I am looking for a wireless trigger that will simply allow me to shoot in manual, and change the power levels manually from the camera. I am having little luck looking anything up b/c there seems to be tons and tons of these little gizmo's out there in the tech world.
I know the radiopoppers/PW's are a good option but I was wondering if there are any cheap alternatives that would allow me to still be able to use HSS and allow me to control the power levels from the camera.
I appreciate the help, I have been mulling this over and researching for a while, but the info appears to be all over the place on these.
Well ETTL and HSS are inextricably linked, so you can't have HSS without ETTL. Your best bet are the PWs or RadioPoppers. Both are not the most elegant solution, but work well.
For now, I have been getting by using a multiple flash setup with canons wireless system....and it isnt terrible. But when I want to use a softbox, this limits my options since I lose line of sight. In this case I normally use a long ETTL cable, and just hook the flash to it inside of the softbox, but it becomes cumbersome after a while, especially moving to different sites.
I guess its more just the ease of being able to just throw a wireless trigger on it inside the softbox and not having to worry about it is what intrigues me.
Thanks for pointing out the ETTL thing, I guess that really does limit my options to the more expensive triggers. I have heard bad things about PW not doing too well with 580ex2's, so i might have to check out Radiopoppers.
PocketWizard mini/flex does hss, eTTL, manual and if you add an AC3 controller you can set manual level/eTTL ratio by group from the camera. For HSS mini/flex squeeze mores light out of the flashes than Canon does with its wireless by light does.
I tried both the PX and JRx system right when they came out and strongly prefer the JRx and setting the power through the transmitter to the full ETTL of the PX's. Plus, changing the power settings to the slaves on the PX was a PITA on the fly.
The JRX will allow you to manually adjust power from the camera, but won't let you use HSS. I used these triggers for about a year and they were an absolute nightmare for me. I've since gone back to fully manual triggers and am very happy.
The PX (and other China clones) are about your only option. The PX system is very expensive while the generic clones probably aren't very good.
Unfortunately this is a relatively immature technology and there just aren't any great options at this point.
I've had lots of success with the Pocket Wizard and AC3 controller. All flash groups in manual (or ETTL) controlled from the manual dials (not menus!) on the top of your camera.
Radiopopper JrX! It's one of the simplest design ever. All the knobs are on top so you don't have to go through menu to adjust. You just dial the knob on the side to adjust power.
Oh and I also use Pixel King and it works fine for me also.
Do you need HSS for > 1/250 action stopping or are you just trying to use a wider aperture?
You're kind of in a shitty situation if you ask me.
Given that you want HSS you are pretty much limited to: PW Flex and RP PX.
Flex, with AC3 would give you easy power control from the camera (I assume WITH HSS though I've never looked into that particular aspect) but as you've read it's shite on Canon.
RP PX does work reliably (from what I've read... my experience with RP has been only with JRx... and I'm not using them anymore...) with Canon but it does NOT give you EASY power control from the camera. I mean yeah you can change the power settings in manual but you have to do so through the ridiculously clumsy 580EX2 interface.
PX requires you to have an additional flash on board... so to have one flash working with PX you need TWO flashes.
...
Now, IF you want HSS because you want to be able to use wider apertures, there IS a solution you might end up preferring to the PX solution... and the price isn't bad either.
To compare...
PX solution:
2x Canon 580Ex2: $900
RP PX Transmitter: $250
RP PX Receiver: $250
Total: $1400
Einstein Solution:
1x Einstein 640: $500
1x Vagabond mini: $240
1x Cybercommander: $180
1x Cybersync receiver for Einsteins: $30
1x 0.9 ND Filter: $60 (Hoya Pro 1) to $175 (B+W Multicoated)
Total : $1010 to $1125 (depending on which filter you go with)
This solution would give you A LOT more power and flexibility if your goal is to shoot manual flash with wide apertures. The ND 0.9 filter would obviously give you three stops of additional aperture flexibility, and would be equivalent to having a Sync speed of 1/2000 (assuming 1/250 native).
Ciao!
Alessandro
P.S. Note also that since you're a pro you're going to want backups to some of those things... the economics work even better for the Einstein solution once you decide you want backups... you can get a cybercommander + receiver for LESS than the cost of just a transmitter or receiver on the PX system. The flash is about $50 more on the einstein side but it's a MUCH more powerful flash. You also have the option to carry the cybercommander on a lanyard or in a pouch and use the smaller, cheaper Cybersync CST transmitter (you would set power levels with the cybercommander, then use the CST on the camera to fire).
P.P.S. Things get even better on the Einstein side if you want the ability to shoot multiple cameras (be it in a situation where you have a 2nd shooter or because you want to quickly switch FL and use primes)... To equip a second body to shoot your PX equipped softbox you need another PX transmitter AND another 580Ex2: $700!!!! on the Einstein side, you just need a Cybersync CST: $60 Also the Einstein can be plugged in in studio situations giving you ENORMOUSLY FASTER recycle time compared to the 580EX2 solution, you can have a modeling light... I mean seriously ... do I have to go on or did you order your shit already
ha ha ha
Oh yeah I don't work for the company, NOR do I own the Einstein stuff... waiting for 2 more wedding bookings and then pulling the trigger.
Mohaimen Kazi wrote:
Radiopopper JrX! It's one of the simplest design ever. All the knobs are on top so you don't have to go through menu to adjust. You just dial the knob on the side to adjust power.
Oh and I also use Pixel King and it works fine for me also.
Radiopooper JrX does not have HSS (or reliability, some would say)
