Canon st-e3-rt ver.2 second curtain issue.

[Starslicer]

Hey guys,

Having a bit of an issue. Trying to get this second curtain to work, but every time it switches to it, it blinks out when I try to take a shot. I even tried in camera settings and it still won’t pop up. 

I’m using an r5 along with canon el-1 setup. I’ve even tried to go under 1/60 to see if it simply needed a low shutter to activate - to no avail. 

any ideas on what I need to do? Maybe I need a firmware update? I’m not sure if r5 has one, but I’ve never checked to see. 

[Waddizzle]

Your description of the issue is a bit on the vague side.  Seeing how other users seem able to use it without issues, I doubt a firmware update will make any difference. I assume there is some setting that is causing the issue.  

Resetting the camera back to factory default settings corrects many problems, except it does not tell you what that problem might have been in your camera settings.

Are you using the mechanical or electronic shutter?  What does the R5 User Guide say about shutter mode when using a flash?

[kvbarkley]

I think Waddizzle got it,  You are probably using electronic shutter.

[Starslicer]

It wasn’t it. Just tried. Still having the same issue. HOWEVER, I did notice something. Sometimes it’ll blink out fast and go to default, but sometimes when it stays, as I go to press the af button or to shoot a picture “!TV” pops up then it and the second curtain symbol vanish. Even when I go to shutter priority mode it doesn’t stay. 

im assuming there’s some sort of shutter issue or maybe it’s not completely registering that it’s connected to a canon camera? I find it hard to believe though, since all my flash options and functions still show up connected in camera. 

[Starslicer]

Hello, 

im using electronic. I’m not sure what it could possibly be. I’ve used second curtain completely fine with my current settings when connected to an ettl cord to the same flash. It only seems to be an issue when I use the wireless radio trigger. 

I’ll try the reset option later when I’m free after this event. I’ll try toy around with settings now and have a quick look at the r5 manual before the event begins. 

[Starslicer]

Hey! Wanted to respond with what I mentioned to Barkley. “Sometimes it’ll blink out fast and go to default, but sometimes when it stays, as I go to press the af button or to shoot a picture “!TV” pops up then it and the second curtain symbol vanish. Even when I go to shutter priority mode it doesn’t stay.”

also, I tried resetting all the options. It still does the same thing. Maybe there’s something wrong with my trigger?

[Waddizzle]

ETTL cord?  Wireless Trigger?

Could you describe the exact physical setup, device settings, and all of the steps it takes to reproduce your issue?

[Starslicer]

I’ve used an ettl cord before with the el-1 and r5 on a bracket before and second curtain worked completely fine. It was once I used the radio trigger (st-e3-rt), that the problem began. I connected the flash to a universal cold shoe and put it in a light stand inside a softbox. There was no change in settings between the two. 

I’m shooting in electric 1st curtain (tried mechanical. Did not work.) I have auto lighting optimizer to max. Most of the other settings aren’t different other than anti flicker on and so auto focus setting tweaks. However, as mentioned before, I did the complete reset on the camera. It still did not work then either. 

I’m at a loss of what it could be, other than there something being actually wrong with the radio trigger itself.

[Starslicer]

Is there anyone else who might know what’s going on? I’m still having the issue and it’s yet to be fixed. 

[Starslicer · Accepted solution]

Hey guys,

Figured out what the issue was. For anyone in the future with this issue - just remember: When in doubt, firmware it out!

I was running firmware 1.0 on the r5. Once I updated to 1.5, I no longer had any problems. Apologies to anyone over this headache for such a simple fix!