triggers. How good are the 602s *actually*? vs pws.

itsdavedotnet

itsdavedotnet

Suspended / Banned
Messages
5,864
Edit My Images
No
so I've got ****ed off one too many times by chinese crap. most of the time I just use cls, or optical slave my studio lights, but do need radio triggers for other uses and for remote camera triggering.

Happy to buy pocket wizards if it really comes down to it, but in all honesty that money would be better spent elsewhere, and I couldn't get a -full- set of pocketwizards (ie 6 or 7) right now.

For hard, regular, professional use, do the 602s even stand a chance next to pocket wizards as a reliable option?

End of the day, I want reliable triggers that take useful batteries (ideally AAs) that can keep up at 8fps every time over a good distance. Don't care about the hot shoe, would always rather trust a metal cold shoe to do the holding and put the trigger on a lanyard. Nothing more.

Sadly, the phottix atlas is sufficiently expensive that I might as well just buy second hand or imported pocket wizards. Don't like skyports, no interchangeable battery is a dealbreaker. Radiopopper looks a neat system but they're dragging their arse on the Eu version of the JRX system. Cybersyncs from PCB eu are so expensive I might as well get PWs.

I like the look of the R7 variant, because of the 'fire all' channel, and that it all takes AAA batteries, no fiddly transmitter battery.

Any thoughts or experiences? 'most of the time' doesn't cut it any more. How well do they play with eneloop AAA batteries? Do they have a hole to put a lanyard on them?
 
Last edited:
I can't comment on other makes vs PW's, but I've got 5 pw's all running on eneloops and have no problems with misfires or anything with them. They don't look like expensive kit but the plastic casing is surprisingly tough.
The reason I went with them is because I'd heard of mis-fire situations with the cheaper ones, and for my work, I can't possibly be doing with that. I also had a job shooting across a quarry and they were the only transmitters with the range.
 
I've just changed over from the cheap ebay triggers to 602's, so much better. They always fire, use normal AAA battery's, and the flash can be directly mounted on to them, on more stupid PC cable.
 
I had cheapy ones and used it for about an hour before putting away and forgetting them.

Got the 602's recently and they are excellent. The only misfires I get are when the batteries (aaa's) need replacing.
 
I'd love to do a side-by-side with these both in the field and in a studio.
So, who has 3 x PWs and a studio that is up for it?
 
getnoticed said:
I'd love to do a side-by-side with these both in the field and in a studio.
So, who has 3 x PWs and a studio that is up for it?
Click to expand...

from everything that I've heard, and indeed most of the problems that I can see with them, is not the reliability of the triggering, and more the ergonomics, batteries etc.

Either way, think I'm buying some later. Full set including pc sync cables will run me about £100 - the price of 1 second hand pocket wizard.
 
I have rf602 and they are okay, so far no problems :D but for professional use I guess they won't do. Don't have PW, but comparing to the elinchrom skyports they feel better built (more solid)
 
kokakaste2 said:
I have rf602 and they are okay, so far no problems :D but for professional use I guess they won't do. Don't have PW, but comparing to the elinchrom skyports they feel better built (more solid)
Click to expand...

Based on what?
 
I see no reason that the RF-602's couldn't be used for professional use

One thing I would love to see for the RF-602's is a locking mechanism so that there was zero chance of them falling out of a shoe. But assuming the bracket you have has a clamp this is unlikely to happen.
 
Better.

(Extensive user of PWs and now 602s.)
 
Last edited:
guybrush said:
Based on what?
Click to expand...

I was gonna ask that too. Given that generally "for professional use" you're using studio lights (that don't have TTL anyway), reliability is all that counts - which no issues on that score ever seem to be reported with RF-602s.

I've used them myself with Elinchrom, Bowens, Interfit and Lastolite studio strobes with no problems whatsoever. A couple of times I've been in studios where they've been using the cheap 433Mhz Cactus and other triggers that have had constant misfires or have randomly been triggered by surrounding electronics when I'm not even shooting - or worse, just as I'm about to shoot meaning they haven't recycled by the time I need them. The minute I switch out their triggers for my own RF-602s, all problems go away.

I've used them with Nikon SB-600, SB-800 and SB-900 flashes, Yongnuo YN460-II flashes and a couple of Canon speedlights (I honestly couldn't tell you the models, I wasn't really paying attention), all triggered off both Nikon and Canon bodies (the only issue with using the Nikon trigger on a Canon body was the lack of a "wakeup" signal, which isn't really an issue. If you're mixing the wrong trigger on a body, just press the test button to wake 'em up, then take your shot).
 
getnoticed said:
One thing I would love to see for the RF-602's is a locking mechanism so that there was zero chance of them falling out of a shoe. But assuming the bracket you have has a clamp this is unlikely to happen.
Click to expand...

Unlikely, but still possible. I've had a couple work their way out of the stroboframe style shoes on windy days with the stand staked down into the ground and a 43" brolly rockin' the top.

I've also accidentally overtightened one of the shoes and mutilated the foot on the RF-602 receiver - although it just bent, it didn't snap off; the plastic from which it's made is not brittle.

It bent back into shape with little issue, but it has white stress marks, so I try not to use that particular receiver any more unless I know I'm ok to have it dangling on a PC cord (like when I'm using my Strobies XS bracket, or when I'm using it as a remote trigger setup for a second body).

Edit : Just noticed this comment in the OP. The standard RF-602s also have a "fire all" channel, although AAA batteries in the transmitter is handy. Does anybody have one of these transmitters and can indeed confirm that it's compatible with normal RF-602 receivers?
 
Last edited:
getnoticed said:
I see no reason that the RF-602's couldn't be used for professional use

One thing I would love to see for the RF-602's is a locking mechanism so that there was zero chance of them falling out of a shoe. But assuming the bracket you have has a clamp this is unlikely to happen.
Click to expand...

The version that I linked has a transmitter that looks the same as the receivers, and has a lock on the transmitter hot shoe.

Kaouthia said:
I was gonna ask that too. Given that generally "for professional use" you're using studio lights (that don't have TTL anyway), reliability is all that counts - which no issues on that score ever seem to be reported with RF-602s.


stuff
Click to expand...

Studio use is the single least demanding task that I'll be asking of them lol... I usually just pop a flash in manual mode on my camera in the studio tbh.

cheers for the opinions everyone, reassured me that I can get away with the 602s. Niiiice. :)
 
guybrush said:
Based on what?
Click to expand...

some people had problems with battery contacts, but they are cheap enough to be replaced easily. Just something I would not want to try to fix in front of clients. Other than that there is no real reason why not. :D I keep my rf602 as back up now, or when I need remote for camera.
 
Kaouthia said:
Edit : Just noticed this comment in the OP. The standard RF-602s also have a "fire all" channel, although AAA batteries in the transmitter is handy. Does anybody have one of these transmitters and can indeed confirm that it's compatible with normal RF-602 receivers?
Click to expand...

they're not compatible with the normal rf602s, according to the linkdelight posts. Does seem a bit strange, but eh. I'm buying enough that I likely won't need to buy any more anyway.
 
I've never had a problem with my 602's either, they never misfire.
OP... 8FPS? I'm thinking your flashes might not recharge that quickly.
 
No reliability issues with mine either. Fire every time over any distance I'm ever likely to use them. The only advantage of PW's is you can high speed sync them with dslr's that allow it.
 
Kaouthia said:
Edit : Just noticed this comment in the OP. The standard RF-602s also have a "fire all" channel, although AAA batteries in the transmitter is handy. Does anybody have one of these transmitters and can indeed confirm that it's compatible with normal RF-602 receivers?
Click to expand...

I just got mine from here. In the text it says the following about a "fire-all" channel:

"16 operating channels for eliminating interference, using externally selectable dip switches. 15 channels are independent, and one channel is a Master channel (all switches up, or ON). Set the Tx to this channel and all Rx's will fire regardless of the channel they are set to. This allows zoning of flashes, but be careful not to trigger other photographer's equipment, so use this Master setting with care!"
 
Last edited:
itsdavedotnet said:
they're not compatible with the normal rf602s, according to the linkdelight posts. Does seem a bit strange, but eh. I'm buying enough that I likely won't need to buy any more anyway.
Click to expand...

Not that strange, they're just using their own communication protocol that's different from the RF-602s. I have the MC-36R intervalometer remote from Yongnuo which is also 2.4Ghz but that's not compatible with the RF-602 receivers either. To trigger multiple cameras, I have to put the MC-36R receiver to the 10-pin port on one camera, then an RF-602 Tx on that cameras' hot shoe to RC-602 Rx on the two other bodies.

I was just hoping that I could pick up one of their transmitters to replace the RF-602 ones - AAA batteries in the transmitter would be very handy, but not handy enough to replace 3 transmitters and 7 receivers. :)

SparkUK said:
OP... 8FPS? I'm thinking your flashes might not recharge that quickly.
Click to expand...

It depends on your flash power (and whether you use external battery packs if using speedlights and they support it). I've had my D300s firing at 8fps, with three SB-900s, an SB-600 and two YN460-II flashes on 6 receivers at minimum power, and all 6 fired every single time for 4 or 5 burst til the buffer was full (it was one of the first tests I did when I got them).
 
I have the rf602's that FITP was selling used them at a wedding not one misfire, wake up function was great feature over my old crappy ebay triggers.

Used them to remotley fire the camera too, saves buying a dedicated remote for the camera.
 
Just to clarify, the R7 isn't a new version of the RF602, they're from a completely different manufacturer and not compatible...
 
Flash In The Pan said:
Just to clarify, the R7 isn't a new version of the RF602, they're from a completely different manufacturer and not compatible...
Click to expand...

thought so. cheers for clearing it up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top