Pocket Wizard vs. Transmitter ST-E2

[airfang]

Now I am aware of how these two use different technology (RF vs infrared), just want to see if anybody has used both of them and what they want to say about them, as in "pros and cons" for each?


And also, what is the difference between MiniTT1 and FlexTT5?

[markcoons]

I own both, ST-E2 and Pocketwizards (but I do not have either of the new models yet). I started out with just the ST-E2 but found that the size of the room being used caused malfunctions. I was taking a group shot in an auditorium and the room was so large that I could not get a bounce that would fire both of the flashes I was using! I then got 4 Pocketwizards to cover those situations.





I use the ST-E2 when I want to shoot ETTL and I use the PW's when I want to shoot manual. It's a little expensive to have both but I can cover all my bases this way.





If you were never going to need to use the ST-E2 in a large space (or outdoors) then it would be fine for you. I've seen good reviews on other wireless remotes other than PW's but have no first hand knowledge of them nor of the new PW models.

[airfang]

I was taking a group shot in an auditorium and the room was so large that I could not get a bounce that would fire both of the flashes I was using! I then got 4 Pocketwizards to cover those situations.
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Thanks for the reply, I didn't quite understand what does ST-E2 have anything to do about "bouncing the flash"?


The latest PW supports ETTL-II, though...

[Tom Wertman]

He does not mean bounce the flash. He is talking about the need to get a bounce from the ST-E2 in order for the 2 flashes to fire. Typically if the flash units are not out in front of the transmitter or you are shooting outside than the IR needs to hit something to send the signal to the flash units. I have the ST-E2 and have only experienced this when outside. Inside in a smaller room with the flash units slightly out in front of the camera I have had no problems. But a large room or auditorium could be problematic. The PW do not have this issue as the signal is sent out via RF which does not have to be line of sight as it can bend around corners.

[markcoons]

That is what I meant Tom, thanks. I should have been clearer.





I could only get the ST-E2 to fire one flash and I needed all 3 to light the space for that particular shot. Maybe if I had had a half day to setup the shot I could have figured out the angles but I didn't. Why waste the time fooling with that whenI can take two to three minutes to pluginin the PocketWizards and be ready to go.


I hope to someday get a MiniTTL but on the other hand I find myself shooting ettl less and less these days. I just enjoy shooting the flashes in manual mode and controling the light myself. I only shoot ettl these days when I am in a time crunch. When I get better shooting manual or get a light meter I may not shoot ettl at all.

[George Slusher]

Now I am aware of how these two use different technology (RF vs infrared), just want to see if anybody has used both of them and what they want to say about them, as in "pros and cons" for each?


And also, what is the difference between MiniTT1 and FlexTT5?
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I have the ST-E2 and inexpensive RF triggers, though not the PocketWizard.


ST-E2:


Pros:

• Supports E-TTL II, including modeling light, second curtain, etc.
  
• Supports ratios (AB or ABC)
• Doesn't require receivers on the flashes

Cons:

• Works only with TTL-capable flashes (i.e., expensive flashes)
  
• May not work well with non-Canon flashes (e.g., with the Sigma 500 series, flash ratios don't work that well)
• More limited range
• May not work well outdoors
• Slave sensors have to see the ST-E2 (can "bounce" the IR signal sometimes, in a small enough room)
• Relatively expensive (see below)
• Batteries can be expensive ($20 at RadioShack, $12-13 at Best Buy, $6 at B&amp;H) and may be hard to find locally
• Cannot be used with on-camera flash (Don't shoot me! It's true that the Canon 580EX and 580EX II can do pretty much the same thing as the ST-E2, with pretty much the same limitations, but the lesser Canon flashes cannot.)

RF triggers (including PocketWizard):


Pros:

• With the right cable/cord (or auxiliary hot shoe), can work with most flashes in manual mode. (The FlexTT5 apparently cannot by itself, though you may be able to use a hot-shoe-to-PC adapter on top of the FlexTT5.)
  
• Longer range
• Does not require that the slaves can see the master (e.g., the slave can be behind an obstruction, though that may reduce the range)
  
• Works with on-camera flash if the camera has a PC connector
• May be less expensive (see below)
• Some can trigger the camera shutter
• Many use inexpensive batteries (e.g., PocketWizard uses AA)
• Some units can act as transmitter or receiver--or both (Some PocketWizards can act as a relay--they receive a signal from another PocketWizard, then pass it on to others on a different channel.)
• PocketWizards can trigger very rapidly, faster than most cameras, and support sync speeds to 1/250th.

Cons:

• Does not support E-TTL (except for the MinTT1 and FlexTT5)
• Requires a unit for each flash, so it can be expensive (see below)
• Camera unit can be bulky, especially if using with on-camera flash
  

In your comparison, consider the inexpensive RF triggers you can find on eBay and elsewhere. Their range may be less than the PocketWizard and they cannot trigger the camera shutter nor act as a relay, but they work well, for a LOT less. I paid $23.98 including shipping for an 8-channel transmitter &amp; receiver set, $16.98 for a receiver alone; 3 PocketWizards would have cost $507. I got the 8-channel because the receiver has a PC connector as well as a hot shoe.


The MiniTT1 is a transmitter only; the FlexTT5 is a transceiver. The advantages of the MiniTT1 are that it's $20 cheaper and less than half the weight of the FlexTT5. Both must use the camera's hot shoe, but you can mount a flash on top of either one.