As regular visitors, I am sure you have noticed how much I try to always come up with original content. I try to minimize linkage to other people blog posts unless I can add some value to it. I think twitter does a better job at this than a blog post, this is why I created a twitter account for the site. I will try to keep it low volume and on subject.
Anyways, today two posts convinced me to do an exception.
First, Stu wrote a great post on the custom settings he is using to film with the 5D. I used to shoot with the neutral setting but I might give this configuration a try. It is technically sound, I just wonder how it would perform in a low light environment? I will have to do some testing!
Link 2: this ‘review‘ by Rick Sammon of the Pocket Wizard Mini TT1 and Flex TT5. He does not say if he actually tested (used) them or not but if he did (after all, this is supposed to be a mini review), I will investigate to learn the Speedlite models he used.
Speaking of Pocket Wizards, I experienced some strange behavior with my Plus II on a 580EXII last weekend. We had a very weird setup (D3 using PC cord to PW + on camera flash to trigger the 580) and we could not get a 100% fire rate on the 580. Once we switched the 580 for a Nikon flash (SB something), it flashed every single time. Weird. I think the issue is with the 580 itself, even more so since my friend said that he smelled something burning…
Finally, dont forget about the contest to win my eBay Cactus remote triggers! When was the last time someone offered you something for nothing? Even if it was something that did not worth much…
Quick update: the Pocket Wizard FlexTT5
Warning: Because the MiniTT1 only has the choice of 2 channels while the Plus II has 4, it might cause a problem in a multi photographers environment but that is about it. I tested it through multiple walls and around corners and they triggered every single time. I will do some long range testing soon but so far, so good.
While a few of my friends tried to convince me to get Radio Poppers, I stay away from these. I do not like the fact that they require a flash on top of the camera to operate. Too much gear to carry around!
This is the fourth time I am writing this post and it is going to be the last. Between the time I received the Pocket Wizards, did some test in my kitchen and finally tried them out in the open, my perception of the product changed drastically. To make it short, the ETTL Pocket Wizards are going back to the store and will be replaced by the old school PW that actually work as advertised.
Of course, as faith would have it, I have the worst possible flashes to work with the MiniTT1
To be fair, the remotes work perfectly as advertised, when I am 15” away. After that, it is hit or miss until 30” which is the point where they are less reliable than my eBay triggers.
After reading the documentation, it seems like Pocket Wizards is blaming the IR from the flash as the source of the interferences. Since the IR is used only for ETTL data transmission (as far as I know), switching to manual mode should solve the issue and give me the fantastic range I was expecting when I bought these. But, nope, it does not change anything. I did some test by changing the position of the antenna of the TT5 without much success and needless to say that I never managed to shoot around corners!
The suggested alternative is to buy a hot shoe cable (OC-E3
So, unless one of you, knowledgeable readers, has managed to have these things working with the same equipment as mine, I am going back to the technology from the 90s (aka walkie talkie PW).
