Wireless flash firing?!? Please advise

[crackz]

hello,

i was just reading a blog started by a baltimore sun journalist about using light from flashes (or strobes as he likes to call them) in a better fashion. at the end of the day, the gist of what he's trying to say is that one can get a lot more bang for the buck by utilising light better than getting the next highly-pocket-painful lens.

http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/

he was talking a lot about a device called "pocket wizards". they are basically a set of devices which you can attach to your flash and camera that enables you to fire your flash remotely up to 300ft away. you can have up to 4 flashes enabled.

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101-pc-cords-and-pocket.html

anyone knows where i can buy them in singapore? anyone any experience in using them?

thanks!

 

[xl1]

anyone knows where i can buy them in singapore?
thanks!

you can buy at Cathay Photo, but trust me you wouldn't like the price.

 

[crackz]

well, on ebay, a new set goes for about SG$500 inclusive of delivery to singapore for a set of receiver and transmitter.

anyone has any experience with using them?

 

[astroboy]

Ironically the guy was talking about using cheap DIY stuff and yet he uses those expensive pocket wizards. There are cheaper alternatives for standalone flash. A radio trigger, for eg costs only $50-60 or an infra-red transmitter, maybe $100-150.

 

[catchlights]

those cheap radio trigger, only good when using in studio, and you hope that someone mobile don't ring while you shoot, and only work in short range when you are out of studio.

You need "pocket wizards" if you shoot a lot of location shots with studio flash units, no other products come closer. It is not cheap, Cathy is sellling.

 

[astroboy]

Talking about weird scenarios, if u set your flash to wireless, it will fire like crazy when there is lightning or thunderstorm approaching. Happened to me once. I was in a semi-indoor location.

Pocket wizards or whatever won't help. Only solution is to switch off the flash and cancel the shoot. Or switch to synch cords using strobes.

those cheap radio trigger, only good when using in studio, and you hope that someone mobile don't ring while you shoot, and only work in short range when you are out of studio.

You need "pocket wizards" if you shoot a lot of location shots with studio flash units, no other products come closer. It is not cheap, Cathy is sellling.

 

[crackz]

Ironically the guy was talking about using cheap DIY stuff and yet he uses those expensive pocket wizards. There are cheaper alternatives for standalone flash. A radio trigger, for eg costs only $50-60 or an infra-red transmitter, maybe $100-150.

ya, those pocket wizards are probably the most expensive stuff he's got to "promote".

if we read the majority of his "lighting 101" and his "assignments" section, i think he has a point for recommending the pocket wizards for off location indoor/outdoor shoots. his snoots solution is also pretty good. its the first time i've heard of it and more importantly, how to use it.

whatever the case, he's a photo journalist with a major newspaper so he's got reasons to suggest those. guess its a "nice to have" for non-pros like myself.

guess i'm still such a newbie at this!

anyone used them before? still no 1st hand experience from singapore based folks

 

[catchlights]

ya, those pocket wizards are probably the most expensive stuff he's got to "promote".

if we read the majority of his "lighting 101" and his "assignments" section, i think he has a point for recommending the pocket wizards for off location indoor/outdoor shoots. his snoots solution is also pretty good. its the first time i've heard of it and more importantly, how to use it.

whatever the case, he's a photo journalist with a major newspaper so he's got reasons to suggest those. guess its a "nice to have" for non-pros like myself.

guess i'm still such a newbie at this!

anyone used them before? still no 1st hand experience from singapore based folks

Local, not much, but professional phtographers including wedding photographers in US swear this is the best wireless trigger.

My associate has another radio trigger by quantum, we use it for industrial shoot, far better than using sync cords run all over the place. IR trigger can't work outdoor or in a big area indoor.

 

[crackz]

Local, not much, but professional phtographers including wedding photographers in US swear this is the best wireless trigger.

My associate has another radio trigger by quantum, we use it for industrial shoot, far better than using sync cords run all over the place. IR trigger can't work outdoor or in a big area indoor.

ok. i just did a google on radio trigger devices by quantum and i came up with an equivalent one made in China by Link Delight for US$32.

 

[astroboy]

There is a china-made brand selling in KL for half that price... RM100/- at DirectPhoto.
www.directphoto.com.my

ok. i just did a google on radio trigger devices by quantum and i came up with an equivalent one made in China by Link Delight for US$32.

 

[metallilan]

abit of OT, but related to strobist : http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101-using-gels-to-correct.html anyone know how to make these?

 

[mattlock]

I only use pocket wizards. they're a great investment. pocket wizards work with Sekonic light meters now, they have a radio transmitter in the light meter which allows you to trigger the strobe without a sync cord. wonderful.

other transmitters work but pocketwizards have never failed me and I have 3 of them.

 

[crackz]

There is a china-made brand selling in KL for half that price... RM100/- at DirectPhoto.
www.directphoto.com.my

wow, thanks for the link!

not sure if they deliver to singapore though... if not, i have friends in KL or malacca...

 

[astroboy]

But be careful hor... one cent value, one cent goods... i had to bring mine back to the shop 2x before i found one that works. The quality is so-so... the connection to the hotshoe may be loose or the battery compartment loose... etc. Or make sure u test it at the shop b4 u buy. They have strobes there for u to test with.

If u want good trusted stuff... pay 3x more for the branded ones.

wow, thanks for the link!

not sure if they deliver to singapore though... if not, i have friends in KL or malacca...

 

[+evenstar]

Talking about weird scenarios, if u set your flash to wireless, it will fire like crazy when there is lightning or thunderstorm approaching. Happened to me once. I was in a semi-indoor location.

Pocket wizards or whatever won't help. Only solution is to switch off the flash and cancel the shoot. Or switch to synch cords using strobes.

how does the lightning set off your wireless flash? unless yours is a optical slave flash? :dunno:

 

[hondasleeper]

Talking about weird scenarios, if u set your flash to wireless, it will fire like crazy when there is lightning or thunderstorm approaching. Happened to me once. I was in a semi-indoor location.

Pocket wizards or whatever won't help. Only solution is to switch off the flash and cancel the shoot. Or switch to synch cords using strobes.

Lightning does not set off wireless radio slaves, unless the optical slave built into the power pack was on. Only thing that would set off a radio slave would be a radio signal in the same frequency.

Just like saying, which this is true, an uneducated airport security person told me that my film was exposed by walking through the metal detector.

 

[astroboy]

To be more specific, i m talking about the Nikon SB800... when a strong light is detected elsewhere (ie lightning), the flash (set on slave mode) will trigger.

I integrate my SB800s with my Bowens in a wireless set-up. I guess u fellas never experienced using SB800 before so that's why u dunno.

how does the lightning set off your wireless flash? unless yours is a optical slave flash? :dunno:

 

[hondasleeper]

To be more specific, i m talking about the Nikon SB800... when a strong light is detected elsewhere (ie lightning), the flash (set on slave mode) will trigger.

I integrate my SB800s with my Bowens in a wireless set-up. I guess u fellas never experienced using SB800 before so that's why u dunno.

It isn't just a strong light, it is the flash from your SB800 that is triggering your Bowens set up and if that is the case yet lightning will set of your Bowens, if you didn't know uses an optical slave.

Quote
"Talking about weird scenarios, if u set your flash to wireless, it will fire like crazy when there is lightning or thunderstorm approaching. Happened to me once. I was in a semi-indoor location.

Pocket wizards or whatever won't help. Only solution is to switch off the flash and cancel the shoot. Or switch to synch cords using strobes."


So how can you say that using radio slaves during a lightning storm will cause them to misfire? Have you used radio slaves? And to begin with, you were not specific when you mentioned what kind of set up you were using. And what is more I don't have to use the SB800 to undestand what is going on, maybe you don't really know what is going on or your equipment well enough.

 

[astroboy]

So how can you say that using radio slaves during a lightning storm will cause them to misfire?...

Who's talking abt radio slaves? U were. I wasn't.

Talking about weird scenarios, if u set your flash to wireless, it will fire like crazy when there is lightning or thunderstorm approaching. Happened to me once. I was in a semi-indoor location.

Read carefully, I was talking abt flash... as in SB800 flash. Duh~

 

[hondasleeper]

Maybe if you would read what you wrote.

Quote "Pocket wizards or whatever won't help."


Quote "Talking about weird scenarios, if u set your flash to wireless, it will fire like crazy when there is lightning or thunderstorm approaching. Happened to me once. I was in a semi-indoor location."

If you were more specific in your post, using your flash to trigger another strobe, using radio slaves, using infrared transmitters are all wireless methods. If you had mentioned your setup in your original post rather to salvage some pride by saying that some of us don't know what we are talking about or even have the nerve to say that you weren't refering to radio slaves. You made a reference to it, implying you tried using a radio slave and it was the same as using your SB to trigger your strobes, the lightning was causing it to mis-fire. So which is it?

And just for shits and giggles, how do you set your flash to wireless??? As I have mentioned, there are many different methods of going wireless, which one are you refering to? Please be specific.