Pocket Wizard 101?

I understand the basic of what these do, but what advantage would I have over my Camera remote mode with speed lights that has remote in them? ( D750/SB-800)

Which camera do you have?

 

PocketWizarda are very easy to use. Need to know which camera you are using to make a comparison between it and PWs.

D750 with SB-800's. I can set those in remote with the D750, what will the PW do that I cant do now?

D750 with SB-800's. I can set those in remote with the D750, what will the PW do that I cant do now?

 

- Work reliably if the speedlight is in a softbox or other modifier, work reliably in bright daylight, work reliably with the slave speedlight behind the camera, work reliably over a 30 ft distance, work without another speedlight or popup flash on the camera..... need I continue?

 

Basically, radio communication beats optical communication hands down.

 

BTW, other brands offer cheaper and perhaps better triggering equipment than Pocket Wizard. PWs are often the loser in head-to-head tests and reviews.

 

Personally I'm using cheap YongNuo RF-603s with 100% reliability, but they only give simple triggering. I also have Godox speedlights with their own trigger system that enables remote power control over the flashes. Again they fire every time - unlike CLS, which has failed on me even when the slave flash has been right next to the on-camera commander.

Edited February 3, 2019 by rodeo_joe|1

I think the 30 ft. distance is a little low. I've triggered lights hight in the four corners of a sports arena with Pocket Wizzard Plus II's and earlier models from the floor, reliably. Reliability and distance are the advantages of Pocket Wizzards over Nikon's wireless technology. Plus, they're cool!

Plus, they're cool!

What's cool about having a 1990s PMR walkie-talkie stuck on top of your camera?

 

I'd much rather use something that didn't try to poke a rubber-duck antenna up my nose or into my eye.

 

BTW. The reference to 30ft was against the maximum range of Nikon's CLS triggering - in low light and with a good wind behind it! Most radio triggers are good for at least 100ft in open air. Claims of much longer ranges are a bit exaggerated, and anyway, who wants to leave an expensive speedlight or strobe unattended half a block away?

Mark, what Rodeo said. I only shoot a few times a year outdoors with an off-camera flash so I prefer simplicity. Radio triggers are far more reliable, especially outdoors, work at greater distances and see around and through objects. With radio triggers the flash does not have to be oriented line -of-sight so that the camera/controller can see it. I have felt really dumb when using the Nikon optical Creative Lighting System in ttl with professionals shooting nextt to me when I failed to orient the off-camera flash gun's light sensor window toward the controller mounted on camera. That does not happen with radio triggers. Nikon has even gotten in to the radio trigger game with the "Advanced Lighting System". I am still using older Nikon flash guns some current as well as from the film era so I will for the time being stick with third party triggers. The Photix brand that I use are good but the less expensive and the just as good Yongnuo triggers are a better price. Some humming bird photographers I know use Yongnuo triggers with multiple (5-6) strobes at very low power so they can use the very brief flash to freeze the wings. They are making up to 20,000 images in 5 or 6 days. I have no idea how to edit that many images but the Yongnuo triggers work fine for them. Pocket Wizzards and Radio Poppers are more expensive and probably more prestigious though they have come down in price. I am not sure how they might be better. I would make a case for full manual control of the flash since in ttl the output is unknown. As well in manual when you shoot full power you get full power. If you need ttl many of the third party triggers are available that way. Check out Dave Hobby's blog on "The Strobist". He is down to earth and has great advice. I would like to make a pitch for rechargeable batteries. I have never ever had them leak in my flash guns or equipment even after they are long dead and unusable. Stay frosty.

I'd much rather use something that didn't try to poke a rubber-duck antenna up my nose or into my eye.

 

You must be holding the camera wrong.

 

But, yes, there are better options today - smaller and less cumbersome. They weren't available prior to 2008 when I was shooting with slaved strobes.