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Archive 2022 · Programmable wired/wireless remote trigger - to fire X flashes per minute?

  
 
wsalopek
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Programmable wired/wireless remote trigger - to fire X flashes per minute?


My knowledge of flash photography is limited, so what I'm asking for might be obviously available, or obviously NOT available.

I'd like to be able to set a flash to fire once per X seconds (in my case, a Yongnuo YN560-III, though I'll buy a different flash if need be).

Is that possible?

My use case is this:

I'd like to be able to mount a flash on a drone, and have it flash regularly so as to make the drone more visible from far away, including during the day. I know there are small LED's and such built for this kind of purpose, but I'd like to be able to see the drone farther away than those type of LED's are capable of, and a camera flash came to mind as a possibility.

Thanks...



Aug 03, 2022 at 07:25 PM
story_teller
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Programmable wired/wireless remote trigger - to fire X flashes per minute?


Here are some things to consider. Most small speedlights can't continuously recycle that fast at higher power, plus the recycle time slows down as the alkaline batteries get weaker (except the newer, more expensive Li-Ion batteries speedlights). On a 15-minute flight you're asking for 900 flashes. Another issue is that speedlights are directional. If the drone is facing the wrong direction, you may not see the flash at all. You would have to solve that problem as well.

Some of the new LED continuous lights can cycle faster, but aren't as powerful. Here's some info on one to take a look at - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1662942-REG/rotolight_rl_neo_3_neo_3.html/overview

I'm not saying this is a solution, just a data point to give you an idea of what's commonly available. You may have to trade off cycle time for light power.

Interesting project, good luck with it!



Aug 04, 2022 at 08:14 AM
kaplah
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Programmable wired/wireless remote trigger - to fire X flashes per minute?


wsalopek wrote:
My knowledge of flash photography is limited, so what I'm asking for might be obviously available, or obviously NOT available.

I'd like to be able to set a flash to fire once per X seconds (in my case, a Yongnuo YN560-III, though I'll buy a different flash if need be).

Is that possible?

My use case is this:

I'd like to be able to mount a flash on a drone, and have it flash regularly so as to make the drone more visible from far away,


Most flashes - I don't know Yongnuo - have a repeating mode. On the Nikon SB-5000, at 1 Hertz (one flash per second) and low output (1/64-1/256) you will get up to 90 flashes per triggering event. Page C-20 of the manual. You would get "many" total flashes at 1/64 and lower with multiple triggering events. If the flash is pointed towards you it will be visible from a large distance, although I can't quantify that. With a Diffusion Dome, I would think also a long distance.

At least on the SB-5000, there is no way to push a button on the flash and have it self-trigger repeatedly (AFAIK), so you need a way to trigger remotely at long distance. That would mean a RadioPopper Nano TX/RX combination (Up to 1,750' range), on top of a camera body set to Bulb. Or you could easily DIY a simple switch to trigger the TX unit so you aren't carrying a camera body around.

Or you could set the remote flash for single triggering (not repeating), and then use the intervalometer on your body to trigger every x seconds, if a 1hz flash is too frequent, or just manually push the above-mentioned DIY switch to trigger at your command.

When you've completed your quest, please provide a writeup and pictures












Aug 04, 2022 at 09:22 AM
wsalopek
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Programmable wired/wireless remote trigger - to fire X flashes per minute?


story_teller wrote:
Here are some things to consider. Most small speedlights can't continuously recycle that fast at higher power, plus the recycle time slows down as the alkaline batteries get weaker (except the newer, more expensive Li-Ion batteries speedlights). On a 15-minute flight you're asking for 900 flashes. Another issue is that speedlights are directional. If the drone is facing the wrong direction, you may not see the flash at all. You would have to solve that problem as well.

Some of the new LED continuous lights can cycle faster, but aren't as powerful. Here's some info on one to take a look
...Show more

Thanks for the info - I'll check the link.

For clarification, I wouldn't be asking for 1 flash per second for exactly the reason you mentioned, (but longer than once every 5 seconds or so could be problematic). Also, I might be able to power the flash with an external battery, or even the flight battery itself, after I do the math and determine that extra power draw OK.

Also, the directionality is a trade-off I'm willing to make for the extra range that directionality provides. I could rotate the drone every once in a while to re-acquire the drone if need be..




Aug 04, 2022 at 12:47 PM
wsalopek
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Programmable wired/wireless remote trigger - to fire X flashes per minute?


kaplah wrote:
Most flashes - I don't know Yongnuo - have a repeating mode. On the Nikon SB-5000, at 1 Hertz (one flash per second) and low output (1/64-1/256) you will get up to 90 flashes per triggering event. Page C-20 of the manual. You would get "many" total flashes at 1/64 and lower with multiple triggering events. If the flash is pointed towards you it will be visible from a large distance, although I can't quantify that. With a Diffusion Dome, I would think also a long distance.

At least on the SB-5000, there is no way to push a button on
...Show more

Thanks for that. I didn't realize there are triggers good for 1750 feet. And since I'd be attempting to trigger thru clear air (no obstacles), maybe I'd get even further.

I wouldn't want to carry around a camera to trigger the flash (the weight really adding up), so I'll look for some other method. Hmmm....that said, I wonder what's the lightest weight camera that can trigger a flash via intervalometer?




Aug 04, 2022 at 12:53 PM
wsalopek
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Programmable wired/wireless remote trigger - to fire X flashes per minute?


One option I've found (95% sure it would work, though expensive), is to buy a "Timelapse+"

https://timelapseplus.com/

And then an adapter cable to go from the Timelapse+ to the PC-SYNC port on a flash:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FZLKO32/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

As described here:

https://elijah-parker.squarespace.com/adaptor-cables

But...like I said, an expensive option. Sure seems like someone would build an intervalometer with a PC-SYNC cable? But haven't found one, so probably not.






Aug 04, 2022 at 02:10 PM
wsalopek
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Programmable wired/wireless remote trigger - to fire X flashes per minute?


'Nother option:

Set the Yongnuo flash to be triggered by another flash, and have a cell phone riding along on the drone, taking interval images, with it's own flash set to ON.

Not the most graceful solution, but it can serve as a test bed.



Aug 04, 2022 at 04:46 PM
story_teller
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Programmable wired/wireless remote trigger - to fire X flashes per minute?


I had a thought that might not fit what you want to do, but it would simplify things a lot. Why not paint the underside of the drone with highly reflective paint. Then you could use the flash or a very powerful light on the ground to track it.


Aug 12, 2022 at 08:58 AM
bobby350z
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Programmable wired/wireless remote trigger - to fire X flashes per minute?


Are we suppose to fly them within line of sight?

Tracking from ground during the day. I would like to see the size of the flash that can do that.



Aug 13, 2022 at 01:10 PM
wsalopek
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Programmable wired/wireless remote trigger - to fire X flashes per minute?


story_teller wrote:
I had a thought that might not fit what you want to do, but it would simplify things a lot. Why not paint the underside of the drone with highly reflective paint. Then you could use the flash or a very powerful light on the ground to track it.


The reflecting idea is interesting in the sense that the possibly "big" and "heavy" light source does not need to be on the drone.

On the other hand, tracking the drone with a ground-based light (or setting up a few lights along the drone's path) would involve lots of hardware and setup.

Huh...I wonder if a single laser could do it...the aiming would have to be very precise. There are ground-based antenna trackers (for R/C control and video signals) that can stay pointed at a drone - but I don't think currently have the precision to aim a laser.

Anyway, thanks for the thought, it's outside the box.



Aug 13, 2022 at 04:47 PM
CharleyL
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Programmable wired/wireless remote trigger - to fire X flashes per minute?


You might want to consider using the "Sync" port of your flash, along with a programmable camera shutter control. Plug the shutter control unit output into the sync port of the speedlite, and set the timer up for your desired flash rate. Almost no electronic experience is needed, although I am certain that there are smaller and lighter, but more technically involved ways of doing this. Something like this link below is what I'm thinking of. It can be a wired trigger or a wireless trigger. In your case, a short cable with a sync connector on the flash end would be all that's needed. The receiver could be discarded, or used with your camera for wireless shutter control on your camera when the trigger is not being used in the drone to control the Yongnuo Flash.

https://.amazon.com/Photoolex-T710C-Digital-Controller-Shutter/dp/B01M6ULLSV/ref=sr_1_46?crid=2SGOOYBG92TKU&keywords=camera+remote+controls&qid=1668380312&sprefix=programmable+camera+shutter+trigger%2Caps%2C109&sr=8-46

A good price too. I have one of these and have been using it as a "wireless trigger" for my cameras for several years. Though I have never tried to control a flash unit directly, I think it will work fine. The connector at the top of it is what gets cabled to the "Sync" input of the flash. I could test it, but I'm not in my studio with my camera gear right now.

Charley



Nov 13, 2022 at 05:54 PM





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