My wife and I just started up a wedding photography business. We've been shooting with our flashes on the cameras but now we want to try using triggers. Which name brand are good? Can we get a nice set for under $300.00?
How many receivers do you need? Phottix is a brand that is based out of Hong Kong but know for being really solid and just as durable as competitors. Their Phottix Strato II set is a basic manual trigger that is really reliable and used by some wedding shooters here at FM. You can get a trigger and two receivers for ~$160. They also make the Phottix Odin set that uses TTL info to autarically control flash levels but $300 is only enough for a set with a trigger and one receiver.
If you need to go cheaper Yongnuo makes triggers that have been getting better and better.
You can also get Pocketwizard PlussIII for $99 per transceiver but I'd rather get both a trigger and receiver from Phottix for the same amount of money.
if you can get by without TTL, check out the Yongnuo stuff. I love my $50 set (one sender, 4 receivers) for Nikon - review on Youtube " target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here Apparently they can easily compete with some much higher priced alternatives.
Two things I don't like about the Yongnuo triggers. They do not come with anything to tighten them to your shoe, and the on-off switch is only accessible by removing your flash. Other than that they work great.
It depends if you want ttl or not. For TTL for Nikon the PW flex system and radio poppers PX systems are good although not inexpensive options. For triggers without ttl control, there are a lot of cheap alternatives but the Paul Buff CST and CSRB are hard to beat. If you are happy shooting nikon, I wouldn't suggest switching to Canon for the radio control of the 600exrt but it is a nice feature to have without third party components to deal with. I am sure nikon will also come out with something similar in the future as well.
I use a set of Cowboy Studio triggers ($30 from Amazon). They are simple devices used for a very simple purpose. If you want to use TTL then you will need something like pocket wizards.
If you go with actual Nikon flashes I believe they can trigger each other with a light cell similar to YN flashes.
I use a set of Cowboy Studio triggers ($30 from Amazon). They are simple devices used for a very simple purpose. If you want to use TTL then you will need something like pocket wizards.
If you go with actual Nikon flashes I believe they can trigger each other with a light cell similar to YN flashes.
After using the Yong Nuo 602 and 603 unit sets with mixed and unreliable results I recently purchased from Calumet Photo their Quad series trigger and 3 receivers and so far no missed flashes. They are built better than the Yong Nuo units, have more group / channel options. Calumet has a great reputation so I purchased the 4 units knowing I could return them. Ii got my 4 for $180 on sale.
Calumet's previous gen radio triggers were rebranded Phottix Stratos. I wonder if their quad series are perhaps the Strato II internals with a different casing and buttons.
HI, I've just bought a couple of sets of the Yongnuo TTL Canon triggers and have to say that I'm very impressed so far. They just work, TTL, Manual, HSS etc, but still have to do some testing on grouping yet. Maybe you should look for the NIkon version soon, worth a look for the price IMO.
Rob.
tlbradford wrote:
Two things I don't like about the Yongnuo triggers. They do not come with anything to tighten them to your shoe, and the on-off switch is only accessible by removing your flash. Other than that they work great.
I can get to my on-off switch, so that's clearly a flash design (it is tight, though - nothing impossible, though)
As for tightening - yeah, that's a gaffer tape job
amacal1 wrote:
Don't the newest Yongnuo's (YN-622c) do TTL?
Yes the Yn 622 does ETTL and also other features such as A:B. B:A... adjustments to your remotes. I like the YN 622's myself. They are reliable and affordable. Hope this helps
Allan
