First impressions, CTR-301 eBay Flash Triggers...

lextalionis · Mar 16, 2009

Hey gang,

I just got my CTR-301 wireless triggers in the mail. Much better than my experience with the Cactus V2s. I guess Youtube tags are disabled?

Here's my review.

Cheers,
Roy

CxThree · Mar 16, 2009

Impressive. Great price.

Question: I see they list compatability for the flash units. Would these also work to control stufio lighting. I need to get a set for my Speedotron light set.

CxThree · Mar 16, 2009

Looks like they do not work on Studio Lights. I read it in the questions section of their EBAY item's sale page. However, they mention a new version with a port for studio lights. I emailed them looking for an update and ETA. I will update you if they respond.

lextalionis · Mar 17, 2009

No sync port on these, but all-in-all a super buy at $40 shipped.

-Roy

JerryPH · Mar 17, 2009

How do these stack up against a set of modded Cacus V2s triggers? To mod the V2s is a walk in the park (15 seconds on a bad day for the triggers... 30-45 seconds on a bad day for the receivers).

lextalionis · Mar 17, 2009

JerryPH said:
How do these stack up against a set of modded Cacus V2s triggers? To mod the V2s is a walk in the park (15 seconds on a bad day for the triggers... 30-45 seconds on a bad day for the receivers).

For me? At least 100-fold better. I too modified the Cactus V2s triggers as shown here: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5hTyVLYNZg]YouTube - Cactus V2s Wireless Flash Trigger Review 1 of 4[/ame] and tis true, the triggering distance went from about 20' to over 80', but the realibility and miss-fire rate didn't change a bit. After buying all new batteries, I still suffered with ~50% miss-fire rate using my Canon 30D, 430EX, and 580EX...at least half the time one of the two flashes didn't fire.

What I liked about the Cactus V2s:

1. Price is cheap.
2. Sync port, although it's very low on my list, but it's a comfort knowing they are there.

What I didn't like about the Cactus V2s:

1. Poor realibility because of 50% miss-fire rate with my Canon Speedlites (known issue I think)
2. Poor rcvr design, tall and very frail...they topple and won't hold a flash on a flat surface.
3. Battery cover is very frail.
4. Non-standard battery aka CR3(3.3V) and 23A(12V)
5. Max sync-speed 1/250th sec

What I like about these new CTR-301s:

1. 100% realible i.e. zero miss-fires w/in 25ft (30ft out doors is about the maximum range)
2. Price is cheap...same as the Cactus V2s
3. The rcvr design is far superior to the V2s rcvr design as shown in my review video.
4. Slave light sensor to drive a flash from another flash

What I don't like about these new CTR-301s:

1. Non-standard battery aka CR3(3.3V) and 23A(12V)
2. No sync port, although a new version coming out will have the sync port...I don't need/use at this point in time anyway.

JerryPH · Mar 17, 2009

80 feet? I can guarantee that you did not mod the triggers the easy and more effective way. HERE is the complete blog on how I modded my V2s units. Everyone one without exception that has done it this way gets the SAME results I do. Some get over 400 feet to boot.

Yuck @ no sync ports. That basically limits you to battery powered flashes only and makes it 2 reasons I would pass on these new units.

If all you want is the ability to trigger reliably at 30 feet or less without needing to modify the trigger, and only use battery powered flashes, this unit seems to be the answer.

I personally want both increased distance, reliability and it has to have a sync port for 3 reasons (1. let's me use studio strobes 2. lets me get that wobbly receiver off the flash and hanging on the side and 3. lets me use standard AA batteries in the recievers for increased life and no extra cost since I can use rechargeable batteries now).

They are the same price as the V2s units so I personally would just pass on them for me.

Modding the V2s units is a walk in the park... and you need to remember only 2 small things to increase distance to over 350 ft:
- you *must* use one single strand of CAT5 wire that is 12.39 inches long
- you *must* make sure that the soldered connection is well done

In over 4500 shots taken with this setup, I have not had one single misfire. Granted Canon flashes are known to be extremely noisy and I am a Nikon user, but other Canon flash users have duplicated this range and consistency using the method I used.

I've done 3 triggers now bought from 2 different sources (Gadget Infinity directly and MPEX in Ohio) and all 3 work identically. Others get well over 400 ft from theirs that are modded the same way as mine. At 358ft I did not hit the wall for distance, I physically ran out of room to test further, but did not need more than that so it was a moot point.

lextalionis · Mar 17, 2009

For me and many othera using Canon Flashes with the V2s and two rcvrs having a range of infinity wouldn't matter because one of the two flashes wouldn't fire half the time...my understanding it's just an issue with Canon flashes and perhaps only the 430EX.

When you say "not a single miss-fire" is this on two or more receivers firing two or more flashes and if so what flash models?

Thanks,
Roy

Mike_E · Mar 17, 2009

I did the mod on the V2 and was getting 1 in 5 misfires.

Then I changed flashes and didn't get any. The offending flash went to the back of the line though.

lextalionis · Mar 17, 2009

Mike_E said:
I did the mod on the V2 and was getting 1 in 5 misfires.

Then I changed flashes and didn't get any. The offending flash went to the back of the line though.

Mind sharing the model of the "offending flash"? Hopefully you didn't buy new flashes just because of this

-Roy

Mike_E · Mar 17, 2009

LOL no it was an old spare Metz. It probably just needs a cleaning. Those things are really hard to kill.

JerryPH · Mar 17, 2009

Mike_E said:
I did the mod on the V2 and was getting 1 in 5 misfires.

Then I changed flashes and didn't get any. The offending flash went to the back of the line though.

It wasn't a Canon 430 by chance? They are pretty brutal in the noise leakage department. The 580's are known to be way friendlier to remote triggers.