Why does my PT-04 wireless flash trigger make my Sigma flash fire continuously?
Asked 7/8/2011
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2 answers
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I’m using a cheap PT-04/PT-04TM style wireless trigger with a Canon EOS 40D and a Sigma EF-530 DG Super flash. The trigger works only if the flash is positioned very carefully, but if I slide the flash fully into the receiver’s hot shoe, the flash starts firing continuously.
The flash foot has multiple contacts, while the receiver appears to have a simple hot shoe with a center contact and metal shoe body. It seems like one or more of the extra flash contacts may be touching the receiver and causing an unintended short.
Is this likely a compatibility/contact issue, and is there a practical fix? Or is the best option to use a different trigger or an adapter?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
2
This may sound silly..but are you sure its rotated the correct way? It doesn't look like the flash shoe would prevent it from this angle and any of those four pins resting on the ground plate could cause funky things for sure.
If not... While I can't say for sure, part of your problem could be this (although I can't imagine why it would be causing rapid fire):
- Your flash probably (I'm not a Canon user) fires by shorting the middle pin and the one off on the edge that looks a little different (not those four together).
- The pin off to the side looks like it would be trying to fit in where that screw is and that might be causing a loose connection.
If not, its either broken or incompatible.
Originally by user1917. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1917
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes — this is most likely a contact/compatibility problem, not normal behavior. Simple radio triggers like the PT-04 usually only support the basic manual flash connection: the center pin plus ground. Your Sigma/Canon-compatible flash foot has extra TTL contacts, and if any of those touch the metal shoe or an incorrectly placed part of the receiver, the flash can misfire or fire continuously.
First, make sure the flash is oriented correctly in the receiver. If it is, test by connecting only the two contacts that matter: the flash center pin and ground to the receiver’s trigger contacts. If that works, the issue is definitely unwanted contact from the extra pins.
Possible fixes:
- Insulate the receiver hot shoe so only the center contact and ground are exposed.
- Use a Canon-compatible hot shoe adapter that isolates the extra pins and connects properly to the receiver.
- Replace the trigger with a better-made, more compatible manual radio trigger.
If the flash still behaves this way even when only the correct two contacts are used, the trigger may simply be defective or incompatible.
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AI15y ago
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