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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Firing Remote Cameras With Pocket Wizards - Tech Question
Scott Serio, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Colora | MD | USA | Posted: 11:12 AM on 08.16.11 |
->> I pretty much have remotes set up whenever I shoot, but have found the Pocket Wizard Plus II to be spotty, at best. It seems the folks with the MultiMax's have far fewer issues.
I get the whole hardwiring thing and when we are at big events, we just hardwire to avoid any interference issues. That said, there are plenty of other events where it would be nice to get just 150-200 feet of range and the PWII's just don't seem reliable.
For horse racing and other sports, I have tried raising the actual Wizard off the ground and out of the hot shoe. That does help.
From the research I have done, it seems the Multi's offer two advantages. Am I right?
1. The contact time - apparently there is an function with the Maxes where you can extend the contact time so you don't get sporadic firing because the hot shoe just doesn't put out the same current as a hardwire.
2. Long range mode
I am not the only photographer out there who is heavily invested in the PWIIs. So, before I take the hit and switch to the Maxes...am I right? Will switching to the Multi's made the difference in reliability I am looking for? Is there another method outside of just hardwiring everything? |
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Mediobarco Fotógrafo, Photographer
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Madrid | Spain | Spain | Posted: 1:07 PM on 08.16.11 |
->> I have both systems and the Multimax is from far the best. You have a lot of advantages compared with the Plus II. I´m on hollydays and I can´t see the second point, but I´m almost sure there is a fast mode, not a long range mode. The only bad thing I can tell you about Pocket wizard is that is slower than the profoto Air remotes with the flashes. Recently, I was firing two cameras at the same time with two Profoto 8a; Was impossible to sinchronize the camera´s shot and the flash. Finally, I solved the problem sinchronizing the flash with the Profoto air transmiter. Same when I try to sinchro mi Phase One and the flash at 1/1600; with these Pocket wizards is impossible.
Look at this "making off" |
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Mediobarco Fotógrafo, Photographer
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Steve Boyle, Photographer
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Jordan Murph, Photographer, Assistant
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Honolulu | HI | USA | Posted: 4:55 PM on 08.16.11 |
->> Scott,
MultiMax transceivers have many features not available in the Plus II units. From Mediobarco's explanation of what he was trying to achieve, actually you can sync multiple cameras to fire simultaneously with one set of strobes using lag time equalization.
To answer your questions Scott (and Shawn Cullen is the master with this stuff and taught me all of this and I hope he reads this thread and corrects me if I'm wrong)
1. Yes, you can manually enter the contact time in MultiMax units. This doesn't change how long the signal is sent for, but how long the circuit is closed in the receiving unit, I.E., how long you would hold your finger on the shutter release. It still sends the sync pulse the same.
2. Long Range mode must be set in both transmitter and receiver and while in Long Range mode, that signal will not correspond to the same channel and zone as the Normal (traditional) mode. So 17A normal will not fire a unit set to 17A in long range mode, and vice versa. The actual LR signal travels slower but with greater "accuracy" that the normal range mode. It works really well for long distances. We've had good success with it in certain arenas and stadiums where we had signal difficulties before. Because of this slower signal, it will not work with syncing with strobes, but only with firing available light remotes. We fire the transmitter earlier than normal to ensure the Long Range sync pulse reaches the remote cameras.
I hope this helps.
Aloha,
Jordan |
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Mediobarco Fotógrafo, Photographer
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Madrid | Spain | Spain | Posted: 6:45 PM on 08.16.11 |
| ->> In my Multimax there is not a possibility to install the new firmware because they have not a USB Port. |
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Scott Serio, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Colora | MD | USA | Posted: 11:11 PM on 08.16.11 |
->> @Jordan
Thank you. And shockingly, I shot little league World Series stuff tonight and was way more than 200 feet away and the PWII fired great. Of course, MLB wasn't there and there were no other PWs there.
I read all of the firmware update docs before posting this. Mainly because, it might say it in the PW paperwork, but I wanted to know if the practical application of their "theory" worked. I mean, they say their PWII units will give you 1/4 mile and I have had numerous occurrences where I can't get them to fire across a race track when there is only one other set of PWs going.
If everyone is telling me what PW claims about the Multi's is correct, it might be time to switch. Thanks... |
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