7D Mark II and Generic Ring Flash Problem

[Spassvogel]

I purchased a Timack Ring Flash.  This seems to be a generic ring flash that is sold under several different names  (Timack, McoPlus, SeresRoad, etc).  It claims to have a "standard" hot shoe interface and has a huge list of compatible cameras. 

I cannot for the life of me get the thing to function like a flash on my 7D Mark II.  It's not a TTL flash, it's just a manual flash, but other than the Flash "Enable/Disable" in the menu there doesn't seem to be any other setting to tell the camera to fire the flash. 

Is there something I'm missing? 

When the flash unit is on the hot-shoe, the internal flash settings are not available, so the camera knows there's something on the hot shoe.  As for the external flash settings, I get the screen that says thta the external flash settings are not available either.  I assumed this was because it was a "dumb" flash that had no programming available on the camera side.  I just want the stupid thing to fire when I push the button. 

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[jrhoffman75]

Are there any buttons on the flash battery housing? I have a no name ring flash and it has several buttons. One is a lightning bolt, one a light bulb and one that says L/R.

If I press the lightning bolt it acts like a flash; pressing the bulb turns on a constant light.

L/R cycles left bank, right bank or both.

[Spassvogel]

Yes, the battery housing has from Left to Right:

1.  Pilot Button.  This causes the flash to "fire"

2.  Mode Button.  This one changes the mode indicated on the LCD screen.  (Light, Flash, L, R)

3.  Light. Turns the ring light on.

4. On/Off. Self explanatory.

Below those 4 buttons are three larger buttons that you use to change the intensity of the flash and/or light.

The mode button cycles through Flash, L, and R.  I have it set to Flash.  It's definitely in Flash mode. 

[lly3988]

This is a third party manual macro flash ring. No ETTL. No communication with the camera absolutely. Set your camera to M mode. Set the desire aperture and shutter speed to 1/200 sec and auto ISO and test it from there.

[Spassvogel]

Still no dice.  The thing just won't light up when I push the shutter button on the camera.

[jrhoffman75]

Mine will light when I half-press shutter button, even in flash mode on controller. It flashes a little brighter when I fire shutter.

But there is no other apparent communication. Shutter speed can be set anywhere and it doesn't look like there is any exposure control. Best use is constant light for macro photography.

[Spassvogel]

Yeah I just wanted it to work like it was advertised to. I already had left a bad review on Amazon for the product and then the company sent me another one. I guess they are overstating their compatibility with the Canon 7D Mark II. I made sure that the hot shoe lined up with the pin on the device. I made sure it was screwed down tightly. I made sure the camera flash was enabled. I guess there isn't much else to do.

I already owned a steady macro light but I did want one that flashed. I guess you get what you pay for.

Thanks for the replies.

[Ray-uk]

It could be a fault with shoe fitting on the flash.

With the flash powered up and off camera short the centre pin to the metal contact at the side of the shoe, if the flash fires then this will prove if the shoe connection is working.

[ebiggs1]

The voltage may be and probably is not compatible.  Third world flashes and particularity older flashes may actually damage the camera.  I doubt Canon approves your flash.

[jrhoffman75]

These flashes are LED units, not capacitor/flash tube units. They work well as ring lights. Not so well as ring flashes.