I'm using a Hasselblad H3Dll with Windows.

Currently, I'm connecting my camera to the laptop using a six pin cable connected via an adapter card.

This is because my laptop only has a four pin firewire socket.

Can I connect the camera using the four pin socket?

Also, are all Firewire cables so stiff? Is it possible to get them more flexible?

Thanks.

D.

4-pin doesn't carry power

I´m no expert but here is something to start with.

The data communication in 6-pin and 4-pin are the same but you have no power in the 4-pin socket. 6-pin and 4-pin are Firewire 400, Firewire 800 has a 9-pin connector.
FireWire 800 is backward-compatible with FireWire 400

Click to view attachment


http://www.interfacebus.com/Design_Connector_Firewire.html#f

Tomas

Denis,

Get a powered Firewire hub, that should do it. But check with Hasselblad first to make sure. Be well.

Kind regards,
Derek

The laptop has a small 4 pin connector? That is strange.

You could get a 6 pin to 9 pin cable very easily if your laptop is 6 pin. I have never seen a 4 Pin connector on a laptop. Usually that is on the Camera or Video Camera area, not on a laptop. But I am strictly Mac.

Most PC laptops have 4pin firewire. The 4pin firewire doesn't carry power so it is useless with a DB unless you add a power-injector.

Not sure whether your H3DII needs power from the firewire maybe it could use only the power from the grip and just use the firewire to transport data. My guess would be it can't but I might be wrong.

Sofar with all backs I have used you can only use a 4pin when you use a power-injector as well (which is kind of akward IMO).

Yes it does work. However, I've never trusted that little 4 pin connector. I use a 9 pin adapter in the pcmcia slot and a 4 to 9 pin cord as a backup.
If you are in the market for a new pc laptop check these out www.alienware.com
They offer 6 and 9 pin powered connections built in like the macs.

Bob

Thanks to all.

May well treat myself to a laptop with 9 pin built in. I hate the card.

On the subject of cables.....

I assume from the lack of responses that they're all a bit on the stiff side. Fine.

Are some makes better than others? e.g. Do Belkin make good cables?

I've had problems updating to Flexcolor 4.8.6. (don't know why I bothered) and Hasselblad think it may be the cable.

Thanks.

D.

D,
Most of the better, properly shielded FireWire 800 (IEEE1394b) cables are pretty stiff. I can highly recommend Granite Digital cables, which have a fairly flexible sheath. The cable that comes with your Hasselblad H3DII will be quite thin, and flexible in comparison to most higher-quality, longer cables. The heavier gauge, twisted pair construction of high(er) quality, longer cables doesn't allow for as much flexibility as some of the thinner, neoprene cables from the likes of Apple or Belkin.

Regards,

Jordan Miller
DTG