Radio Popper JrX In-depth review

[Firotechnics]

So I received my JrX units today and immediately started testing the units. First I have to say I like the boxes the units came in, the units were adequately protected but I don't think it justifies the $18 for shipping. When I Opened the JrX receiver box I was surprised to find that the receiver was fatter than I thought it would be. When I opened the battery compartment I was not expecting for it to be so empty looking inside the unit. I like the over all construction of the units.

The little cards that come in the boxes that tell you what each dip switch does is very convent. However there was no user guide in the box.

I quickly went to compatibility tests. The cable that comes with the radio poppers does not work with the Female hotshoe with miniphone jack from flash zebra, but it does work with the deluxe canon hotshoe with miniphone jack from flash zebra. I still need to buy 1/4in mono connectors so the receivers work with me strobes because the stereo adaptor doesn't work. As a note the products from flash zebra that work with pocket wizards and skyports also work with radio poppers.

I have only done a small range test and I will continue to test the range and will update my post as I do further testing. So far I have only gotten 120-130 feet out of the system but that was with a canon speedlite I plan on testing with studio strobes later tonight.

Also for those of you who are still wondering HSS isn't happening with these triggers.

Over all I'm happy with my purchase, I like the small compact size and the units seem durable.

If you have any questions or want me to preform specific tests I will do my best and then report back.

UPDATE: I retested the range with a 50mm lens opposed to the 70-200 I originally tested. I got to 400 feet before I ran out of room and I still had rock solid triggering. More testing tomorrow...

[Zansho]

Were there any other mitigating factors in your range test? You really should test these in an optimum environment, meaning a place there there is no chance (or less chance) of radio interference, line of sight distance, stuff like that. David Hobby tested these to fire at about 100 yards away with no issues - and can even go as far as 500, although that's rare.

And to be perfectly honest, I doubt any of the photographic community cares too much about the packaging that the triggers came in. Real world applications, real use, and stringent testing is what I would be interested in - e.g. how do they hold up in fast placed environments, like sports, or weddings and the like? How fast can I sync up to using strobes or speedlights?

One last friendly suggestion, please use paragraphs or at least have a space between various ideas. Reading all of that was a little bit hard to follow, it would help if your thoughts were a bit easier to understand.

[Firotechnics]

I did two range tests one in the woods and one in a large open field both gave similar results.

The triggers can keep up with 5fps from my 30D triggering a 430ex

You are limited to your cameras max sync speed.

[bobbyz]

Quick questions

1. Can you control power of your 430ex without the RP Cube thing?

2. What is the highest SS that you do with the sync cable vs using RP JRx?

[Firotechnics]

Quick questions

1. Can you control power of your 430ex without the RP Cube thing?

2. What is the highest SS that you do with the sync cable vs using RP JRx?

1. I can't test the remote power control because I do not have a studio version of the trigger but I doubt it

2. My cable sync speed is 1/250 my radio popper sync speed is 1/250 on a 30D on a 5d mark II it would be 1/200 I imagine, but I will test

[Firotechnics]

Great link http://www.flickr.com/groups/strobist/discuss/72157622075418399/ talks about reliable distance

[scobols]

Thanks for the review.

Can you please tell me which cord I need to connect my Jr. to my 580EX II?

I've looked at many cords and just can't be sure if it's the correct one or not.

Thank you,
Scott

[Firotechnics]

Thanks for the review.

Can you please tell me which cord I need to connect my Jr. to my 580EX II?

I've looked at many cords and just can't be sure if it's the correct one or not.

Thank you,
Scott

Either of these will work with the 580 ex II
http://flashzebra.com/products/0120/index.shtml
If your 580ex II has a locking pc connection then use this http://flashzebra.com/wizardcables/screwlock.shtml

[Firotechnics]

Update: I've gotten some strange results from my tests today. I was test max sync speed just to make sure my findings were correct. On my 30D I was getting a max sync speed of 1/250th with speedlites and studio strobes.

Next I tested my 5D mark II and I was getting 1/200th max sync speed with speedlites. Okay all seems good until I set up my studio strobe and my max sync speed was 1/200th without seeing the shutter curtain. Except I get dramatically reduced exposures compared to a shutter speed of 1/100th Im trying to understand why this is shutter speed shouldn't matter with strobes.

[k_strecker]

Update: I've gotten some strange results from my tests today. I was test max sync speed just to make sure my findings were correct. On my 30D I was getting a max sync speed of 1/250th with speedlites and studio strobes.

Next I tested my 5D mark II and I was getting 1/200th max sync speed with speedlites. Okay all seems good until I set up my studio strobe and my max sync speed was 1/200th without seeing the shutter curtain. Except I get dramatically reduced exposures compared to a shutter speed of 1/100th Im trying to understand why this is shutter speed shouldn't matter with strobes.

OOOooohhhh . . . the plot thickens

[scobols]

Either of these will work with the 580 ex II
http://flashzebra.com/products/0120/index.shtml
If your 580ex II has a locking pc connection then use this http://flashzebra.com/wizardcables/screwlock.shtml


Thank you!

[Jim M]

Ambient light contamination at 1/100? How are you metering your flash?

[Firotechnics]

Ambient light contamination at 1/100? How are you metering your flash?

Light meter. However I've noticed when I went and tested cable sync I get a slight darkening of the bottom of my frame at 1/200 even though there is no visible shutter curtain line I realized that I was on the very edge of my max sync speed and thats why my exposure changed on my 5D mark II

[ctpaxman]

I just received my radiopopper and i have (2) 430ex's ...this is going to stupid...but how do i attach them>?

[Firotechnics]

I just received my radiopopper and i have (2) 430ex's ...this is going to stupid...but how do i attach them>?

easiest way is to get a hot shoe adaptor, You can either get this one http://www.flashzebra.com/products/0135/index.shtml and you need that only the deluxe works with the stereo cable supplied, or you can order this one http://www.flashzebra.com/products/0126/index.shtml and it should work

[enginyr]

Can't get my jrx to trigger the bees or the speedlights faster than 1/200th :-) All I see is the second curtain black at the bottom of the image. They higher shutter speed, the more black curtian

[Michael O]

Can't get my jrx to trigger the bees or the speedlights faster than 1/200th :-) All I see is the second curtain black at the bottom of the image. They higher shutter speed, the more black curtian

For HSS I believe you need the PX transmiter.

Mike

[Firotechnics]

Mike is right your not gonna get shutter speeds over 1/200th with out the px transmitter

[fungry]

So are you suggesting that HSS is possible if you have a PX transmitter and JrX receivers?

[scobols]

So are you suggesting that HSS is possible if you have a PX transmitter and JrX receivers?

No, you need a PX receiver, too.

[fungry]

No, you need a PX receiver, too.
Thank you for the clarification.

[dcmiles]

you can get high speed sync with a PX transmitter and a JrX reciever, although radiopopper claims it is "unsupported in that manner".

[Firotechnics]

you can get high speed sync with a PX transmitter and a JrX reciever, although radiopopper claims it is "unsupported in that manner".

I haven't tried it since I don't own the px transmitter but from what I've hear yes you can

[colormaniac]

For HSS I believe you need the PX transmiter.

Mike

Mike is right your not gonna get shutter speeds over 1/200th with out the px transmitter

Hi, what about P1 system? It has ETTL, according to p.3 of here (http://www.radiopopper.com/docs/radiopopper_x_compatibility_guide.pdf). Does it also have HSS? Actually I'm quite confused. P1 and PX seem to be doing very similar thing except that PX has more channels and more distance. Is that right?

[NewbieXT]

you can get high speed sync with a PX transmitter and a JrX reciever, although radiopopper claims it is "unsupported in that manner".

Well, kinda... Radio popper has a video of "high speed sync", with alien bees using this setup, but it's not really hss. It's a combo of slow flash duration from the bees and 1/8000 shutter. The flash is blasting during the entire exposure, not pulsing like hss. There is alot of falloff as a result of uneven exposure. If you already have a px transmitter in your kit, it might be fun to play with. But I wouldn't buy one just for "ab hss".

[dedsen]

The thread is 2 1/2 years old. You think they are still listening? Maybe!