Yongnou not firing outdoors

[AdrenoJunkie]

I can't remember if I've heard this somewhere or my mind is making it up because of the situation but, is there an issue with Yongnuo 460II's not firing in slave mode outdoors? It works fine indoors but I took it outside for the first time yesterday at sunset and it wouldn't fire as a slave. When I brought it back inside it fired fine, it was only outside. Does anybody know anything about this?

[oldwolf]

Was it too bright outside? I'm not familiar with that brand so if you were using an optical slave and it was too bright outside then it probably didn't pick up the other flash going off or it could've been too far from the other flash to detect it.

[AdrenoJunkie]

I thought that might be the problem, but it was late in the day as the sun was setting so it wasn't super bright but it was definitely still daylight. It was at the least 5' and at the most 10' from the other flash. So if it's a case of not picking up the master I guess my only solution would be to trigger it with another receiver or sync cord? Is that a problem with all flashes on slave mode?

[oldwolf]

Some optical slaves have problems if the sun is too bright or if the part that's suppose to detect the flash isn't being hit directly by the flash. If you had the slave angled enough away from the master then that could cause it not to fire as well.

You'll have to figure out where the optical slave part is on the flash and test it out.

[AdrenoJunkie]

Gotcha. I did turn the front of the flash, where I assumed the sensor was, towards the master. I guess I'll just go out and play around with it. Are there any flashes that don't really have this issue? i was planning on buying another one soon.

[oldwolf]

No clue. All optical flashes will have this issue to one extent or another. I think the peanut type optical slaves that plug into the flash have less of an issue but you'll have to find a flash that will take that type of adapter but that's more little parts to lose hehe.

I'm not too familiar with the optical slaves but you might check out strobist.com. Was just at the FlashBus tour yesterday and David Hobby said he won't get another flash unless it has some type of optical slave. I figure he'd have some good recommendations or work arounds on his website.

[scootermcq]

I forgot my triggers one day. I tried to fire my stobes (running off a battery pack) with on board flash, and then a speedlight jacked up to +3 and then manual 1/1. I could not trigger those suckers optically outdoors at 3pm on a cloudless day. I don't know about your particular flashes, but I will not trigger anything optically after that experience and one wedding where I probably used half the life span out of a bulb with the p&s crowd popping them off left right & center.