Flex TT5 Test shots

[camz]

So took out the Flex TT5 today from pocket wizard and did some test shots with my little man. I must say I'm pretty happy with them. Definitely beats having to do all manual on my old PW Plus II. These are all in E-TTL btw with the Flex TT5 hooked up to a lightstick and a 580 EXII. I'm also using another Flex TT5 on the camera's hot shoe as a transmitter. The off camera flash was always pointed towards the sun to fill some shadows on my son. So I measured the distance between the camera and flash and I was getting pretty responsive triggers at 35 ft range or less. Beyond that it wasn't too reliable.

LOL this must be my first non natural light post.


Edit: Also forgot to point the the obvious high sync(love it). For those who don't mind the distance of the limited 35ft range I think the Flex will serve your purpose. Radiopoppers are great too but to cheapy material wise. I sold mine(radiopoppers) soon after I got them last year.

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5 Don't mind the stofen on the top right.

 

[camz]

Here's a few more samples.

 

[Canosonic]

For those who don't mind the distance of the limited 35ft range I think the Flex will serve your purpose.

And for those who won't mind the price.

 

[JamesMason]

Really nice shots, i like em. Think 2 and 3 could have done with a reflector to take out the shadow under the helmet possibly.

 

[Big Mike]

Very nice, and thanks for the review.

Don't mind the stofen on the top right.

Stofen outside....why? Trying to drain your batteries faster?

 

[camz]

Thanks for the comments peeps. The helmet did bring some shadows but I was just testing the Flex...wasn't a formal photo shoot.

Stofen outside....why? Trying to drain your batteries faster?

Llike I mentioned above these were shot in E-TTL so I could've had black duck tape infront of the flash and it wouldn't matter as far as draining the batteries since they were all auto metered. I was also getting better results with the stofen being that it was only me and no assistant to hold the lightstick at specified locations. It just came out too harsh without the stofen.

Question though...you actually never use a softbox or stofen outdoors to take out the harshness?

 

[JamesMason]

Question though...you actually never use a softbox or stofen outdoors to take out the harshness?

I use a big box every now and again, but i only ever use a stofen when bouncing flash inside

 

[B Kennedy]

I too have the new pw's. Check out on the pw website for the ideas on extending the range:

PocketWizard® - Range Extending Solutions

I went with the figures 9/10 a clamp and an arm. And i extended my range outside with no obstacles to I want to say almost say 40 yards. It was definitely worth it and for that reason alone I'm happy with the mini's.

 

[Big Mike]

Question though...you actually never use a softbox or stofen outdoors to take out the harshness?

Just putting an opaque material in front of your light doesn't make it softer.
The only way to really make light softer, is to increase the size of the source or move the light closer. When there is nothing to bounce the light off of, the light from the stofen is just going directly to the subject, and it's not really much bigger than a bare flash head....so you aren't really softening it. But what it does do, is block some light and spread some around in all directions, thus wasting it.

Now if you use a softbox, even a small one....you are increasing the size of the source, a lot more than just using an Omnibounce. Thus, you get softer light. Same deal with an umbrella.

I have plenty of flash accessories, I use different ones in different situations. I also use bare flash when I know that the accessory I have, isn't going to make my light any better.

 

[camz]

Mike I understand the theory behind the stofen. In E-TTL during my product test of the Flex the lighting was coming out way too harsh so I stuck the stofen in there and I got better results *shrug*. I mean what your saying makes absolute sense but I really can't explain what happened since I was running the whole show in Auto.

 

[anthonymunoz]

Cool pics! I'm on the verge of buying the same set you have 2xFlex. How do you like the Flex on your camera? Do you think its too bulky when shooting? I like the mini, but since the Flex does more, I'm thinking about going that route for both.

Also which flashes are you using?

 

[camz]

Bulky wise it isn't an issue. The E-TTL feature is great when I don't want to set anything for non paid(family,fun etc) or fill light shoots. Distance wise it's all I really need b/c I have it connected to a monopod which is being held by my partner or assistant that doesn't go beyond 30 ft. If I need distance I also have the Plus II but instances like these are rare.