Frustration Concerning Radio Slaves

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III

01/27/2010 03:52:30 PM · #1

Ok peeps, help me out. I was pretty much a tard when ordering my new slave, a PocketWizard Plus II, and just now read the fine print saying i need two. Doh!

so, do i send it back, or buy a second one? Or get something else?

I feel like an idiot, and am rather disappointed in myself for ordering without completely understanding.

help?

RamblinR

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro

01/27/2010 04:03:44 PM · #2

I don't know how much work you proposed for your pocketwizards but there are other cheaper brands on the market that would fit the bill and you could end up with a transmitter and a few receivers for less than the price of the one pocketwizard. Best to checkout strobist.com forum. Lots of newer reliable and cheap triggers are now available.

Nikon AF-S DX 18-105 f/3.5-5.6 ED VR

01/27/2010 04:08:18 PM · #3

ok! ill check it out. thanks

JimiRose

Nikon D90

01/27/2010 04:21:53 PM · #4

From what I could work out recently RF-602 triggers seem to be all the rage amongst strobist types these days. They're more reliable apparently, I personally have the PT-04 triggers and haven't had many problems with them. Both of these are lower quality than pocket wizards though (by long shot), so it depends how much you intend to use them, whether you need absolute reliability (as in the will fire every time without fail) and if you need to put your flash 1000 feet away. I ticked the "not really" box for all of the above and so got the cheapies.

Here's a link to the RF-602 on ebay! You can get different numbers of receivers so snoop around for a good deal.

RamblinR

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro

01/27/2010 04:28:59 PM · #5

Yes, I have the RF-602 and they are great. No misfires. Purchased two triggers and 3 receivers for about half the price of one pocket wizard.

Here's a link to the strobist thread - it would pay to have a read.

Strobist RF602

I think there are some others being discussed also.
With your 5dMarkII you need to check that no banding is created by the triggers (have noticed some with 5d's complain about banding) so keep that in mind when reading the threads.

smardaz

01/27/2010 04:51:46 PM · #6

Originally posted by LadyK:

Ok peeps, help me out.

I'm a little rusty on my early 90's white girl gangsta ;)

01/27/2010 05:20:37 PM · #7

Originally posted by smardaz:

Originally posted by LadyK:
Ok peeps, help me out.

I'm a little rusty on my early 90's white girl gangsta ;)

hey at least i didnt throw in a 'yo yo yo bitchas!'

smardaz

01/27/2010 05:42:55 PM · #8

Originally posted by LadyK:

Originally posted by smardaz:

Originally posted by LadyK:
Ok peeps, help me out.

I'm a little rusty on my early 90's white girl gangsta ;)

hey at least i didnt throw in a 'yo yo yo bitchas!'

LOL! that woulda been sweet!

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

01/27/2010 06:50:37 PM · #9

ok im still kinda confused. there are pages and pages of feedback on any given thread, and i only have the energy to read about one huge long page before i lose concentration and forget half the feedback im reading.

also, what is banding? i saw it mentioned a few times but still dont know what it is

smardaz

01/27/2010 07:47:15 PM · #10

Originally posted by LadyK:

also, what is banding? i saw it mentioned a few times but still dont know what it is

i think thats when 3 or 4 dudes get togther with some drums and guitars....

chromeydome

Nikon D7000

01/27/2010 08:10:34 PM · #11

can't say anything about Pocket Wizards based on direct experience (never used them), but I was at a PW-sponsored workshop where they were handing out free emi shield "socks" (aka "canon condoms") to cover Canon speedlights and emi hotshoe adapters to mount them with, so as to contain the interference generated by the Canon speedlights that messed with the PWs.

I use Paul Buff Cybersyncs all the time and they are reliable, inexpensive, and come from a company with superb customer service. So if you asked ME to resolve your situation, I would return the PW and get the cybersyncs. But that's just me. And I am a Nikon guy, so we probably cannot trust each other anyway!! :-)

Message edited by author 2010-01-27 20:12:08.

PhotoDave

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II

01/27/2010 08:23:51 PM · #12

I have the pocket wizzards PlusII's and you do need at least 2 of them, the newest PW's I do know have a problem with interference but not the plusII's AFAIK.

I havent used the Cybersyncs but never heard anything bad about them, Im actually considering on selling off my PW's to buy the Cybersyncs but for the only reason is I have 3 AB strobes and with their new commander it can control the output of the lights remotely which would be kinda handy...

-dave

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

01/27/2010 08:24:30 PM · #13

Originally posted by LadyK:

also, what is banding? i saw it mentioned a few times but still dont know what it is

It's pretty much just what it sounds like. You see distinct "bands" or stripes of noise in your shots. Some banding is visible in a large fraction of DSLR images if you process them hard enough, but it is usually not noticeable. The banding caused by radio frequency devices (which the triggers fall into) happens because you've put a radio transmitter in close proximity to a sensitive electronic device, and the device picks up some of the transmitted signal.
The 5D (don't know about the Mk II) is known to be somewhat more sensitive to this than some other DSLRs.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

01/27/2010 09:09:34 PM · #14

oh! well thanks kirbic for the banding info; ive never had that happen before, and ive used a radio slave, so maybe its just not a problem for the 5dii

and also thanks chromeydome, ill check out the cybercyncs, but ill be sure to ask someone who isnt on the dark side;)

MattO

Nikon D4

01/27/2010 09:36:52 PM · #15

I use Cybersyncs on my 580EXII's and my AB800's. 100% reliability and amazingly cheap considering. I have the battery operated receivers, all functions of the flash are manual, but that is fine by me. :D

Matt

01/27/2010 09:40:36 PM · #16

Originally posted by MattO:

oh cool! i have the 580exII too, so thats good they all cooperate together.is it possible for me to use it on camera and have the trasmitter on camera as well, via a PC connection or something?

PhotoDave

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II

01/27/2010 09:41:48 PM · #17

Both Cybersyncs and PW's are good AFAIK, its what you want out of them really... kinda like Mac and PC.

and the PW's are so easy a child can use them LMAO...

spiritualspatula

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX100

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

01/27/2010 10:27:19 PM · #18

Also don't forget that there has been some variance in real-world vs purported sync speed on the 5dmkII. Strobist discussion of that....

MattO

Nikon D4

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

01/28/2010 12:49:25 AM · #19

Originally posted by LadyK:

Originally posted by MattO:
I use Cybersyncs on my 580EXII's and my AB800's. 100% reliability and amazingly cheap considering. I have the battery operated receivers, all functions of the flash are manual, but that is fine by me. :D

Matt

oh cool! i have the 580exII too, so thats good they all cooperate together.is it possible for me to use it on camera and have the trasmitter on camera as well, via a PC connection or something?

I don't know, when I want off camera flash that means I don't want any on the camera. :D The good thing about the Cybersyncs, is the battery operated ones come with the cable you need to connect it to your 580EXII. The Pocketwizards and others will require that you buy a cable separate I believe.

Matt

01/28/2010 01:49:37 PM · #20

Originally posted by MattO:

Originally posted by LadyK:

Originally posted by MattO:
I use Cybersyncs on my 580EXII's and my AB800's. 100% reliability and amazingly cheap considering. I have the battery operated receivers, all functions of the flash are manual, but that is fine by me. :D

Matt

oh cool! i have the 580exII too, so thats good they all cooperate together.is it possible for me to use it on camera and have the trasmitter on camera as well, via a PC connection or something?

I don't know, when I want off camera flash that means I don't want any on the camera. :D The good thing about the Cybersyncs, is the battery operated ones come with the cable you need to connect it to your 580EXII. The Pocketwizards and others will require that you buy a cable separate I believe.

Matt

these days ive gotten so used to having an on camera flash as well as the strobes(to set them off since my radio slave wasnt working) that i kinda enjoy a real low light from on camera. thats just moi though:)

01/28/2010 02:01:28 PM · #21

question, whats the difference between the AC powered and battery powered cybersyncs?

mpeters

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

01/28/2010 02:29:00 PM · #22

AC's need external power-- wall plug or battery pack... Battery powered use 2 AA's for power. Two thumbs up for cybersyncs from me.

01/28/2010 02:37:52 PM · #23

Originally posted by mpeters:

AC's need external power-- wall plug or battery pack... Battery powered use 2 AA's for power. Two thumbs up for cybersyncs from me.

but the ACs get power from the strobe itself, right? so wouldnt that be a better option then batteries which can run dead eventually

mpeters

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

01/28/2010 03:03:44 PM · #24

Originally posted by LadyK:

Originally posted by mpeters:
AC's need external power-- wall plug or battery pack... Battery powered use 2 AA's for power. Two thumbs up for cybersyncs from me.

but the ACs get power from the strobe itself, right? so wouldnt that be a better option then batteries which can run dead eventually

I would say that the AA powered cyncs are more flexible--in case you want to attach them to a hot shoe flash for instance. I have found the battery life to be virtually unlimited. A couple of weddings, a few portraits, some other misc shoots...still going strong.