XT-5 Flash Issues

I noticed something odd a little while ago and I'm wondering if anyone else has seen this.

I do a decent number of what you might call macro/product photos. Most are just sharing photos of things I collect, but sometimes to list on Ebay or other sites. I have a well-worked formula for this with my Norman strobes. Normally I use a Nikon DSLR(lately it's been my D810 but whatever I have at hand) and either a 55mm or 105mm Micro depending on exactly what I'm photographing. Since I tend to not move the lights/umbrellas that often or only in specific cases, I know the exposure and how to get a properly exposed photo. Basically it's set the camera to flash sync speed, set to base ISO, and set the aperture to give me proper exposure(usually f/16 to f/32 set on the lens depending on magnification, and will turn down the lights if I want to minimize diffraction or turn them up if I want more DOF).

I connect the strobes to whatever camera I'm using with(relatively) ancient at least by 2023 standards with Quantum 4/4i radio slaves. They work, are simple, and have never let me down so I'm not really looking to change them even if there may be "better" options out there.

I decided today to use my month-old X-T5. I've used this camera a decent bit-to the tune of about 3500 frames in various situations-since getting it and it has worked fine. I don't have a dedicated Fuji macro lens for it, so used my K&F Concepts F mount adapter. This is a "dumb" adapter, but does allow manual aperture control. Actually it even has click stops so you can sort of use G lenses with it, but I normally just use it to open the aperture for focusing and composition and the close for shooting. I've not used it a lot, but do know everything works fine with it provided I do my part.

In any case, I set everything up using an 55mm f/3.5 AI Micro, set it to f/16 as a starting point(I usually start here then use the histogram to nail exposure by trial and error-I'm not in a hurry most of the time with this), camera at ISO 125 and shutter speed dial at 250. I stuck a hotshoe mount Quantum transmitter in the shoe, tested the set up manual(flash fired with the test button on the transmitter) and proceeded to photograph. To be clear, I have used this exact set-up with these same components as recently as Sunday, only changing out the camera body for a D810. The camera would not fire the flash from the hot shoe.

I've experimented a bit more. I do not have a dedicated Fuji flash, but I put my SB-900 set to M in the hot shoe and it wouldn't fire. I plugged the Quantum trigger into the PC port and no luck. I plugged a Metz 76 MZ-5 into the PC port. Nothing.

I've tried switching over to the only native lens I have-the 16-80 f/4.

Also, in all of this, I've tried a variety of different shutter speeds, although nothing above 1/250. I realize the camera has no way of know that a flash is connected, but I've also never had a camera where the basic "dumb" flash connections like the PC port and the center/rail connections on the hot shoe didn't fire the flash.

Am I missing something here? Is there a setting to enable flash function buried somewhere in the menus? Or do I have an issue with my camera?

For reference, again, camera was bought new in box(16-80 kit) from B&H Photo with an order date of 5/15 and delivery date of 5/17.

Okay, I just found a setting that allows flash to be turned on/off completely. I turned it on set to manual/front(I'm assuming that's front curtain sync). I'll try again in a bit and report.

I can't say I'd ever encountered the ability to disable flash sync...

Are you using the mechanical shutter or electronic? Electronic shutter disables the flash function.

Mechanical.

I did just check and almost everything works. For whatever reason I can't seem to get my Quantum 4i to fire from the flash shoe, but will from the PC port. My SB900 does fire from the shoe.

Glad you found that setting. Going from the Nikon CLS to any other flash system is a huge disappointment and Fuji's meh flash system emphasizes this. Having said this it can be made to work. Read the flash section in your X-T5 manual about a dozen times and experiment as you start to understand it. Watch out for your camera going to sleep as this will reset the camera to no flash, super frustrating. I disable camera sleep and it helps in multiple ways. The fuji flash system can work well yet it's more work that with the CLS where one can setup the flash and then forget about it.

Morris

I honestly don't use CLS all that much, although have used it for impromptu set-ups in the past and just did one last weekend. I'm up to 3 CLS-compatible flashes-the SB-900, SB-800, and SB-600. The SB-900 is a relatively recent addition, and I love how flexible the SB-800 is(since it works perfectly as a TTL flash all the way back to the FE/FE2, is full featured including auto zoom and distance on the F4, and works perfectly on the D850) but the SB-900 as a CLS commander is very welcome.

In this case, though, it was just baffling and defeating me that I couldn't even fire a simple dumb flash. My Normans are not exactly high tech. They work beautifully, but they're definitely 70s technology. I think this generation Quantum triggers are more like late 90s tech, but still they just depend on closing a circuit to give a flash sync signal.

I'm trying to think why the feature would be there to turn flash sync off. If I've ever been working with a camera mount flash and don't want to use it but don't want to take it off the camera, I just reach up and turn it off. That was true when I was using a Vivitar 283 on a Canon FTb, and it's still true with the SB900 on my D850. It just never occurred to me to even look and see.

Still, though, I'll take your advice and read the section through a few times. The X-T5 was not bought with the intention to replace my Nikon kit, but more as a supplement to it and it has already proven its worth by giving me a small. lightweight, and extremely capable camera that I've carried places where even the thought of taking a roughly comparable Nikon kit(like the D850 and so-so 24-120 f/4, or giving up a lot of resolution for the lightweight Df with that same still heavy lens, and comparing that to what has been-in my experience-the excellent 16-80 f/4 even though I know that's a lens that gets mixed reviews among Fuji users). The X-T5 has not let me down and I have to admit it's even tempted me to consider JPEGs. I can't quite let go of RAW, though, and even if most of the time I can just crop(if needed) and hit export, RAW has saved me on iffy exposures or especially when I went to a family get-together with the camera still set to Velvia from my walk the day before rather than Pro Neg like I'd normally use and ended up with a bunch of red-faced folks(not as bad as if I'd found myself there with the original Velvia, which might or might not have happened to me in the past). I also have fallen in love with Lightroom's new denoise tool and use it quite a bit on high ISO images, and I'm not sure it works with JPEGs.

I guess I should invest in a dedicated flash for this, but it's not been a high priority yet. I wish Metz was still around, but I'm not sure if they ever released a Fuji SGA adapter for Fuji. I still love my 76 MZ5 and its quality of light(which reminds me that I need to finish the battery re-cell languishing half done in a box under my desk-it was more complicated than I expected) although it weighs more than the X-T5/16-80 combo and shoe mount flashes are just more practical.

Do you have any suggestions for a flash-whether Fuji or 3rd party-comparable in power/feature set to the SB-800 or SB-900 I'm using with my Nikons? Basically if I'm using a shoe mount flash I like to have a GN of 120ish at the 35mm(equiv) zoom setting, a zoomable head and ideally one that can go out to 14mm or so, of course bounce and tilt, and things like built in bounce cards are always appreciated as well as included or available tupperware diffusers.

The flash hotshoe going into "no flash" mode is not anything I've experienced with the XT-5 or either of my other two older Fuji bodies (XT-2/20). My default setting (before adding a flash) is Red Eye Removal - Off, TTL-Lock Mode - Flash Metering, Rear sync. I use Godox flash (any of the Fuji dedicated units should work great). I shot a wedding with a lot of mixed situations requiring no flash, fill in daylight, relatively low light mix with ambient, and a near totally dark dance floor. I did some testing prior to make sure that I wasn't going to have any surprises (as is necessary whenever you do must-have shooting that isn't your natural everyday photography) - and was very pleased to discover that the camera (XT-5) automatically switches to mechanical when set to EF+M+E shutter option. The camera was turned off, or went to sleep often (I was a guest but was given the main photo responsibilities, so was alternating somewhat from guest to photog). No problems at all with the shoot despite very challenging, changing shooting conditions.

I find the Fuji flash system to be superior to my older Canon DSLR, and one of the main reasons for switching from Pentax (which has never had a grasp of TTL flash metering - useless). Of course, mirrorless should be superior to DSLR for flash shooting because pre-flash timing isn't an issue.

I'm going to have strongly disagree with Morris about the Fuji flash system. It is very capable if you understand your settings, and use the proper equipment that takes advantage of the TTL automation available.

Agreed that the old Metz stuff was the best (dating back to the 1970s when I was selling the stuff), but honestly the Godox flashes are even better, easier to operate and built rock-solid like the Nikon SB line. Personally, I don't find a need for more than about GN100 these days because I'm almost always seeking to mix ambient, and shooting at ISO 800 is good enough in low light situations. So, the TT350F is a workhorse for me, but you can always go with a bigger unit if that fits your style.

For diffusion, I strongly prefer the Omni 80/20 system (no longer available from LumiQuest unfortunately, but still available from other venders now) over all others. Fong and the tupperware crap is a joke by any comparison. Unfortunately, the post-wedding venue had vaulted, non-white ceilings, so the best aspects of the 80/20 system could not be put to use.

I did not say that the Fuji flash system is not capable. It is quite capable yet it needs more baby sitting than the Nikon system. One can get great results, it takes more work and could be improved.