Strobe triggering question (Pocket Wizards)

Titus213 wrote in post #6064529
Another design feature from Canon - don't expect to use an optical trigger on your 580EX.

Skyports and Cybersyncs are other radio units you might consider at lower cost.

"feature?"

I've actually got two things going at once, I need to buy equipment for work (where there are already Pocket Wizards being used) and I'm looking at possibly buying my own too. I like the idea of sticking with one brand so if the need arises to fire multiple strobes I won't have incompatible triggers. If this were just an isolated use, I probably would go cheaper. I've read lots of good things about the skyports.

Phil Light wrote in post #6064543
Hi Mike, glad to get the vote of confidence on the Pocket Wizards. I'm still working on how to afford two of the plus types. Those Multimaxes are $100 more each!

Ken, thanks for the info. Good points.

Here's another tidbit I learned recently... You can't use PW plus II's when shooting a burst. It has something to do with the PW plus II shifting between receive and transmit mode.

If you have a need to shoot bursts you will need at least one MultiMax placed in transmit mode. The strobes/speedlites can still be coupled to a PW plus II.

canonphotog wrote in post #6064591
Here's another tidbit I learned recently... You can't use PW plus II's when shooting a burst. It has something to do with the PW plus II shifting between recieve and transmit mode.

If you have a need to shoot bursts you will need at least one MultiMax place in transmit mode. The strobes/speedlites can still be coupled to a PW plus II.

Thanks, that's GREAT information to know. One of the main reasons I'm looking at them personally is to be able to shoot basketball games using strobes. It would be very disappointing to find out I had to wait multiple seconds between shots. I'm sure no strobe is going to let me shoot 10fps, but the quicker the better.

Phil Light wrote in post #6064613
Thanks, that's GREAT information to know. One of the main reasons I'm looking at them personally is to be able to shoot basketball games using strobes. It would be very disappointing to find out I had to wait multiple seconds between shots. I'm sure no strobe is going to let me shoot 10fps, but the quicker the better.

Sounds like you would benefit from checking out the MultiMax manual. It's a bit dry, but I think it will help you out. I believe the MultiMax/PWplusII combo will allow 12fps, but I may be remembering it incorrectly.

There is also a video on setting up and using a remote camera that may be beneficial to you. The strobist site has a video on using flash relay which might also be of benefit later on.

Info from SportsShooter

canonphotog wrote in post #6064591
Here's another tidbit I learned recently... You can't use PW plus II's when shooting a burst. It has something to do with the PW plus II shifting between receive and transmit mode.

If you have a need to shoot bursts you will need at least one MultiMax placed in transmit mode. The strobes/speedlites can still be coupled to a PW plus II.

Can you expound on this because I've never heard of such a thing. The Plus II can supposedly operate at 12 fps so I can't see it not working in burst mode, especially if all it's doing is triggering a remote flash.

[Edit] Or is this what you are referring to:

If so, this is an issue only if you are hold the Test button on the transmitter down with your hand. For most flash applications, this is usually never the case.

PacAce wrote in post #6065133
Can you expound on this because I've never heard of such a thing. The Plus II can supposedly operate at 12 fps so I can't see it not working in burst mode, especially if all it's doing is triggering a remote flash.

I'll see if I can locate the article I read regarding this. The way I understood it, it's not the Plus II triggering the flash that has the issue, it's the Plus II on the camera body.

canonphotog wrote in post #6065170
I'll see if I can locate the article I read regarding this. The way I understood it, it's not the Plus II triggering the flash that has the issue, it's the Plus II on the camera body.

See the edit in my previous post. Is that it?

PacAce wrote in post #6065194
See the edit in my previous post. Is that it?

That's not where I read it, but that could easily be related. As I recall it was an article where the author specifically stated that you couldn't do a burst using the Plus II on the camera and said a Multimax was needed.

I surf using two different computers. It will take me a bit longer digging through history to locate the link.

Optical triggers do work if the ambient light isn't too strong, like outdoors. I do this in my small studio all the time. I not sure if your a shooting basketball if optical will work in the gyms light or the distances you use. By the way this is one area that the Nikon strobes beat the Canons, they have a built in optical sensor that is excellent.

Jack

PacAce wrote in post #6065194
See the edit in my previous post. Is that it?

Here is a link to the article. It includes discussion of the problem and commentary from Pocket Wizard explaining the behavior.

It does seem to be related to the edit in your previous post although I don't think the end result is what you would expect.

AB8ND wrote in post #6065341
Optical triggers do work if the ambient light isn't too strong, like outdoors. I do this in my small studio all the time. I not sure if your a shooting basketball if optical will work in the gyms light or the distances you use. By the way this is one area that the Nikon strobes beat the Canons, they have a built in optical sensor that is excellent.

Jack

No argument from me on that! I've always considered that a poor choice by Canon. (But at least, one of the few)

canonphotog wrote in post #6065366
Here is a link to the article. It includes discussion of the problem and commentary from Pocket Wizard explaining the behavior.

It does seem to be related to the edit in your previous post although I don't think the end result is what you would expect.

OK, that's a totally unrelated issue where a wired switch plugged into the Plus II transmitter on the camera is used to trigger the transmitter which, in turn, fires the camera. For normal usage where the Plus II transmitter mounted on the camera is used to only trigger a remote flash and the camera is actuated by the operator using the shutter release button on the camera or a separate wired remote unit, this is not going to be an issue. I can't think of any application where one would want to trigger a camera via the transmitter sitting on top of the camera using a wired switch plugged into the transmitter instead of just plugging a remote release cable directly into the camera.

So then you can use PWs shooting a burst, right? I assume then your only fps limitation is strobe recycle time?

(Leo, trying to read the first two sentences of your last post... I think blood started coming out of my ears!)

Phil Light wrote in post #6066289
So then you can use PWs shooting a burst, right? I assume then your only fps limitation is strobe recycle time?

(Leo, trying to read the first two sentences of your last post... I think blood started coming out of my ears!)

Yes, that is correct, assuming it's the camera that's triggering the PW unit.

Sorry about the long winded sentences but I wanted to be as detailed as possible with the description of the setup that can lead to issues referred to by CanonPhotog.

You did fine Leo. I reread the article and noted the part regarding a switch plugged into the PW.

It's possible that it might cause a problem when used in relay mode, but until I pick up a motor drive cable to use with the PW for my own "testing" I'll leave that issue to others.