smaller options to pocketwizard?

Hi all,

 

Right now, I'm using the chinese radio triggers off of ebay. They work most of

the time. The pc-sync sockets on the back are a bit finicky and I've damaged

each of them at least once just through normal use.

 

One thing I like about the units, though, is the size of the transmitter. It's

just a little "puck" that fits in the hotshoe, but also has a jack for a

pc-sync>mini cable. The pocket wizards, in comparison, are huge.

 

Are there any radio systems out there, fairly small, reliable, that still have

the option of a pcsync terminal on the transmitter? I've seen the microslave

from Tamrac (at least Tamrac is the distributor) and I think that's hotshoe only.

 

Thoughts?

 

thanks,

 

allan

Ugh. Wouldn't you know I should've read just a bit more...

 

the microsync (not microslave), has a little sock on the back. Put an adapter into it, and then you can use a pc-sync cable.

 

 

doh. sorry.

 

allan

sock?

 

socket.

 

I'm having fun correcting myself in this post....

 

allan

Allan--the Microsync is the smallest I've seen besides the e-bay ones, and I've heard of range problems with the Microsync, plus some other issues that I can't remember now. I think, if you're going to spend the money, PocketWizards are the thing. Or just keep getting those cheap ones. My original set of those cheap ones (they are no longer available) is still operating just fine--I have two transmitters and four receivers.

<B>"They work most of the time. The pc-sync sockets on the back are a bit finicky and I've damaged each of them at least once just through normal use."</B><P>

 

Boy is that ever a ringing (non)endorsement! I'll stick with something that's more reliable --Pocketwizards-- 'cause If I've gone through all the trouble of setting up a shoot and getting other people involved or am working directly for clients why would I want to risk all of that effort and good will away just to save few dollars?<P>

 

Thank you for the heads up. <P>BTW: I've also tried Micro-Sync: Way too finicky.

I use Microsync I love them, they refuse to fire about twice an hour, well worth it for the small size and affordable price in my opinion.

By the way, my set of receivers don't have problematic PC sockets, but I do rubber band the heads of the plugs into the socket. Not pretty but it works.

"I use Microsync I love them, they refuse to fire about twice an hour" - that sound good (for digitals), or bad (for film cameras) (?).

 

I did not pay much attention since my Pocket Wizards do this perhaps

twice per month ? But everybody's shooting setup is different...

... and we already know about the relativity of the time...

This looks interesting, a radio trigger with TTL... coming soon apparently

 

http://www.radiopopper.com/

<i>"they refuse to fire about twice an hour"</i>

<p>

That's, again, hardly a ringing endorsement. Like Ellis, I'm sticking with my pockwizards. Quality product.

I have been using Quantum Freewires for about three years and love them. I have seven units now and have just bid on another on eBay. The work great. I never have interferance problems and I like being able to turn off single lights from my camera position.

 

Ed

Those radiopoppers look interesting, but my interest in TTL for wireless is not very high. I still prefer to control the off camera flashes manually. Those $25 non TTL versions look even more interesting to me.

Just a "small" note - it's not a "few" dollars that we're talking about between the chinese units at the pocket wizards. it's about a $250 difference (receiver and transmitter).

 

yes, it's a wise investment. But the cost wasn't the inquiry. It was about size.

 

Ellis - what exactly have you seen that is finicky about the Microsyncs? Failure to fire?

 

allan

Have you checked the Bowens units? They are much smaller than the Pocket Wizards. I have not had any misfire problems with the units. The Bowens also have more channels available than PW. That helps when doing basketball and having to share channels. Four is just not enough. With my Bowens I never have to compete for channel space.

Here's a previous post about the MicroSyncs.

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00G8hg

Doing my best to not sound like I am personally attacking you Allan, because I am not. I am just question your reasoning in regards to pocketwizards vs something cheaper (not the size issue).<p>

 

<i>"Just a "small" note - it's not a "few" dollars that we're talking about between the chinese units at the pocket wizards. it's about a $250 difference (receiver and transmitter)."</i>

<p>

Considering that this is the "Wedding" forum, I assume that any equipment question asked here is based around use in a professional wedding photography situation. And in that case, I don't think that trying to save a couple hundred by buying a product that is known to be inferior is acceptable.

<p>

It's not acceptable to me anyway. Personal photography is one thing, but professional photography is another.

Josh Root said

 

"to save a couple hundred by buying a product that is known to be inferior is acceptable."

 

I have the Chinese radio slaves and the PW's (several of each to be honest) and find the 'cheap' ones to be highly reliable over about 100+ feet. I like them just for the reason that they are so small compared and don't sit up on your body like the PW's do.

 

So, if size matters, the cheap ones work very well in my experience and the PW's do also. If I want to shoot in larger venues I will break out the PW's as the cheap ones do seem to miss occasionally when the venue is about 200' long or so.

 

I don't do the cheap ones to be cheap, just because they work best for the use they receive and I have used them for about 1.5 years without issue.

My statement of <i>"known to be inferior"</i> was based upon Allan's statement of <i>"They work most of the time."</i>

<p>

My Pocket Wizards work all of the time. I have no experience with the chinese ones other than what I have read here. But if Allan and I were sitting at Starbucks discussing radio slaves and he said that his <i>"work most of the time"</i> I would say that he knows them to be inferior.

<p>

It is of course possible that Allan just got a bad set.

Seems to me it depends on which cheap Chinese slaves you get. Mine are the GT-301B units. David--what are yours?

Josh,

 

I took no offense by what you said. I started a new job about a month ago so I haven't been taking as much time to think out my posts. What I should have said is that my point wasn't about price, it was about size. Period.

 

You are absolutely correct in that this is a professional wedding forum, and that I should not be quibbling over a few hundred dollars. At least not to the forum :-).

 

And I did get a different set than what Nadine is using - the current ones are the RD604, which seems to be the same guy that used to sell them. They are a newer model, but the sync connector is fragile. Again, inferiority of the product is not the point. I'm asking about size.

 

Though reliability of an alternative product is relevant, of course.

 

allan (who does, truly, take this wedding photog stuff seriously)

re: the bowens triggers. Is it the same unit on either end? They are transceivers, in other words?

 

allan

If you're looking for something smaller and cheaper than pocket wizards, check out Elinchrom's skyport radio triggers. It's the universal version you should be looking at. I have no experience with it though (I use pocket wizards).

elinchrom skyports have a very low profile (the transmitter is small and flat), and range and reliability are very very good... a bit cheaoer than the PWs as well

 

the current version doesn't trigger the current generation of Vivitar 285HVs though, but apprently the next iteration will

have a look at www.radiopopper.com

 

currently vaporware, but something to keep in mind

radio popper AGAIN :-)

And these WILL be manufactured and distributed very shortly.

The biggest advantages are 1. Long range 2. TTL, NOT manual like PW's 3. Smaller than PW's.