posted by Lars Kirchhoff on 09/12/2007
Open letter to HeinrichsWeikamp GbR
After publishing a article about potential problems with the popular HeinrichsWeikamp TTL converter and a recent firmware update for the Canon EOS 400D last week, some confusion arised. Unfortunately our warning about the firmware update were somehow misinterpreted. This is why we would like to clarify the situation and intention we had in mind when publishing the news.
The course of events
After we received some emails from digideep members about problems with their TTL convert, we felt that it is our
responsibility to inform our readers and possible users of this converter about the problem. We had no concerns to
make this information public, because there is a relatively easy solution to the described problem
(just don't update the firmware right now). We had at no time the intention to discredit neither HeinrichsWeikamp GbR
nor their products, but only to inform our reader about a possible problem, to help them to avoid unpleasant surprises
until a clear statement or solution is announced from HeinrichsWeikamp GbR concerning the firmware update of the
Canon EOS 400D.
To our regret the reaction of and the communication with HeinrichsWeikamp GbR about this article and the described problem was rather short and somehow unfriendly in our opinion. We had the impression that customer problems and serious concerns are not treated respectfully. Customer who confronted the company have been answered very briefly without explaining the problem or a possible solution; and even ignoring questions at all:
First it is said, that several communities (we assume that we also belong to these communities and therefore this is addressed to us) would spread false information by telling that HeinrichsWeikamp GbR would "warn users of the Canon EOS 400D/Rebel Xti and our eTTL converter not to upgrade their camera to the latest firmware 1.1.0 due to incompatibilities with our converter." But this is not true in our case. Although we wrote that their might be problems, we did not write that HeinrichsWeikamp announced any warning or any solution to this problem. In fact it was the Digideep editorial staff that recommended to wait with the firmware upgrade of the Canon EOS 400D.
Second did we find the following information, that can be read in the announcement, confusing if not even delusive:
To our regret the reaction of and the communication with HeinrichsWeikamp GbR about this article and the described problem was rather short and somehow unfriendly in our opinion. We had the impression that customer problems and serious concerns are not treated respectfully. Customer who confronted the company have been answered very briefly without explaining the problem or a possible solution; and even ignoring questions at all:
Anonymous:
I've got a build-in Heinrichsweikamp eTTL converter in my Sea & Sea DX-400D housing. Now, I read on http://www.digideep.com (http://www.digideep.com/english/info/html/warning-for-canon-400d-...) that there are problems with the converter if the firmware of the camera will be updated. I read this warning today. To late ofcourse, because I updated my camera a few weeks ago. I run the 1.1.0. firmware on the camera now. They talking also about the Subtronic flashguns, is there only a problem with Subtronic flashguns? I'm currently working with the Sea & Sea YS-110 and YS-90 Duo flashguns.
I can't find any information on your site about this problem. Please, give more information about this problem. Can you tell me what I have to do now? Because, I have in built-in converter. It's realy incomprehensible that you sell something that NOT working when I do an update of my camera!
HeinrichsWeikamp GbR:
The Digideep article is completely wrong, that's all.
Although HeinrichsWeikamp obviously knew about our published warning (at least at this point) and even had some customers
asking for clarification, they neither published any detailed information on their website nor contacted us to clarify the situation
after we had asked the company for an official statement. Only as we faced them with our correspondence with one of our
members we received - again - a very short answer, which in our opinion was insufficient to clarify the problem completely and
which did not have any new information about the problem or a solution.
I've got a build-in Heinrichsweikamp eTTL converter in my Sea & Sea DX-400D housing. Now, I read on http://www.digideep.com (http://www.digideep.com/english/info/html/warning-for-canon-400d-...) that there are problems with the converter if the firmware of the camera will be updated. I read this warning today. To late ofcourse, because I updated my camera a few weeks ago. I run the 1.1.0. firmware on the camera now. They talking also about the Subtronic flashguns, is there only a problem with Subtronic flashguns? I'm currently working with the Sea & Sea YS-110 and YS-90 Duo flashguns.
I can't find any information on your site about this problem. Please, give more information about this problem. Can you tell me what I have to do now? Because, I have in built-in converter. It's realy incomprehensible that you sell something that NOT working when I do an update of my camera!
HeinrichsWeikamp GbR:
The Digideep article is completely wrong, that's all.
HeinrichsWeikamp GbR (translated):
There are no known problems to us with firmware version v21 or higher (our converter) and the 400D. Converter, that have been sold before the Canon EOS 400D was released need an update. That's it
Since 9/07/07 there is a short official announcement
on the website of HeinrichsWeikamp GbR concerning the described issue.
Unfortunately we think that this short note (because it can't be called more then a note) still does not clarify the problem completely.
There are no known problems to us with firmware version v21 or higher (our converter) and the 400D. Converter, that have been sold before the Canon EOS 400D was released need an update. That's it
First it is said, that several communities (we assume that we also belong to these communities and therefore this is addressed to us) would spread false information by telling that HeinrichsWeikamp GbR would "warn users of the Canon EOS 400D/Rebel Xti and our eTTL converter not to upgrade their camera to the latest firmware 1.1.0 due to incompatibilities with our converter." But this is not true in our case. Although we wrote that their might be problems, we did not write that HeinrichsWeikamp announced any warning or any solution to this problem. In fact it was the Digideep editorial staff that recommended to wait with the firmware upgrade of the Canon EOS 400D.
Second did we find the following information, that can be read in the announcement, confusing if not even delusive:
This is not true, users with converters sold after 11/16/06 (See below) will not expect problems with their converter.
Older converters may be updated at our place in order to work with the EOS 400D.
It is said that there are no problems at all, but at the same time they offer to upgrade older version.
How can we interpret this information? Are there any converters that have been sold to Canon EOS 400D customers,
that are not fully functional because officially the Canon EOS 400D is only supported since version v21? Or is it
possible to use converters with earlier firmware versions then v21 together with the Canon EOS 400D? Did HeinrichsWeikamp GbR
sell the converter as OEM to other manufacturers, which have now built-in versions earlier then v21 in products used in
combination with the Canon EOS 400D? Question to which we would have liked to get an objective and professional answers from
HeinrichsWeikamp GbR. Unfortunately this is pending until today.
Suggestion for better collaboration with the media
We would really have appreciated if this event had taken another course. A more formal, detailed and comprehensive
statement would have instantly been published by our editorial staff, if that would have responded to the concerns of
our members and the owners of the converter. We would have really liked to publish such information, because our most
important and serious vision with this platform is to inform our reader about anything related to underwater photography.
Our personal view on the matter:
In our opinion it would have been necessary that HeinrichsWeikamp GbR explained how a customer is able to check which firmware version on his converter is used to know if he/she is affected by the problem with the Canon EOS 400D firmware upgrade or not. We were unable to find this information online or anywhere in the manual.
It would have been helpful also to know which version have been sold as OEM to other manufacturers and therefore may be affected by that problem.
We can not understand why HeinrichsWeikamp GbR responded in that way, because the described issue will maintain a recurring issue. Flash synchronisation is known to be tricky and serious reverse engineering efforts have to be undertaken to develop such a product. The TTL protocols are constantly changing and therefore a constant challenge for manufacturers of accessories. That these manufactures need a reasonable time to react on such changes should be obvious to everyone and therefore this time should be granted to any such manufacturer. Particular as most of the manufacturers in the area of underwater photography are only small medium enterprises.
Because of this we felt, that the article including the recommendation to wait a little while until a solution to the firmware upgrade of the Canon EOS 400D is found and announced, is appropriate to help users to avoid the problem.
Our personal view on the matter:
In our opinion it would have been necessary that HeinrichsWeikamp GbR explained how a customer is able to check which firmware version on his converter is used to know if he/she is affected by the problem with the Canon EOS 400D firmware upgrade or not. We were unable to find this information online or anywhere in the manual.
It would have been helpful also to know which version have been sold as OEM to other manufacturers and therefore may be affected by that problem.
We can not understand why HeinrichsWeikamp GbR responded in that way, because the described issue will maintain a recurring issue. Flash synchronisation is known to be tricky and serious reverse engineering efforts have to be undertaken to develop such a product. The TTL protocols are constantly changing and therefore a constant challenge for manufacturers of accessories. That these manufactures need a reasonable time to react on such changes should be obvious to everyone and therefore this time should be granted to any such manufacturer. Particular as most of the manufacturers in the area of underwater photography are only small medium enterprises.
Because of this we felt, that the article including the recommendation to wait a little while until a solution to the firmware upgrade of the Canon EOS 400D is found and announced, is appropriate to help users to avoid the problem.
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