These things are incredible! I got my package today and went outside to give them a try. Look at the distance I'm getting on them! the 5 out 5 means how many times I tested them and how many times they fired. The only time they didn't fire was past 400' and with about 5 houses in between us.
The build of them feels good. The transmitter is tiny as you can see in the picture.
All in all, I'm pretty impressed so far. I'll be taking them out to the beach in a couple days and will check back with you guys.
Oh, I also tried my cheap eBay triggers and only got it to flash once at ~75' and never again.
Patrick F. wrote:
What sync speed were you able to get with them ?
That's the big question. If these things (1) actually work reliably with any strobe, (2) sync at 1/250, and (3) don't fall apart, then they're a big deal.
cwebster wrote:
Why wouldn't they sync at 1/250? Isn't that the spec on the website?
<Chas>
The manual says that you need to set your shutter speed "one or two clicks slower than your camera's maximum flash sync speed." (Their example of using 1/200 or 1/160 instead of 1/250 leads me to believe that a "click" is a third of a stop.)
However, the manual goes on to instruct the user not to set the shutter speed faster than x sync for the obvious reasons. And the latency time is only 1/4000 s. So one would think that 1/250 would be just fine--but the manual tells you not to use it.
Jorge68 wrote:
These things are incredible! I got my package today and went outside to give them a try. Look at the distance I'm getting on them! the 5 out 5 means how many times I tested them and how many times they fired. The only time they didn't fire was past 400' and with about 5 houses in between us.
The build of them feels good. The transmitter is tiny as you can see in the picture.
All in all, I'm pretty impressed so far. I'll be taking them out to the beach in a couple days and will check back with you guys.
Oh, I also tried my cheap eBay triggers and only got it to flash once at ~75' and never again.
That's exactly what we get. Reliable to 350', spotty at 400'.
With Nikon D300 sync was perfect at 1/250, very faint bar at 1/320. The delay is 1/4000 second. I believe we are shipping CSR AC version from stock as far as I know. CSRB battery receiver is about two weeks out. We have been tweaking sync circuits so they will fire everything you can connect them to (including cameras with appropriate cord: http://www.flashzebra.com/shutter_pw/index.shtml
First AC receivers failed to trip a couple of flash brands. We have fixes in place - anyone with a problem tripping from first AC CSR can ask for free exchange. CSRB has fix in place and fires everything we have tested.
Receivers are also repeaters so they can go 700' with a repeater.
Made in USA, designed by Paul C. Buff, Inc. and FCC/Industry Canada approved.
paul, wow i have to say that i am a fan for so many reasons.
outstanding products, outstanding customer service, listens to customer demands and monitors FM!
wow, i just ordered a cs transmitter and 4 of the receivers.
i cant wait to test out your new product.
love your products!
Paul Buff wrote:
We have been tweaking sync circuits so they will fire everything you can connect them to
Are there different iterations of the battery-powered receiver floating around, then? Or if one orders the battery-powered receiver, is one sure to get the latest and greatest tweaked version?
I went straight to PW from the junk radio transmitters and never looked back. These new ones seriously might make me move from PW.
Greg Feldman wrote:
Are there different iterations of the battery-powered receiver floating around, then? Or if one orders the battery-powered receiver, is one sure to get the latest and greatest tweaked version?
I went straight to PW from the junk radio transmitters and never looked back. These new ones seriously might make me move from PW.
I was about 5 seconds from buying PocketWizards and i'm so glad I didn't.
Greg Feldman wrote:
Are there different iterations of the battery-powered receiver floating around, then? Or if one orders the battery-powered receiver, is one sure to get the latest and greatest tweaked version?
I went straight to PW from the junk radio transmitters and never looked back. These new ones seriously might make me move from PW.
What advantage do you believe you will gain since you already have PW? Now if you didn't have them already I completely understand.
Just curious if I'm missing something other than $$$
Greg Feldman wrote:
Are there different iterations of the battery-powered receiver floating around, then? Or if one orders the battery-powered receiver, is one sure to get the latest and greatest tweaked version?
I went straight to PW from the junk radio transmitters and never looked back. These new ones seriously might make me move from PW.
There are not different versions of the CSRB. All shipment will contain all improvements. In testing we found a brand or two that they will fire that PW won't.
cordellwillis wrote:
What advantage do you believe you will gain since you already have PW? Now if you didn't have them already I completely understand.
Just curious if I'm missing something other than $$$
Nothing wrong with PW. One thing with CyberSync is size and battery life and hard-switch setting of frequencies. You can expect the transmitter to work for one to two years on a $4 battery and never stray from the frequency setting/mating with receivers. CST/CSR/CSRB are simpler devices in function designed for the primary function most users need.
Future CyberSync products have highly advanced feature when coupled with out light. Our goal is not to go head to head with PW. They will still give you more range and so a variety of things like sequencing, etc.
cordellwillis wrote:
What advantage do you believe you will gain since you already have PW? Now if you didn't have them already I completely understand.
Just curious if I'm missing something other than $$$
There's an advantage only because I'm looking at adding two to three more lights to my kit; for the cost of one more PW (I do already have PWs), I could get a small bucket of Cybersyncs.
That being said, I'll stick with PW for now and wait for reports from those who've used Cybersyncs for a while.
Using CyberSync to actuate the shutter of your camera, second camera or remote camera:
Both the CSR and CSRB receivers are capable of remotely tripping a camera shutter from the CST transmitter test button. You will need an auxiliary remote shutter cable for your particular camera. Flash Zebra carries inexpensive cables for this purpose for many popular cameras at this link: http://www.flashzebra.com/shutter_pw/index.shtml
These cables typically force the camera into continuous focus mode (or you can use manual focus). This is because the camera must be ready to trip when it receives the short fire pulse from the CSR or CSRB receiver.
A major consideration when using CyberSync to trip a camera is the fact that the camera has a few milliseconds of delay between the instant it receives a trip command and the time the mirror flips up and the shutter is opened. Because of this delay, you cannot use the same CST signal that trips the camera to fire your flash units. The flash units would fire before the shutter is open and you will have no exposure. But there is an easy remedy:
Set the CST transmitter that will trip the camera on a certain frequency (call it Frequency A). Use the same frequency on the CSR or CSRB that will trip the camera via remote cable.
Place a second CST on the hotshoe of your camera and set it to a different frequency (Call it Frequency B). Use Frequency B on the CSR or CSRB receiver(s) that are connected to your light(s).
When you press the test button on CST A it will trip the camera. As soon as the camera responds and opens its shutter it will send a trigger signal from CST B on its hotshoe. This will fire the lights on Frequency B in sync with the camera shutter.
Using a local camera, a remote camera and two sets of lights:
Consider the situation where you want to use a local camera in conjunction with a remote camera to take pictures from two angles, with different lighting effects.
Place a CST (Frequency A) on the hotshoe of your local camera. Put CSR or CSRB receiver(s) on Frequency A on the light(s) you wish to use in your local camera shots. This will fire them normally and in sync with the local camera.
Connect the auxiliary shutter release cable of the remote camera to a CSR or CSRB also set to Frequency A. This will trip the remote camera a few milliseconds after your local camera.
Place a second CST on the hotshoe of the remote camera, set to Frequency B. Place additional CSR or CSRB(s) set to Frequency B on the light(s) you wish to use to expose the remote camera. They will now fire in sync with the remote camera. Any flash-sensitive slaves must be disabled for this to work.
It may be possible to trip two or more cameras from a CST using a single set of lights:
But because of shutter response time differences it will probably be necessary to use identical cameras and it may be necessary to use a slower-than-normal exposure time setting on the cameras (perhaps 1/30 to 1/60 second). To attempt this:
Use a CST set to Frequency A as a trigger for all cameras. Connect a CSR or CSRB set on Frequency A to each camera via auxiliary shutter release cables.
Place a CSR set to Frequency B on one of the cameras and place CSR or CSRB receiver(s) on the common flash unit(s).
CST A will trip all cameras when you press the test button. The camera whose hotshoe contains CST B will send a flash command to the common flash unit(s) when its shutter is opened. This will only work if the cameras all have very close to the same shutter delay, and will require some experimentation with which camera contains CST B and with exposure times.
Using CyberSync with battery operated “Speed lights”:
Both the CSR and CSRB should fire virtually all such flash units if the proper connections are made.
Some such flash units employ a female “PC” style sync input. If this is the case, you would simply connect the auxiliary 3.5mm mini-phone male to camera-style “PC” male (included with CSRB) from the CSR or CSRB PC sync input.
If the Speed light has only a hotshoe connection and no sync cord input, you will need an auxiliary “hotshoe to 3.5mm male mini-phone “ adapter. (These are available from Flash Zebra at http://www.flashzebra.com/wizardcables/index.shtml and other sources.) Place your speed light on the hotshoe adapter and plug the 3.5mm plug into the CSR or CSRB.
Using CSR or CSRB with flash units using two-prong household style sync inputs:
