Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

3 Einteins w/CSXCV, CyberCommander, Camera w/CST

Using CyberCommander:
CH 1 (Main): f11'0, 45.9WS, EU2.9, -3.8f, Blue bar is from about EU 0 to EU 2.9

CH 2 (Fill): f8.0'0, 52.8WS, EU3.1, -3.6f Blue bar is from about EU -1 to EU 3.1

CH 3 (Hair): <f1.0, 640.0WS, EU6.7, -0.0f Blue bar is from about EU -1 to 6.7
Reducing power on CH3 all the way to the lowest setting gives:
CH 3 (Hair): <f1.0, 2.5WS, EU-1.3, -8.0f No Blue Bar

All: f-.- Bracket Flash, +0.0f

Why does CH 3 light show <1.0f and has no yellow bar? [Same from full power to minimum power.] I can see the strobe flash when tested. It certainly puts out a significant light. "<1.0f" does not seem to be a valid reading !!

Why do blue bars have different lower starting points?

Why is "All" reading "f-.-" ??

We need a "real" manual on this gear!!!!

The Hair light could not be firing on the dome of the CC, thus resulting in a less than f/1 reading (f<1). If the light is coming from above and behind the meter, that would be the case. There should still be a very small yellow bar just above the green dash.

f-- comes from not taking a reading of all lights together. After each light is metered individually to set relative power, all lights need to be metered for a cumulative reading.

The blue bars should all have the same low end starting point, assuming the lights did not get re-specified as a different light. If not, check that all channels say "Einstein 640" in the lower right in blue. If it is abbreviated, try reopening the channel from the Open Memory option.

OK. The light that has the blue bar that does not extend to the bottom of the display was captured during setup as Einstei (name is pushed all the way to the right of the display.) Is that a problem? How do I re-setup the light? I have the same blue bar problem and display name issue whether accessing from menu or from "Open Memory".

Also, with the main and fill set facing but at opposite 45 degree angles from the CyberCommander, I adjust individual lights to:
Main: 8.0; Fill 5.6; the backdrop light reads <1f as you explained. For All the reading is only 8.0'2. Does it make sense with the main at 8.0, the fill at 5.6 to have All at only 8.0'1?

Also wthen I first started using the Cyber Commander this morning to meter the lights, the meter readings for CH 2 Fill light were not consistent . I would get:

Main: 8.0 (exactly where I set it); Fill:5.6 (exactly where I set it) Backdrop light: <1
All: 8.0'1; then I would get Main 8.0, Fill 4.0 (this happened without any adjustment of the CyberCommander) Backdrop light: <1. Going back and forth from the first to third light and back to the first light, the second light would sometimes read 5.6 and sometimes read 4.0

No, the CC should not read the light as "Einsti", it has recieved a truncated signal from the light. If it repeats this on another attempt to open from studio, try a different frequency to see if that helps. If not, swap tranciever modules to see if the problem follows the transciever or the light. Also try the same light/transciever combo on another channel. We need to isolate the problem: light, transciver, or Commander. Once that is established, we will get you taken care of.

The light registering as "Einsti", is that the fill light, the one with apparent consistency issues? if so, the truncated signal can plausably lead to output inconsistencies. Be sure you are pointing the dome back toward the camera during the metering, and the meter position is the same.

Now for the fun part:
f/8 and f/5.6 falling on the same surface area = f/8'5 (f/5.6 is half of f/8, thus adding them together is f/8'5 a.k.a f/9.5 on your camera. Ain't math fun?), while f/8 and f/4= f/8'2-f/8'3 (a.k.a f/9ish on your camera). if your light is in fact inconsistent, in one metering mode the light could be firing at 5.6 while in the other mode it is firing at f/4. Again, be sure of your metering proceedure. At close distances even small changes in distance can make a big difference in meter readings.

Your hair light should not be firing willy-nilly at whatever power it happens to be set at. You can aim the dome up or back at the light (keeping the meter @ subjects position) for a meter reading. You can then dial the exposure as desired based on the main exposure settings.

Original Settings:
CH 1 Main L shown as "Eistei" -- blue bar does not extend down even with the other channels' blue bars
CH 2 Fill L shown as "Einstein 640WS"
CH 3 Hair R shown as "Einstein 640WS"

I swapped CSXCV's and got no change in the display.

I swapped CH 1 and CH 2 from controls on back of the two Einsteins so that CH 1 is Fill L and CH 2 is Main L. The Display of "Eistei" and the problem blue bar remained on CH 1. With other swaps among Channels 1,2, and 3, the problem remains displayed on CH 1.

Another odd thing, only for the light that I originally designated as Main L, using the controls on the back of the Einstein, when I set it to CH 4, it would actually fire on all Channels 1 through 16.

Have you tried starting all over again? Remove all lights from CC and randomly switch all the remotes and srart over just to see if there is any changes? I know this sounds like a lot off work to start over but you never know until you do. My $0.02. I only have 1 Einstein with CC so I have not experienced this problem with multiple units.

RMS

We did discuss this over the phone and the problem is now gone after specifing all lights as "none" and reopening from studio. Thanks for the idea, RMS.

Incidentally, for posterity, the unit set to ch4 that triggers all other lights. This change was made without openening from studio or channel. This behavior is expected under those circumstances.