Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I have found that when setting a modeling lamp option on the Einstein (for instance "model") then the option is set the same when it powers up after being turned off. However, when a PocketWizard PowerMC2 unit is plugged into the Einstein and it is powered off and left off for 10 minutes or longer the modeling lamp option is always set to "off" regardless of the setting before it was powered off.

I have two Einstein units and this happens to both units when a PowerMC2 is plugged in. Both have firmware version 50 (SW-0173 Ver 50).

Is this the way it is designed to behave? If not, is this something that could be fixed in firmware?

Thanks,
Rich

This is largely a question for LPA/PocketWizard, as the remote programming is entirely programmed by them.

However, I can say the light does not inherently exhibit this behavior. I seem to recall one of the remotes (I think the MC2) having a model lamp control function that would shut the model lamps off after a set amount of time, and I believe is 600 seconds by default, which is 10 minutes. If you can find the model lamp control function in the PW software, you can disable that. The MC2, as well as our CSXCV, still receives power, even when the light is in standby, which is how it is able to be turned on remotely. This would explain why the time out would still be possible, even if the light was off.

Again, this is from my very limited and basic understanding of how the system worked 3-4 years ago. There may be something completely different with updates, so I encourage you to contact LPA (makers of PocketWizard) if you have any further concerns, as they are the best equipped to answer your questions, or deal with any corrections if this is an error.

They can be reached at 802-658-0038 x572.

Thank you for the reply and the PW contact info. I did find the modeling light sleep setting in the PW software and after disabling that feature the modeling light setting does not change auto-magically. Looks like user error since I never read far enough in the PowerMC2 manual to see that setting even existed.

Does PCB have a recomendation for a maximum time that the modeling light should be on continuously (when not on portable power)?

There is not a real time limit. If the Einstein were to get too hot, then the light would shut off the model lamp until it was sufficiently cool. Otherwise there would be no need to turn off the model lamp except to save the energy consumption or longevity of the bulb.

Thanks again.

For anyone that may end up searching this same issue: I contacted LPA/PocketWizard using the provided contact info and the upshot is that unless one is using PW's Mini/Flex/AC3 units on the camera there is no real benefit to enabling the modeling lamp sleep feature on the PowerMC2.