# Sync problem with optically triggered old strobe



## pierogo (Jul 17, 2018)

I'm trying to figure out how to use an old Sunpak 611 with my Canon 6D. I have a little 90ex mounted on the camera and a Wein optical slave plugged into the 611. When I fire the camera, both strobes flash, seemingly at the same time, but the effect of the 611 isn't seen in the photo. Setting the camera's shutter at 1/30 doesn't help. Suggestions anyone?


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## Jim Saunders (Jul 18, 2018)

What's the chance your 90EX is giving the pre-flashes meant to reduce red-eye, and your studio light is syncing to those?

Jim


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 18, 2018)

Jim Saunders said:


> What's the chance your 90EX is giving the pre-flashes meant to reduce red-eye, and your studio light is syncing to those?
> 
> Jim


If the 90 EX is set to be a Master, it will preflash the exposure settings to the slave camera before the main flash. In this case, your Wein slave unit will trigger the flash incorrectly.
Thurn off the master setting as well as any red eye settings.


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## Valvebounce (Jul 18, 2018)

Hi Pierogo. 
As well as the other two suggestions ETTL also has a pre flash for the camera to measure the exposure and this will also set off optical triggers, been there done that, T shirt etc!  
You need to go full manual on the flash settings, also don’t try to use the fastest flash sync once you get going as this usually doesn’t work well on remote triggers, drop a 1/3 stop on the speed and you should be good to go. I was using (dumb) wireless triggers to set off remote flashes for a timelapse and it worked at full sync except the 20 or so little groups of 2 or 3 shots that had shutter shadow on them which almost ruined the whole thing, I dropped from 1/250th down to 1/200 (crop body) for the next session and all was well. 

Once you get this sorted hopefully you should rapidly get to grips with the flash power and get some good results. 

Cheers, Graham. 



Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Jim Saunders said:
> 
> 
> > What's the chance your 90EX is giving the pre-flashes meant to reduce red-eye, and your studio light is syncing to those?
> ...


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## pierogo (Jul 20, 2018)

I set the 90ex to manual and the Sunpak fired IN SYNCH!
Plus, setting the 90ex to manual, which I'd never done, revealed that I can control its output as an on-camera fill, rather than just use it as a trigger, conserving its power and shortening its recycle time in the process.
I can't tell you how happy I am about this. 
I'm looking forward to playing with this powerful old flash you folks have made new for me.
Thank you very much!


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## Valvebounce (Jul 21, 2018)

Hi pierogo. 
Glad to hear you have it working, thanks for letting us know, so often people come here, ask for advice and don’t bother to let us know how they got on. 

Cheers, Graham. 



pierogo said:


> I set the 90ex to manual and the Sunpak fired IN SYNCH!
> Plus, setting the 90ex to manual, which I'd never done, revealed that I can control its output as an on-camera fill, rather than just use it as a trigger, conserving its power and shortening its recycle time in the process.
> I can't tell you how happy I am about this.
> I'm looking forward to playing with this powerful old flash you folks have made new for me.
> Thank you very much!


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