PocketWizard Plus IIs and SB-800s

[Village Idiot]

You need one on the camera and one on each flash that you have placed remotely. So... if you have 4 flashes, you need 5 PW units.

Having said that... if you live in the USA, you can order something called Radio Poppers, which are both superior and cheaper than Pocket Wizards, and do something that the PWs cannot... relay CLS info from camera to all strobes.

This is what I shall be getting when they are easier to get and available in Canada.

Not if the other flashes are set to optical slaves of course. Anything will fire them, so two PW's would work for the op.

Plus the Radio poppers are almost the same price as the PW PII's and aren't necessarily better. The initial price isn't the only cost. If you're setting lights manually, you can buy a $80 strobe that will put out as much light as a $230 TTL light from Canon.

Three sunpak 383's = $240
Two Canon 230EX's and a 580EX II = $860

Even with Nikon, three SB 600's are going to cost more than three sunpak's and you still need at least a D80 to use commander mode from the camera.

Plus the PW's still have range on the radio popper's. Advertised distance is 300'.

 

[JerryPH]

One PW for each SB-800? Is there any way an SB-800 with PW can fire off another SB-800 without needing another Pocket Wizard attached to that?

Would setting other remote flashes to SU-4 mode not work?

Why not set everything to SU-4 mode? You are then not needing the PWs at all in the first place.

 

[JerryPH]

Not if the other flashes are set to optical slaves of course. Anything will fire them, so two PW's would work for the op.

Plus the Radio poppers are almost the same price as the PW PII's and aren't necessarily better. The initial price isn't the only cost. If you're setting lights manually, you can buy a $80 strobe that will put out as much light as a $230 TTL light from Canon.

Three sunpak 383's = $240
Two Canon 230EX's and a 580EX II = $860

Even with Nikon, three SB 600's are going to cost more than three sunpak's and you still need at least a D80 to use commander mode from the camera.

Plus the PW's still have range on the radio popper's. Advertised distance is 300'.

Well, again, depends on what you want to do.

The Radio popper is $180. PWs are $245-280, but with this competition, they are more than likely going to be forced to drop a lot in price as soon as the RPs are out a while.

PWs cannot:
- use high speed sync.
- do not transfer CLS info from camera to flash wirelessly.
- Distance in the real world is about the same and they both advertise at 1600 ft capabilities.

If you plan to use one or more SB-600 or SB-800 (or are a Canon person and use Canon speedlights). More important features for less money? Its a no-brainer choice!

Now if you are not planning on using brand name flashes with your setup, and don't mind spending the extra $$ or the PWs, it is possible to "kinda" justify them if you are penny pinching. In that case, you are STILL better off with the lower cost RPs as nothing more than triggers.

If you REALLY want to save money, just spend 10 bucks on an optical trigger and be done with it... or if you are already Nikon setup... you are good to go (depending on camera, of course).

 

[Village Idiot]

PW PII's are 188.95 on B&H. You can get them cheaper else where. The multi max is $295, but it has more functionality. That's been the prices for as long as I can remember.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...Wizard_801_125_Plus_II_Transceiver_Radio.html

RP manual page 6 - Range 100-300 feet

http://radiopopper.com/docs/radiopopper_p1_manual.pdf

Plus RP's only work with Canon and Nikon.

The $295 multi max allows rear curtain sync, multiple flashes, time lapse triggering. Any of the PW's also can act as a trigger camera and work with virtually anything.

 

[table1349]

Well, again, depends on what you want to do.

The Radio popper is $180. PWs are $245-280, but with this competition, they are more than likely going to be forced to drop a lot in price as soon as the RPs are out a while.

PWs cannot:
- use high speed sync.
- do not transfer CLS info from camera to flash wirelessly.
- Distance in the real world is about the same and they both advertise at 1600 ft capabilities.

If you plan to use one or more SB-600 or SB-800 (or are a Canon person and use Canon speedlights). More important features for less money? Its a no-brainer choice!

Now if you are not planning on using brand name flashes with your setup, and don't mind spending the extra $$ or the PWs, it is possible to "kinda" justify them if you are penny pinching. In that case, you are STILL better off with the lower cost RPs as nothing more than triggers.

If you REALLY want to save money, just spend 10 bucks on an optical trigger and be done with it... or if you are already Nikon setup... you are good to go (depending on camera, of course).

Currently the Radio Poppers can not do anything mentioned above. Not for the average user at least. Not unless you have a source that has a supply of them. Again they sound good on paper for a single task item. But they are still in production not in the hands of users. Nor can they be used for anything but the latest Canon & Nikon dedicated iTTL/eTTL flash units.

I paid $188.00 each for my PW II's. They trigger my 2 580EX's,(ok they trigger the 580 that is set to master and it triggers the 580 set to slave), my collection of 383's, studio strobes , camera bodies and most importantly for me sports strobes.

And again I will ask what good is the iTTL/eTTL function when I am using a 5 light setup and am setting ratios between heads. Will iTTL/eTTL figure it for me or are the Radio Poppers just supposed to just allow me to adjust the output ratio on a bunch of high dollar dedicated Canon or Nikon flash units from the camera body. If it won't figure the ratios then where is the big advantage to Radio Poppers. Seems like the ol'e Sekonic isn't going to get retired anytime soon unless someone can explain how the Radio Poppers can figure the ratios for me with a Key light, side light, fill light, hair light and backdrop light with out me using a meter. Because if it can't do that then it sounds like it is just an expensive transmitter that keeps me from turning a dial or sliding a switch at the flash/strobe unit. And that is a No-Brainier Choice.

 

[Village Idiot]

Actually, the first batch just shipped. David Hobby of The Strobist Blog stopped out to our meet in Baltimore last weekend with a set that they sent to him and played around a bit.

The first batch is completely sold out though.

Each have their strengths and weaknesses saying one is vastly superior to the other is wrong.

 

[table1349]

Actually, the first batch just shipped. David Hobby of The Strobist Blog stopped out to our meet in Baltimore last weekend with a set that they sent to him and played around a bit.

The first batch is completely sold out though.

Each have their strengths and weaknesses saying one is vastly superior to the other is wrong.

Well I will be surely be interested in the responses of those that have them then. Like I have said, it sounds good in theory, but until they are on the market it's just theory. For me the proof is in the using not the advertising. If they work as they advertise, it will make new innovation in the remote flash world.

I was interested as well in a thread in another forum about the long fabled and much talked about (and slow to materialize) Tamron 70-200 f2.8. It was actually in the hands of an average shooter yesterday and he got a chance to test it at a camera store. He gave it a good review. Now Canon, Nikon, & Sigma might have a bit of competition besides each other in that range.

The one vast superiority of PW's, or the cheap e-bay radio triggers for that matter is that they will fire other things like studio strobes, camera bodies ect. where the Radio Poppers will only fire compatable Nikon and Canon *TTL units.

 

[stigma]

Why not set everything to SU-4 mode? You are then not needing the PWs at all in the first place.

Well, if I set all my flashes to SU-4 mode, I'd have nothing to trigger any of them (i.e.: they won't fire themselves).

I own one SB-800 and will be renting two from my local camera store, so I wasn't able to test SU-4 mode, in the SB-800 that I own, for its optical slaving capability with another flash (and I don't own any cameras with built-in flashes). That's why I wanted to confirm that SU-4 mode will let me fire all flashes if I just have a single pair of Plus II transceivers.

Oh, I can't afford the $10 pc sync cord because I'm buying PocketWizards. Ironic. The cord is out of the question.

IBTL; let this thread die.

 

[Village Idiot]

Well I will be surely be interested in the responses of those that have them then. Like I have said, it sounds good in theory, but until they are on the market it's just theory. For me the proof is in the using not the advertising. If they work as they advertise, it will make new innovation in the remote flash world.

They are on the market. People have them and are using them. Did you not read my above post which said DH from the strobist showed up with a set of production units from the first run and was playing with them the whole time they were there. They worked great.

He took a picture from outside of the 3rd floor studio on the sidewalk with his strobes in the studio and fired on the ceiling. It was 50/50 for whether or not they fired but it was an old brick building in downtown baltimore from probably 150' away. No theory there, just proof. Go to his flickr page and you can see the photos.

 

[Village Idiot]

IBTL; let this thread die.

Why. There's a discussion going on.

 

[table1349]

They are on the market. People have them and are using them. Did you not read my above post which said DH from the strobist showed up with a set of production units from the first run and was playing with them the whole time they were there. They worked great.

He took a picture from outside of the 3rd floor studio on the sidewalk with his strobes in the studio and fired on the ceiling. It was 50/50 for whether or not they fired but it was an old brick building in downtown baltimore from probably 150' away. No theory there, just proof. Go to his flickr page and you can see the photos.

I read the article. It's a nice review and the 3rd floor shot was very interesting. I would be more interested however in a review from Matt Adcock after using them at a few weddings. I put more stock in real world use then a quick test for a review. And like DH I to am not much of an TTL guy. If they continue to perform as the reviews have shown then they will add quite a bit of creativity for the TTL shooters.

For me I will stick with PW's. They perform tasks that the Radio Poppers can not do. Tasks that I need a piece of equipment to perform.

 

[JerryPH]

Several wedding photographers have already used and commented about them. WHy would Matt Adcock's reviews by any different?

Basically, TTL shots wirelessly on the fly. Let's see any PW do that.

 

[table1349]

Several wedding photographers have already used and commented about them. WHy would Matt Adcock's reviews by any different?

I did a quick search for radio poppers in the title or in any of the text here in the forum and did not find any posts where anyone stated that they were using them. What wedding photographers have commented on them?

Matt Adcock has now used them, in his hands in real world conditions. That is the difference. I would be interested in his experiences with them, good and/or bad. I value real world experience over test reviews. Just as I would be interested in the experiences of anyone that has used them real world. If you are speaking from real world experience with them then please let me know your experiences. I'm interested.

Basically, TTL shots wirelessly on the fly. Let's see any PW do that. ]

I don't live by TTL. About the only thing I use TTL for is a bit of event stuff and macro. I use my White Lightnings far more than the two 580's I own. My PW's fire my White Lightnings every time with out fail. Lets see the Radio Poppers do that.

At work I use the old Novatrons we still have. (and I do mean old, they are only one step removed from flash powder ) My PW's fire them every time with out a problem. Lets see the Radio Poppers do that.

When I shoot sports with a strobist setup I use a group of 383's. The PW's fire them every time with out a problem. Again lets see the Radio Poppers do that.

The Radio Poppers fill a much needed niche in the market. Better and longer TTL communications. For that they sound really good. But only for certain dedicated Canon and Nikon flash units. They don't work with Pentax, Sony, Olympus, Hasselblad or any of the other systems that are not Canon or Nikon. They won't fire studio strobes. In fact I haven't found a TTL monolight or strobe pack. All of this constitutes a vastly larger market that the Radio Poppers do not address.

At some point I may look to buy a pair of Radio Poppers. But for now I want a unit that fills far more of my needs than TTL communications between my Canon bodies and two 580 flash units.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the Radio Poppers, I am just not sold on them as the greatest thing since sliced bread. Frankly, if anyone is considering wireless communications from body to flash and they want or need TTL communications most or all of the time then the Radio Poppers are probably the way to go. At least with Canon it's got to be more consistent that the ST E2.

If however they need communication for other units were TTL is not a factor then PW's, Skyports or even Cactus Triggers are probably the thing to look at. PW's are only $8.00 more than that Radio Poppers, Skyports are less and the Cactus Triggers are ridiculously less than any of the other three. And from the comments I have read, they seem to work pretty well. They use a weird battery though.