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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> When is huge wireless trigger range important?
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10/18/2011 02:33:38 AM · #1
I have been looking at wireless triggers and receivers. No matter what the brand, nearly all emphasize their long range. I have looked at a number of videos that specifically test the range of the triggers. I am curious to know under what scenarios a photographer would need to fire a flash that is say 100m away from the camera. What kind of photo would they be looking to capture?
I can understand sports photographers having a remote camera and flash next to each other and firing the camera from some distance away ... but when would you want the flash/camera difference to be up to 100m away?
I have thought maybe highlighting a tree well into the background of a shot?
I can understand the advantages of being able to fire strobes that do not have a line of sight and are some distance away ... but there seems to be a selling point focus on huge distances that the triggers can operate over.
Thanks for enlightening me.
10/18/2011 03:20:16 AM · #2

If you are shooting a big track event, you have one camera set up at the finish line with a remote trigger, and you find a good spot to cover the rest of the race. If your trigger limits your distance, it limits your options. That said, I use a $35 Vivitar trigger that may have horrible range, but it was cheap and hasn't failed to trigger at the humble distances I need.
10/18/2011 03:26:26 AM · #3
One of my commercial assignments involved lighting up the "barrel room" at a vineyard to shoot the winemakers in their element. The room held hundreds, maybe thousands of wine barrels and we had probably 10 strobes near and far and were using optical slaves, which thankfully worked most of the time. Radio slaves would have been a Godsend.
10/18/2011 03:32:38 AM · #4
What will do a lot will do a little, what that will do little won't do a lot

Better having more range than you need then your not limited, I've been trying a project to photograph an edge, wish I
Could trigger my flashes from 200metres or more .

So more range doesn't impare you like being limited to line of sight like canons system etc just allows more creativity

Message edited by author 2011-10-18 03:37:34.
10/18/2011 03:44:28 AM · #5
Thankyou so much for increasing my education.
Others - please keep them coming.
I have Nikon gear which can use line-of-sight infrared triggering. At times I have wanted to have a flash out of line-of-sight. I can see wireless triggers being very useful in these situations ... and I am starting to appreciate the value of increased range.
10/18/2011 09:34:07 AM · #6
That's exactly right. I really appreciate the pricey Pocket Wizards, especially when I am placing them around corners and on the other side of center islands in a kitchen. I don't have any problems with flashes not firing and that is peace of mind on a shoot with people counting and waiting on you.

Side story: I used three Cactus V4's for only one photo shoot and I was so frustrated that I immediately replaced them with Pocket Wizards. I later found that the problem was not the Cactus system, but with my hot shoe on my camera instead, so now I have perfectly good wireless triggers that I no longer need.

I'm quoting from the boxes here in front of me...$55.95 for the slave set of two, and $36.99 for the third one. I'll make you a deal on these if you are interested.
10/18/2011 09:46:12 AM · #7
Thanks for the offer. I actually bought a set of four last night but I was intrigued with how many reviews focussed on how far various ones could operate over. I just didn't know/understand when anyone would used them over such long distances. Thanks for your info
10/18/2011 09:57:44 AM · #8
Then check out Joe McNally's blog on flash over a distance for some more great info. I think this will answer many of your questions.

Well, maybe not all of your questions, but it's an interesting related read.

Message edited by author 2011-10-18 10:00:43.
10/18/2011 11:07:31 AM · #9
Originally posted by yakatme:

I'm quoting from the boxes here in front of me...$55.95 for the slave set of two, and $36.99 for the third one. I'll make you a deal on these if you are interested.


I currently only have one flash and know nothing about using it off camera. But, this sounds interesting. How much were you thinking about for the set?
10/18/2011 11:32:43 AM · #10
I think that $60 is fair. That's the price of the slave set of two with the single receiver priced at $36.99 added for free. Again, I used them only once and I can repackage them as I received them.

So, $60 for all three in original packaging plus whatever the cost for shipping.

Sorry, OP, to turn this into a for sale thread.
10/18/2011 11:44:57 AM · #11
All good - share the knowledge and help each other.
10/18/2011 11:49:14 AM · #12
BTW Mark, follow Joe McNally's blog as well as The Strobist Blog to get started with off camera flash.
10/18/2011 11:49:44 AM · #13
Originally posted by yakatme:

Then check out Joe McNally's blog on flash over a distance for some more great info. I think this will answer many of your questions.

Well, maybe not all of your questions, but it's an interesting related read.

Thanks for that - really interesting and definitely the need for a reliable long distance trigger.
Thanks for sharing.
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