Pocket Wizards - can someone clear something up?

Diego Garcia

Diego Garcia

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Hi.

I have been thinking about pocket wizards this week but I cannot get my head around them.

So, I buy a set of PW II and I get one trigger and one receiver. One on camera one on flash number one. However, I have have say four flashes do I then need to buy more receivers or do I set each flash to the same channel as the first flash - which in turn will trigger all.

Any advice?

I suspect I need more receivers which makes them an expensive option, but work coming up may dictate a purchase....

Thanks,

Pete.
 
PWII's are Transceiver's so tt wouldn't matter which one was on camera.

So if you have four flashes that would be 2 double sets = 4, then one single unit, so then you have 5 PW's all together.
 
cherryrig said:
oooooooooooooooooooo

Low Blow

Well at least I went for the money saving way so I could still get a Bronica SQ-A and loads of other stuff

:lol:
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In all seriousness the cost of the PWs really ****es me off. £270 for a grey market pair ?
 
I have the cash waiting, but it seems very expensive for something - but I can appreciate when you need flash to fire, that PW are the way to go.
 
The good thing with PWs is they hold their value, buy them right and if you need to resell at some point down the line then you'll get most if not all of your money back
 
Hi Pete

unless your flash heads have an optical trigger (built in or external) then you need a receiver for each. If they have an optical trigger then you need a receiver for one and as that flashes it will trigger the others. You need one transmitter to trigger the receiver/s. Down side of the optical triggers is they will not work reliably outdoors and are triggered by every body elses flash.

From memory you were/are using canon gear ? If you are talking about using the Canon integrated communications in the 580 heads then this does not work when using external receivers (see http://www.pocketwizard.com/support/faq/ ). I have not personally tried this so if someone has a workaround they will need to chip in. All my work has either used one receiver and the other flashes using an optical trigger or a receiver for each flash (all flashes in manual mode).

If you don't need the range of the PocketWizards (1600 ft) and can accept a lower level of functionality then the Elinchrom Skyports are a good reliable alternative.

Sure I don't have to say this but avoid the cheap ebay triggers like the plague :)

John
 
jpwone said:
Hi Pete

unless your flash heads have an optical trigger (built in or external) then you need a receiver for each. If they have an optical trigger then you need a receiver for one and as that flashes it will trigger the others. You need one transmitter to trigger the receiver/s. Down side of the optical triggers is they will not work reliably outdoors and are triggered by every body elses flash.

From memory you were/are using canon gear ? If you are talking about using the Canon integrated communications in the 580 heads then this does not work when using external receivers (see http://www.pocketwizard.com/support/faq/ ). I have not personally tried this so if someone has a workaround they will need to chip in. All my work has either used one receiver and the other flashes using an optical trigger or a receiver for each flash (all flashes in manual mode).

If you don't need the range of the PocketWizards (1600 ft) and can accept a lower level of functionality then the Elinchrom Skyports are a good reliable alternative.

Sure I don't have to say this but avoid the cheap ebay triggers like the plague :)

John
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I use Nikon SB800'S and SB600's - any good ?
 
Consider the Skyports, they are excellent performers, reasonably priced, more compact and effectively 32 channel.

Get the PW's if you need greater than a 500 foot range (which are the Skyports limit).

One other thing, RadioPoppers are a new release which will be available in the UK soon, they are able to extend the Nikon CLS system; meaning you can change your flash power directly from your camera. Bonus.
 
cherryrig said:
Whats soo low level about the Skyports then???
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Definitely not low level but certainly a lower level of functionality than PocketWizards. I have the Skyports and when purchased they were chosen in preference to the PocketWizards. I wanted the lower profile transmitter (for event work), did not need the 1600ft range, nothing to choose between them reliability wise, did not need the light meter compatibility, did not need the relay function and the Skyports were significantly cheaper.

The Skyports have proven to be very reliable and easy to use and if I had to make the same decision today then I would still get the Skyports.

John
 
Pete, there is newish product out called the Radiopopper which is only available in the states at the moment. Basically it converts the infra-red iTTL information from your SU-800 to a radio signal for greater range and the receiving unit converts it back to IR which means you retain the full functionality of CLS with the range of PW's.

I'm not sure when or if they will be introduced over here but they might be worth looking at.
 
gwgw said:
When would you need flash at 1600 feet:thinking:
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You can also use Pocket Wizards to do more than trigger a flash, you can also use them to fire a remote camera.If you watch any big football match you'll see lone cameras sitting behind the goals with PW receivers on them. This means that the photographer can be covering another part of the pitch, without missing out on the goal shots :thumbs:
 
gwgw said:
When would you need flash at 1600 feet:thinking:
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The triggers effective range is up to 1600 ft.

Example. Your shooting a sporting event and have been permitted to use a series of flashes. You also have a remote camera with a wide angle attached that you wish to trigger also.
Your remote camera along with your strobes are (for arguments sake), 1000 ft away from you but close to the action, you and your primary camera wish to trigger everything simultaneously. PW's, skyports and pulsars grant such facilities.

T.
 
It's also handy if you are photographing dodgy-looking, leather-clad Village People refugees and don't want to get too close...

_TOM0415-EditII.jpg


:lol: :lol:
 
Flash In The Pan said:
You can also use Pocket Wizards to do more than trigger a flash, you can also use them to fire a remote camera.If you watch any big football match you'll see lone cameras sitting behind the goals with PW receivers on them. This means that the photographer can be covering another part of the pitch, without missing out on the goal shots :thumbs:
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Have just tested mine, used 3pw's and canon st-e2 to remotely fire 2 cameras with 2 remote flashes worked like a dream. but i think Nikons lack of a st-e2 type transmitter is a problem for Pete.:shrug:
 
I still don't understand mate, If I want to trigger a bunch of strobes and a bunch of remote camera's, I don't need the equivalent to a Canon St-e2.
Nikon flashes have CLS built in.[/QUOTE]

Sorry mate, i didnt realise Nikon flashes worked remotely without a master unit on camera.:shrug:
 
madmitch said:
Sorry mate, i didnt realise Nikon flashes worked remotely without a master unit on camera.:shrug:
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No worries Mitch :thumbs: Yeah they do, they have optical slave sensor jobbie doodads, loadsa Canon shooters use em too :naughty:
 
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