Sony A7x s-TRT : HSS not working

I'm reaching out to the community as I'm struggling to make the Smart s-TRT work in HSS mode (= i can't). I have no issue in normal Manual strobe mode (non HSS).

Issue : shutter speed is limited at 1/250 when the s-TRT is on. It cannot go faster. I'm conscious there must be something wrong with my settings but i don't know what.

Sorry, this is maybe an idiot boy question but I had to ask, you've got the Retra mode dial set to HSS, right?

9 minutes ago, TimG said:

Sorry, this is maybe an idiot boy question but I had to ask, you've got the Retra mode dial set to HSS, right?

Yes, I have, you're right for pointing out, just in case.

The issue comes before that in the order of travel of signal.

In order to try HSS, i want to put a fast shutter, but the camera, when the trigger is on just limits it to 1/250, so I can't try HSS, despite having actived Wireless Flash (WL set to ON), a setting required by the Turtle triggers for HSS.

There may be some other settings that are restricting you to 1/250, I saw somewhere the A7II tops out at 1/250 on rear curtain sync, or perhaps electronic shutter is engaged somehow - most cameras don't have high sync speed with electronic shutter.  Do you have a Sony flash you can pop in the hotshoe?  If that is also restricted to 1/250 it probably points to a camera problem.   If it suddenly allows you to go above 1/250 it's possibly a trigger problem.

Good point indeed, but having checked, e-curtain has no impact on my issue, whether it's on or off, the camera is unable to move to faster than 1/250 when the trigger is on (with settings mentioned in the first post).

I also tried flash mode to Fill/Slow/Rear and the issue persists.

At this stage, i'm hoping for someone whose setup is similar and functioning to tell me what their settings are and I can try do copy and test.

Thank you Chris though

Hi Alex, I highly recommend contacting Turtle directly, if you are not in touch already. They have the Pro X strobe on hand and I guess they have in-depth experience with the camera.

Good point indeed, but having checked, e-curtain has no impact on my issue, whether it's on or off, the camera is unable to move to faster than 1/250 when the trigger is on (with settings mentioned in the first post).
I also tried flash mode to Fill/Slow/Rear and the issue persists.
At this stage, i'm hoping for someone whose setup is similar and functioning to tell me what their settings are and I can try do copy and test.
Thank you Chris though

Good point indeed, but having checked, e-curtain has no impact on my issue, whether it's on or off, the camera is unable to move to faster than 1/250 when the trigger is on (with settings mentioned in the first post).

I also tried flash mode to Fill/Slow/Rear and the issue persists.

At this stage, i'm hoping for someone whose setup is similar and functioning to tell me what their settings are and I can try do copy and test.

Thank you Chris though

I think you need to leave the trigger in TTL with wireless flash on for HSS

The manual settings are for manual and the special program

Not sure why this went in 5 times!

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23 minutes ago, Interceptor121 said:

I think you need to leave the trigger in TTL with wireless flash on for HSS

The manual settings are for manual and the special program

 

Not sure why this went in 5 times!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No idea, but I've now removed the multiple copies

On 1/15/2023 at 10:58 AM, waterpixel said:

I'm reaching out to the community as I'm struggling to make the Smart s-TRT work in HSS mode (= i can't). I have no issue in normal Manual strobe mode (non HSS).

Issue : shutter speed is limited at 1/250 when the s-TRT is on. It cannot go faster. I'm conscious there must be something wrong with my settings but i don't know what.

 

Camera : A7III (latest firmware)

Strobe : Retra pro X (latest firmware)

Trigger : s-Tutle smart

Strobes : Retra pro X with optic fibers (they are not the issue here)

 

Camera settings are

• Shooting Mode : Manual
• Wireless Flash (WL) : ON
• Flash mode : Fill Flash
• Flash Comp : 0.0

 

Turtle trigger settings. I have done some trial and error and tested the two setups below with the above-mentioned camera settings but neither works. I made sure each time Wireless flash (WL) was ON, but shuter spee is blocked at 1/250.

 

• 

 

• 

 

I'd appreciate some guidance if you have experienced the same issue or if you have actually a similar setup and made HSS work succesfully!

Thank you

 

Edit : I have followed the succinct user manual of the trigger https://www.trt-electronics.com/content/media/docs/s-turtle-smart_2019usb2.pdf

The settings you have there are correct

You need to go into the camera set wireless flash to On

At which point the camera will let you exceed the shutter speed and show Wireless HSS on the left of the screen

Just go on the Website of TRT.

Simple screenshot from the Sony e-TRT (Yellow highlight is from myself...)

This works perfectly well for me (with Sony A1, mech and electronic shutter  and Sony A7RIV , mech shutter only), Retra Pro-X and TRT s-TURTLE  SMART

I talked to Balazs from Turtle, and it is possible that the TRT I acquired was made before HSS implementation. It will need a firmware update, so I will ship it to TRT headquarters.

Thanks all for the help