2. An additional YN622N-TX (one on cam with shutter release the other on the flash meter and used as a trigger).

Thoughts?

 

[Derrel]

"Any way to git 'r done!" basically is what I would say...no matter how you manage to fire the flash unit(s) so that you can take incident flash meter readings..whatever it takes.

 

[qleak]

I should add:

3) An YN622 pc sync cord to meter and used to trigger the shutter / camera. Not as convenient since I can't adjust the flash powers of the individual groups without going back to the camera.

"Any way to git 'r done!" basically is what I would say...no matter how you manage to fire the flash unit(s) so that you can take incident flash meter readings..whatever it takes.

Derrel, thanks for your feedback. It's good to know I'm not the only one who considers makeshift devices for nearly everything

 

[Derrel]

The key thing is that when the shutter is open, the flash setup goes "pop!" Don't matter how it gits done!

 

[qleak]

After further research I found the following thread:

YONGNUO YN-622N-TX 8211 Flash Controller for NIKON 8211 Now Available FLASH HAVOC

It describes a couple problems with these units.

a) Flash Value Lock not working.

It locks and fires the 1st time, every time after no flash fires. Disappointing to say the least.

b) The transceiver manual mode fires a TTL pre-flash every time.

I can't help thinking that if they had understood TTL Flash value lock this problem could have been avoided.

So if i decide to keep these, using a light meter would be in flash manual only, no transceiver ttl/manual mode. This makes 3) the better choice for flash metering / remote shutter.

Maybe the 622N-TX firmware upgrades will help, anyone try these out?

 

[Mach0]

I have this setup and a pocket wizard mini and flex set up. While the yn is good for most, I barely use it. My pw set up is my go to. My local camera shop says that the phottix Odin does well too and cheaper than the pw.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Braineack]

if you have the 2.5mm to gps wire on the side of the TX unit connected to camera, then the meter on the PC cord, when you press the meter it should take a picture.

I'll have to test this later today. I had YN603s which were nice cause I could use an extra to trigger, now I only have the one TX and two YN622s so I have nothing to remotely trigger the camera--I can no longer use a spare YN603.

 

[qleak]

I checked my yn622n-tx firmware and it's the most recent one.

I have an IR remote that when used in mirror lock up mode i can separate the preflashes from the flash but then there'd be a picture every time i meter. I'd be like shooting a Moby cover

Thanks for the insights. I agree that the gps/2.5 mm cord would trigger the shutter every time i meter. I'll check out Odin.

 

[Derrel]

When I shoot off-camera flash stuff, I normally am using each flash unit in a fully manual configuration, where I set the power of each flash, and the flash's output is fixed, steady, and stable, until I decide to change it by hand. I meter the flash cordlessly, by pressing the triggering button on the back of my on-camera Pocket Wizard, and metering the flash from subject position using my Minolta meter in incident metering mode. So, this means there's never any pre-flash, ever...

I do not really identify with using TTL flash control and multi-flash setups. The pre-flash that TTL flash relies upon is something I never have to worry about when metering my flash output. Also, I'm not used to being able to set flash power from the camera, but instead am used to setting flash power of all flash units right from my flash power pack location, so my attitude is "just git R done", however whatever needs to be done gets done...hard wired, optical slave(s), trigger + slave(s), cable + slave(s), trigger + cable + slave(s)...etc..

I honest to gosh see no need for TTL flash output and control when using "studio-type" lighting set-ups. It seems to bring more problems than it solves, at least the way I've been using flash.

 

[Braineack]

I checked my yn622n-tx firmware and it's the most recent one.

I have an IR remote that when used in mirror lock up mode i can separate the preflashes from the flash but then there'd be a picture every time i meter. I'd be like shooting a Moby cover

Thanks for the insights. I agree that the gps/2.5 mm cord would trigger the shutter every time i meter. I'll check out Odin.

Why are you shooting TTL?

As far as the meter, I just tested: When the PC sync cord is connected to your meter and the TX, it will trigger the flashes but not the camera, even with the shutter cord connected.

When I hit test on the 622, it triggers the camera. So a spare 622 would work as a remote, or just the IR remote to trigger the shutter, or something else that will plug into the camera and work as a remote.

I see no real reason to have the meter capture a frame.


@Derrel, I got a 622TX to be able to control my speedlights from camera. especially on a rim or fill I see it being pretty handy not to be forced to have to walk over and do it at each unit.

In fact, the TX works off the camera itself, so I can take it where I'm metering through a short 10" pc-sync cord, and change the flash power where right then and there.

That's how I plan to use it at least.

 

[qleak]

Why are you shooting TTL?

Here is what I have experienced. The YN622's need the TTL mode of the flash to set the manual power settings over wireless. If you fire a flash with the YN622N-TX Group A set to manual 1/32, group A will fire a preflash! This will ruin metering and send me running to each flash for true manual settings.

Here's something else I just noticed. If none of your groups are TTL you cannot do the flash lock. However, if one of your groups is TTL you can flash lock and eliminate the pre-flash on the TX manual set channels! You can still adjust the settings on the TX without breaking the flash lock as long as your standby time is high enough.

So if you can afford a dummy TTL group, you can eliminate the preflash from the YN622N-TX manual mode by using the flash value lock.

Flash lock still does not work correctly for a TTL group, it only works once!

 

[Braineack]

I didnt realize it sends a preflash if set to manual--that doesn't make sense.

 

[qleak]

I didnt realize it sends a preflash if set to manual--that doesn't make sense.

Yup! it's utter nonsense. Try it out rear curtain sync 1" exposure. I used a D7100 and SB700.

It remains to be seen if the "Test" mode on the yn622N-TX fires a preflash or not. Also I have no idea what the behavior is when it is off the hotshoe.

 

[Braineack]

okay wow. weak.

With my neewer VK750 it works without issue. If I hit the test button on the TX it fires the preflash, then if I hit my meter, it'll flash at the last power the TX sent to it. One extra step, but fine.

My SB700 however doesn't trigger from the meter at all. It's trying to send data back through the TX but since the meter just sends a quick "flash" signal, it's not working.

The Nikon flash is just too "smart" to work. That's kinda disappointing for sure.

 

[qleak]

okay wow. weak.

With my neewer VK750 it works without issue. If I hit the test button on the TX it fires the preflash, then if I hit my meter, it'll flash at the last power the TX sent to it. One extra step, but fine.

My SB700 however doesn't trigger from the meter at all. It's trying to send data back through the TX but since the meter just sends a quick "flash" signal, it's not working.

The Nikon flash is just too "smart" to work. That's kinda disappointing for sure.

Have you tried adjusting the standby setting?