I have noticed that you have to be VERY specific in the order that things are plugged in and the settings that are active when they are.
Can you confirm (Paul?) what needs to be where when you power up the system? For instance I think that the power on the light has to be set to full on the back of the head, the power output for that particular light has to be at full on the CC and the RJ45 from the CSRB+ has to be inserted when the lighting head is on?
Or am I just assuming this from my (addmittedly non-scientific) tests?
It also took a while to realise that the menu settings for a new light default to 'standby' - much nashing of teeth was caused by this!
Power setting on the light itself doesn't matter. Modeling lamps must be set to ON at the unit. I'm having my staff do a complete test of any power up sequence issues.
I have seen CC default to Standby when setting up lights. I make a practice of setting CC to ALL, then in the setup menu>Light Settings set ALL channels to Power = On, Model = Track.
I posed the sequence of power up with my tech department. Here is what I got back:
Yes there is a specific sequence when installing and powering up the CSR+,
CSRB+ with the Commander. The Bees seem to be a little touchier vs. the WL.
But it is good practice to follow the procedure with the all current PCB
strobes.
The sequence goes as follows. Make sure all the model buttons are on, on
the back panel and the power slider is slid all the way the right, (full
power) and switch the Bee to the ON position. In the case of the WL and Zeus
make sure the model slider is set to full power as well. Then plug in the
RJ11 cable. If you are using the CSRB+ make sure you press the test button
to turn the unit on.
I believe the procedure is in the newest commander manual.
Thanks, Paul. That jives w/ my experience w/ the RP on Vagabond w/ that touchy B1600 too...power the bee on and then plug the RJ11 in (then turn the RP on) and it works for the session. I didn't notice needing to move the sliders around.
I have noticed two other issues with my Cyber Commander; it went through the original batteries in four hours, and the flash meter was in error by 1.7 stops when compared with a Sekonics 758, and actual images from the camera. The calibration can be adjusted by that much, and I'm hoping better batteries will hold up longer.
mill4570 wrote:
I have noticed two other issues with my Cyber Commander; it went through the original batteries in four hours, and the flash meter was in error by 1.7 stops when compared with a Sekonics 758, and actual images from the camera. The calibration can be adjusted by that much, and I'm hoping better batteries will hold up longer.
Richard K.
I can live with the battery life but if the light meter is off, that would be a deal breaker for me.
The flashmeter has both and absolute f64 auto-calibration routine plus the ability to offset the calibrated by any amount desired. Perhaps the unit you received was not factory calibrated properly or
We use Gossen, Minolta and cameras/raw to determine accurate calibration. When properly calibrated I have found CC tracks professional flashmeters typically within 2/10f over the whole range of f1.0 to f90. Our various flashmeters have more tracking error than that, from brand to brand.
I'll talk to our staff about getting more complete description of meter calibration and proper usage in the manual and online in the form of tech notes.
The flashmeter has both and absolute f64 auto-calibration routine plus the ability to offset the calibrated by any amount desired. Perhaps the unit you received was not factory calibrated properly or
Compared to my Sekonic L358 and L558, my CC did require about 1.5 stops adjustment, and that seems to be a trend.
A new device being out of calibration that doesn't bother me, as long as I can test it and adjust it. When my daughter was being born, the hospital hooked my wife to a brand-new-out-of-the-box fetal monitor that was wildly out of calibration. I noted it immediately--there's no such thing as a negative uterine contraction. What scared me hours later was discovering that the medical personnel didn't realize it ("She's just having these little contractions," the doctor said, looking at the tape showing just the tops of the waveform crests after about 12 hours of intense labor").
However, once calibrated my CC does track perfectly with my Sekonics up and down the scale.
FWIW - Paul... Here is a suggestion for instructions...
Calibration of the meter ISO is done at the factory to ANSI standard, but because actual camera body sensitivity deviates from the nominal values on the menu (e.g. ISO 100) its necessary to test and COMPENSATE (not calibrate) any hand held meters so they will predict results accurately.
Set up a test scene containing a face with a white towel next to it on the brighter side up near the eyes, lit as you normally would for a portrait. Set the exposure per the meter (as received). Then bracket exposure -1 to +1 stop in 1/3 stop increments using aperture on the camera. Open the resulting 7 files on your computer and look at the highlight detail. Find the file which has the best reproduction of the highlights visually in the RAW file. Also be aware that a 16bit > 8 bit JPG conversion at the latter stages of a workflow can clip highlight detail so run the three or four best looking RAW files through your normal workflow and see how the JPGs turn out.
Find the camera exposure which produces the optimal highlight detail at the end of the workflow. Compare the aperture which produced that file with the meter reading. If different, the difference is the compensation value which should be entered into the meter to enable it to predict optimal highlight exposure for that camera body.
Paul Buff wrote:
The flashmeter has both and absolute f64 auto-calibration routine plus the ability to offset the calibrated by any amount desired. Perhaps the unit you received was not factory calibrated properly or
We use Gossen, Minolta and cameras/raw to determine accurate calibration. When properly calibrated I have found CC tracks professional flashmeters typically within 2/10f over the whole range of f1.0 to f90. Our various flashmeters have more tracking error than that, from brand to brand.
I'll talk to our staff about getting more complete description of meter calibration and proper usage in the manual and online in the form of tech notes.
cgardner wrote:
FWIW - Paul... Here is a suggestion for instructions...
Calibration of the meter ISO is done at the factory to ANSI standard, but because actual camera body sensitivity deviates from the nominal values on the menu (e.g. ISO 100) its necessary to test and COMPENSATE (not calibrate) any hand held meters so they will predict results accurately.
Set up a test scene containing a face with a white towel next to it on the brighter side up near the eyes, lit as you normally would for a portrait. Set the exposure per the meter (as received). Then bracket exposure -1 to +1 stop in 1/3 stop increments using aperture on the camera. Open the resulting 7 files on your computer and look at the highlight detail. Find the file which has the best reproduction of the highlights visually in the RAW file. Also be aware that a 16bit > 8 bit JPG conversion at the latter stages of a workflow can clip highlight detail so run the three or four best looking RAW files through your normal workflow and see how the JPGs turn out.
Find the camera exposure which produces the optimal highlight detail at the end of the workflow. Compare the aperture which produced that file with the meter reading. If different, the difference is the compensation value which should be entered into the meter to enable it to predict optimal highlight exposure for that camera body.
I use a special test target supplied by my lab to set my flash/ exposure meter. The target contains white, black, and gray rectangles. It produces three peaks on a histogram that you center by bracketing in 1/3 stop increments. When I shot Canon cameras, the 758 did not require compensation. When I moved to Nikon, it needed to be adjusted by 1/3 stop. The meter is not in error as much as you are adjusting it to the camera sensor.
I use a special test target supplied by my lab to set my flash/ exposure meter. The target contains white, black, and gray rectangles. It produces three peaks on a histogram that you center by bracketing in 1/3 stop increments. When I shot Canon cameras, the 758 did not require compensation. When I moved to Nikon, it needed to be adjusted by 1/3 stop. The meter is not in error as much as you are adjusting it to the camera sensor.
In a studio setting the scene range is matched to sensor exactly by using axis fill to lift the shadows to the point where the camera sensor can record detail, then overlapping an off axis light on top of the fill to create the highlights. Note: off axis fill can be used of course but it may result in unfilled voids in the lighting pattern.
In terms of setting exposure the critical measurement isn't the middle it is the highlights, so the goal isn't centering the gray patch in the histogram it is keeping the highlights from getting blow at any point in the workflow.
The most frequent technical fault I see in photos posted for C&C is a blown red channel in the skin highlights. Most people aren't even aware how to check for it. Open the file in LEVELS, press alt/opt, then click on the highlight slider. The image window will black out except for any areas of clipping which will show in the color / color combination of the channel / channels clipping.
The fact red clips in skin is due to the fact skin reflects more red than blue or green. Its a indication that exposure overall is about 1/3 over, because a normal exposed skin will have an eyedropper reading of about 240 in the red channel (i.e. if you slide he highlight triangle to the left clipping will occur around 240).
Ultimately what is most important is how the the file looks, and the only way to judge that is by eye. I suggest a towel as a highlight target for two reasons: It is easier to judge when overexposure starts to errode detail in the highlights using a textured white object. Also I've found that the point where detail is lost the the shadow values in the loops of the towel fabric corresponds to when skin highlights start to clip in the red channel.
I routinely compenstate my meter that way and after compensation a reading taken in the correct way (per the instruction manual) with dome pointed at the camera yeilds perfectly exposed highlights.
cgardner wrote:
In a studio setting the scene range is matched to sensor exactly by using axis fill to lift the shadows to the point where the camera sensor can record detail, then overlapping an off axis light on top of the fill to create the highlights. Note: off axis fill can be used of course but it may result in unfilled voids in the lighting pattern.
In terms of setting exposure the critical measurement isn't the middle it is the highlights, so the goal isn't centering the gray patch in the histogram it is keeping the highlights from getting blow at any point in the workflow.
The most frequent technical fault I see in photos posted for C&C is a blown red channel in the skin highlights. Most people aren't even aware how to check for it. Open the file in LEVELS, press alt/opt, then click on the highlight slider. The image window will black out except for any areas of clipping which will show in the color / color combination of the channel / channels clipping.
The fact red clips in skin is due to the fact skin reflects more red than blue or green. Its a indication that exposure overall is about 1/3 over, because a normal exposed skin will have an eyedropper reading of about 240 in the red channel (i.e. if you slide he highlight triangle to the left clipping will occur around 240).
Ultimately what is most important is how the the file looks, and the only way to judge that is by eye. I suggest a towel as a highlight target for two reasons: It is easier to judge when overexposure starts to errode detail in the highlights using a textured white object. Also I've found that the point where detail is lost the the shadow values in the loops of the towel fabric corresponds to when skin highlights start to clip in the red channel.
I routinely compenstate my meter that way and after compensation a reading taken in the correct way (per the instruction manual) with dome pointed at the camera yeilds perfectly exposed highlights.
I appreciate your feedback, as always a good explanation. I carry a white towel with me at all times for the reasons you stated. With the test target, I set the meter so there is equal distance between the blacks and the left side of the histgram vs the whites and the right side. This gives me a repeatable starting point to set the exposure. I check it once a month or so, but I do not compensate the meter for every scene. I tweek the lights or the camera to achieve the look I want, then bracket to be on the safe side.
mill4570 wrote:
I was able to offset the CC by the necessary amount, but how do I run the absolute f64 calibration?
Richard K.
The absolute f64 calibration is supposed to be performed at the factory, but I have seen a few cases where this was not done properly (this is being corrected now).
The procedure is pretty simple, and a firmware release and better documentation is imminent. Here's the procedure:
Once you have one light set up with the CC and set to full power, scroll to Advanced Confguration>Factory Calibration. Position a known accurate flashmeter (Set the standard flashmeter to "armed to receive flash" mode) and the CC side by side, with the diffusion domes both aimed at the light. Make sure both the CC and the know flashmeter are set to the same ISO and exposure time.
With both domes positioned close to the light, push the left joystick of the CC down (not in .. . down) as indicated by the screen prompt.
This will fire the flash and cause the CC to calibrate to f64, regardless of the actual light level. The known flashmeter will indicate the actual f stop. Move the CC and known flashmeter in or out from the flash unit and repeat the calibration (left joystick down) until the known flashmeter also reads f64.
The CC is now calibrated to agree with the known meter at f64.
Exit the advanced setup mode and return to the primary "FLASH" screen. If you now press the METER button with known meter armed, you can compare the readings to the known meter at various distances and power settings.
Caveat: You will find that various flashmeters will not all respond exactly the same due to differences on the design, diffuser domes, and philosophy of what constitutes "proper exposure".
Also notice we don't recommend doing the "Lo Cal" procedure at this point. This is disabled on current firmware and production CCs. We find that only doing the Hi Cal routine described above results in good flashmeter second) from about f90 down to below f2 (ISO100/1/125).
Paul Buff wrote:
The absolute f64 calibration is supposed to be performed at the factory, but I have seen a few cases where this was not done properly (this is being corrected now).
The procedure is pretty simple, and a firmware release and better documentation is imminent. Here's the procedure:
Once you have one light set up with the CC and set to full power, scroll to Advanced Confguration>Factory Calibration. Position a known accurate flashmeter (Set the standard flashmeter to "armed to receive flash" mode) and the CC side by side, with the diffusion domes both aimed at the light. Make sure both the CC and the know flashmeter are set to the same ISO and exposure time.
With both domes positioned close to the light, push the left joystick of the CC down (not in .. . down) as indicated by the screen prompt.
This will fire the flash and cause the CC to calibrate to f64, regardless of the actual light level. The known flashmeter will indicate the actual f stop. Move the CC and known flashmeter in or out from the flash unit and repeat the calibration (left joystick down) until the known flashmeter also reads f64.
The CC is now calibrated to agree with the known meter at f64.
Exit the advanced setup mode and return to the primary "FLASH" screen. If you now press the METER button with known meter armed, you can compare the readings to the known meter at various distances and power settings.
Caveat: You will find that various flashmeters will not all respond exactly the same due to differences on the design, diffuser domes, and philosophy of what constitutes "proper exposure".
Also notice we don't recommend doing the "Lo Cal" procedure at this point. This is disabled on current firmware and production CCs. We find that only doing the Hi Cal routine described above results in good flashmeter second) from about f90 down to below f2 (ISO100/1/125).
Wow! What a tremdous resource! I've had my CC for a couple of weeks now, love it as much as my Nikon SU-800 Commander and everything hs been fine until I noticed today that the "Hair C" light bar is black with a gray dot at the bottom. This means the light is active, but disabled - and I didn't disable it. I can't seem to enable it. The frequency is set to 3, and my three AB800s are set to CH 1, 2, and 3. Any advice would be appreciated. Also, twice today the CC froze, went blank, and would not wake up. I put it in my pocket and got a haircut (salon is just down the hallway from my studio). When I showed it to my barber it was on! It happened whil I was closing up (display screen froze, then went blank). After dinner, I tuened it on and the display was fine. I've change the batteries twice, but that doesn't help. Again, any advice would be appreciated.
Yes, trying to. Just got a low battery warning, put in fresh batteries, pressed Power and its dead again - black screen. I think it's time to return it for another one.
