Radio Slaves

I would be interested in finding out what radio slaves you are using. I have a

cheap but good set, sold be B&H under the name 'impact' but they lack range and

go through batteries very fast. I'm interested in the new Microsync range, Marc

had them if I remember and I would be interested to hear from him how they are

faring a year down the line.

I simply rely on my Canon Speedlight wireless system. Of course I use the term "rely" loosely! :)

 

They're a bit quirky, but they do their job. For me, it's a matter of knowing their limitations and working with those limitations. IR is definitely not the same as RF. And they certainly have a limitation of range.

 

What kind of range are you looking for?

Ben, all I have is the cheap Ebay ones, which work ok for playing around with, I would imagine similar to your impact ones. I think the next ones for me will be the basic pocket wizard model, which with the new model any unit can be a transmitter or receiver, so you are buying the same device whether its on the camera or on the lights. (love the 5D by the way, I think you were the one that pushed me hard enough to commit to it - thanks!).

Ben, I have a newly purchased set of pocket wizards.

 

Three pocket wizard plus units and one Pocket wizard Multi Max so I can turn the slaves on and off right from my camera.

 

Truth be known I've been so busy building a new website to prepare for next years wedding photography shoppers that I've not used them yet.

 

I bought them for their range: 1600 feet and sometimes more and reliability which in the words of others seems to be near flawless.

 

So, I will be using Pocket Wizards.

Look at www.sportsshooters.com for your answers. That is the clearinghouse of all information on slaves/pocket wizards etc...

Robbie, you have too many s's in http://www.sportshooters.com/

Uhhh, that doesn't look right either. Robbie, maybe you ought to post the real URL.

www.sportsshooter.com

I need the range across a large hall, for this kind of thing. The ETTL system neither has the power nor anywhere near the range to do this. Here I've lit the background up with my two strobes while shooting the dancing with ETTL flash. You need radio slaves otherwise the strobes trigger on the preflash. This is a typically sized hall for me and the strobes were only triggering about one in two...<div></div>

I have Quantums. They work well and are not hard on batteries. The Wizards are also excellent. The part that attracted me to Quantum is the fast turn around. Always within a week if you ask for a rush and send them overnight. 1 week may not apply where you live though.

WOW!! Now that's a room! :)

 

Am I understanding this correctly though? You successfully fired those strobes with Canon's Speedlight IR system?

 

Generally, with my setups, If I'm more than 10M from my strobes, I turn off the master and go without slaves. Most of the action is on or around the dance floor, so I set up the slaves accordingly.

 

I will say this, I get better coverage with my Canon speedlights when I've got an Omnibounce on the master head. My next endevor will be the ST-E2. I am concerned that it will not be as effective as a 580ex master. I'll be buying one Monday, and experimenting on a Senior Portait shoot next week.

 

In rooms like that Ben, I suppose I would be looking at RF also.

The one's I use are Pocket Wizards as the range is more than most any others. I think that the Microsyncs look great and are much smaller making them a somewhat attractive option. I wish their range was greater though.

 

I hear about some sold on Ebay that work well for not much $$$. Search for Magic trigger (I think).

 

 

Best, D.

I have those cheapo Chinese ebay ones--GT301B, which aren't sold anymore because of FCC problems. They work almost as reliably as my Wein ProSync system, which was 99.9% reliable, contrary to popular belief (re infrared, line of sight claims). I can't use the Weins anymore because the 580EX won't "play" nicely with them. I got them as a stop gap measure but they are holding up pretty well. Next ones I buy are going to be Pocket Wizards, if I buy new ones...

No Jon, I had the radio slave plugged into my PC connection on camera and velcroed to my flash gun. The flash was firing on ETTL but the radio slave was triggering the strobes to bounce off the ceiling which were metered by hand before we started.<div></div>

If you can afford them, Pocket Wizards are "generally" the way to go IMHO.

 

I've used a number of different systems and all they were was a waste of money on the

way to finally getting the PWs. They are super reliable, work at amazing distances, and are

fast becoming the built-in choice for a number of studio generator boxes.

 

There are systems that are more advanced with features like being able to control the

strobe output from the on-camera sender. But these are designed for specific studio

strobe systems like Hensel or Bruan with propritary built-in receivers, therefore aren't as

versatile.

 

However, If a wedding photographer selected one system such as Hensel and used their

excellent mono heads placed around a reception, he/she could control those heads right

from the camera and alter the output of each head at will.

 

The Microsync is fine, but no match for the Pocket Wizard in any way. I got that system for

use on Leica M cameras because a Pocket Wizard sender unit is almost as big as the

camera itself.

 

I aslo use the Canon STE2 when hand holding the 580EX for directional effects ... or having

an assistant hold a second flash off-camera and using the 580EX as the Master sender.

These distances are relatively pathetic compared to a "real" radio system like the PWs.

 

However, the STE2 maintains the red focus assist in low light where it should be ... on

camera. Used by itself, it is very useful as a focus assist when shooting available light with

fast aperture lenses like the 85/1.2

Hey Marc, I hadn't really thought about using the ST-E2 for assisting focus. That would be so much lighter than a 580, ha. Thanks for the idea.

Hi Marc, the thing is that I'm loathe to add more weight to an already bulky setup and although I can attach the radio slave via the PC cord, it has to sit somewhere, either under the base of the camera or to the flash and to be honest it is rather bulky! I don't think I need more than 25-30m range. Do you think the microsyncs will cut it?

I also have a set of cheapo eBay jobbies. I've found they are too cheaply made and go

through batteries 3x faster than my on camera speedlite!

 

I've been thinking of getting the PocketWizards.. I want the MultiMax because I want to be

able to turn on/off different lights in the hall to avoid flare and not limit my shooting

angles.

 

Someone mentioned you can get 1 MultiMax and a couple of Plus' units to do that? I was

thinking you had to get all MultiMax units? Of course, I'll email pocket wizard directly.

 

Kari, you listing? :)

 

Aaron Lee

Another vote for the Pocket Wizard. I have used them for about 8 years now and they have

been the most reliable. I went through 3 quatum 4i with unreliable results. The

pocketwizard have been excellent. I have 5 sets of the Plus units and have been very

satisfied.

Use PW's here as well in the same manner as you Ben. Except I usually use it to just add a little more dimension instead of trying to light the whole room. Hundreds of exposures per wedding and rarely a misfire. I'll attach a pic in a good size room. As far as heavy rigs, I have my 5D on a cusom bracket, 580 EX, and the Canon battery pack and PW attached to the bracket. Think I'm going to need a wrist brace soon!<div></div>

I use two sets of quantums and I am fairly pleased with them. very lean on batteries if you ask me. my only complaint is that sometimes the sync cord falls out of my camera body - I don't have the hot shoe trigger, only the sync cord system!