Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT & Yongnuo YN-E3-RT Transmitter

[shanetp]

Hi all.

I'm looking for any suggestions, but I doubt that this can be solved.

I have two Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT's and recently purchased a Yongnuo YN-E3-RT Transmitter to operate both Speedlites remotely from my Canon 200D camera.

On paper this setup should work faultlessly and the YN-E3-RT is advertised as working with the 430EX III-RT.

The problem is that the YN-E3-RT will only link with one of the 430EX III-RT's. It's always the same unit and it connects every time (we'll call this the good unit). The other unit it will not link too ever (we'll call this the bad unit).

The YN-E3-RT and both 430EX III-RT's firmware are up to date. I have spent some time attempting to get the YN-E3-RT and this one (bad unit) 430EX III-RT to link. ID and Channels have been checked, rechecked and changed many times. Batteries have been replaced and any possible setting I can think of played with.

Now using both 430EX III-RT's as either a master or a slave on & off camera I can get them to link faultlessly every time so I do not believe the 430EX III-RT to be the issue (however I could be wrong).

Now for the part I can't explain. I can get the YN-E3-RT and the 430EX III-RT that will not link to actually link but only if I follow a particular sequence. With the YN-E3-RT switched off I set the 430EX III-RT (good unit) as Master and the other 430EX III-RT (bad unit) as Slave, link is established between the two speedlites. Then I switch on the YN-E3-RT. I can now get the 430EX III-RT (bad unit) to establish a link with the YN-E3-RT. If I wish I can then set the other 430EX III-RT (good unit) as a slave and everything works fine. All features are there and everything works as advertised.

Any and all suggestions appreciated.

 

[shanetp]

The problem has been solved. As I said I checked all versions of the firmware on both Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT's (v1.0.1) and the Yongnuo YN-E3-RT Transmitter (v1.25). I can find no info on the latest firmware version for the 430EX III-RT, nor any info on how to update so I assume that this is not an option unless done by Canon. However my last option and the only thing I hadn't tried was to reinstall the YN-E3-RT's firmware as this is available and I had downloaded it during the my extensive troubleshooting process.

As soon as I installed the Yongnu Updater Software and connected the YN-E3-RT I knew something was up as the Updater indicated that the YN-E3-RT's firmware was at version 1.21. Following the firmware update to v1.25 which takes only 15 seconds all works fine and I can now link the YN-E3-RT to either or both 430EX III-RT's in slave mode and all features are working as advertised.

I can't explain why the Yongnuo YN-E3-RT Transmitter was showing v1.25 as it's firmware version? As soon as saw v1.21 as the current version in the Updater Software I exited the update process and rechecked in the transmitter menu, it was still showing v1.25. One of lifes little mysteries?

Thank you to all who help, I appreciate your efforts on my behalf.

Shane

 

[Derrel]

Good to read your explanation. I am assuming that the earlier firmware version followed along with the standard Master>Slave flash protocol that was established some 15-or-so odd years ago, and which was pretty normal, and that the NEWEST firmware version automated that process, and automatically and flawlessly set one flash as the Master, and the second unit as the Slave. Anyway...good to hear that you got this solved in a satisfactory manner!

 

[shanetp]

Sorry Derrel I'm not sure what changed in the firmware update, Yongnuo don't provide that information. The fact that I could connect the Yongnuo YN-E3-RT Transmitter as a sub-master to the one troublesome 430EX III-RT (bad unit) as Slave when I set the 430EX III-RT (good unit) as a Master first is difficult to explain. Also the YN-E3-RT and the 430EX III-RT (bad unit) would link every time when I used set them up in "linked shot" mode was perplexing to say the least. I'm just glad to solve the problem.

 

[Derrel]

Firmware updates have solved many a problem for many manufacturers!

 

[shanetp]

Yes, I wish I had gone there first but initially you assume that you have a settings issue. Because the Yongnuo YN-E3-RT Transmitter is a copy of the Canon ST -E3-RT and I assume Canon doesn't publish the communication specs/protocols etc then no doubt Yongnuo would have had to reverse-engineer their software so I always thought it was likely that the fault lies there. The firmware version issue displayed by the unit added a further level of confusion which I didn't need. Had I released it wasn't at latest revision I would have gone there first.

Unfortunately the price differential in New Zealand means that if I were to buy a ST-E3-RT I may as well buy another 430EX III-RT. The YN-E3-RT is at least $250.00 cheaper. Mind you at times I did wish that I had stumped up the extra.