bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Tested everything at home and it worked fine. At the shoot, everything fell apart.

Using a D-7000 with a safe sync adapter to my Speedotron Brown 404 system, all works fine.

Using the D-7000 tethered to lightroom 4, all works fine.

The problem is that when I tried both at home, everything worked as it should. At the reception hall, I could shoot tethered, OR, with the lighting system, either way worked fine by itself, but not when it was all hooked up.

Ended up using my SB-800 and SB-600 wireless (*always have a backup), but I'm an old dog, and really prefer my trusty old studio lights.

At first I thought the weak spot was the safe sync or the cord, but switched them out, and got the same result. If either was bad, I wouldn't think they would work when not tethered.

I'd really appreciate if somone more technical than me could help figure out a reason why that started happening?


Thanks in advance for any info or ideas.

Wall-E Loc: Phoenix, AZ

Were the laptop and the strobe plugged in?
To the same outlet box/strip?
If they were in different outlet boxes, it could have been a grounding/ground loop problem.
Did you try with the laptop unplugged, running ONLY on battery?

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

They were both plugged into the same outlet, flash directly into the wall, laptop plugged into an outlet strip.

Nothing "happened" to the laptop, or the flash with both of them plugged in, I just couldn't get the lighting units to flash while the camera was tethered. I ended up with a black shot in the lightroom capture.

Does that sound like it could still be a ground loop issue? I thought if that happened, the interference would mess with the laptop as well? Maybe not. The old Brown Units are really old technology (and usually bulletproof)

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Wow, I think I may have thought of something, maybe the smart ones here can tell me if I'm on the right track. Is there a possibility that tethering somehow lowers the trigger voltage going out to the flash? It fires my SB-600 and 800's OK, but not my strobe unit? As I said, it is the old 404, not 404lv (low voltage), that's why I have to use a safe sync. The speedotron has a trigger voltage reading at 69volts. (Nikon clamis that they don't have the same issues and can handle up to 250, but I don't want to trust that)

If the voltage at the hot shoe drops because it is tethered (still don't know that for sure) could that be the issue? I'm grasping at straws here.

Thanks
bk

Wall-E Loc: Phoenix, AZ

At this point, I would probably try some inexpensive wireless triggers. Plenty in the $40 or less range for a transmitter/receiver pair.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

I worry a little about interference when in strange buildings. I may end up trying it, though. Going to local camera shop to ask, but they usually just try to talk me into monolights whenever I ask about my system. That's when it gets frustrating. It seems to be their answer to most of my questions on anything....

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Remember that, in many commercial buildings, duplex outlets are split with half operated be a light switch. This means the top and bottom outlets can be on different circuits. Use a power strip plugged into one outlet only, even if you have to "daisy chain" several strips.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

So, to avoid a ground loop, I should use the same circuit for everything? That's why I ask, I thought it was the other way around. Electronics (and plumbing) aren't my strong suit.

Thanks

Wall-E Loc: Phoenix, AZ

What happens is that different outlet boxes get wired to different sides of the mains power, or are miswired, or have grounds not connected.
If the circuit can handle the entire load, then YES, you want everything in the same outlet box/power strip.
With your strobe power supply being that old, it also may be leaking power into the ground wire.
I would find a friend with some electricity/electronics knowledge, and a test meter to take a peek.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

A new twist here... I found that Canon's can't tether while using strobes or non-Canon flashes, without changing some settings. They also can have a problem with using live view. Could Nikon's have the same issue? My Nikon flash fires fine while tethered. Is there a setting (that isn't in the manual for the RTFM people)on the D-7000 that I need to change?

Anyone here shoot tethered and use wireless flash triggers? Same problem?

Thanks
bk

Wall-E Loc: Phoenix, AZ

bk;

This thread is already a couple of days old. Doubt that anyone besides you and me are watching it.
I suggest you start a new thread titled
"Anyone shoot tethered w/wireless flash triggers?"

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

will do