Canon Speedlite and Pocket Wizards

[haftaclick]

I've read this post http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...6-pocket-wizard-canon-600ex-rt-speedlite.html but it's not helping me...

I'm trying to use a Canon 600EX-RT Speedlite off-camera, triggering it with two Pocket Wizard MultiMax transceivers. I bought the cable to connect the Pocket Wizard to the flash (and an extra after reading that they're unreliable). When I test fire the transmitting Pocket Wizard (attached to the hot shoe of my Canon T4i) it fires the flash. When I press the shutter button… nothing happens. The flash is in Manual mode, and the Pocket Wizards are on the correct channels (as proven with the test fire).

When I went into the camera's Flash Control settings in Menu, and try to adjust the External Flash Func. Settings… it tells me there is no flash.

So my camera isn't recognizing the Pocket Wizard? Can I not use the MultiMax with my T4i?

Is there an affordable alternative option? (buying the canon transmitter or another flash is not an option right now)

Sad Panda. Thanks for any help, it's GREATLY appreciated!

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome to the forum.

It should work, the hotshoes are all pretty much the same. Make double sure that it's fully seated in the hotshoe.
Does the flash work when you mount it directly to the camera?
Do you have another camera to test the triggers on?

There is a camera setting (custom function) where you can set the flash to 'does not fire'. Check that you don't have that set.

I'm just thinking 'out loud' here...but do you have the flash set to slave mode? That may prevent it from working because the slave mode on the flash is meant for when it's being used within the Canon wireless system (when you have a Canon 'Master' unit on camera). The PW Multimax triggers, even though they are pretty advanced, are not E-TTL (aut flash metering) compatible, so all they do here, is tell the flash to fire.

In other words, the flash (in slave mode) is waiting for a signal from a Canon master unit (580EX, 600EX or a compatible sending unit). But since you are only sending a simple 'fire' signal, it might be ignored.

I'm not if that really makes sense, but it should be easy to check which mode you are in and test it out.

 

[TCampbell]

I've read this post http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...6-pocket-wizard-canon-600ex-rt-speedlite.html but it's not helping me...

I'm trying to use a Canon 600EX-RT Speedlite off-camera, triggering it with two Pocket Wizard MultiMax transceivers. I bought the cable to connect the Pocket Wizard to the flash (and an extra after reading that they're unreliable). When I test fire the transmitting Pocket Wizard (attached to the hot shoe of my Canon T4i) it fires the flash. When I press the shutter button… nothing happens. The flash is in Manual mode, and the Pocket Wizards are on the correct channels (as proven with the test fire).

When I went into the camera's Flash Control settings in Menu, and try to adjust the External Flash Func. Settings… it tells me there is no flash.

So my camera isn't recognizing the Pocket Wizard? Can I not use the MultiMax with my T4i?

Is there an affordable alternative option? (buying the canon transmitter or another flash is not an option right now)

Sad Panda. Thanks for any help, it's GREATLY appreciated!

Dear Sad Panda,

WHY are you using a tired old relic like a Pocket Wizard when your flash is basically a Ferrari?

A single PocketWizard Plus III (because they don't make the Plus II anymore) is about $150 and you need two of them to work. That's $300.

OR

You could use a Canon ST-E3-RT Speedlite transmitter which is designed to work with the Speedlite 600EX-RT and have FULL control, ETTL, radio, the works! Rock solid reliability and MUCH easier to use.

You only need ONE ST-E3-RT because the other half of the equation is already built into your Speedlite 600EX-RT. The price tag is $287 (slightly cheaper than a pair of PocketWizards -- but not by much) but vastly more versatile and much much easier to use.

If you've just acquired the Pocket Wizards... can you return them? I was at a camera store this past year that had a "used" equipment counter. They literally had a used cabinet with a PILE of Pocket Wizards in it. I asked them what's up with all the Pocket Wizards and the guy tells me that ever since Canon introduced the new 600EX-RT everyone is buying that and dumping the Pocket Wizards -- trying to get what little trade-in value they have left.

Pocket Wizards are still useful for controlling mono-lights in a studio... but not for off-camera Speedlites.

 

[D-B-J]

OR, since I'm assuming Canon's fancy trigger uses infra red like nikon's, and this will severely limit your ability to use it(can't use in bright sun, requires line of site, etc). So you should use a mini and a flextt5. That's what I use and LOVE them.

Jake


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TCampbell]

OR, since I'm assuming Canon's fancy trigger uses infra red like nikon's, and this will severely limit your ability to use it(can't use in bright sun, requires line of site, etc). So you should use a mini and a flextt5. That's what I use and LOVE them.

Jake


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nope - the "RT" is "Radio Technology". The ST-E3-RT and the 600EX-RT are radio based (though the 600EX-RT can also be triggered via visible light using an optical trigger or a master flash). The radio mode does not require line of sight.

The new RT flash system is much better than even the Flex/Mini combo from Pocket Wizard. You can pretty much completely control the remote flash from the trigger or the on-camera menu (for cameras introduced in 2012 or later). You can control everything... flash exposure comp, flash ratios, flash power (even on manual), you can set any combination of modes, and even see when the remote flash has recycled and ready to fire again. They _really_ are nice.

I am normally a bit cautious about which flash model I'd recommend... but since Rebecca already owns the 600EX-RT, it really doesn't make sense to own a nice radio-technology flash, and then buy a 3rd party radio flash trigger that isn't nearly as versatile.

 

[D-B-J]

Oh! And I run an SU800 on top of my mini, and that allows me to remotely control my flash power.

Jake


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mach0]

Nope - the "RT" is "Radio Technology". The ST-E3-RT and the 600EX-RT are radio based (though the 600EX-RT can also be triggered via visible light using an optical trigger or a master flash). The radio mode does not require line of sight. The new RT flash system is much better than even the Flex/Mini combo from Pocket Wizard. You can pretty much completely control the remote flash from the trigger or the on-camera menu (for cameras introduced in 2012 or later). You can control everything... flash exposure comp, flash ratios, flash power (even on manual), you can set any combination of modes, and even see when the remote flash has recycled and ready to fire again. They _really_ are nice. I am normally a bit cautious about which flash model I'd recommend... but since Rebecca already owns the 600EX-RT, it really doesn't make sense to own a nice radio-technology flash, and then buy a 3rd party radio flash trigger that isn't nearly as versatile.

One day nikon will have one lol

 

[TCampbell]

Nope - the "RT" is "Radio Technology". The ST-E3-RT and the 600EX-RT are radio based (though the 600EX-RT can also be triggered via visible light using an optical trigger or a master flash). The radio mode does not require line of sight. The new RT flash system is much better than even the Flex/Mini combo from Pocket Wizard. You can pretty much completely control the remote flash from the trigger or the on-camera menu (for cameras introduced in 2012 or later). You can control everything... flash exposure comp, flash ratios, flash power (even on manual), you can set any combination of modes, and even see when the remote flash has recycled and ready to fire again. They _really_ are nice. I am normally a bit cautious about which flash model I'd recommend... but since Rebecca already owns the 600EX-RT, it really doesn't make sense to own a nice radio-technology flash, and then buy a 3rd party radio flash trigger that isn't nearly as versatile.

One day nikon will have one lol

LOL - I am SURE they will. There is nothing one company does that the other doesn't turn around and trump. By going 2nd, you Nikon shooters will probably just get a better version of what we Canon shooters have today.

What would be REALLY great is if they could do away with the notion of actually needing a trigger module and just building the radio into the camera. Radios are ridiculously tiny these days so it's not like that would be hard. But Canon _does_ love to sell "accessories".

 

[haftaclick]

hahaha
Dearest Tim,
I've owned the Pocket Wizards since I went to school (2005)… way back when I had a shady basement studio.
I have four of them, and was quite certain they weren't worth much 7 years later… maybe I could sell them?
$300 for a transmitter might SEEM cheap, but when you're on a Ramen Noodle budget… it is
I took a few (ok, five) years off from photography and was a bartender and white water raft guide.
Now I'm back doing what I love… and my gear is SUPREMELY outdated!
Yikes. haha, but thanks for driving the point home :-D haha

 

[haftaclick]

AHHHH HAHAHA!! IT WORKS! yaaaaay! I don't know what you did, Mike, but EET ESS FEEXED!!
I should have done your steps one at a time, to determine which worked, but whichever it was, it's working!
(I also replaced the batteries in the Pocket Wizards… they were functioning, but low.)
SO HAPPY!! THANK YOU!!

 

[haftaclick]

Ah, I am so psyched to go try this out. Homagahd. Wicked excited.
Thank you all for helping me with this! Tim and Mike, you went above and beyond. I'm truly grateful!
Happy shooting everyone!!

 

[Big Mike]

That's great. Too bad you didn't figure out the precise problem...because it will happen again, if not to you, then to someone else who we could help.