Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

SBS- It may be best to give us a call so we can recap what is going on given the depth of your issues, it may be more efficient by either phone or email rather than via forum.

Fairfieldphoto- We will not be at Imaging USA as we no longer attend trade shows. The sole exception in the past several years was Imaging USA in Nashville, since that is where we are anyway.

OK, got spoiled seeing you there last year.

I called and left a message for support after hours on Monday night after my shoot. I am guessing you didn't get that message. Will try to call when I get back from Imaging USA unless I get a window between now and when I leave to travel there.

Thanks.

-Mike

I just found this thread, and noticed that the problems FairfieldPhoto described were very similar to something I recently posted in the v.32 update thread.

Fairfield: very curious to your continued experiences, since it sounds like something has happened to clear up your issues. Perhaps the biggest difference between your situation and mine is that you have the CSRB+ units, whereas mine are the CSR+. Otherwise, your description is very similar to what I've been seeing.

As I mentioned in my other posting, this issue seems to have gotten much worse for me since the v.32 update for some reason.

So here is a scenario to try:

I set up 3 lights: left main, right main, and hair light (center). I am using frequency 5 and each light is on it's own channel (1,2,3)

Since I am doing high volume T&I, I set the two mains to the same power so I have flat lighting, but able to deal with hats/helmets, etc. I raise my hair light above my background shooting down though a strip box with grid modifiers.

I was able to cause the mains to stop responding by switching to channel 3 and attempting to lower the power by 1/2 EU and metered it with the CC. When I switched back to ALL, only channel 3 fired. Even hitting "refresh" and unplugging each CSRB+ cord from the light, the mains would not respond. Hitting the test light on the CSRB+ would cause the light to fire, but no electronic trigger would work. Pulling the batteries of the CSRB+ and putting them back in and then unplugging/replugging the CSRB+ would get the triggers to respond. Doing a "refresh" from the CC put me back into business.

Wednesdays shoot went much better ,but i did not try to adjust the back light on the fly because i could afford to be down to do the reset - we had more athletes then on Monday.

If anyone is able to recreate this problem, post your details and firmware versions for CC.

I am on v32.

Mike

FairfieldPhoto- Thanks for the offer to meet up but I wont be attending. Continued thanks for you testing :) I may be able to test a bit next weekend...

davidm- your problems are much like my own as well. I will definitely NOT be updating my CC anytime soon until the problems you stated are addressed.


Tech- I may have time after next weekend to call, although I am secretly hoping my Einsteins would arrive by then...

Quick update:

Had a product shoot this week. 5 lights 2 x 1600 (both on CSR+), 2 x 800 (one on CSR+, the other on a CSRB+), 1 x 580exII (CSRB+). CST on camera, CC in hand.

Everything was working wonderfully till shot number 40 when none of the lights responded at all. Checked the CST by firing it manually, nothing. Tried to fire with CC, nothing. Tried to dump one of the 1600, nothing, red light but no "tffffft" at all. Hit test on the CSRB+ attached to the 580exII, nothing. Hit test on the CSRB+ attached to 1 of the B800s, nothing, not even a "tffffft", just the red light of death. Unplugging the telephone cable from one of the 1600 brought the light back to life, test worked. Plugging the telephone cord back in killed it again.

Unfortunately this didnt all happen this fast and the client was left rolling her eyes.

Eventually I unplugged the 2 x 1600s and 1 x 800 from wall and plugged them back in, that reset them. Both CSRB+'s (B800 + 580exII) had to have their batteries pulled for them to work again.

Luckily, no further problems during that session. Unfortunately something like this happens with EVERY session.

At this point I would just pull the telephone cords and forget the CC all together. I dont remember having a problem till the CC was thrown in. Sure, once in a while a light would not fire, but not often, and the solution was just to click again and sure enough the light would fire. But when the CC works its wonderful! Since most of my jewelry/product stuff is shot against a pure white light (diffused thru 2 sheets of plexi) I have to constantly check (I shoot tethered with 2 large monitors) and change the output of the background light for different items --Its a pain in the back doing this by hand.

I will have to call tech support next week sometime as this is just ridiculous. I am starting to wonder if I have a faulty CC (I have the older model and it does had the iPhone problem) and a faulty CSRB+ (s) and faulty CSR+(s). I remember reading a while ago about another member that did have 2 or 3 faulty units and replacing them seemed to make things work. At least he isnt posting anymore...

I think I may be like Moses. I get to see the promised land, but I am denied entry.

iPhone problem???? I am carrying an iPhone. What is the "iPhone problem?"

Your problem is very similar to mine. I will be monitoring this post.

-M

I am not aware of any "iPhone problem", unless this is used to describe a problem one percieves to be similar to problems with an iPhone rather than a inter-disfunctionality with both present.

OH!!! I get it. I am assuming the older CC units without external antenna had some kind of body absorption issue for the signal if you "held it wrong".

OK. I have another shoot this weekend. I will see if I can gather any additional insight to the problem during setup/breakdown.

-Mike

You got it Mike! "Holding it wrong" in this case would be flat in the palm of my left hand while I adjust using my right. I guess the antennae is near the top right of the unit because my fingers shield the signal at times.

I was informed I will be receiving my Einsteins soon and after setting then up and playing with them a bit (water droplet fun) I will call tech and we will solve this issue once and for all. If it involves returning / exchanging the CC again and/or CSR+/CRSB+ I dont care as long as it solves this ongoing issue. After that life, at least this bit of it, will be Nirvana.