Originally Posted by wickerprints
Consider this "resolved" - PocketWizard is now giving away a free AC5 soft shield for every TT5 purchased. See http://blog.snapfactory.com/?p=925 for the story and http://www.pocketwizard.com/news_events/promotions/ac5 for the signup form (coming today).
We're a Canon/Profoto family: five cameras, sixteen lenses, fifteen Profoto lights, too many modifiers.
They want me to put a sock over my Speedlite? Okay, so it's a special sock, but...it's still a sock. Kinda defeats the purpose of having all those controls on the 580 if you have to keep peeling it back.
I think the only way this is going to get truly resolved is if (1) PW changes their frequency range, or (2) Canon shields their Speedlites.
I'm wondering if it's possible to mod the 580EX II...take it apart and line the interior with foil or something. It wouldn't have to be complete, just enough to reduce the RF leakage.
Nevertheless, I pulled the trigger this morning and put in my order. Should arrive by Friday. Now I've got to get myself some modifiers and brackets. []
Yeah, but if you're shooting in ETTL there's likely not much reason to have to access any of those controls. Especially once the PocketWizard ZoneController becomes available. I'll just feel for the on switch, and that should be about all I should need to access.
My understand is the RF interference issue has something to do with poor-grade capacitors that were used in earlier models of certain Speedlites(I seem to remember something about this phenomenon from my radio theory course - you'll note that Speedlites in and of themselves don't have any Radio capabilities). Newer Speedlites don't seem to have a problem (or as significant a problem) as older ones - my 580 EX II was manufactured in 2008 and I have yet to be able to use them at a range that exceeds the PocketWizard's capabilities - although I really haven't tried to find their limit.
Congratulation, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. I love my PWs and am always finding new ways to exploit their capabilities in creative ways and am only getting more excited about what they will be able to do in the future (i.e. beta remours). Sure there are cheaper wireless triggers - but in all honesty PWs can't be compared against most of these other solutions - it's far more than just a wireless trigger. ETTL, Hypersync, and the future ZoneController capabilities make it a worth while platform investment.
New/old doesn't seem to match up with which flashes have interference problems - 580, 430, 580II have problems; 430II and everything older than 580/430 seem to be fine. It's the newest and oldest that seem to be fine, and a particular middle vintage that isn't so good.
We're a Canon/Profoto family: five cameras, sixteen lenses, fifteen Profoto lights, too many modifiers.
If the PW items are used to remotely release the shutter, is there a half-press mode that allows for AF?
The answer is 'it depends on your equipment'.
"In the old days," (figure a year ago), this was possible but expensive. If you used a PW Multimax as transmitter and as receiver, the receivers could be mapped into one of four zones (A-D). If you "enabled" the zone on your transmitting Multimax and you used an "-ACC" cable from the receiver to the camera, you'd wake the camera and half-press the shutter (and enable that zone for triggering - disabled zones didn't trigger AFAIK).
In the newer days, I think it's possible if your transmitter is a Multimax and your Flex connects to the camera through an "-ACC" cable.
FYI, the -ACC cable is about $30 more expensive than the non, usually around $95.
If you're truly interested in this, I'd recommend reading the Multimax product page and manual (PDF available at PW's site), then reading the Flex manual where it pertains to triggering - I think it'll make a lot more sense if you start with a full awareness of the Multimax.
We're a Canon/Profoto family: five cameras, sixteen lenses, fifteen Profoto lights, too many modifiers.
Can someone explain to me what's the whole deal with the RF interference issues with the PocketWizards? I'm not quite sure I understand.
I'm also in the market for purchasing remote triggers and recievers. Currently, I've beenlooking into the new PWs and ELinchrom sets.
I own a 580EXII, 430EX, and will be getting a second 580EXII shortly.
Decisions, decisions... hmmm
Thanks, peety. BTW, I saw an inexpensive car keyfob looking remote system on eBay but haven't seen it lately. I remember it specifically stating that it offered this feature. Am I the oddball for thinking this should be standard on all RF solutions? This PW stuff is not cheap!
EDIT: I found this system on eBay, but it isn't what I had seen before. It does specifically mention Focus as one of the available release modes. I am guessing that it means a half-press, essentially.
I'll admit I'm going off the word of someone from the Canon Photography Forum who has demonstrated in the past a much better knowledge of the subject than I. What you seem to say about the Canon system seems to make sense; I'm certainly open to be proved wrong - although I hope not, because my way sounds much more awesome. The way it had been described to me the ZoneController option would have greater control advantages with a controllable 'C' group than say a camera mounted Speedlite or Speedlite Transmitted used for ratio control - even in ETTL.
<div>Sorry, I meant 'older' as in relation to the older models of the specific Speedlites that have been identified as problematic (e.g. older 580EX II seem to be more problematic than newer 580EX II). At leasts that's what my research has turned up, and it appears to hold true with my unit.</div>
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