Skyports or PW's

Well, my 18th birthday is coming up, and I will probably be receiving a large sum of cash... well not that big, but enough for me to buy a nice, photography related item. I'm debating whether to get Skyports or PocketWizard Plus's. The PocketWizards really seem like they're what I'm looking for, since the Skyports don't look like they would be able to take a beating. I shoot mainly skateboarding photography, so there is a significant risk of my flashes getting knocked over. I also like that PW's use AA's instead of rechargeable lithium batteries, so if perhaps my rechargeables run out I can always pop in some alkalines. I basically have all the other gear I need, besides a 50mm f/1.8 (which I will be getting soon) and another Sunpak 544 or 555, so is the extra $300 I'd be spending on the PW's worth it?

Short answer- Yes it is worth it.

Not to me. Skyports do the job, and I run a business, the more you spend the less profit you make. Skyports will do what you want them to do, the weak point of most radio slaves is probably the hotshoe.

Give me a couple of days then PM me, i've used PWs a bit, and my skyports arrive in a day or two.

Yeah, I never bought into this line of thinking either. Like Tim, I make money with photography. The PW stick out quite a way from the camera, so if you're gonna snag them on anything, the hot shoe will break off. The Skyports are smaller and much closer to the camera. If you snag them on anything, there is much less leverage to break the hot shoe.

I went with Skyports because of size (as others have mentioned, a PW on a camera looks like trouble..). So far, I have broken the power switch off of one Skyport transmitter (still worked though) which was replaced under warranty. On a recent shoot I ripped the antenna off of another transmitter - it still works fine for my needs (150ft). I assume I got it caught on the camera strap. I have yet to send it in and see if they will fix it.


If I did it all again, I would probably stay with the Skyports because of cost. I'm actually thinking about Skyports + Radiopoppers to get the best of different situations. The only feature I like better about the PW's is the ability to romote trigger a camera.

I'm not sure what all this "Pocket Wizards are trouble" is about. You don't hear professionals complaining about their Pocket Wizards and personally, I've never once had an issue and I've never snagged it on something and gotten it ripped off. Granted, you don't have to be careless for that to happen but talking about a Pocket Wizard being some sort of risk is a bit silly.

You don't see people saying they won't put a flash on their camera, and a flash is larger, heavier and greater expense to repair should it catch or snap something and fall to the ground. Typically, if a PW is going to snag or break it will be the soft foot they use but the unit itself is fairly rugged and can easily withstand a fall and a little abuse. That's one of the reasons why pros (and many others) use them.

I don't buy into the idea of using PW's if you don't need them but many do need them or the features they offer, especially when it comes to the MultiMax or integration with Sekonic meters. Yes, you can use the cordless auto-reset mode on a Sekonic meter, and yes, you can get an extra Skyport (or ebay, etc) transmitter and attach or hang it from the meter but it's just not as convenient as having only the meter and no other appendages to trigger your lights. If you don't use a light meter or don't care about seamless integration then it's a non-issue and by all means use any of the other available trigger systems availalble.

Some people just follow trends and some have a real need for features, performance or a particular design. All of it is based on needs, wants or the demands of your shooting style or location.

IMO the PW would be the best choice.
A. they are the best
B. they have a solid build
C. everyone else use's them so u can always borrow an extra one from a friend or vise-versa.

so if u can afford them, i would get them.

For me it came down to what I could afford; I ended up with the Skyports.

Photography is a hobby for me, so I couldn't justify the price of the PW's, plus there is so much other gear that I want to get. I never buy poor quality equiptment because I know that I will not be satisfied with it in the future and end up selling and re-buying at a loss. So far I'm very happy w/ the Skyports.

The Skyports are at the price point, but if you need or may need the added functionality of the PW's then I would get them.

TMR Design wrote in post #5902406
I'm not sure what all this "Pocket Wizards are trouble" is about.

While that is not my quote, what I was trying to say is that I don't think that the Skyports are inherently more likely to break than the PW. I think the likelihood of breaking one of these radio triggers is about the same between the two brands. It can and will happen occasionally, and neither of those brands is built to withstand absolutely everything.

I picked up the skyports (1 trans/3 receiver) and they have been fantastic. No complaints from me. But the pocket wizards are bullet proof from what I understand. Except for the size, I have never heard a complaint about them.

The battery powered CyberSync's are shipping now, and after a bit of time so a few reviews and user testimonials are available, they may be able to be inserted in this discussion as a possibility.

A set is $130.00 (1 transmitter & 1 receiver and associated cords). A very attractive price if they are quality units.

Enjoy! Lon

FlashZebra wrote in post #5906072
The battery powered CyberSync's are shipping now, and after a bit of time so a few reviews and user testimonials are available, they may be able to be inserted in this discussion as a possibility.

A set is $130.00. A very attractive price if they are quality units.

Enjoy! Lon

Are these the Paul Berg / Alienbee / White Lightning units?

Where can I find these cyber syncs? I might get them as a backup to my skyports.

http://www.alienbees.c​om/remotes.html

Hmm.. thanks Matt. They seem to be a bit more robust (at least in appearance) than the pocketwizards.

I guess it can't hurt to order!