Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

(I just posted this post, i think, but it never showed up on the board. here we go again)
Hi!
I have two Sigma 530 DG Super speedlights and i want to trigger these wirelessly. I have used some cheap "eBay-triggers" from Blazzeo recently, and they work perfectly in the summer and conditions down to about +5 celcius. Very few misfires, even with multiple strobes. BUT, as i shoot alot of snowboarding in (obviously) cold conditions, i need something reliable for cold weather aswell. When these triggers are used in cold weather, (0c to -15c) they are close to useless. I have alot of misfires, and because i use two or more flashes i have alot of shots where only one flash fires. Unbelivably frustrating, and as i just got contacted by a magazine i need to get some reliable triggers for the events im covering for them.

I recently shot at a rail-session in about -5c, and using the triggers at this temperature was like playing russian roulette. One shot they both work, in the next none, then just one, then just the other one and so on. When i dont trust my equipment its hard to focus on the shoot.

So, my two questions is:
How does the CyberSync CST, along with multiple CyberSync CSRB work in cold weather? I need reliable triggers that work in temperatures down to -30c, and hopes these triggers will work well with my Sigma 530 Super (with hotshoe-pc adapter) in low temperatures. Will they?

Thanks,
Magnus from Norway

I can't say how well the receivers will work at -15c, I'm in Southern California... but I was up in the hills during a recent snow storm (temp was around -2c) shooting with 3 Nikon SB-800's using my CyberSync CRSB's hooked to each one.

I didn't have any mis-fires for the first 45 minutes. After that, a little erratic, but I think the batteries were getting cold and losing their effectiveness - I don't blame the CSR or CSRB's at all... when I got back to warm temperatures and shot again in the afternoon, they were just fine.

Mike

We have users from all over, in particular, some in the northern mid west, who regularly shoot in COLD environments (-20F). We have not heard of any il effects from the cold, except maybe battery performance (which will happen with anything that uses batteries).

TS

Try Lithium AAA cells. They last twice as long and I believe they do better in cold weather.