I am going to purchase some remote triggers after Christmas and was considering either the old or new pocket wizards. Going to be used to fire remote cameras and need them to have enough range to do baseball and softball (possibly some lighting in the future). I was originally going to purchase the CyberSync, price mainly, but their range looks to be limited. What would you purchase and why. Thanks.
If you're firing a camera with your finger on the button, not firing a remote flash from the camera, then ergonomics becomes a factor.
I originally tried a cybersync, but hated the tiny button, plus you can't auto-focus remotely, which could matter is some instances. From what I can see, all the top units suffer from this same oversight. (though maybe there's something new I don't know about?)
I use those cheap, HK-Ebay Photox deals. They go bad on a fairly regular basis, so I buy several at a time & always carry at least one spare pair. However, they are wonderful to use, and the range is at least 100', even without line-of-sight. The difference is, this type of unit is specifically made for firing a shutter, not a flash.
One caveat - these units have a limited range of frequency choices. That doesn't matter to me, but you should be aware of it.
I'm using the new "eBay" triggers - the RF602. They are much better built than the previous generation of eBay triggers, and operate in the 2.4GHz band. They will auto focus with half a push and the remote is not too hard to hold.
You want range, reliability, and versatility ( all of which you'll need for what you want to do)?? Then you have only one choice: Pocketwizard MultiMAX. End of story.
The Multimax suffers from the same drawbacks as the Cybersync, mentioned above.
Small button, no way to trigger AF, and no integrated bulb-mode. (unless there is a trick, not explained in the manual.
Also, this type of device (designed primarily for triggering flashes) is meant to attach to your hotshoe. That makes it slightly cumbersome for shutter triggering.
I keep my Phottix velcro'ed to the left side of my 5D, where it tucks nicely "inside" my L-Plate. Then I attach a small velcro strap to the top as well. this lets me detach it from the camera body, so it just hangs there, at which point it makes a great tethered trigger for minimizing camera shake.
I just LOVE this thing, except for when it decides not to work. I don't know why AB and PW don't understand this, and make a similar unit but with more channels and better reliability.
For my particular use, this is a gift from the gods. I am going to order one asap. - I just hope they don't go bad as regularly as the Cleon. This is a bit too expensive to just buy multiple emergency-spares. Has anyone heard anything about reliability with these?
Also- do you know if the reciever has a "fire" button built-in, so you can fire the shutter without the transmitter? (as you can with the Cleon) If not, I might just use the Hero for the video feed, and fire the shutter with my existing Cleon. That would also give me an emergency backup for the shutter, in case one or the other went bad.
Pocket Wizards can have a button any size, any shape, placed in any location on your handheld camera that you want.
Get the switch of choice, mount it where you want it, with the attachment method of choice, and wire it to a mini plug, using a length of cord suitable to where you want to have the PW... which doesn't have to be on the hot shoe.
If you're firing remotes independently from your handheld, you can keep the Pocket Wizard, well, in your pocket.
If you're sync firing remotes simultaneously with your handheld, you can use the supplied pc cord to trigger the PW, and use a 1/4 by 20 stud to mount the PW to the L plate, or the bottom of your camera, if the hot shoe is bothersome. Or use a longer sync cord, and put the Pocket Wizard in your pocket.
The test button on a Multimax is the largest button on the unit... about the size of the "Post Reply" button at the bottom right hand side of this webpage.
PW is tried and true in the trade. There are a lot of new, cool looking, smaller, and cheaper options that have emerged in the last 5 years... maybe one or two of these options will emerge as a superior triggering device one day, but it may take a while for that option to prove itself and its range reliably, compared to the millions of successful radio triggers the PW has already fired world wide.
Cableaddict wrote:
Also- do you know if the reciever has a "fire" button built-in, so you can fire the shutter without the transmitter? (as you can with the Cleon)
I can confirm that this is not possible - there is no "fire" button on the receiver.
(I'm the author of the Phottix Hero review that was mentioned earlier in this thread.)
kasakato wrote:
I'm using the new "eBay" triggers - the RF602. They are much better built than the previous generation of eBay triggers, .
kasakato, I do like the fact that this unit can do wireless flash triggering as well (though you know it won't measure up to a cybersync or PW) - but what makes you say it's "much better built" than a Cleon II and the like? Specifically what is better built on these?
The Cleon's button seems to be the biggest problem, though I also had a cable go bad. -but how can you know that the 602 is more robust? At these prices, they are all likely using the cheapest components they can find.
-And if you have this info, what data backs it up?
Thanks for the input everyone! I really appreciate the information.
Santa unexpectedly brought me a pocket wizard flex and mini but I am not sure these units are the right ones for me. After examining them, the mini does not have any input/attachment points for cords so I cannot use a cord for a shutter release. This is important since my main reasoning for having these is to remotely trip a shutter on and off my hand held. Both units have test buttons but they are very small and are not placed to be conveniently used to trip a remote. The problem I have is I hate to spend money, santa money is really my money in a round about way, and not have the new wizard's capabilities of off camera ettl even though I currently do not need this option.
I have decided I need the range of the pocket wizard and believe these are my options:
1. Replace the mini with a flex tt5 even though the test button cannot really be used to trip a remote and always use a cord off camera.
2. Spend the most money and get two multimax units (most range and flexibility) but then I would not be future proof without off camera ettl capabilities.
3. Save some money and buy two pw IIs and just be happy with those units capabilities for now.
4. Or say bah humbug, save some money, and buy the cybersyncs and place the remote within their 400 foot capabilities.
I have the flu now so I cannot venture out and exchange/return the units, so I have a few days to decide. Continued help would be appreciated and thanks again.
How important is ettl in firing remote cameras, firing remote strobes, or firing remote cameras and strobes together?
Brainstorming situations where you might install strobes... will the light change that much? Once you commit to a strobe installation, sandbagged on stands, magic armed in the ceiling, or where ever, isn't the most common intent to over power ambient anyway? If one is going through the trouble of bringing their own light, doesn't it automatically follow that one will control that light themselves? How much will ettl contribute to that control, over say, a couple of test exposures?
I can see ettl for use on little hot shoe flashes, that are convenient mini light sources for high mobility, constantly changing circumstances, changing ambient light, changing backlight, people on the move... etc. But if the environment is controllable enough to put up strobes... is ettl that useful?
I'd rather have radio range and reliability over lighting control.
Now, if the ability to change output levels on a pack via radio remote is available, that's a different story. I heard ProFoto has introduced a proprietary link up to their 8a pack... not sure of any details... and Paul C Buff announced some kind of Cyberlink for his line of strobes... not sure if that every materialized)
Trouble is, those are all proprietary systems. Profoto, Dynalite, and 2 other brands strobe packs offer Pocket Wizards built into some of their packs. Sekonic offers light meters with built in PW transmitters as well. So PW has emerged to be the most "universal" radio control system thus far, for triggering.
Cableaddict wrote:
kasakato, I do like the fact that this unit can do wireless flash triggering as well (though you know it won't measure up to a cybersync or PW) - but what makes you say it's "much better built" than a Cleon II and the like? Specifically what is better built on these?
The Cleon's button seems to be the biggest problem, though I also had a cable go bad. -but how can you know that the 602 is more robust? At these prices, they are all likely using the cheapest components they can find.
-And if you have this info, what data backs it up? ...Show more →
Kasakato, I'm still hoping you will clarify / backup this statement. Thanks.
Looks interesting but there is no mention of range. The OP asked about long range operation.
Cableaddict:
There is a "thumper" cable for Pocketwizards that either wakes up or keeps the camera active , including autofocus, prior to firing the camera, isimilar to a a half press of the shutter release.
The remark about Pocketwizards having a hot shoe mount meaning it is not suitable for firing remote cameras is just, to be polite, ignorant. I and hundreds if not thousands of other photographers have used Pocketwizards to fire camera for at least a decade.
Prior to the introduction of the Pocketwizard in the mid 1990s , LPA Design made a remote triggering unit for both cameras and electronic flash. It was called the Flashwizard, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, NBA photogrpahers, etc. used these extensively. The last time I saw one being used was at the NCAA tournament in Atlanta in 2000 or 2001. The Pocketwizard MultiMAX is a direct descendant of the Flashwizard. My understanding is that professional sports photogrpahers who work with remote cameras use the Pocketwizard MultiMAX.
I like the idea of the video remote for DSLRs, I just don't know how robust a solution the Photottix is. The blog entry cited reads more like an advertorial for the product than an independent review.
I have decided I need the range of the pocket wizard and believe these are my options:
1. Replace the mini with a flex tt5 even though the test button cannot really be used to trip a remote and always use a cord off camera.
I just got a MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 set to review for the magazine I write for. The test button on the MiniTT1 does fire the TT5 as well.
2. Spend the most money and get two multimax units (most range and flexibility) but then I would not be future proof without off camera ettl capabilities.
You could try starting with just one MultiMAX. According to my actually RTFMing (Reading The F'ing Manual) you can program the FlexTt units to work in a larger PW system. Wit hthe MultiMAX on camera you should stil lahve around a 1500 foot range. According to robgalbraith.com they are doing some beta testing of some long range firmware currently.
