New Wireless devices from PocketWizard!

[freddepp]

Originally Posted by aram535

Damnation. I was really looking forward to these.

Just out of curiosity, what was the problem with the ABs. I think I just read that the problem was resolved but not how. (Since all of strobes are ABs)

Good Q. Ready to invest in the ABs cause of the price difference to the PWs. The studio I rent time with has Calumet strobes, I use Vivitar 285HV for remote strobe and haven't decide between the ABs and the Caluments (or ?) on mono-strobes for myself yet.

[DaveL]

Pocketwizard today released new firmware for the FlexTT5 and the MiniTT1. I updated my Mini, and then found out my FlexTT5 is bad (wouldn't show the hardware version when attached to the pocketwizard utility). The nice folks at PW are sending me a new one.

The new firmware is supposed to work on Speedlite 550EX and 420 EX 's! Yes! Unfortunately I don't have my Flex to test it

Also, they have released a new ulitity, 1.18 (the old one was 1.15).

[Athena]

Since I am overseas, they'll have to sort this all out before I'd be willing to invest in the new gear.

[deluco]

At $419.00 for a set (transmitter and receiver), it's a bit much in my opinion. You're better off shooting Manual mode for consistency, or Auto mode....just one person's opinion.

[DaveL]

I tend to agree with you. It's not uncommon for me to end up shooting in manual mode, anyway. My real thought was I wanted to move the speedlite off of my camera and on a stand - that would lessen the weight I am holding and I wouldn't need my flash bracket. In hindsight, I should have bought 1 mini and used it to fire the old pocketwizards.

You have to wonder the cost to manufacture one of these..... especially for the plus 2's.

Thanks for your comment.

[DaveL]

I got my FlexTT5 back from pw. It works!! I can put the mini on my camera, then put my 550EX on the flex, and it works in E-TTL. Remember, though, you have to set the zoom manually (because the pw's can't know how far from the subject the Flex is!!)

If I put the Flex on my camera, and put the 550EX on the Flex, it works just like the Flex isn't there. I have full automatic E-TTL operation and I have zoom! Yea!!

NOW THE BUMMER.

The 550EX will NOT fire in the hot shoe of the mini. Pocketwizard's site says the 550EX CANNOT be used in the hot shoe of the mini. Only a 580EX-II (must be II) will work.

I would strongly suggest do not buy the mini - buy the Flex instead. I am trying to return my mini now and get a second flex. To me, the mini (with anything other than a 580EX-II) is pretty useless.

It's my opinion that PW really screwed the pooch is releasing these too soon.

[Athena]

oh bummer - I have the 580ex, but it is not a II

[DaveL]

OK, now I have two Flex's, 3 550ex's, and a Canon 40D. The pw folks have been very nice. Now, I can mount a 550ex on the flex, on my 40D. The e-ttl seems to work just fine. It also will fire the remote 550ex mounted in a second flex, but it seems the auto adjustments are working. I have just updated with the latest firmware, too.

At least now I can use the Flex's! I also want to make some type of a mount for the remote flex so I dont' screw up the contacts (the bases from the 550ex's are a little hard to slide on and off).

[Athena]

So are these things fixed now? Everyone who has them using them happily?

[Killjoy]

I understand that there is a new RF shield for the new pocket wizards too?

[cyclohexane]

This is the solution, apparently: SnapFactory Blog Blog Archive PocketWizard RF Soft Shield is Free

Some more commentary: http://strobist.blogspot.com/2009/10...-rf-noise.html

Personally, I'll be very apprehensive when/if the Nikon TTL versions come out. Weren't they supposed to be here half a year ago? I'm a huge advocate for Pocket Wizard products, but these Flex/TT things scare the crap out of me. I know LPA was saying that the Nikon ones didn't display the same RFI problems, but then why aren't they out yet?

[Athena]

So if I were about to buy a couple of pocketwizards, would you suggest I buy the old style ones? I want to go ahead and order them now so that they are without doubt delivered and ready for me when I get to the states.

[cyclohexane]

I would wait until someone who has used the Flex units with the shielding comments.

I own 4 Pocket Wizard MultiMax units, and they have been extremely reliable units for what I've been doing (firing arena strobes, remote cameras, remote flash units). Of course, you don't get TTL and all the fancy new features, but I can tell you that they work extremely well.

Keep in mind LPA makes both US FCC and CE compliant models of their products, so depending on where you are using them I'd look into getting the correct ones for your region. If you are using them out of region once every now and then I'm sure any version is fine.

[Athena]

I'm in Europe now. I checked inside Switzerland, and I can so far only find the new units. After all the problems with them I am just not sure about getting those. They are also a good deal more expensive here, as a lot of things are...

[Killjoy]

I can't really say how good the new ones are, as I only used them once.
And even then it was a group decision that it was best that we set everything to manual.

Let's see if we can get Dwight McCann to chime in. I know he has a set of them.

[dwightmccann]

I do have a TT1 and three TT5s (and four Plus II's) along with three 580EX II's. I have not used them to speak of at this point. I did use the TT1 to fire studio strobes with a PLUS II. After about 650 firings I started getting misfires where the TT1 did not go off ... switched off and on and got a few more firings and limped through the rest of the shoot. I should order a couple of batteries but there's no way to tell what the problem is. My query to LPA about number of firings got the expected non-answer smoke and mirrors about good and bad batteries but not one single number as a neighborhood.

I'm not very impressed with E-TTL II in general. It seems almost useless to me and I am having to use FEC a heck of a lot. I attended a seminar with Canon Reps a few months back and they did the same thing and when put to the question as to what good E-TTL II was they danced around and waved their hands ... they shot tethered to a laptop and used Bridge to keep adjusting their exposure. I thought that's what E-TTL II was supposed to do for you. Oh, well! It's almost like shooting manual. My experience is that exposures vary hugely for what is essentially the same subject in the same lighting. I loved the Nikon flash system when I was a Nikon shooter.
Killjoy was one of half a dozen guys who used my TT's (while I did something else) and they wound up going with manual at a POTN BBQ event I host every year. Anyway, I am not a pixel peeper/experimentalist/hobbyist. I don't waste my time testing the bejeesus out of equipment, measuring to the micron how far I can safely trigger flashes, etc., etc. I set things up for what I want to do, test to ensure they'll work and use them. If they don't work, I either use a backup of another sort or abandon that process and then bitch later like a wildman.

Actually, one of my biggest uses will be for remote shooting with bodies mounted in lighting trusses at professional boxing at the casino where I work. I did one quick test to be sure my cables worked. I will do some additional tests at home mostly to ensure that I get a little experience before I need them.

My recommendation at this time would be to stick with the least you require. If you don't need E-TTL (I'm not sure who needs it!) or a few of the other features such as power conservation or enhanced HSS then get the older ones. If you need the new features then get them with the caveat that they are unlikely to be flawless. Be sure you are comfortable with the firmware updating utility and read the manual several times. It's best to belong to a forum where you can get help and discuss your issues.

To answer the question that's sure to pop up as to why I got the new ones when I could get along with the Plus II's, I got 'em because I wanted to! LOL. Honest. They sounded neat and I don't have to justify any of my camera equipment purchases as my business picks up the tab. Don't even ask about the equipment I have that has been unpacked but not used, sigh ... that money could equip many of you.

[Athena]

Thanks Dwight - that was a very nice write up. I'm not so sure I need or would use the ETTL.

I think I am going to go with the old versions. Are you happy with your Plus II's?

[Killjoy]

Originally Posted by dwightmccann

Don't even ask about the equipment I have that has been unpacked but not used, sigh ... that money could equip many of you.

You know I'm just a few hours up the road from you. I'd be MORE than happy to help you out with that little problem.

Thanks for the review of the Pocket Wizards.

[Athena]

Originally Posted by cyclohexane

Keep in mind LPA makes both US FCC and CE compliant models of their products, so depending on where you are using them I'd look into getting the correct ones for your region. If you are using them out of region once every now and then I'm sure any version is fine.

ok, coming back to this. I just read another thread that mentioned this and now I am a bit concerned. How serious is it to use the wrong on for one's region? My light meter came from the states and already has a transmitter in it. If I get the CE compliant models, are they going to work with my light meter?

[EOS_JD]

Originally Posted by Athena

ok, coming back to this. I just read another thread that mentioned this and now I am a bit concerned. How serious is it to use the wrong on for one's region? My light meter came from the states and already has a transmitter in it. If I get the CE compliant models, are they going to work with my light meter?

Possibly not! If they work on different frequencies, they won't communicate to each other.