PocketWizard plus ii - how is flash connected

Just a quick question - I think I'm about to buy a PocketWizard plus II

transceiver set (two transceivers included) but before I splash the cash just

want to confirm it's all I need for wireless flash. What I can't see in any of

the shots of the kit is how the flash is connected. I can see the hotshoe

connector to put the flash in camera, but no means of attaching the flash. Is

it attached by cable only (I'm trying to picture how the two go together on a

light stand if it's cable only).

Sorry, should be more plain - two questions: 1: is it all I need to get up and running with wireless flash, and 2: how is the flash connected.

PW's are connected to both cameras and flashes via sync cords. You can use the hot shoe on the camera end, but it seems very breakable the way that it protrudes. The cords are not included with the units because they vary by camera/flash brand.

 

 

This will be all you need for wireless flash.

Thanks Steve. So I plug the flash into the hotshoe on the clamp of the lightstand and gaffertape the pocketwizard to the lightstand?

The PW also comes with a lanyard so you can hang it from one of the knobs on the

lightstand. Paramount Cords can sell you a PW cable to fit anything.

Bob, I just bought a pair of the Pocket Wizard Plus II. They do ship with a mini-phone to P.C. short cord. And AA batteries . As others have mentioned the lanyard that it comes with makes it easy to hang from the flash bracket or light stand knob. For any other cord needs look at the paramount brand for a full selection. Good Luck, Mark

The PW's do come with a short miniphone to PC cord, about a foot long.

bob - just FYI, the flash might not have a sync cord plug. a lot of the nikon flashes do, but the canon 580EX Mark 1, for instance, does not. the Mark 2 does.

 

if you own a flash without a sync plug, you can buy a special adapter shoe that has a cord with plug at the end. email me if you need the B&H link. it will run you about $10-$15.

The reason for the sync cord operation is it allow the most versatility. With the proper cords, you can use any camera or flash combo ever concieved.

<a href="http://www.flashzebra.com">FlashZebra.com</a> has pocket wizard to whatever you need (and can do custom) for a lot less cash than paramounts. If you're using a hotshoe flash, all you need is <a href"http://www.flashzebra.com/wizardcables/hotshoe.shtml">one of these</a>.

Paramount cords are expensive. Sometimes you can accuire the same cord at radio shack for $4 instead of over $20. I have no idea what you are attenpting, but if you email me with your setup I'll try to fix you up with pics and everything. Also the upc code for radio shack. I think you can buy 5 cords to 1 paramount.

Bob, I don't know what your timeframe is, but I just dropped almost a $800 on four of them. Rock solid. Never fail. And then about three weeks ago, while toodling around David Hobby's Strobist site, he tells me there is going to be coming out (soon) a ultra-cool challenger to PW's spremacy. Something called Radiopopper. If you have some flexibility in your purchasing syndrome, you might want to investigate a set of Radio Popper's first.

 

I wish I had.

The Radiopopper isn't in the same league as Pocketwizard as far reliability and range go. <P>From Radiopoppers own website:<P><I>Leading brand-name flash triggering devices have been on the market for a while - and they are outstanding products - highly reliable, and packed with lots of extra features. Features you won?t find here nor in the foreseeable future on any RadioPopper product. The current market leading device is a perfect fit for anyone in the commercial photography world - where your location and lighting are relatively constant. There?s a reason the other product leads the market - the people behind RadioPopper respect the current market products and don?t expect either product to directly compete with the others.</I><P>So you if your a pro (meaning: paying clients are relying on you) you can either worry about make excuses if things go wrong or you can worry about making photos: it's your choice.

Reading further into the Radiopopper site I see that one of the real interesting things is that it is going to allow for iTTL (Nikon) and e-TTL (Canon) controlled Speedlight flash over a lot larger range than Canon's or Nikon's light based system will. <P>

 

<B><I>NOW</B></I> that is <U>very</U> interesting to me , and a feature I wish Pocketwizards had.

Yeah....that's what I mean. Reliability is to be determined, but I'm not buying any more PW's *for the time being.*

 

(Ellis, on a private note: thanks for weighing in on my problems over the years and selflessly offering your advice. I appreciate it more than you know. I'm growing in my photography and skills, but you're already there, and it means a lot to us that you help so much....thanks)