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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Pocket Wizards suck
Marvin Gentry, Photographer
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Birmingham | AL | USA | Posted: 11:21 AM on 07.21.09 |
->> I have multimax pocket wizards and they have let me down twice in the past 2 weeks trying to do some remote cameras. Both time I was within the 800 ft range they say the first time I was about 120ft and the second was about 500ft. When I tested them with the transmitter and remote before I walked away they worked fine but when I got any distance they quit working.
Also another issue with pocket wizards though these are transceivers. When I put them on AC power with the correct ac adapters they go to sleep after a few minutes of non use.
Anyone got any suggestions other than sending them back to pocket wizard |
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Marcell van Aswegen, Photographer
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Pretoria | GP | South Africa | Posted: 11:43 AM on 07.21.09 |
| ->> Id also be interested in the replies, because im planning on buying a max and 4 plusII's end of the year. |
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Alan Look, Photographer
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Bloomington | IL | United States | Posted: 11:56 AM on 07.21.09 |
->> Can you tell us more about your setup? Environment affect RF - everything from metal objects to florescant lamps to sun spots.
The sleep problem I'll leave to someone who uses AC. Mine never go to sleep on batteries. |
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George Bridges, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Washington | DC | USA | Posted: 12:00 PM on 07.21.09 |
->> As for the failure in them firing I would say there was some form of interference between the transmitter and receiver causing signal to decline or be blocked.
I've used Pocket Wizard units for many years now and they are very reliable and are the best radio out there for features, effective distance and reliability.
You need to check the set ups carefully and make sure the radios are not blocked by anything. I'd do some testing putting units in an open area and seeing how far they fire for you. If you get close to the maximum range then there was interference. If with no obstructions you get firing at very minimal distances then there could be a problem with your units and they need to be check out -- such as a loose antenna. |
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David Manning, Photographer
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Athens | GA | | Posted: 12:18 PM on 07.21.09 |
->> I'm going to agree with George here.
I've never had a problem with a pocket wizard that wasn't a combination of battery problem or interference or something that I was doing incorrectly.
I'd be more interested to know the environment in which they are being used that caused the interference.
I've never used them on AC power but I've never had them die on batteries, unless someone left them on overnight. |
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Robert Hanashiro, Photographer
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Los Angeles | CA | | Posted: 12:44 PM on 07.21.09 |
->> Yes, LOTS of issues with the PocketWizards with regards to range and consistency...
Ask anyone at this year's NBA Finals or last year's Beijing Summer Olympics and the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene... we'd have lots of stories to relay.
RF is definitely a factor, especially concerning a certain brand and its proximity to the remote. There has been talk about a sort of "blanket" to use to shield against this, but I have yet to see it used in the field.
Your best option is to be very careful in placement of the transmitter and receiver. Knowing how the signal is transmitted is very helpful and I believe there is a page in the manual on this.
'Null said! |
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Clark Brooks, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Urbana | IL | USA | Posted: 1:05 PM on 07.21.09 |
->> I've had problems with one or two units, too. I suggest that you check your antennas.
Place a all your recievers across the room on the same channel. Take a transmitter to the other side of the room, put the unit behind your back, wrap your hand around the antenna and fire the test button. If the red light on any of the receiving units do not light up, then you have a problem with the antenna on that unit. If none light up, your transmitter antenna is weak or not putting out a strong enough signal. The units will have to go back to the factory for repair. |
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Scott Serio, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Colora | MD | USA | Posted: 1:08 PM on 07.21.09 |
| ->> I concur on the reliability. My set is currently on the way back to be looked at. I get 100 feet tops. Not a 1/4-mile. Now, the ones I usually borrow from a local store if I need extra. Theirs are great. I have been all over the place at the race track and had theirs fire from 200-500 feet reliably. So, who knows. When you get some that work great, they are awesome. When you get some that don't they are, well, infuriating, to say the least. |
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Marvin Gentry, Photographer
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Birmingham | AL | USA | Posted: 1:12 PM on 07.21.09 |
->> Well the first issue I was at a baseball field and shooting a homerun derby and set the camera right in front of home plate and I was sitting with the remote at the third base coaches box.
Second time I was a road course and I set up the camera next to a guard rail on a hill and I was about 150 yards away. on another hill. also I had another setup next to another guard rail and I was right across the track from it and it failed to fire.
I also use these pocket wizards in a studio on a dailey basis and they work fine. I am just baffled by them. |
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Marvin Gentry, Photographer
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Birmingham | AL | USA | Posted: 1:13 PM on 07.21.09 |
| ->> one thing I forgot , I made sure the antennas were straight up on the receiver and the transmitter |
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George Bridges, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Washington | DC | USA | Posted: 1:55 PM on 07.21.09 |
->> Marvin, they should work in those set ups. But, was there anything nearby or in between the units that could cause interference. Like at the road course, was there a TV remote camera with a transmitter nearby? Those can throw your signals off.
I know of a photographer during the hockey playoffs who could not get his net cam to fire whenever an NBC camera was in the net with his but had no trouble when the Versus camera was there. So the NBC camera's radio was causing RF problems. |
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Michael Moriatis, Photographer
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Santa Barbara | CA | USA | Posted: 2:08 PM on 07.21.09 |
| ->> I had the same thing happen to me at an airport in the desert last week. I set up a remote on a vehicle to fire on a plane taking off. I tested distances that I would be at and everything worked fine. My PW's only took two photos and nothing more. I assumed it was radio interference at the location. |
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Andrew Nelles, Photographer
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Chicago | Ill. | usa | Posted: 2:11 PM on 07.21.09 |
->> +1 on a nearby TV camera, had a near by TV cam with transmitter screw up consistency with a Plus II in a gym once.
Unrelated, but those must TV camera transmitters have some power, I noticed on one shoot all my images shot within 3 feet of one of the TV cameras (feed up to a jumbotron) had major visible banding. |
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Marvin Gentry, Photographer
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Birmingham | AL | USA | Posted: 2:28 PM on 07.21.09 |
| ->> Well there were no TV transmitters near these and they were very much line of site. I guess what I am going to have to do is go to an open field and set up the unit and then have one person down there to tell me when they fire and start walking to see just how far they will work. |
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Eric Canha, Photographer
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Brockton | MA | United States | Posted: 3:10 PM on 07.21.09 |
->> Inappropriate?? Wow am I glad that my Adobe Sucks post went straight to Facebook and not here.
Oh what the hell..... Adobe Support Sucks too! |
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Marvin Gentry, Photographer
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Birmingham | AL | USA | Posted: 3:19 PM on 07.21.09 |
| ->> I guess asking a question is inappropriate in today's world |
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Landon Finch, Photographer
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Colorado Springs | CO | USA | Posted: 3:24 PM on 07.21.09 |
->> "I set up the camera next to a guard rail"
That could be the problem; large metal object next to the PW.
The other day I was at a park that I shoot portraits at a lot. No more than 15' between me and the receiver and I couldn't get more than 2 out of 10 shots to fire correctly. I went back to the park yesterday with the same set up and everything worked flawlessly...didn't miss one shot. I can only conclude that it was some form of interference.
Overall, the PW have performed great (as with most users). |
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Marvin Gentry, Photographer
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Birmingham | AL | USA | Posted: 3:35 PM on 07.21.09 |
| ->> My pocket wizards work great when I am using them for strobes in a studio or on locations never have a miss fire hardly. I have 4 studio setups in one room and each setup is on a different channel and they work flawless. I just get frustrated when I check a setup and then go to a loacation and set it up and it doesn't work. Guess I am going to have to rely on the 20 mile remote more. Hate to do that with what I have paid for the wizards. |
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George Bridges, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Washington | DC | USA | Posted: 3:51 PM on 07.21.09 |
->> Are you finding you have more failures in set up than success?
Meaning, are these situations the only times you've had trouble or is it continuing or does it normally work but these times were frustrating failures? |
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Marvin Gentry, Photographer
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Birmingham | AL | USA | Posted: 4:00 PM on 07.21.09 |
| ->> Lately I have had more failures than successfull attempts. But it is very frustrating when you spend the type of money we do on pocket wizards and they can't make them work anymore consistent. |
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David Manning, Photographer
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Athens | GA | | Posted: 4:29 PM on 07.21.09 |
->> I have had trouble getting PWs (Plus II) to fire consistently when the transmitter was above the receiver.
My suggestion here (and something i did for a backstop cam) is to run some zip cord from the PW to the camera and have an add-a-tap or similar low-volatge stuff to get the PW in a position where it will receive without a problem.
Most of my failures have more to do with failing to tape down the focus, failing to double check the focus, failing to find a free assistant to help me out, failing to find whomever stole the 12-foot arena ladder or just generally rushing. |
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Mark Sutton, Photographer
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Herndon | VA | USA | Posted: 7:20 PM on 07.21.09 |
->> Four years ago at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Track & Field Championship at North Carolina A&T University. I had 3 set up along the straight away (100 meters):
1. At the starter's block.
2. In the middle of the straight away
3. At the finish line
I was also at the finish line and all fired except the one at the starter's block. I figured distance was the problem, but I tried the same setup at Morgan State University the next two years with successful firing from all 3 wizards. Same distance too, but the MEAC moved back to NC A&T this past spring and the same problem with the one at the starter's block not firing happened. |
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Jeff Mills, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Columbus | OH | USA | Posted: 10:38 PM on 07.21.09 |
->> While PW's aren't perfect by any means, do we have anything thats more flexible or reliable than Multimax's these days to choose from ?
I tried a bunch of generic "ebay" units before investing in PW's and you definatly get what you pay for with those, very unreliable and very limited range in comparision to the PW's.
Obviously everyone would love zero failure equipment, but is it fair to say something sucks if its still the best thing on the market ?
About 95% of the time any issues I have with remotes is due to my own silly mistakes by setting the camera incorrectly, not paying attention and triggering late etc. Have I had frames not fire when I thought I did everything right ? Yes, and its frustrating as hell! But if theres a better solution I've yet to find it. |
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Andrew Kornylak, Photographer
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Atlanta | GA | USA | Posted: 12:03 AM on 07.22.09 |
| ->> Marvin - I've used PW's for triggering both lights and cameras in many environments and in almost every case of trigger failure, it was a problem with one of the connector jacks between the trigger and device, Sometimes I take the jack out, reset the device and plug it back in and it starts working again. For whatever reason that seems to be the weakest link. I'm sure you tried reseating the jacks, but that's been my experience. |
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Mark J. Terrill, Photographer
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Simi Valley | CA | USA | Posted: 10:28 AM on 07.22.09 |
->> Marvin,
Just curious. What version of the Multimax do you have? Is it the one with a mini phone jack in the bottom and a USB jack in the side? |
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Marvin Gentry, Photographer
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Birmingham | AL | USA | Posted: 11:22 AM on 07.22.09 |
| ->> Mark I am using the the ones without the USB jack or the mini phone jack in the bottom. |
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Mark Goldman, Photographer
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Silver Spring | MD | USA | Posted: 11:38 AM on 07.22.09 |
->> Just my 2 cents worth, having used PW for remotes in lots of different situations:
a) Open the back and make sure that the wire to the antenna is still soldered on. No antenna means really limited triggering distance.
b) The higher the PW's are the better. Transmission can be greatly affected by ground effects interference. I am talking about getting the PW's as high off the ground as you can.
c) Clear line of sight. Any objects can disturb the signal creating inconsistent triggering results.
d) How are you attaching the PW? If you are hanging it on the camera or the hot shoe, chances are that there is metal around the area which can also affect triggering.
e) Channel selection. Is anyone else on your channel? Did you try other channels?
f) Connection cables. A tiny break in the solder connection of a cable can have a pretty dramatic effect on consistent triggering.
When I shot the NHL playoffs this year, I had a failure. Totally my fault. I had not locked the PW and when I moved it, I inadvertently hit the channel button and was transmitting on one channel and receiving on another. |
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Steven Ickes, Photographer
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Mechanicsburg | PA | USA | Posted: 2:10 PM on 07.22.09 |
| ->> The only time I've ever experienced problems was when testing before a soccer match. Had the multimax in the hot shoe and was holding the reciever in my hand. Darn thing would not fire no matter what I did. Suddenly I looked down and noticed I was sitting on metal bleachers. I got up and walked about 20 feet away. PW's worked like a charm. |
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Jamey Price, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Charlotte | NC | USA | Posted: 2:54 PM on 07.22.09 |
| ->> I'm not going to say I hate PW...BUT i do hate how freaking expensive the cables for them are. Why in God's name do I need a 3 foot 10 pin cable to trigger a remote? And for $90??? |
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Michael Troutman, Photographer
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Carmel | CA | USA | Posted: 9:42 PM on 07.22.09 |
| ->> Well, it certainly sucks that the new TTL PWs for Nikon haven't been released yet due to...ummm, RF issues "concerning a certain brand". |
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Eric Canha, Photographer
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Brockton | MA | United States | Posted: 9:48 PM on 07.22.09 |
->> Jamey just say ZERBA!!
http://www.flashzebra.com
tons cheaper great quality |
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Jeff Mills, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Columbus | OH | USA | Posted: 9:56 PM on 07.22.09 |
->> Jamey, as for the 10 pin connector, you've got to blame Nikon for that one not LPA. PW just has to make the connectors that will work with a given brands connector design. Certainly would of been handy if camera makers all would add a nice 1/8th mini jack to make things simple.
As for the price, I second the Flashzebra stuff. I used to make all my own cables but its honestly just as cheap and far easier to purchase them from Flashzebra. |
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Marvin Gentry, Photographer
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Birmingham | AL | USA | Posted: 11:29 PM on 07.22.09 |
| ->> Just letting everyone know that I contacted the guys at Pocket Wizard today and they have been SUPER HELPFUL and want to help remedy this problem as quickly as possible. I will kepp everyone informed. |
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Jens Dresling, Photographer
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