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Sony Alpha MIS Strobe/Flash Options

dmward

Member
Adorama is accepting pre-orders for Sony variant AD600s.
They offer a package that includes a Sony variant X1T trigger/controller.
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
Adorama is accepting pre-orders for Sony variant AD600s.
They offer a package that includes a Sony variant X1T trigger/controller.
Yeah I saw that but the PC requirement for upgrade might make these a deal breaker. I have Mac's...
 

dmward

Member
Yeah I saw that but the PC requirement for upgrade might make these a deal breaker. I have Mac's...
I'm all Mac as well. I did find a Windows 10 laptop for about $200 that I may purchase. Its not that much more than running bootcamp with a windows license.
And, I had problems doing that with USB drivers for the devices I was trying to update. Don't remember which but it was a pain.

The device I found is really a tablet with a keyboard that detaches so it may be useful for tethered shooting as well.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
So for the moment I ordered just the flash. Just want to see how it compares to my Nissin. So I ordered this


Godox Thinklite TTL TT685S Camera Flash High Speed 1/8000s GN60 for Sony DSLR Cameras a77II a7RII a7R a58 a99 ILCE6000L
Godox Thinklite TTL TT685S Camera Flash High Speed 1/8000s GN60 for Sony DSLR Cameras

Now my thinking is if I love it order a second one with remote controller.

Than with my current 3 AD360 I just get new usb receivers 3 in total. Update firmware for the Ad 360 than I can use 1 remote to fire 3 AD 360 plus 2 portables all at the same time. Now if I wanted a 600 watt unit I could buy the new one with HSS and use the same trigger.

Does that sound correct. Honestly I want one trigger to fire everything but I don't want to sell my AD 360 units just update the usb receivers . Having the two Godox portables I could do HSS With one or both. To me it's pick one system and go with it. I would sell my current Nissin flash and remote.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
So I assume I'll need these parts

Godox X1T-S TTL 1/8000s HSS 2.4G Flash Remote Trigger Transmitter for Sony Cameras+ HuiHuang USB LED free gift

Than for my current AD360 I need 3 of these and update the flashes

Godox XTR-16 Wireless 2.4G Remote Control Flash Receiver for Witstro outdoor flash, Quicker, Quicker D, QT, QS, Gemini GT, Gemini GS, DE, and DP series Studio Flashes
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
I believe that all you said is correct Guy. I believe it's a matter of updating firmware, buying enough X1S receivers. That's really the biggest pro IMO of the Godox/Adorama/CheetahStand lights - speed lights and strobes with one control system.
 

dmward

Member
Guy,
You've got it.
You need an XTR-16 for each of your existing 360s. They replace the 433Mhz FTR-16 that you're using now.
The X1Ts is the controller/trigger that goes in the hotshoe to remotely control and fire the off camera lights.

The TT685s will also act as a controller trigger for the AD360 lights with the XTR-16 attached.

There is no firmware to update on the AD360s that you currently own. They are and always will be manual only.

The firmware updates are for the AD360II which is a TTL flash.
You may need to update firmware on the TT685s and X1Ts at some point.

The T685s has a Canon plug for its external battery connection rather than a Sony plug. There is a TT680s that has been announced and should start shipping in a month or so. It has the Lithium Ion battery. It recycles as fast as the TT685s with an external battery pack.

Even though its not a standard configuration, I'm happy that the TT685 has a Canon plug. That means I can use a Paramount cable which is better than the Godox Sony cable. Longer, and less stiff.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Perfect I had a feeling I did not need the firmware. Thanks for weighing in here. So I'll buy a second flash with the transmitter and the 3 usb receivers. So I need a canon plug cable. I was wondering about that. Now is this flash about the same power as the Nissin That I have today or a little under powered. The guide numbers are not making sense to me. End game is just be all Godox and sell my Nissin. I'm sure someone would buy it with air commander and I actually have 2 cables for externals
 

dmward

Member
Perfect I had a feeling I did not need the firmware. Thanks for weighing in here. So I'll buy a second flash with the transmitter and the 3 usb receivers. So I need a canon plug cable. I was wondering about that. Now is this flash about the same power as the Nissin That I have today or a little under powered. The guide numbers are not making sense to me. End game is just be all Godox and sell my Nissin. I'm sure someone would buy it with air commander and I actually have 2 cables for externals
Guy,
I expect that they will be about the same power as the Nissin Di700a. I have a TT685s coming from China. It must be on the slow boat, its been almost 3 weeks now and still waiting. One of my first tests will be a power comparison.

THIS is the cable I got when I had Canon speedlites. Its longer and less springy than others. I still have one in the bag that I'll use when the TT685s arrives to confirm it works with the Godox battery.

Here is a link to the XTR-16. They are shipped by Amazon here. I got mine in a couple of days.

I'm also thinking that the Nissin Air system will go on the block. Its a great system but the Godox X system is more extensive.

I am still thinking about using a Nissin i60a on top of the Godox X1T on the camera. Its smaller than the Di700a and rated as more output. It will accept an external battery as well. Then again, the TT860s or the TT685s will act as a master on camera so that's probably the first option.

One test I have planned is to have the TT685 on camera with the AD360s in groups B and C for off camera and fired via the XTR-16. That should work based on what I've read about how people are using the Canon and Nikon versions.

I have two of the TTL version AD600Bs pre-ordered from Adorama. I've been told Adorama should be getting them mid-May. I also ordered the remote head. I think they may become my default event lighting setup. I have some shoot through umbrellas with blackout panels to keep light off the wall that work well for flooding a room. The nice thing about TTL is being able to setup a lighting ratio and have it stay constant regardless how close the subject is to either light. What I've missed with the Nissin Air is having a fill light on camera.
 
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dmward

Member
To whet your appetite;

When using the TT685 as a master the camera has to be set to fill flash, slow flash or rear curtain sync. It its set to WL flash it drives the TT685 to optical mode.
With the camera set to one of the other three the LCD on the TT685 becomes the control panel.

The master can be set to TTL with the A,B,C groups set to TTL, M or -- which is off. The -- option means its possible to turn a group off to check lighting on a group-by-group basis.

I discovered, through experimentation, that the A, B, C group is selected on the XT-16s receiver as A, B, C. I first thought it might be 0,1,2. It makes sense that it should be A, B, C. That also means there are 10 groups from 0-9 available for other uses.

Setting power in the remote manual units is straight forward. The one thing to remember is that the set button has to be pressed to sent the setting to the unit(s).

I got an email from Adorama that the two AD600BTTL units I pre-ordered are being shipped today. UPS shows that they are planned for delivery tomorrow. So, some TTL multi-light testing can be done as well.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
That sounds really good so set camera to fill instead of wireless . Power good David. My one comes tommorrow no remote yet though
 

dmward

Member
I did a quick check for power with Nissin Di700a. They are close. I'm going to redo it with a bit more control.

The X1Ts are not going to ship for a couple more weeks based on what I heard from the Chinese sales person I used to get the TT685s.

A asked Adorama to ship the AD600s as soon as available rather than waiting for the X1Ts that were included in the package.

I think it may be mid-May before they are here.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Yea I will hold on to my set of remotes and receives for the AD360 for now. I just a on camera flash for now actually two for a gig in a few weeks. So I think I'm going to put up my Nissin as it sounds like everything is working. I'll post on the buy and sell but Nissin a700 or whatever it's called plus air commander and also cord for the external packs
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
David my transmitter and receivers did ship from China this morning get them next week. I'm ordering the second flash today. Amazon has it in stock for 149 which was the first one I bought so I get that today. Sold my Nissin stuff so I'm all Godox units now. Be nice to have one remote for everything.

I'll keep 2 extra sets of the old transmitters for when I do my big event I have 3 shooters doing a red carpet gig. Be backup too. I'll get a second new transmitter too for my other cam A6300. But eventually I want a 600watt pack too.

My only real problem is sometimes I need to see to focus so at some point I may add for the studio stuff just a decent tungsten lamp so the camera can focus better
 

dmward

Member
I'm working on a report for my website on the Godox X system.
The AD600BTTL lights I ordered from Adorama arrived today.
I did a quick couple of test shots. It has the latest version firmware (2.2) which includes Sony X1-T support. It apparently also means that it supports a TT685s as a master since it does what I expected when controlled by the TT685s in TTL mode.

HSS has to be switched on via a button press at the light. Not a serious problem since it can be left on regardless of shutter speed without impacting performance. At least that's how it appears.

I tried FEL TTL metering and it worked like a charm. Just as my earlier test I described in this post about how I set up FEL to get a base exposure using TTL, then keep shooting with that power setting rather than TTL metering every shot.

Once I'd confirmed that FEL worked as I hoped, I went to the control screen and dialed in FEC for the locked power setting. And, it did alter the exposure as expected.

This makes Godox AD600TTL with FEL and FEC a really powerful tool with the A7RII, and I expect any other Sony camera that can be configured the same way.

I'll try to find a somewhat interesting test subject tomorrow and shot some example images. Preferably outside to get the full impact along with exposure balancing with bright ambient.
 

engardeknave

Not Available
I got a AD600BTTL today, but it doesn't have the updated firmware. Trying to figure out how to do that now. No device at all is detected when I plug it into the USB port.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I got my TT 685s today another coming Tuesday and remotes coming next week. Seems like a nice portable but does not swivel for portrait mode. I have a lot to get through. The canon plug for external battery does work
 
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