pocket wizards or Radio Poppers?

I started another thread about going strobist rather than lugging around my Genesis(es) and Vagabond (which I may sell) and then started doing some research. It seems like the RPs require you to have a flash ON your camera? That seems really dumb to me. Its like: Buy our system, but to use it with ETTL you have to leave one of your expensive flashes in the very position you DON'T want it, on camera. Not to mention my 580 EXII is heavy. I don't want something like that on my camera just to trigger another flash (or flashes). Which brings up another point, does EITHER system work with multiple off-camera flashes? And what has PW done to fix the RF interference issue? Is it actually resolved? I don't consider a sock resolved. I'm trying to get to a VERY simple strobist setup and sliding a sock on and off my flash repeatedly is not simple.

Pocket wizard TT1/TT5 will control up to 3 groups of external flashes (A/B/C). Right now you have control of those discrete groups by keeping a 580 EX II or STE2 on the camera. This is changing right now. The AC3 zonecontroller lets you control the A/B/C groups individually regarless of their status (manual/ETTL). And you can mix and match manual/ETTL.

I have also done some experimenting with using the TT1 on the camera with a 580EX II. I let the Mini TT1 control a flash mounted on a TT5 and let the 580EX II trigger a strobe via the infra-red triggering (Canon system). It worked fine. I am VERY interested in the new AC3 from PW. See the demo at pocketwizard.com, YouTube, or R. Galbraith.

OK, THAT makes my purchase feel a lot better! (I ordered the PWs today before I saw this post, this information makes me very happy).

Cool. Supposedly the AC3 zonecontrollers are shipping at this time and will be available at retailers shortly. Street price is supposed to be $69.95. The online demo shows this to be so flippin' useful I cannot imagine NOT having one.

Amazon has it up for pre-order which is where I will get mine from.

Crikey! They just posted that! I've been searching Amazon multiple times daily for a week or so now. Thanks for the heads up! I called my local pro store yesterday and they were oblivious to these. Acted like it was an item they likely wouldn't "stock". Yeah, whatever... duh!

I just pre-ordered mine! Like to support the local pro shop but when you snooze....

I just pre-ordered from Amazon as well after watching the video on the PW site. The ability to do ETTL shooting and say, oh, my hair light is too hot, set to -1 from the camera is freaking wicked.

That's exactly what I thought when I watched it too. Or... Hey I want to blow out the background but ETTL won't let me (as it shouldn't) so I'll just put my background flash (group C) on manual and step up the power! Meanwhile, back at the ranch, groups A and B continue on in ETTL mode.

Now, tell me. How does that not ROCK?

rodddy wrote in post #10564701
Anyone have experience with the PW FlexTT5-Canon. I'm really considering purchasing but I'm noticing some mixed reviews, especially using them with my 580ex II's. I've always had the impression that PW"S are the best going for ocf. I really want to take advantage of the ettl II compatibility. I'm also considering Radio Poppers, not sure which rout is best for my canon equipment.

thanks.
_______________

I have a TT1, three TT5, and three 580EX II. No RF issues. No regrets.

Whoa to all you Pocket Wizard aficionados! Lets really compare Pocket Wizards to Radio Poppers.

With the new Pocket Wizard AC3 Zone controller (is it even available yet?) you can control 3 zones of speedlites in either ETTL or Manual mode (WHOOPEE!). Did you know that with Radio Popper PX's and the new RP cubes (they are available now) you can control 6 Groups (zones if that is what you would rather call them) of Speedlites with the option to control either 3 groups in ETTL and 3 in Manual mode or all 6 groups in Manual mode with all being fully adjustable from the camera. Plus you are not limited to only 6 stops of adjustments in the manual mode, as with the PW AC3 but, you have use of the full range of any flashes output with the Radio Poppers. Adjustable in 32 levels with a PX transmitter or infinite from 0 to full with the JRX transmitter. Kind of a nice feature when using your 580EX's which have a power range from 1/128 to 1/1. And, with the RP cubes I can even use my Nikon flashes with my Canon system and have full control of their flash output from my camera as well. OK sorry to rub that in.

Now lets talk about mounting. I will give you the fact that yes the RP PX transmitter still needs to be velcro'd onto the the Master flash (ARGH #@!!) but did you know that sometime back the guys at Radio Popper developed a very ingenious mounting bracket to mate the flash and PX receiver. The Radio Popper mounting bracket is a whole lot sexier than having those ugly PW AC7 or PW AC5 shields wrapped around the flash. Just my opinion.

Ok now lets mention the fact that with the Radio Poppers you have to have a Master flash mounted to the camera to use the PX transmitter where as the PW Mini does not require a flash. OK I think that is pretty cool too but, if you have an older DSLR guess what? Sorry Charly! Full functionality is not yours to be had. You must either upgrade your camera or be relegated to limited features unless you mount a flash to you camera.

Lets also throw a shout out to our fellow brethren the Nikonians who are still waiting for their Pocket Wizard Flex's and Mini's. The Radio Poppers will currently do everything for the Nikon users that they will do for the Canonistas.

And finally lets talk about integration with Studio strobes. For the past year Paul C Buff (Alien Bee, White Lightning and Zeus) strobe users have had the ability to integrate studio strobes with Speedlites/Speedlights and have full control of flash output for PCB strobes, from the camera, with the JRX Studio receivers. Maybe in September (the expected delivery date of the PW AC9 Alien Bees adapter) you Pocket Wizard guys will be able to enjoy that same flexibilty.

Hey I still own 10 Pocket Wizard Plus and Plus IIs that I have used for 8 years and I have seriously looked at the Pocket Wizard Flex and Mini system since it was first introduced. I chose the Radio Poppers based on my needs and have not regretted it for one day. They are both good systems and offer more flexibility for the Speedlite user but, if you really want to make comparisons then you need to account for all the features I mentioned above.

Thanks for the report agv8or. Does RadioPopper make a module that allows wireless use of a Sekonic L-358? That's what originally put me in the pocket wizard camp. Nobody falling over wires in my studio area. While relfective metering is ok I kind of like incident metering better.

Cham_001 wrote in post #10569723
Hi Roddy,

Mini-TT1 / Flex TT5

At the moment, this particular issue affects the US market. Pocket Wizard are dealing with this by issuing for FREE an AC7 RF shield.
The debate between whether this is a Canon issue Vs whether this is beacuse of PW will rage on relentlessly. The strange this is - this problem only affects the USA, North America & South America.

The reason for this disparity is actually quite simple. From the PW website:

In the United States, the FCC reserves the 344-354 MHz frequency for PocketWizard systems. In Europe, regulations assign 433-434 MHz. A PocketWizard sold in the USA bears the letters “FCC” on the outer shell; a European version will have the letters “CE.”

The Canon flashes do not interfere with the higher frequency used in the European version of the PocketWizards.

This cannot be ignored for me. Flashes are expensive. To have to put one of my expensive flashes on my camera to do OFF CAMERA flash was a deal breaker. And you either have an older DSLR or you don't. I don't. If you do, I guess that's a factor.

Again, you either have a Canon or you don't. If you have a Canon (and this is a Canon forum) you don't really care that the product doesn't work for Nikon. Some of your benefits might be a benefit OF the brand but they may not mean anything to an INDIVIDUAL. This seems like a PC/Mac kind of debate. The products are generally similar and each one has both pluses AND minuses. To pretend one is clearly superior seems silly.

imahawki wrote in post #10669846
This cannot be ignored for me. Flashes are expensive. To have to put one of my expensive flashes on my camera to do OFF CAMERA flash was a deal breaker. And you either have an older DSLR or you don't. I don't. If you do, I guess that's a factor.

If you have just a flash or two with a newer DSLR then the Pocket Wizard system is probably the best and cheapest way to go. At $250 a pop for RP Transmitters and Receivers plus the cost of a Master flash you will get no argument from me to convince you other wise.