A better sync-cord for the Hasselblad, Rolleiflex etc?

[Helinophoto]

Hi

I've tried several types of sync-cords with my Hasselblad and my Rolleiflex, but I always seem to end up with at least 2-4 black frames, where the dang sync-cable failed to trigger my flashes.

Does anyone have any good tips on a sync-cord which is actually reliable and does the job, trough triggering the flash on the lens from the Hasselblad and trough the sync port on the Rolleiflex body?

What a poor design for such a critical element!!

 

[jeffreyg]

Are you sure it is the sync cord? I have always used the sync cord that came with the flash unit and/or an extended one purchased from a camera supplier such as B&H or Calumet and never had a problem. It could be your flash unit has not recharged. It is usually a good idea to fire off a few flashes before actual use to charge the capacitor. Another issue could be the fit of the contact. The is a little tool that you can use to tighten the contact on the sync cord. I don't know what they are called but I have one and use it when the contact seems loose.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

 

[dpurdy]

My Rolleiflex F has a locking synch connection that works pretty well. I have bought a few Rollei synch cords off ebay. Otherwise it is often very irritating with hand held or roll film cameras to have to hold the synch cord in tight with one finger while operating that camera. New synch cords work best. Sometimes it helps to bite the connector on the synch cord a little. It just isn't a very good system in my experience. I have an old LF lens that the synch cord has an "insert and twist to lock" system that is no longer made. Even with my small vivitar flashes, 285 and 283 the connection becomes unreliable and I have to keep a finger on it holding it in.
Dennis

 

[jeffreyg]

The tool I mentioned is the Westcott PC repair tool. It costs about $8.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

 

[MDR]

Studio or small portable Flash? Maybe the Flash wasn't really ready to begin with low battery and or long recycle times. You can fire the shutter but the flash won't go. If you're using a Studioflash use a radio trigger shorter cables are less prone to malfunction.

 

[Chris Lange]

You can have the Nikon style screw lock pc ports modded onto any cam (for a price)...I have one on my Pentax 67.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Hi

I've tried several types of sync-cords with my Hasselblad and my Rolleiflex, but I always seem to end up with at least 2-4 black frames, where the dang sync-cable failed to trigger my flashes.

Does anyone have any good tips on a sync-cord which is actually reliable and does the job, trough triggering the flash on the lens from the Hasselblad and trough the sync port on the Rolleiflex body?

What a poor design for such a critical element!!

It might not be the cord. The synch contacts in the shutters might be dirty. The jack where the cord connects to the flash might be dirty. The PC jacks on the cameras might be dirty. And, the connectors on the cord might be dirty. I've never had this problem in about 40 years of flash use. You have bad contact, somewhere.
N.B. "Port" is a computerese term, dreamed up by some miscreant of an advertising copywriter, no doubt. It's contaminating other things. Cameras don't have ports. Computers, digital thingys (and harbors) do.

Here's where to go for synch cords and so on - http://www.paramountcords.com/

 

[E. von Hoegh]

You can have the Nikon style screw lock pc ports modded onto any cam (for a price)...I have one on my Pentax 67.

Not 'port' - jack, socket, plug, or connector.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_(computer_networking)

 

[Chris Lange]

My mistake.

Either way, see about the viability of a threaded locking mod for your syncs. The cables themselves do go bad over time, with intense use, but more likely than not its an inconsistent connection at some end of the thing.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

My mistake.

Either way, see about the viability of a threaded locking mod for your syncs. The cables themselves do go bad over time, with intense use, but more likely than not its an inconsistent connection at some end of the thing.

Not really, we use the language that we hear and read whether it's correct or not. Thank you for not saying "my bad".

 

[Helinophoto]

Sorry, here's some additional info.

I use studio-flashes, i connect the cord from my lenses or camera to my pocketwizard unit, which almost never mis-fire if its connected to a hot shoe. The PW's connections are fine as well, because I mostly connect them to the flashes (using a different cord and plug) without incident. I have 3 pocketwizards and it does happen with all of them.

So, the culprit seem do be the lens connection or the cable.

Though, I have the same issue with the 80 mm lens and my 160cb lense on my 'blad, and the same issue with the Rolleiflex, which, IMO, narrows it down to the cable.
- It does work, but it's not reliable....and when you have 12 shots and 4 are blank, it kind of piss you off.

I'm thinking about removing the back and wind up the Hasselblad again if a misfire happens, but you can't make multiple exposures on a Rolleiflex.

The cable is only 10-12 inches long, straight type, not the curled ones.
New out of the box. I have 3-4 of them and bought them as accessories to my PW's at B&H, so they are a little more "high end" I suppose.

The cords are only meant to be a connector for my pockwetwizards, never from camera to a flash.

Normally I would use a PW directly in my hot-shoe, this always works on my Mamiya rz II without incident.

It really blows my mind, that such a proprietary system like the Hasselblad, which use a special bayonet-mount for filters, among other things, decided to KEEP the worst design in the history of photography, namely the "pc-connection".

It also blows my mind that someone still hasn't been able to design a system, which clamps the cord/plug when it's connected, after all, you put the plug into a hole, a mechanism, which then widen a rubber/plastic seal inside the connection-hole, should help stabilize it and help keep it connected.......I am looking for something like this.

Nikon has indeed a nice solution, but it demands that the connection is threaded, I am not really that keen on paying up for a custom job on this.

I have used everything from the el-cheapo's to more branded types.
I'll look into those fixing-tools, although my cords seemed to connect ok to the lenses and to the rolleiflex, at is was a slight resistance while connecting them and that they "stick" a little when connected, the plugs on the cords themselves doesn't seem to be crooked or bent.

 

[Helinophoto]

Thanks for the tips about the Rolleiflex plug.

I have a Rolleiflexf 2.8F (ca 1965), I wasn't aware it used a specialized plug.
I may order one (or several, since the shipping cost to here will make it expensive anyway).
Going to look around there and see if I can compose a functional Rolleiflex cord and one for the Hasselblad (and get a cleaner as well, while I'm at it).

 

[Tom Richard]

How old is that Hasselblad and how old are the lenses? I obviously do not know the specifics of your setup but from a general point of view photographers tend to forget that most of this gear has already worked hard for far longer and then some than what is to be expected of camera equipment. You might be in need of some new parts but then again, the old school sync cord construction never was a very durable one i guess.

 

[Helinophoto]

The hassy is from 1999, looks clean, it has seen regular but light use, the 80mm looks clean as well, smooth focus and the lens timings etc is spot on, so I really don't think it's an issue with that part of the gear.

The 160 CB was bought "new" (never used, just kept in storage at a shop) last year, this one is also very very clean, smooth and has perfect timings, so everything on that part seems ok.

The Rolleiflex had a full CLA in January, it is now also spot on and smooth and nice.

I read somewhere that the center pin on the sync-cord needs to be a little-bit crooked, to ensure nice contact (a perfectly straight pin may end up floating in mid-air inside the hole), so I'll do some inspection and some test firings when I get home. =)

 

[cowanw]

Check out the tips here. note the discussion of two types of Hasselblad pc female
http://www.paramountcords.com/faq.asp

 

[Tom Richard]

To be honest, i never had much luck with the old school sync contact. I remember working in a studio a few years back with brand new Nikon camera bodies and brand new sync cords and i always felt that the plug was all over the place and i had to tape it to the camera in order not to loose it all the time. Doesnt the modern CF/CB lenses have a springloaded mechanism that grabs the sunc plug?

 

[Helinophoto]

Yes my CB has it, doesn't make it much better though

 

[Helinophoto]

Update:

I had the opportunity to try out my gear again last night, as I had a pleasant young woman visiting for some studio-fun.

I have these http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/613653-REG/Impact_9031420_Sync_Cord_Male_Mini.html from Impact.
They seem very durable, very nicely made, not flimsy at all. I also have the ones with a hot-shoe to PW connection, which always works nicely.

Anyway, before the shoot, I took out a small screwdriver and bent the center-pin on the cord, just a tad, to see if that made any difference.
- 12 shots with flash, no problem at all.

Looks like my Impact pc-plugs were very straight in the center, which made is a little difficult to make proper and reliable contact inside the lens connetion.

12 out of 12 shots came out great, with flash, both with the 160mm CB (with the spring-loaded clamping mechanism) and with the 80mm.
- I did not even have to hold the cord with a finger, as I could feel the plug really "grabbing" onto the lens as I connected it with the slightly bent center pin.

Still doesn't trust it 100% though, but it was good to see that the problem was the plug on the cord and not my lenses or PW's.