Canon 5D Mk3 and 600 EX-RT Flash vs Pocket Wizard

[drdimento]

I currently use a Canon 5D Mk2 and 580 EXii flashes along with the Pocket Wizard FlexTT5 Controllers with the AC3 Trigger as a means of controlling the flashes. From what I read at B&H I believe I can conclude that the 5DM3 will trigger the 600 EX-RT flashes externally by radio wave (not line of sight) and/or so will the 6D camera.

My question is, "Does anyone know if I am correct in this assumption? And if so, can I zone control the flashes like I can from the AC3/TT5 system?"

Thanks in advance to all who respond.

 

[Gavjenks]

6D doesn't do anything of the sort. It will control additional devices attached to its hot shoe, that's it. If you want radio control, you need a radio thingie like a pocketwizard or a cowboystudios one or whatever. If you want Canon's overpriced, underpowered optical system, you would need to get whatever high end flashes can act as a master in that system and put them on the hot shoe.

Don't know about the 5DIII.

 

[Robin_Usagani]

No.. for it to work, you need another 600 EX-RT to trigger the other 600 EX-RT or this Canon ST-E3-RT Speedlite Transmitter 5743B002 B&H Photo Video.

It is pretty much the best flash system out there. You can adjust ratio and ETTL on several 600s. Or you can set them to manual and set the power from far. You can also do HSS. The best part is, you do not need line of sight. It will work just like radio triggers.

IMO, you are not ready to buy 600RT unless you are willing to buy at least 3. Also, it does not work very well with 5dII.

 

[Gavjenks]

Yeah it has good options, but it's stupid expensive. Three of them is a cool $1700 or so. For which you could buy an equally fancy TTL third party trigger and control device and like 18 third party flashes (which would pretty much completely mimic the capabilities, including TTL and an even faster flash duration at minimum power). And stands and batteries for all of them. And a nice carrying case.

I would only really recommend it for somebody who needed the weather sealing. Or if you were photographing something so important or valuable that a marginal sliver of extra peace of mind is worth many hundreds of dollars no questions asked.