Yongnuo 622 TX as a remote trigger

[astroNikon]

I've been using a 622N-TX and 622Ns for a while to remote trigger flashes.
I recall reading at some point that you can use the setup as a remote trigger.

With all my previous cameras I've had a remote trigger via USB connector.
With my latest camera, a Nikon D500, it has the round 10 pin connector. No USB connector (though it does have one of those new SuperSpeed (twin long) USB 3 connectors. I haven't tried to see if a regular USB will fit in half of it.

Taking some pictures of Jupiter earlier I got a lot of images of movement. So I went looking again for a remote corded trigger. Why does the Pro setup of Nikon costs so much more than the Mid and Consumer level. The cheapest I can find Nikon's corded remote trigger is $65. Even most 3rd party ones are expensive compared to the regular corded ones.

Thus I pulled out the Yongnuos and tested it. Yes, it does allow you to trigger the camera remotely using a regular 622N and pressing the "TEST" button. Thus activates the TX to trigger the camera which is connected via the included 10 pin cable to the camera.

Now I have a remote trigger up to 30 seconds.
Though it does not seem to allow me to open, and arbitrarily close the shutter. Guess I'll sooner or later have to get a corded trigger. FYI, with the regular corded triggers you can lock the button to keep the shutter open and time it yourself. Or you can get one with a built in intervalometer to keep it open a programmed amount of time.

 

[astroNikon]

So now I have half a solution for my long exposure needs.

 

[astroNikon]

update
this setup seems to have issues as the camera just doesn't like the 622 TX trigger it.

But if you take it off the hotshoe then the remote trigger works fine. So something about the camera contacts trying to talk to the 622 TX while it is triggering it. Off the hotshoe, no problem.

 

[dasmith232]

I have the Canon version, so this may not apply. With the 622's, whichever trigger (TX or C) is in the hotshoe communicates via the data pins of the hotshoe. By having the cord connected, there are two paths and they might(?) conflict.

The ability to do that remote trigger (without the cable) through the hotshoe works on some of my bodies and not others. And I don't recall the particular combination, but I think it was different when using the TX in the hotshoe vs another 622C (in my case).

The ability to trigger with the cable works every time when the trigger is just hanging from the cord.

Also, when using the 622's there was a delay (maybe 1 second?). Ultimately, I've settled on using the 622's for flash control and a pair of 603's for release. If I don't have both sets with me then I'll go ahead with the 622's doing the release.

 

[Destin]

@astroNikon can you do an experiment for me?

Rather than pushing the test button to activate the shutter, can you put the remote on a second camera have have it trigger the second camera when you take a photo with the first?

 

[astroNikon]

@astroNikon can you do an experiment for me?

Rather than pushing the test button to activate the shutter, can you put the remote on a second camera have have it trigger the second camera when you take a photo with the first?

okay, I'll give that a try.

I ordered a *new* TX unit too which I should get any day.

I was going to run a test too until the d500 didn't like it of 2 remote cameras and a remote flash. I think it won't work with a flash as the flash is going to trigger instantly and the cameras will have the delay of AF (or manual), Shutter, capture.

 

[Destin]

@astroNikon can you do an experiment for me?

Rather than pushing the test button to activate the shutter, can you put the remote on a second camera have have it trigger the second camera when you take a photo with the first?

okay, I'll give that a try.

I ordered a *new* TX unit too which I should get any day.

I was going to run a test too until the d500 didn't like it of 2 remote cameras and a remote flash. I think it won't work with a flash as the flash is going to trigger instantly and the cameras will have the delay of AF (or manual), Shutter, capture.

That's my thought as well. It might work with flash for the first camera but I don't think the flashes will sync properly with the remote camera.

I actually just checked my tracking and my 622N should be here today, so I can run the experiment myself later today

 

[astroNikon]

ok. I'm not home anyways until tonight to try a test. I do use it as a trigger in the past for 2 cameras (d750, d600) but never included a flash. I hope the newer TX works with the D500, though it's only my sports and some astro camera. no studio stuff as my other camera handles that. I have 4 or 5 622N remote flash triggers for flashes.

 

[Destin]

So I just got the 622n

Didn't realize that it doesn't have a 2.5mm output jack, just the PC sync port. So I can only use the 622n-tx as a receiver unless I get a new cable that's PC sync to my camera's shutter port, if such a thing even exists.

So setting it up with the tx unit as a receiver, connected to the shutter port on my d7100.. I can get it to be a wireless remote, but it trips the shutter when I let go of the button, not when I push it. This is fine I suppose, just strange.

However, when I place the 622n on my d500 and try to trigger the other camera at the same time as the first one, it won't fire it at all. For whatever reason only the test button works for remote shutter release.

I've also noted that when you're using it as a shutter release, it will not interact with any flashes whatsoever.

 

[dasmith232]

The Canon version (622C) is the same: no output jack. And I've never seen a cable that would go from PC out to shutter release cable on the camera side. There's no voltage involved (just a short/close on the circuit) so it seems like it's electronically possible. And ditto on everything else (Canon/Nikon behavior is the same.)

 

[astroNikon]

I have the Canon version, so this may not apply. With the 622's, whichever trigger (TX or C) is in the hotshoe communicates via the data pins of the hotshoe. By having the cord connected, there are two paths and they might(?) conflict.

The ability to do that remote trigger (without the cable) through the hotshoe works on some of my bodies and not others. And I don't recall the particular combination, but I think it was different when using the TX in the hotshoe vs another 622C (in my case).

The ability to trigger with the cable works every time when the trigger is just hanging from the cord.

Also, when using the 622's there was a delay (maybe 1 second?). Ultimately, I've settled on using the 622's for flash control and a pair of 603's for release. If I don't have both sets with me then I'll go ahead with the 622's doing the release.

If you use a 603 for the release *and* a TX on the hotshoe to control flashes, does that all work together ?

 

[adamhiram]

I tested this out recently with a Yongnuo RF-603n for remote shutter and Phottix Strato II for wireless flash trigger, and it worked just fine regardless of what order I stacked them on the hotshoe.

 

[dasmith232]

If you use a 603 for the release *and* a TX on the hotshoe to control flashes, does that all work together ?

Yup, no problem at all. The 622's and 603's use completely different (not frequencies, per se but maybe the right word is) encoding. The two systems don't even recognize the existence of the other.

 

[Destin]

If you use a 603 for the release *and* a TX on the hotshoe to control flashes, does that all work together ?

Yup, no problem at all. The 622's and 603's use completely different (not frequencies, per se but maybe the right word is) encoding. The two systems don't even recognize the existence of the other.

To be clear, you're saying that I can put one 603 on the hot shoe of one camera (Camera A) and then connect another one to the shutter port of another camera (Camera B), and then when I take a photo with camera A, it will trigger camera B to simultaneously take a photo?

I'm trying to accomplish this but have thus far been unable to do so.. contemplating ordering real PWs to make it happen if I can't figure out a yongnuo solution soon.

 

[dasmith232]

You can use 622's to control the flash from one camera to any number of flashes (up to three groups). So, put one 622 (TX, C or N) in the hotshoe. Put the remaining flashes wherever with their corresponding 622's as receivers. The flash settings are up to you (manual, TTL, etc), and a separate topic. The 622's are to control flash and have nothing to do with releasing the shutter.

Plug one 603 into the shutter release jack using the included cable. You can let the 603 just hang there by its cable, or use a piece of gaffer tape or even put the 603 on top of the 622 in the extended hotshoe. The 603 and 622 have nothing to do with each other, other than being attached to the same camera.

A second 603 is in your hand and used as the release. The 603's are for releasing the shutter and have nothing to do with the flash.

You *can* use 622's for releasing the shutter in certain conditions, but we're not doing that here. Likewise, you can use 603's for triggering flash (manual only), but we're not doing that either.

Finally, you can put a third 603 on another camera which will (by coincidence only) trigger a second camera from the 603 in your hand. The two cameras don't know about either other -- or rather the 603's attached to the two cameras don't know about each other. The (independent) 603's on the cameras separately receive the signal from the 603 in your hand.

Beware that if you expect the cameras to be in sync with each other, you might be disappointed. There can be a delay or latency between the 603 signal and the shutter actually going off, depending on things like acquiring focus. But if you have everything in manual mode, you'll likely get good synchronization.