I am an art photographer and always in need in of some special gear. My current problem is that my flash does not keep up with the camera firing 10 frames a second. For my particular needs, there is no ready made solution so I am trying to arrange five flashes to take up the task in sequence one after another. They are controlled with a radio trigger, which I need to adapt to the task. Unfortunately, I don't know where to start in rewriting its firmware so I am turning to Arduino. This is my first project.
The radio triggering device (Godox x2) has five push buttons, one for each flash (to select), and another push button to alter its state (on or off). The idea is to plant a new controller into the trigger box to control its existing controller through these buttons. It appears A Nano would fit in the box and could be powered by the device (3.26V). I had no problem writing the code and getting the software to work in principle on a bread board with leds.
The wall I ran into is the five push buttons to tap into. There is 3.26V between their two contacts, as expected, for only two of the buttons (C, E). The other three (A, B, D) are 3.26V on both sides (!???)(actually 3.254V and 3.264V). These are dedicated buttons, they have the same function to select one (A, B, C, D, E) flash, yet they are wired differently. There is a lot I do not understand here and it seems the only way to activate each button is to connect its two contacts, there is no common to all five.
Would anyone be able to point me a general direction, please? Transistors or mosfets appear to be the obvious choice but may be too bulky. Can this be done in code only?
What is Your "flash"? Flash memory or "lightning"?
Post a wiring diagram. Mysterious voltages between button pins is not an engineering information.
Skip the function of the buttons for a while. Solving any butting communication looks like a suitable goal for the moment.
Where is the existing code for this marvel? Not even the brightest Chrystal ball would show it here.
these PC#s are all tied to one byte of memory. you can flip the switches to any combination by changing the bits in that byte. you don't have to turn individual pins on and off, just change one value. it's called port manipulation, and you have to understand bit manipulation.
Thank you Railroader.
They are photographic flashes, often called speed lights. I have no information about the wiring of the radio trigger, other than what I observe from the board. There's no wiring diagram. The buttons I describe are just an interface feeding the controller. Two are regular switches with proper voltage on one side and ground on the other, no problem. But why would they have a switch with only 10mV between them? Pushing the button gives zero between. Am I missing something? And how do you control that with an Arduino?
Thank you also Geek Emeritus. I will need to think about what you wrote.
Thanks, foto flashes... Speed lights... Stroboscopic stuff? Never mind.
Your camera is firing for pictures, and You want to send a flash for each frame. Correct? Timing requirements looks like interesting I think. Shutter speed, should not close the shutter before the flash is fired..
That needs a way to sense the camera firing and a way to fire the flash. It's also needed that the flash can reload the energy needed at the same speed.
Can You try to specify the interface signals, voltage and current from the camera and the same for the flasher?
The wall I ran into is the five push buttons to tap into. There is 3.26V between their two contacts, as expected, for only two of the buttons (C, E).
If the Nano will take over all the button functions, just disconnect the physical buttons from the original circuit, and use them as inputs to the Nano in one of the standard ways (grounded, with INPUT_PULLUP, or to Vcc and an external resistor to GND).
jremington:
If the Nano will take over all the button functions, just disconnect the physical buttons from the original circuit, and use them as inputs to the Nano in one of the standard ways (grounded, with INPUT_PULLUP, or to Vcc and an external resistor to GND).
Sorry, the OPs is aiming to use the NANO outputs to operate the buttons, so he can sequentially trigger the flashes.
Tom...
[quote author=Geek Emeritus date=1614466738 link=msg=4910792]
I would start with a G4 channel 3.3V solid state relay[/quote]
I would not consider a SSR for switching buttons - an AC version (as you linked to) even less so. It's almost guaranteed to not do the job. A DC SSR may work, but in that case you can probably also use a MOSFET, far cheaper and smaller.
Mechanical relays will work regardless of polarity of the button. They just make and break an electrical contact.
If you know in detail how the buttons are wired, you may get it to work with a transistor.
Hi guys,
Thank you very much to all of you. You are confirming my position. Relays would be the easiest to wire and sure to work but are way too bulky. I'll see how far I get with code and then get the transistors and mosfets going. There will be some trial and errors because I do not know enough about the commercial board I am working with.
All best.
