pixel enterprise co

[rascal64]

<p>Does anyone have any info on this product?<br>

<a href="http://www.pixelhk.com/en/proview.asp?P_ID=1549">http://www.pixelhk.com/en/proview.asp?P_ID=1549</a><br>

I have a D300 and shoot with Alien Bees. I would also like to include my SB unit with and without the Bees. I work primarily indoors. The Alien Bees wireless system looks very complicated to me and by the brief description, it is expensive and will not trigger anything but a bee.<br>

The Elinchrome Skyport was recommended but it is expensive.<br>

Is it worth it to just spend the extra money and have reliability or does the pixel enterprise version work?<br>

Thanks in advance</p>

[howard_m]

<p>I saw this on the strobist.com</p>

<p>this is supposedly very similar to the radiopopper system in that it is radio iTTL. Any other system (beside the poppers) will NOT be TTL.</p>

<p>If you're shooting w/ ABs anyway, you're used to manual mode. I just use the Buff Cybersyncs. they're cheap and work well. I dont know what you're referring to but I think you mean the cybercommander which you dont need.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>The AB triggers can trigger anything that uses a simple contact closure to fire. For example, a Nikon SB-800 or 900, or an SB-600 if you put it in a hot-shoe adapter. The fancier AB units have added new features oriented around remotely controlling the behavior of their studio lights (power, modeling lights, etc). Obviously that wouldn't apply to devices made by other manufacturers. But that won't stop them from being triggered properly.</p>

[rascal64]

<p>Hmmm...thank you. It sounds like I need to do more research. Howard, yes, I am talking about the cyber commander. I like the idea of adjusting the lights from my camera view. I am not that lazy, but sometimes I have to lower my lights to adjust the output. So, the radio commands do not work on manual settings?</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>Howard's referring to the <em>camera</em> being in manual mode. The CyberCommander unit is used to adjust the power of the flash units (presuming you're using units made by Paul Buff - Alien Bees, White Lightnings, Zeus pack/head units, or the upcoming Einsteins). <br /><br />The point is that you're not using the camera in an automated way in the studio, and not using automated flash features (like TTL) either. The CyberCommander and related tools let you adjust the power and ratio of power on strobes without having to climb around the studio and touching each of heads. Obviously, this isn't going to work with hot shoe flash units, other than to simply trigger them... you'd have to adjust the power on the flash itself, when using such tools along side of the studio monolights.</p>

[rascal64]

<p>Matt...I think I follow you. Forgive me for being redundant or ill informed. To solve my initial problem, I just need to get rid of the sync cord. So, the Cybersyncs sound great. However, I am sure that (ultimately)I will want to adjust the lights from my transmitter too, so the Cyber commander sounds like the right tool. When I am traveling lightly, I use my SB unit and program it to fire wireless and off camera. This method does not always work for me (I am no Joe McNally). So, I want something that will trigger my AB's and my SB when it is off camera(either as a 3rd light or alone as a main light). My understanding is that the pocket wizard is for Canon only. However, a friend loaned me his for a few shots at a wedding and it worked great with my D300 and his alien bees. My favorite camera store suggested the Elinchrome skyport system. But, that is what they sell. I am hoping to save a little money and get one tool. What would you recommend?</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>The Pocket Wizards and the CyberSyncs can <em>both</em> trigger an SB800 or SB900, since those each have a standard PC connector. When used in that way, the SB will act just like an AB... triggering is triggering. If you have an SB600, you'll need a hot shoe adapter, but it can still be triggered with a the simple triggering signal from either of those radio systems.<br /><br />The newer CyberSyncs have the <em>additional</em> feature of supporting further remote control features within the AB world... power control, modeling light control, etc. But even if you're using those more advanced features on your ABs, you can still, simultaneously, use a CyberSync to simply trigger the SB, at the same time. No problem.<br /><br />In the PW world, you have basic triggering. Period. The exception would be some brand new models from PW that have support for Canon's speedlite TTL features. There will soon be versions for Nikon's TTL system, too. But THOSE devices won't be able to remotely adjust power on the ABs, the way that the CyberSyncs can.<br /><br />So, you have to decide in which mode you're most likely to want behavior more sophisticated than simple triggering. Both systems will handle simple triggering well. But the CyberSyncs add remote control over the AB's other features, and the PWs will eventually add Nikon TTL compatibility. <br /><br />The CyberSyncs have the advantage of being available now, and being less expensive, and being able to help you adjust the power on an AB unit you've got buried in a softbox at the long end of a boom arm over a model's head.</p>

[rascal64]

<p>Thank you so much Matt....Now, I get it. CyberSyncs sound good and I always like to support Paul Buff products.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>I'm with you, Tiffany. I like his stuff, too. Of course, I also like Nikon's iTTL and CLS, and also use PWs. I may actually give in and use some CyberSyncs in the studio, since I'm all-Buff in that situation, and the remote control would be great when I'm working with, say, people and their dogs.<br /><br />The PWs have been utterly flawless, doing their basic thing. They're just so damn reliable that I'm having a hard time even thinking of completely displacing them with Buff's widgets. But those remote control features are hugely tempting. If I didn't already have a handful of PWs, I suspect it would be no contest, and Buff would win. He may yet, for me! Good luck and have fun being wireless. It's very liberating.</p>

[dennisdixson]

<p>I have posted a mini review of the Pixel TR-331 flash triggers at www.insidetheviewfinder.com</p>

<p>These just became available recently and a lot of the information about them is preliminary. I have an actual set that I have been testing but it appears that the mine have some sort of problem that prevents the flash from firing in sync. More details with pros and cons at the website.</p><div></div>

[rascal64]

<p>Thank you Matt...Thank you Dennis!</p>