Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I believe I have the older cybercommander which doesn't have the antenna built in. I have the firmware upgraded to version 29 on the einstein and version 36 on the Cybercommander and know how to operate the cybercommander pretty thoroughly.

However, since I just received my Einsteins today, I have not been able to trigger the Cybercommander while it is in the hot shoe of my canon 5d2. From what I understand, the Cybercommander's pin on the bottom is a "dumb" trigger in which it triggers when there is a voltage trigger through the camera. Should I send it in to customer service?

Love the cyber commander's features

I'll give alienbees a call tomorrow. Just wanted to check on the forums first.

The CC foot might not be making good contact with the hot shoe... have you tried gently pushing down on the CC while taking a shot? You can also try putting the CC in backwards (it might fit more snug that way) - not as a permanent solution but as a troubleshooting technique.

It sounds like the CC is recognizing the Einsteins so it seems like it is communicating with the lights. Also sounds like you can trip the lights via the CC joysticks.

yeah, you are correct on that I can control the einsteins with the cybercommander without any issues, however the hotshoe will not fire. This will have to go back to alienbees for inquiry. I tried putting a little pressure on the cybercommander while taking a picture but nothing triggered. I scooted the the cybercommander back and forth a few milimeters in the hotshoe while pushing the shutter and still nothing.

thanks for the confirmation though that the cybercommander should be able to trigger in the hotshoe which is what I had originally assumed as well. Seems like a bad connection

Take a metal paper clip, straighten it and shape into a V shape. On the side of the foot, in the groove, you will see a metal contact. Touch one end of the paperclip to that contact, and the other end to the center contact on the bottom. The lights should fire when the circuit is complete. Also try connecting the CC or E640 to the camera via PC port. And if you have a speedlite, be sure it is working in the hotshoe. Some canon cameras have the ability to turn off the flash sync connections. While the foot of the CC is suspect, this may save you some troubles.

Good point TS.... you aren't using Live View are you? The 5D2 doesn't sync from the hotshoe in Live View mode.

"Take a metal paper clip, straighten it and shape into a V shape. On the side of the foot, in the groove, you will see a metal contact. Touch one end of the paperclip to that contact, and the other end to the center contact on the bottom. The lights should fire when the circuit is complete. Also try connecting the CC or E640 to the camera via PC port. And if you have a speedlite, be sure it is working in the hotshoe. Some canon cameras have the ability to turn off the flash sync connections. While the foot of the CC is suspect, this may save you some troubles."

Tried the metal paper clip and could not get the cybercommander to complete the circuit so it does appear that there is a connection error. I did try connecting the CC via the PC port using a 2.5mm male cord to a female end sync cable in which the cybercommander triggered the strobes however for how i plan to use the einsteins, i will need that sync port to be operational to manually trigger other strobes.

My 580 ex flash triggers without any issues on my 5d2

and I was not using live view with my 5d2 which would still send a trigger to the hot shoe regardless if live view was or was not on.

thanks for the feedback. time to make a call

Certainly understandable, and it does point to the hotshoe


With the correct settings, some Canons, like the 5DmkII can shoot non dedicated lights in live view. Other Canons, like Rebels, cannot as they do not have the same options (silent mode 1 and 2, or something like that)


No problem, and yes, it will need to come in, though it should get turned around quickly.

Just wanted to follow up: the cybercommander came back and is now working properly. 8-)

edit: to fire strobes: pocketwizards, cybersyncs manual flashes..... while in live view, you must change the setting from silent shoot to:disable.