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I have a Godox light and transmitter, and they work fine when they're a few yards apart, but when I try to put the flash on a bracket or use it close to the transmitter, they stop working reliably. Is there some way to fix this?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ How close are they? Would it be possible to use a cable instead? \$\endgroup\$
    – Eric Duminil
    Jun 12, 2018 at 9:55
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    \$\begingroup\$ @EricDuminil, the length for a standard bracket or closer, so, say about one-to-three feet, so a cable's possible if I'm only doing a one-light setup. \$\endgroup\$
    – inkista
    Jun 12, 2018 at 22:47

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Yes. There's a "close" mode you can use on the Godox transmitters that helps to trigger a flash more reliably when it's close to the transmitter. Godox added this with firmware updates to the Canon, Nikon, and Sony versions of the X1T, so if you have one of these versions, you may need to update the firmware. To check the currently loaded firmware version on an X1T, hold down the MODE button while turning it on (see also: How do I tell if my Godox trigger or flash needs a firmware update?).

"Close mode" was added in the following firmware versions:

  • X1T-C (Canon) v15
  • X1T-N (Nikon) v16
  • X1T-S (Sony) v13

The X1T-O (four-thirds) and X1T-F (Fuji) and all newer model transmitters (e.g., X-Pro, X2T) had close mode on their initial firmware versions, and do not require firmware updating to perform it.

On the X1T, to turn on close mode: hold down the TEST button while turning on the transmitter until the Status light blinks for two seconds. The setting will clear when you power off the unit.

On transmitters with a MENU button, press the MENU button, and use the dial and set button to set the DIST function from 1-100m to 0-30m. The setting will "stick" between power cycles until changed. On the Xpro II, the DIST function is grouped under the [antenna icon] main menu selection for wireless settings.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Fascinating. I've never had it happen, but at least I know how to fix it if it does. Is there a 'known distance' this can happen at? \$\endgroup\$
    – Tetsujin
    Jun 12, 2018 at 5:57
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    \$\begingroup\$ Before the firmware updates were available, I've heard anecdotal accounts of users taking a sheet of aluminum foil folded over several times into a relatively small square and taping it to the side of the flash so that it was between the flash and the transmitter when the flash was on the bracket. Don't laugh too hard, they said making a "tinfoil hat" for the flash worked! \$\endgroup\$
    – Michael C
    Jun 12, 2018 at 7:35
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Tetsujin, not sure if there's a specific distance, aside from 0-1m as the settings suggest. I've just seen a lot of macro shooters on boards attempting to jury-rig some kind of flash setup with a bracket get hit by this one, and as it's more or less undocumented as a feature on the X1T (aside from the Godox Q&A page), it's become "folklore" enough that I thought capturing it here was a good idea. \$\endgroup\$
    – inkista
    Jun 12, 2018 at 22:43

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