looking to pick up someone pocket wizard products and would like some advice.

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Hey guys, I have been looking to purchase a set up so I can take my flash wireless instead of being confined to a ttl cable. I've been looking at pocket wizards since everyone has been raving about them and I'm wondering which ones do I need? I was looking at the pw plus iii and a the Nikon receiver.

What are the pros and cons of owning them? What are the capabilities and limitations? Do I need both? When I buy another flash do I need to buy another one?

I'll be needing to use them remotely in the dark and behind corners if that makes a difference.
 
I'm using a PW Plus II setup. I have four PW transceivers (one on camera body, and one each on my three strobes). They are great and never fail me... except when they run out of batteries. I'm sure the Plus IIIs are even better.

You don't need the Nikon receiver, as the PWs are "transceivers" - they transmit and receive.
 
I didn't address all your questions earlier.

The number of PWs you need depends on, IMO, a couple of things. (1) What your flashes are capable of doing and (2) the location and distance of your flashes.

If you have a flash that can be a master and your other ones work as slaves and can be triggered via the master alone, then you would need just a pair of PWs - one on your camera, and one on the master flash. For the flashes you have that cannot work as wireless slave flashes (lower, older models, for example), then you'd need a PW on those too for them to fire.

If you are firing around in the dark and around corners, I would suggest you use PWs or other reliable triggers. Since they work on frequency and not via optical sensors to trigger flashes, they won't fail you.
 
You mentioned a TTL cable that you want to replace. Do you want to retain TTL capability in the PW setup?
 
Though I hardly ever use TTL, I do like the output control that the Flex TT5 PWs give, so I have four FlexTT5s and an AC3 zone controller. That means I can have three off-camera flashes (which need to have Nikon compatability to be controllable) and control them individually from the AC3, which is on top of the FlexTT5 which is itself on top of the camera. There are other ways to set the power for each of the three flashes, but the AC3 is the fastest and easiest way to do it (three dials). The AC3 can also set the compensation for the three channels if you work in TTL.

Apart from the control capabilities that the Flex system offers, the units are also physically a little more convenient to use than standard PWs because they have a hot shoe connector.
 
I second the TT5 that Helen mentions.. I have five of them. I also use a TT1 on the camera , and use my SU-800 to individually control each flash (when using Nikon TTL flashes).. similar to what she does with the AC3 (which I agree, is faster, and easier to use!).

I believe I had posted an Ebay link for you in one of your other threads on this topic .. to a TT5 / TT1 combo someone was selling... but it probably gone by now.
 
When I buy another flash do I need to buy another one?

That will depend on how you want to use the flashes, and what features are on the flash. If you always want TTL, I think you will need another PW unit. This is because you are not using the Nikon CLS which uses IR to control the flashes.

If you buy a flash that does not have the capability of CLS, you can probably still fire the new flash in "slave mode" where the electric eye will trigger the new flash. (Be sure the new flash has that.)
 
I'm using a sb910 and would like to use one or more to set up a small portable studio so I can do things outdoors. I just need something that'll trigger the flash when I need it to and be able to control others if I ever want to bring in another flash or two.

I'm only a little familiar with the pw tt5 units and was going to get that and a pw plus iii. I'm still confused on which ones I will need and benefit from the most.
 
Gotta buy me a few drinks before you can get your hands on my pocket wizard.
 
With those two units, you would probably put the +III on the camera, and the TT5 would be under the SB910. Since you mentioned "around corners" the slave function of another flash may or may not work reliably, depending on how much "corner" and the sensitivity of the eye in the slave. Meanwhile, you will need to put the SB910 in manual to eliminate the "pre flashes".
 
Are there any other benefits to having both the pw plus iii and the pw tt5 or is it pretty much just spending 400 bucks to go wireless flash?
 
I figure it is for flexibility. I like the Nikon CLS, but I decided to not rely on only that system.

Some brands of studio strobes have a proprietary wireless system, but as far as I know they don't communicate with each other.

I have the units to fire flashes remotely no matter what kind of lights I obtain in the future.
 

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