WTA: Flash & Pocket Wizards

[Michael]

After trying out the Pocket Wizards, I am very tempted to get a pair.

However, browsing through their site, I'm confused by the types of PW they have.
PW Plus II? MultiMax? Wtf?

The thing that really gets me lost is the vast amount of cables they have.
What's all the difference? Why do I see sync cables, pre trigger cables etc?

[boredphuck]

get the pw2 la. i just ordered mine. unless u feeling rich then get the multimax. i am not sure abt the cables thing though. someone told me i can't trigger my 580 with the cables that come with the kit. 

[Michael]

Yeah probably that. I was trying the MultiMax today. OMG x 3.

The cables are a bit confusing though. Especially the requirement to:
- Trigger the camera's shutter via PW
- Trigger the 550EX/580EX
- Trigger other 3rd party flashes
- Trigger studio strobes

If only there were more descriptions...

[Dream Merchant]

I think there are discussion regarding this, as well as the confusing cabling for Skyports on other forums.

[Michael]

paste paste here ^_^

[Dream Merchant]

Don't be lazy lah! Do a search! I've found that by searching and reading through various threads, especially on POTN, I can pick up a lot more info that's useful/pertains to off-shoe strobe work.

[Michael]

-poke- -poke-

Unker help a bit la... Be kind... Once I have acquired the items, we can go shoot. *hints*

[Dream Merchant]

No need to bribe me, unless it's a 1D Mk II and above, or a 50-500L 1.8 IS and 5 Blangah to carry it. 

Hang on - I'll do a search later and see what I come up with.

[Dream Merchant]

Here's something to start you off: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG7pcJCD9G4&eurl=http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101-pc-cords-and-pocket.html

One guy using 3 PWs, 2 Canon speedlights, 2 hotshoe adapters and power packs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsfIn5HpXiU&feature=related

I would seriously search the strobist website, flickr discussion groups and POTN for more discussions regarding real-life operations and problems/solutions.


I suspect that if you're using a basic 2 or 3 light set-up, since you can't use ETTL or whatever, it should be fairly basic:

1) On Cam PW fired by hotshoe, or a cam to PW jack (for what appears to be more advanced, more complicated set-ups),

2) One Hotshoe adapter with a PC cord socket for each speedlight/PW receiver set-up and standard PC cords


The same goes for other brand speedlights, only with the omission of the hotshoe adapters since most other flash have a PC socket.

For studio strobes, it would be a PC to 5mm plug cord - pretty much the standard cord used with any studio strobe.

According to the first video, it gets a bit more complicated if you want to control relays.



Here's a pix of that 'infamous' Sentosa shoot with PWs hooked up to both studio strobes and speedlight but it looks like he has an off-shoe sync cord in place of a generic cord to hook up the PW to a relay box, and the PW is plugged into the camera's PC cord socket, and the relay box is further connected to the speedlight, which has a hotshoe adapter. The PW was used to transmit to my Metz flash and someone else's oncam strobe.





If it's any consolation, Skyports seem to be 'cleaner' to set-up, but I guess it all depends on one's set-up: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=397418&page=3

[boredphuck]

someone told me i can use the kit cable without any extras with my 580 mk 2. someone told me cannot. which is which sia!

[Dream Merchant]

If this (http://inpsytes.com/feed_main.xml) is what you're getting outta the box, then you should be able to use the providecd cord because the 580 EX II should have a PC socket in the foot of the flash. Users of the EX I or lower models would need a PC to hotshoe adapter.

[boredphuck]

dunno leh. someone says the pc socket dont work in manual mode.

[deadpoet]

If money is at a constraint, I will buy the best of whatever I need, and duplicate for spare.

Since I doubt anyone here can claim that, and we are photographers, we have to ask one simple question, what do we need to help us make better picture.

Assuming we all have a decent camera and a decent lens, what's next.

What is photography in technical terms?  Painting with lights.  Without lights, there will be no photography.  One thing that I have been ammused is, the lack of interest in lightings.

Lighting equipment, especially light modifiers, seems to be not "sexy" enough, but I can assure you that, used correctly, they will probably be the biggest "X" factor in your shot.

That said, will the PWII at approx US$400 a pair, gives you that "X" factor?  Well, that depends on what you shoot, what is your typical set up, and the enviroment you shoot in.  I dare say, for most of the shot we shoot, the PW will definately look sexy, but will the picture look "sexy" too,  case by case.

We all shoot with limitations. 

After long delibration, seems like everytime I go back to SF I have similar delibrations regarding equipment acquisition, I decided against PW at this time.

I rather buy an extra flash, another strobe, an extra unbrella, another soft box, I believe they server my purpose much better.

I am also learning the good and the bad of the STE2.  There is really 2 bad things about this trigger.  1) the flash and the trigger must be line of sight and within approx 60 degree angle, and 2) a relative limited range.  Both of the situation, a PW will fix, and a cheaper, much cheaper wireless trigger will fix in most situation.  However, the question lies, how often do you have the flash so far away from the camera, extremely rarely, and the line of sight is totall obstructed, jsut happen to me the other day.  So, come up with a work around.  Even thought I was fustrated that the STE2 was not able to trigger the flash in that instant, it was working like a charm with 99.9% of the time.

When shooting indoor, this is not a problem.  I had one of the 580 behind the sofa where the model was sitting, it still fired.  It didn't when I put the 580 immediately behind the model on the bed (I think the fabric was not reflecting the IR signal).  the work around is, I now use a hammerhead or another flash with a slave trigger for these situation.  Fixed.

One very useful but frequently over looked options, is the ratio settings on the STE2 and the flash settings on the camera.  Used together, I found them very convienent, especially when I am shooting outdoor, and had no PA running around adjusting light settings for me.

To each their own, but, get the basics first - lights, before getting sexy.

Don't get me wrong, I will get the PW one of these days, but I am getting my lights first.

[Michael]

What's the range of the ST-E2?

I've heard of the feasibility of getting a PT04 china brand wireless trigger.
However, reports are suggesting it isn't as reliable as many claim.

[deadpoet]

Specs range is about about 10-15 meter, depending on indoor/outdoor and lighting conditions.  Under harsh sun light, it's shorter.

Effective range is about 15 meter indoor and about 7-8 meter ourdoor.  At night, it can get to about 12 meter outdoor.

And in low light situation, makes focusing so much simplier.

I think both the PW or similar radio frequency wireless transmitter and the dedicate ETTL STE2 serves different purposes. And depending on the shooting enviroment and demands, each has its pros and cons.