CP5000 Internal speedlite

Anyone-

I am using a CP5000, Ikelite housing, DS125 with synch cord. Have tried all of the appropriate menu selections for the internal and external strobes, but the internal strobe will still fire even if the menu selection is for it to be disabled. The monitor shows the two strobe icons correctly: the bolt indicates the external strobe is enabled and the slash/bolt indicates the internal strobe should not fire (but it does). Although the system will otherwise work OK, it is a significant and unecesssary drain on the battery. I hate to waste time and money sending the camera in for service if it is not broken or if there is no fix for this. Has anyone experienced this problem or know of a fix?

Are you running it in programmed mode. If you turn it off it will be turned off in C1-3 but the CA/programmed selection will still determine to fire it.

Thus, if you have to take a quick picture and are indoors, the flash will fire if you put the camera on CA otherwise if you are in C1, C2, 0r C3 it will not fire if you have selected no speedlight.

If it still does you may have a program problem.

IMHO

What firmware version are you using? There is a button that you can push, while turning on the camera that will display the firmware version. I can't remember which one right now.

Todd?

Cheers

James

I believe when you turn the camera on you hold down the menu button and it will show the version. I assumed that he said that he selected the option to disable the speedlight thus he would have the latest version.

Correct me if I am wrong.

It should turn off in V1.7

Thanks for the responses.

1) I am running in Manual mode.

2) I am using firmware V1.7 (hold down menu button on start-up)

So maybe there is a camera software/hardware problem to be fixed?

I use the same setup with FW 1.7. The camera still sets off a preflash. You cannot turn it off and it does not affect the exposure. Apparently you can turn off the internal flash only with certain Nikon speedlites. The camera uses the preflash to determine WB. Ignore it. It affects nothing. :ph34r:

Not to start an arguement but.... how can the preflash determine WB? If the preflash fires, the camera must "know" the WB is "flash" because that's what it is using to illuminate the image.

I have spent some more time troubleshooting and have discovered the following:

1) Using a Y-cord with only one strobe hooked up (for diagnosis), when using one side of the Y, the setup will work properly, that is the preflash will not fire when the internal flash is disabled. However, when switching the strobe to the other side of the Y, the setup does not work properly, that is the preflash will fire even though the internal flash is disabled.

2) With 2 strobes hooked up to the Y-cord and both turned on, the preflash will fire even though the internal flash is disabled. But, if the strobe on the "bad" side of the Y is turned off the preflash will not fire.

3) When using a single synch cord the preflash will still fire with internal flash disabled.

This is all very strange. I spent some time on the phone with Ikelite. I am going to try new cords and see what happens.

Even if this problem cannot be corrected, as you say, it can just be ignored. It is my understanding that the preflash uses less wattage than the flash, so the drain on the battery is less than it might be. However, it would be nice to have everything working as it was designed.

By the way, in a world where most companies don't even know what the term "customer service" means, Ikelite should be commended for their commitment to customer service and support.

The WB is set to "cloudy".

Is this with an Ikelite T connector or dual cord. They both I believe have a primary and secondary strobe. That is why it probably works on one side. You can turn off the internal speed light with some strobes. I cannot turn it off when I use one DS 125 and an Ike housing. Somehow your doing it with only one of your strobes turned on. Like I said this is not a defect, just the way the camera works.

If you get it to work with the internal speedlight turned off I would like to know how long you get for battery life.

The preflash lights up the subject allows the camera to read the subject for auto WB. :ph34r:

davephdv-

I blocked off the lower-left camera shoe contact (looking down at the camera shoe contacts with the lens aimed away from you) and everything seems to work fine. The strobes fire (1 strobe with single cord, or 2 strobes with Y-cord) and the preflash does NOT fire.

I used a small piece of Scotch tape (2 layers) to cover the contact. Extend the tape beyond the back edge of shoe down the edge of the camera so that the spring-loaded contact on the housing adapter slides up and over the tape without tearing it or displacing it.

Try this and let me know if it works for your setup.

Does this mean it is a matter of modifying the bulhead or synch cord so that the contact is disabled? Am I missing something? I shoot only in manual mode, so if this affects TTL it is not a concern to me.

With the preflash not firing how much more battery like do you think you'll get?

Ike, if you're listening do you plan on investigating this and maybe modify your connectors?

What the previous poster (platzja) is talking about is essentially "blocking" the TTL connection - so that the camera doesn't think a TTL strobe is attached. Stephen Frink describes how to do this for the D1x on his website.

That is because he is only using his external strobes in manual mode - NOT TTL.

For TTL strobes, connect the sync cord as usual. If the camera fires a preflash, simply ignore it. It won't affect your shot and it wil have a VERY small effect on battery life.

HTH

James

I wish someone from Nikon would come out and address this issue once and for all. I don't yet have a housing for my CP5K.

I have just purchased an SB50dx though, and no mattter what I set, the onboard flash still fires. I don't think it's a preflash; it flashes at the same time as the accessory flash.

I have done some food photography using the 50DX. If I shoot with both flashes, then cover the accessory with my finger, it exposes correct, but my finger gets really hot, indicating a full power flash???

If I cover the onboard flash FIRST, then I don't get proper exposure.

I have tried the settings in the menu, and I am shooting in C1-3, not CA. Firmware 1.7.

whasaap??

Rob.

I am shooting with a SB-28 (non-DX) and with firmware 1.7 the onboard flash does not fire when the SB-28 does. I do get a pre-flash but not during the exposure. I am using the Automatic detecting option (Setup > Speedlight Opt > Speedlight Cntrl > Auto). I assume you have tried this setup but just to make sure shoot into a mirror to see if the image has both strobes firing.

Also, you can set the camera in manual for a 1 or 2 second shot. Then watch for both the preflash and main flash.

Cheers

James

Unfortunately the flash trips at the begining of the exposure even in "slow" setting. I wish it had rear-curtain sync.