| Sign in: |
| Members log in here with your user name and password to access the your admin page and other special features. |
|
|
|
|
|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Changing from PW's to RP JRx's
Brad Barr, Photographer
 |
Port St. Lucie | FL | USA | Posted: 9:34 PM on 03.22.10 |
->> Hey guys,
I'm in the process of changing over to the RP JRx's. Smaller, and more versatile, I think they'll be great. Plus, I was able to get "the cube" from a 3rd party even though RP cant seem to get theirs finished......
Anyone using these yet? The ability to control the flash output levels on both Alien Bee strobes, and now same on TTL units is huge, as is the price being half of PWs...
Oh...the 3rd party solution is available at www.michaelbassdesigns.com He does all kinds of cords and mods for off camera flash use. |
|
Randy Sartin, Photographer
|
Knoxville | TN | USA | Posted: 9:52 PM on 03.22.10 |
->> I absolutely swear by the entire Radio Popper line. Still have a set of the original P1's that I abused for a year, still work great. Use the JRx's a lot, even made my own RP Cubes (remember this will not work on TTL flashes without the squelch pin, like the SB-900). I did have trouble with the JR transmitters fitting too tight on my Nikons (no problems on Canon), but the folks at Radio Popper really stepped up to the plate and had new transmitters in my hands within 2 days.
We covered a youth basketball tournament this weekend and I noticed some minor "shutter clipping" on one of the other photographers' images at 1/250. Offered him my JRx's to replace his Pocket Wizard Flex's for his last game, completely solved the problem.
When using them on location to adjust output levels I suggest you move the correct dip switch to the "off" position once you get the levels correct, it is very easy to move them on accident. |
|
Brad Barr, Photographer
|
Port St. Lucie | FL | USA | Posted: 11:26 PM on 03.22.10 |
| ->> I thought about diy'ing the cube...but figured I'd let michael do it...they have done some mods for me before and their service is top notch. I cant believe the folks at RP havent done this....its just too simple a solution to have taken this long. |
|
Brad Barr, Photographer
|
Port St. Lucie | FL | USA | Posted: 9:35 AM on 03.23.10 |
| ->> These JRx's will still work to fire a remote camera right? Should be just like the pw's in that regard it seems. |
|
Randy Sartin, Photographer
|
Knoxville | TN | USA | Posted: 9:53 AM on 03.23.10 |
->> Should be the exact same thing, I even asked RP to confirm and they said yes. I've not needed to use them for that (already had a separate remote trigger setup), but they should do just fine.
One little thing that bugs me a bit is the battery that they use, the CR123 I think. The battery life is great (easily does 3 solid days of a basketball tournament), I just worry about trying to find the silly things. Every time I do a long tournament seems like I spend $20 on 4 lithium batteries at WalMart just for piece of mind. The green "power on" LED also serves as a low battery indicator in some way that I never remember. Probably should look into rechargeables.... |
|
Brad Barr, Photographer
|
Port St. Lucie | FL | USA | Posted: 12:14 PM on 03.23.10 |
| ->> I wish there was a rechargeable option for cr123...that was the one holdback i had on these, as I've got tons of AA rechargeables |
|
Randy Abrams, Photographer
|
Bath | NY | US | Posted: 12:26 PM on 03.23.10 |
| ->> Does you 3rd party cube work with the SB-900? |
|
Randy Sartin, Photographer
|
Knoxville | TN | USA | Posted: 12:46 PM on 03.23.10 |
| ->> None of the cubes work with the SB-900, Nikon eliminated the squelch pin circuit on it. |
|
Randy Abrams, Photographer
|
Bath | NY | US | Posted: 1:02 PM on 03.23.10 |
->> None of the cubes work with the SB-900, Nikon eliminated the squelch pin circuit on it.
That really stinks. I love the RP idea, but I have invested in SB-900s so the RPs are out. Oh well...I would love to be able to put the 900s up in a balcony for say basketball games and control them down below on the floor. Save a lot of exercise. The gym I shoot in often also has a ton of windows so the light changes throughout events. |
|
Jon Longo, Photographer
|
Independence | KY | USA | Posted: 2:18 PM on 03.23.10 |
| ->> Brad, I have been looking at RP's as well but have been concerned about distance. Have they been working well at longer distances on the alien bees? ie strobing an arena? |
|
Brad Barr, Photographer
|
Port St. Lucie | FL | USA | Posted: 4:16 PM on 03.23.10 |
->> Honestly its a total non issue re the sb900. Id much rather have a 75 dollar remote flash than a 500 dollar one...it makes zero sense to use that expensive a flash as a remote (subject to falling/dropping/etc). One of the real benefits to this is the fact that ANY TTL enabled flash can now be used as a variable manual power remote flash. It opens up huge numbers of inexpensive units.
All reports I've read say the RP distance capability far exceeds that of PW's which makes sense since its a much higher frequency....one of the big factors in PW issues is the low frequency range they are tied to (thus the interference with canon flash units).
Also...i found rechargeable cr123s at http://www.thomasdistributing.com/shop/delkin-devices-rcr123a-rechargeable-...
its also a lithium ion battery, so it should not suffer from shelf time or memory issues either... |
|
Brad Barr, Photographer
|
Port St. Lucie | FL | USA | Posted: 4:40 PM on 03.23.10 |
->> An interesting quote from another forum on this same topic
"I wonder how many people who purchased the PX system only wanted the remote adjustment because they shoot manual are all slapping themselves on the forehead saying doooooooh." |
|
Randy Sartin, Photographer
|
Knoxville | TN | USA | Posted: 8:07 PM on 03.23.10 |
->> Brad brings up a good point on the flashes, I get a bit scared with the SB-800's at basketball games. The JRx's and "The Cube" work great with older flashes such as the Nikon SB-24's, 28's, etc, allowing you to control the output levels of the flashes from the camera.
Range has never been an issue at any high school gym, including "Little Rupp" in Marshall County KY (biggest high school gym I've ever seen!). I may go do a quick range test and report back. |
|
Randy Sartin, Photographer
|
Knoxville | TN | USA | Posted: 8:33 PM on 03.23.10 |
| ->> I got to approximately 1200 feet before I ran out of room, no misfires at all. Of course that's outside, good line of sight with no obstructions. Definitely better range than my old original P1's. |
|
Brad Barr, Photographer
|
Port St. Lucie | FL | USA | Posted: 10:14 PM on 03.23.10 |
->> Here is a good price option for the batteries as well. Seems most report they last a fair while, so this place has 50 of them for 65 bucks...maybe its not even worth fussing with rechargeables....
http://www.batterystation.com/cr123a.htm |
|
Brad Barr, Photographer
|
Port St. Lucie | FL | USA | Posted: 4:29 PM on 03.26.10 |
| ->> just got the cords from michael bass....heck i havent even gotten the rp jrs yet!! |
|
Brad Barr, Photographer
|
Port St. Lucie | FL | USA | Posted: 8:43 PM on 03.30.10 |
->> Some initial thoughts on first day of trials with JRx's.
First, its amazingly small and simple. Thats a good thing.
Second, it works.
It will take some getting used to this new ability to dial in the flash power you need...but already around the house, I've placed multiple flashes...and its so easy to dial down the power, I think using these in more creative ways will surely be the result.
One note, however, I think the dials that control the power levels should have detents, and or markings to indicate exactly what power it is set for. I found myself BLASTING when I thought I was only hinting of flash....not a big deal..unless you happen to have needed that one shot..or were looking at the flash :-) Its almost impossible to look at the dial and figure out what power you have it set to, as it spins almost 360*. Still, it does work, just need to get used to it I think.
Cant see any advantage to the old PW's that I was missing. Its smaller, lighter, transmits further, and half the price.
*****Note to Radio Popper...include a pc/mini cable...duh!!****
You are selling a tool to use with strobes...most of which require a pc connection. |
|
Return to --> Message Board Main Index
|