Can someone tell me why....!!!

[SabrinaO]

...my cactus triggers aren't working???? I have 3 sessions tomorrow and I'm panicking. I have it hooked to one of my AB's with a headphone plug wire(sorry I don't know the right name for it). I just changed my batteries so it's not them. My ab works fine being triggered by my popup flash so it isn't my AB. It was working fine after I changed batteries then suddenly it stopped working. I hit the button on the cactus that's connected to my hotshoe to test and flash still doesn't go off. The cactus doesn't work for my speedlite either... Please help!!

 

[SabrinaO]

Oh and they both are on the same channels

 

[camz]

Check your the connection between your cactus trigger and camera's hot shoe? Sometimes a little cleaning does the trick.

Edit: Sorry I read that wrong...I noticed that you've already pressed the trigger button on the cactus so it's communication issue between the cactus pair and not your camera's hotshoe.

 

[Derrel]

I would re-check the batteries, for charge and for absolutely proper placement inside the battery compartment. There really is NOT much area of contact between a battery and the clips inside...sometimes if a battery has shifted just a little bit, it does not make a good connection.

 

[SabrinaO]

Ok so I cleaned all the contacts, changed out the batteries and still.. STILL it's not working. So upset. Could it be the type of batteries? I used fresh duracells and then changed them out to fresh energizers. I don't know what else to do. Could it be the cactus just not working? I don't know because both indicator lights come on when I hit the shutter button on my cam and the button on the sender.

 

[mrpink]

Could it be the cactus just not working?

Cheap triggers will fail at the worst possible time. $400 for some pocket wizards sounds like a good investment about now does it not?

Good luck with getting it sorted out.






p!nK

 

[camz]

hmmmm...So you cactus triggers are atleast talking to each other but your flash won't fire.

If your shoots are tomorrow can you run to the closest rental place and get some triggers for the weekend?

 

[mwcfarms]

You can trip them with the flash just not the transmitter? Nevermind I misread your post lol. Good luck tomorrow.

 

[SabrinaO]

Could it be the cactus just not working?

Cheap triggers will fail at the worst possible time. $400 for some pocket wizards sounds like a good investment about now does it not?Good luck with getting it sorted out.p!nK

I didn't even have these for a year... :*{

 

[SabrinaO]

hmmmm...So you cactus triggers are atleast talking to each other but your flash won't fire. If your shoots are tomorrow can you run to the closest rental place and get some triggers for the weekend?

Yes... The flash just won't fire! I have my flash setting in camera to manual. I'm so stressed out right now because no... there isn't any rental place. The closest camera shop is 1hr and 15 mins away.

 

[e.rose]

hmmmm...So you cactus triggers are atleast talking to each other but your flash won't fire. If your shoots are tomorrow can you run to the closest rental place and get some triggers for the weekend?

Yes... The flash just won't fire! I have my flash setting in camera to manual. I'm so stressed out right now because no... there isn't any rental place. The closest camera shop is 1hr and 15 mins away.

So get off the computer and drive for 1 hour and 15 minutes. :greenpbl:

I don't understand why people always think that's such a long distance. I have to drive for at *least* 45 minutes to get to anywhere decent, an hour on average to anywhere else, and during my previous job had to drive almost 2 hours at times to get to work (and that was at 3am).

If no one knows what's wrong, and you have sessions you can't postpone... then get in your car and start driving.

 

[SabrinaO]

hmmmm...So you cactus triggers are atleast talking to each other but your flash won't fire. If your shoots are tomorrow can you run to the closest rental place and get some triggers for the weekend?

Yes... The flash just won't fire! I have my flash setting in camera to manual. I'm so stressed out right now because no... there isn't any rental place. The closest camera shop is 1hr and 15 mins away.

So get off the computer and drive for 1 hour and 15 minutes. :greenpbl:I don't understand why people always think that's such a long distance. I have to drive for at *least* 45 minutes to get to anywhere decent, an hour on average to anywhere else, and during my previous job had to drive almost 2 hours at times to get to work (and that was at 3am).If no one knows what's wrong, and you have sessions you can't postpone... then get in your car and start driving.

It's 8 o'clock... It's too late. Plus they don't have triggers..............

 

[SabrinaO]

What's a good way to block a popup flash, but will still activate my ABs?

 

[Derrel]

WAIT WAIT WAIT "I used fresh duracells and then changed them out to fresh energizers." YES, that COULD be the problem!!!! I had a similar experience in the 1980's with Nikon MD-12 motor drives which would NOT WORK--at ALL, with one of those brands, but WOULD fire, great, with the other brand of alkalines!!! I bought like 24 batteries on sale, and loaded them into all 3 of my MD's....none of them would fire!!!!!!!!

Some batteries have a teensy-tiny little "nipple" on the positive contact, while others do not.

 

[SabrinaO]

I guess I can use my lightscoop and set the flash in camera on manual to 1/32?