http://radiopopper.com/blog/2009/08/14/the-big-jrx-announcement/

Pretty sweet...

2. EZset Strobe: With Patent Pending EZset Strobe, a photographer can now dial up and down the power on nearly any past or present handheld TTL capably flash directly from a JrX or PX Transmitter. It is time to dust off those old flashes that you couldn’t sell on ebay for $30! Note that EZset Strobe will need to be used with the RPcube (connects JrX Receiver Sync Port to the hot-shoe of a handheld flash) which will be available in 6-8 weeks for purchase.

Which is really funny because the Open Source Triggers use the same Quench pin to control the older TTL strobes:
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2009/04/diy-remote-trigger-debuts.html

That patent will be overturned because of prior art. Hopefully, the patent office they submitted this to will realize this and reject that dumb patent...

Interesting.

It sounds like the remote flash power contol is not MANUAL remote power control, but thyrister? based up & down power management, using metering in the RPcube (like the old Metz ranges etc).

Why else would the remote flash need to have a TTL function (ie allowing a flash shoe with a circut board in it to control flash duration)?

kenyee,

Hopefully you're right, though someone may need to make a submission about this to the Patent Office?

TTL flashes have the Quench pin. Autothyristor use the equivalent of a quench pin tied to a calibrated circuit.
If I knew which patent office they submitted to, I'd tell them about the OST "inventing" it first

double posted..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWm3i3f3pOc&feature=player_embedded
http://radiopopper.com/blog/2009/02/14/high-speed-sync-w-bees-and-others/


This video shows radio popper syncing alien bees a 1/8000 f2.8... I'm wondering if the soon to be cyber commander can do such?

I also like how the radio popper can control the AB/WL series, but noted that the newest PCB Max stuff seems to have dumped the phone cord connection (as shown in the mock-ups )... so its kinda a catch 22 for future releases of the bees and RPopper guess.

Nothing can sync an Alien Bee at 1/8000th. All they are doing is fiddling with the timing so you get a chance to "paint" your sensor with constant light as the shutter curtain opening wizzes past.

If you experiment heaps with shutter speeds and metering you can get lucky, but it's not a reliable, repeatable, problem free way of shooting. It's a free lunch that isn't free at all.

what is better in Radiopopers than in Pocketwizards TT5 and MiniTT1 ?

denoise wrote:
what is better in Radiopopers than in Pocketwizards TT5 and MiniTT1 ?

RadioPoppers actually work.

Tom

Thought they said they were getting rid of the silly 'piano' style switches? Any data on final specs such as range, etc?

The dials in this pic http://radiopopper.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/jrx_03_sm.jpg look stupidly easy to nudge by mistake.

Seems worrying that they don't have more information to give such as range and the new 'feature' with a product being released in 5 days time.

tgomearajr wrote:
denoise wrote:
what is better in Radiopopers than in Pocketwizards TT5 and MiniTT1 ?

RadioPoppers actually work.

Tom


I have a TT5 and a MiniTT1 and both work great.

shoebox9 wrote:
Nothing can sync an Alien Bee at 1/8000th. All they are doing is fiddling with the timing so you get a chance to "paint" your sensor with constant light as the shutter curtain opening wizzes past.

If you experiment heaps with shutter speeds and metering you can get lucky, but it's not a reliable, repeatable, problem free way of shooting. It's a free lunch that isn't free at all.

From various post it seems that PW TT1/TT5 can do it via adjusting within the software. Wouldn't this be the same concept?


denoise wrote:
tgomearajr wrote:
denoise wrote:
what is better in Radiopopers than in Pocketwizards TT5 and MiniTT1 ?

RadioPoppers actually work.

Tom


I have a TT5 and a MiniTT1 and both work great.


Only if you have the right Canon flashes. PW TT1/TT5 currently doesn't work at all with any other Canon compatible ETTL flash in any mode (IE Metz, Sigma, other). Also the range is crap on all flashes except 430EX II due to RF issues. You don't even get the full extent of a 580EX II which you pay hundreds of dollars for. If PW can ever get the bugs worked out all is good and equal. Til then RP has the advantage. I have a TT1 and two TT5's which I can't really use because I have the above mentioned brand flashes.

SkankPile wrote:
This video shows radio popper syncing alien bees a 1/8000 f2.8... I'm wondering if the soon to be cyber commander can do such?

No. PCB considers it a useless hack

And you're right about the ABMax remote power control...they switched to a digital protocol. RP will eventually figure it out, but not until late next year at the earlier and probably more like 2 yrs given how long this JrX Studio has taken

For my shooting style I have no problems with PW TT1/TT5 + 580EXII range
I rarely would need longer distance with a TTL flash and for studio strobes the working distance is huge.

So, considering this, can you explain me what is better in Radio Poppers ?

denoise wrote:
For my shooting style I have no problems with PW TT1/TT5 + 580EXII range
I rarely would need longer distance with a TTL flash and for studio strobes the working distance is huge.

So, considering this, can you explain me what is better in Radio Poppers ?


Maybe it's not all about "better"; especially if your needs are met with the new PW. However, the limitations of the new PW with all the work arounds "could" pose a problem at some point. Consider this: when a company gives you a range they are providing that based on optimal situations. So, with all the test I've seen with PW and it's interference that range is a lot less than PW documents state. With that in mind you may have environments that are much less optimal (ie huge blocks for signals to pass). Now your working distance just shrunk a bit more.

Again, for those who might want to use flashes from other manufacturers they are currently out of luck. I've had my Metz AF58 for a while now. I like them a lot. I picked up the new Wizards and the Wizards are useless with them. So NOW RP are "better" from my perspective

I sure hope they can make the firmware changes/additions to help me out with these or I'll post them on B&S soon.......I don't want to though

denoise wrote:
For my shooting style I have no problems with PW TT1/TT5 + 580EXII range
I rarely would need longer distance with a TTL flash and for studio strobes the working distance is huge.

So, considering this, can you explain me what is better in Radio Poppers ?

Let me see, you can control FEC on remote slaves without having to buy an extra gadget that by design won't allow you to have a flash in the hotshoe? You don't need to worry about putting that expensive 580mkII on a very unreliable plastic hotshoe? You don't need any of the ridiculous workarounds detailed in the manual and on RG to get anywhere near the range advertised? You can use it with the slave flash near the ground? Canon will lock PW out of the next generation of cameras, they can't do that with Radiopoppers.

you can control FEC on remote slaves without having to buy an extra gadget that by design won't allow you to have a flash in the hotshoe? :S

You don't need to worry about putting that expensive 580mkII on a very unreliable plastic hotshoe? unreliable ?. you mean fragile ?

You can use it with the slave flash near the ground? :S

Canon will lock PW out of the next generation of cameras, they can't do that with Radiopoppers. really ?.. how ?

The pocket wizard hotshoe is notorious for breaking and from reports these units are no different except that you are putting an expensive and heavy flash on top of it.

Canon locked out all 3rd party flashes with the 5D mkII, took a while for PW to get their units working with the mkII. Canon have quite a reputation for doing that kind of thing.

Beni wrote:
The pocket wizard hotshoe is notorious for breaking and from reports these units are no different except that you are putting an expensive and heavy flash on top of it.

Canon locked out all 3rd party flashes with the 5D mkII, took a while for PW to get their units working with the mkII. Canon have quite a reputation for doing that kind of thing.

I know, but PW are user firmware updateable.

So far pretty much every firmware update has been to fix 'issues'. I'd rather a system that didn't need that kind of input. What's more I'd love a system without problems that I can bleeding well buy in the UK. According to RP in 30 days they should have a clearer timeline as to when the EU versions of the Px system will be availible. In other words check back this time 2010. Hits head against wall...

Beni wrote:
So far pretty much every firmware update has been to fix 'issues'. I'd rather a system that didn't need that kind of input. What's more I'd love a system without problems that I can bleeding well buy in the UK. According to RP in 30 days they should have a clearer timeline as to when the EU versions of the Px system will be availible. In other words check back this time 2010. Hits head against wall...


The perfect world is through the door to your left. Nothing fails over there.

I can't help but feel feature creep has made them miss their original mark.

$70 RP JRx ≠ basic economical flash trigger. I'm sure it'll be a dandy product and the adjustability options it offers look nice, but I'd have rather seen a 100% solid version of the Yongnuo triggers that have people excited on the Strobist boards. Choices are good though.

Where is that door to my left?

Jammy Straub wrote:
$70 RP JRx ≠ basic economical flash trigger.

It is in my book.



...I'd have rather seen a 100% solid version of the Yongnuo triggers that have people excited on the Strobist boards.

Then buy the Yongnuo triggers and be happy.

I prefer dependable and versatile.

Tom

tgomearajr wrote:
Jammy Straub wrote:
$70 RP JRx ≠ basic economical flash trigger.

It is in my book.



...I'd have rather seen a 100% solid version of the Yongnuo triggers that have people excited on the Strobist boards.

Then buy the Yongnuo triggers and be happy.

I prefer dependable and versatile.

Tom

The thing is I believe some time ago when they announced they were making these there was word of more like $25. I'm not positive, but that's what I seem to recall.