Phottix Aion Mini Review

My $35 Adorama knockoff RF shutter remote bit the dust after about a year of use. I'm not going to pay the ridiculous asking price of the Canon RF remote, so I started looking around for a new alternative.

The Phottix Aion is relatively new, I think it was released in December 2011. I picked one up online for $89.95 from Amazon (through Ace Digital Camera). It arrived pretty quick.

The remote has pretty decent build quality, feels good in the hand. The remote itself is a little bit on the large size, it will be noticed when you slip it in a jeans pocket.

Functionality is really very high for such an affordable remote. It can function as:
1) A basic remote shutter release
2) A burst type shutter release (seems to work at about 5 fps). I have not figured out a way to get a faster camera to run at maximum burst speed with the remote.
3) Bulb release. You can press once to open the shutter and then the LCD will display how long the shutter has been open. A second press will close the shutter.
3) Timed release (2 seconds)
4) Timer and intervalometer.

It's this last area that adds a lot of functionality over most remote releases. The Aion will allow you to take a long timed release of a pre-programmed duration. it will also allow you to program a series of photos at user defined intervals. This program can be set to end anywhere between 2 shots and 199....or is can be set to keep shooting indefinately.

One other nice feature is that the remote has a button to lock it out. This way if you start a bulb exposure (for example) you can lock the buttons and slip the Aion into a pocket without fear that you will end the exposure by accident.

I've got a few more things to play with. For now I've confirmed the remote works pretty much anywhere in my house but I don't know how good the range really is.

I also have not really played with the intervalometer. I have some questions in mind (like, can the remote wake the camera up?) but I will have to check this out in the future.

Let me know if you can think of any other questions, and I'll see what I can discover.

So far, it's a very handy remote for $90.

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Perfect timing, as I was just looking into this remote...

Some questions for you, I currently have the Hahnel Giga T Pro II

http://www.hahnel.ie …tion/productSea​rch/pid/80

http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=fL4VJAEDdo8


Does the Aion have all of the functions of the Giga? For example, I could set a 2 second delay, then a 5 second exposure, at 60 second intervals, for 50 exposures.

Hit play and it will delay 2 seconds, take the exposure, wait a minute, take another one, wait a minute, take another, etc...


One apparent advantage of the Giga is that it's extremely small, however the disadvantage is that you loose the convenience of AAA batteries (Uses CR2).


The reason I'm curious about the Aion is the auto bracketing, can you go do all of the features of the Giga + auto bracketing?

Also, how does it trigger the camera... it looks like the normal shutter release plug, so auto bracketing must be controlled by the Aion as if it was in 'bulb' mode? With that being said, is there any limit to the shutter speed? (eg 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, 1/2000, 1/4000 bracketing)

I also wonder how it works with the Odin, could they somehow be used together?

Thanks for the product intro and review. I have a Phottix Plato and have been looking for an intervalometer and this should fit perfectly.

NickSimcheck wrote in post #13717294
Does the Aion have all of the functions of the Giga? For example, I could set a 2 second delay, then a 5 second exposure, at 60 second intervals, for 50 exposures.

Yes, it will do this. The timer allows for delay, duration of exposure (in bulb on the camera), interval time and number of exposures all to be set, and you can set them all to run together.

The Aion uses AAA.

Yes and no. It will do all that stuff (delay, interval, number of shots) and it will also do bracketing (in blub mode). The only problem I see here is that the bracketing (in bulb mode) starts with a shutter speed no faster than 1/10th and then progresses in full stops from whatever starting point you gave it.

However, you can set the camera into single shot mode (not in bulb) and enable the cameras own bracketing feature set and then the Aion intervalometer will walk it through taking several shots in a row.

So to get flexible bracketing, you have to shoot in a non-bulb mode and let the camera make the exposure adjustments.

Just like I wrote....the release works through the normal shutter release plug, but it will trigger the camera in any mode, not just bulb. So you can let the camera meter the shot or use the camera internal bracketing feature.

I just bought the Odin too. The two systems work completely apart, but of course you can use them at the same time so that the remote triggers the camera and the Odin triggers remote flashes.

Great review.
I see you have a Canon 5D which uses a N3 remote socket?
I have a T3i which uses a E3 connector..
Why are there no E3 style wireless shutter remotes?

Could I use a N3 to E3 adapter like this, CANON RS-80N3 TC-80N3 LC-5 jack to RS-60E3 plug Adapter and have all the functions work?

davidalindsey wrote in post #13755317
Great review.
I see you have a Canon 5D which uses a N3 remote socket?
I have a T3i which uses a E3 connector..
Why are there no E3 style wireless shutter remotes?

Could I use a N3 to E3 adapter like this, CANON RS-80N3 TC-80N3 LC-5 jack to RS-60E3 plug Adapter and have all the functions work?

Yes, you could. But there are E3-compatible wireless remotes. For instance (link at the top of this and every page): http://www.procamerage​ar.com …info.php/produc​ts_id/1227

Yes all the ones that I have seen for the E3 style are just a shutter release and look ugly, with huge attentas protruding out of them.
I want one that has timer and long exposure functions as well.

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …terBoss_Timer_R​emote.html

I got this set a couple of weeks ago too. Really like it so far, very solid and functionality is great. Haven't put it through it's paces yet, but seems to be really good.

Had a set of Phottix Strato's too, for a year now. They work pretty much flawlessly for my OCF stuff. The brand has really grown on me, looking at the Odin's right now for increased functionality over my Strato's. Great products.

darosk wrote in post #13757099
I got this set a couple of weeks ago too. Really like it so far, very solid and functionality is great. Haven't put it through it's paces yet, but seems to be really good.

Had a set of Phottix Strato's too, for a year now. They work pretty much flawlessly for my OCF stuff. The brand has really grown on me, looking at the Odin's right now for increased functionality over my Strato's. Great products.

I'm really liking the Odin's. Price is good and the ability to control everything from the camera with E-TTL is great.

JeffreyG wrote in post #13757140
I'm really liking the Odin's. Price is good and the ability to control everything from the camera with E-TTL is great.

Yup, from all I've heard and seen so far it sounds amazing. Will probably get a set pretty soon.

Does the Phottix TR-90 have the same functions than this one? Except for the bracketing and the wireless system.

Just purchased the Aion. Thanks JeffreyG for the good review.

davidalindsey wrote in post #13755317
I have a T3i which uses a E3 connector..
Why are there no E3 style wireless shutter remotes?

Could I use a N3 to E3 adapter like this, CANON RS-80N3 TC-80N3 LC-5 jack to RS-60E3 plug Adapter and have all the functions work?

AFAIK,the Aion's receiver has a 2,5mm TRS female jack (instead of being "hard-wired").
You could use such an adapter cable like you mentioned but for the sake of simplicity (and functionality "on the field") I suggest using an 2,5mm-2,5mm cable like this one:
http://www.ebay.com …motes&hash=item​3a6efe37bc
As you can see,they're a third of a price of that adapter you mentioned.
(for that matter,if you like,you can also find coiled cables too)
This way,you'll have only one cable between the Aion and camera body instead of two....less hassle and items to be potentially lost in a hurry.Besides,you'll have both C1 and C3 connectors handy (in case that you'll use the Aion on a C3 body).
HTH!
Regards,

Just bought the Hahnel Giga T Pro II got it home and it's dead out of the box. So back to the shop we go . Typical isn't it.

Recap
Turned out it was my bad not the t pros. I was not pushing the connector plug far enough. You have to push it till it clicks.. I don't like forcing things into my cameras. But it works a treat now.