Issue triggering flash with LF lens

[remylebeau]

Hey all,

I've been wanting to take some portraits with the 4x5 but I've had issue triggering my off camera flashes.

The lens is a Schneider 180mm 5.6 with a Synchro-Pompur shutter. I tried using my Aputure wireless triggers as well as a friends pocket wizards and I'm connecting them to the pc sync port. What's happening is the flash goes off infrequently for unknown reasons, it may fire on the second try or it may fire on the 5th. I was using a shutter speed of 100 and 50, changing that had no apparent effect.



I'm just wondering if I'm doing something wrong or perhaps I need to clean the socket on the lens?

 

[Derrel]

Well, "as-shown" in the photo, the flash synchronization setting is set to M, which is designed for flashbulbs, which is the wrong time delay setting for electronic flash. Have you tried setting the lever with the green dot to the X setting, which is the designated setting to use with electronic flash?

 

[timor]

^^^^^ Plus the lens doesn't look like new. Contacts inside may still be dirty, corroded thus not making proper contact sending no signal or wrong signal out.

 

[remylebeau]

Well, "as-shown" in the photo, the flash synchronization setting is set to M, which is designed for flashbulbs, which is the wrong time delay setting for electronic flash. Have you tried setting the lever with the green dot to the X setting, which is the designated setting to use with electronic flash?

Yeah I started with the setting on "X" but it was giving me infrequent fires, so I tried "M" towards the end to see if that changed anything and it didn't. I'm going to get a long enough cable and try and directly connect it to the strobe, if it's still infrequent then it's gotta be either the lens or the strobe and I can cancel out the wireless triggers being the cause.

 

[remylebeau]

^^^^^ Plus the lens doesn't look like new. Contacts inside may still be dirty, corroded thus not making proper contact sending no signal or wrong signal out.

Shoot....is there any tips or tricks on cleaning the contacts?

 

[minicoop1985]

The inside ones could be done with a small, but firm wire?