Pocket Wizard Help

[BrianD]

Trying to take some portraits, and in practice, I've learned that using the pop-up flash to trigger a remote flash isn't effective. I've got it set to where the pop-up flash doesn't contribute to the exposure, but it makes my subjects blink when it's time for the REAL flash and exposure to take place. All the experienced guys & gals can have a good chuckle...afterwards, I hope you can explain the different pocket wizard models.

I'm basically looking for the remote trigger for an SB700 from a D7000 and be able to control flash intensity.

Looking at the site, there are several different models and pieces to the puzzle, and the technical jargon is beyond my current level of flash expertise.

Mini vs Flex? Benefits in actual shooting situations? Are these sold as complete kits or do I also need something to send the signal to these units? Should I be looking at anything besides Pocket Wizard?

[GreggObst]

The Mini-TT1 is designed as a transmitter only. It sits in your hot shoe and transmits to other Pocket Wizard receivers/transceivers. The Flex TT5 is a transceiver which means it can be used to transmit or receive. So if you had two Flex TT5s and one remote flash, you could use one Flex TT5 on the camera to trigger the remote flash which sits in the other Flex TT5's hot shoe connector.

The advantage of using a Flex TT5 on the camera comes when you use the optional shutter release cable which allows you trigger the camera remotely. So for instance, if you wanted to put the camera above a basketball goal aimed downward to get rebound and layup shots. You can't do that with the Mini TT1, only the Flex TT5.

You may also want to eventually look into the AC3 zone controller which then slides into the hot shoe adapter on either the Mini TT1 or Flex TT5 and allows you to control flashes in up to three different groups. That allows you to control the power output of your flashes without walking over to the light stands. Very helpful if you have placed flashes up in the rafters or out of convenient reach and you want to adjust power, especially when using the flashes in manual mode.

The other difference between the Mini TT1/Flex TT5 and the older models of Pocket Wizards is that the Mini TT1/.Flex TT5 allow you to use TTL mode with your Nikon flashes. The older Pocket Wizards only allowed manual flash control.

Hope that helps.

[GreggObst]

Also, if you go the either the Mini TT1 or Flex TT5 route, make sure you get the ones for Nikon. They are specific to the brand (Nikon vs Canon) so you need to make sure you get the model for your brand of camera body.

[BrianD]

Thanks for the quick response. If the Mini-TT1 is transmitter only, do I need an additional unit to receive the signal and fire the remote flash?

Am I understanding you that the Mini TT1 could send signals to multiple flashes, but without the zone controller, any changes would go to all flashes on a channel?

I'm only looking to do single flash, off-camera work for the time being.

[GreggObst]

Yes, if you get one Mini TT1 as a trsansmitter, that would sit in your hot shoe. Then you get a Flex TT5 and put your flash into the hot shoe attachment of the TT5 and set the flash to "on" (not remote). Without using the AC3 zone controller, how it all works is dependent on how you have that flash set.

If the flash is set to TTL FP then the base power output is determined by the light coming through the lens and TTL judges how much power you need to get the aperture you are shooting at. I've never shot with the SB700 but I know on the SB900 and SB800, you can adjust the power +/- on the back of the flash so that if TTL is still not asking for enough power from the flash, you can make an adjustment to the flash output.

If the flash is set to M (manual) then all flash adjustments are made on the back of the flash.

If you were to add a second flash and a second Flex TT5, you would have to set them all in the same channel, same group for the Mini TT1 to trigger them all. The AC3 zone controller would allow you to put those two flashes in separate groups and independently control the power output to each. This is great for using one in group A as a key light and one in group B as an accent or hair light, etc with different power levels for each.

When I'm using my speedlights and a background suspended on a frame for portraits, I will put all my SB900s into three groups and controll them from the AC3. Group A for key light, Group B for accent and/or hair light and Group C for lighting the backdrop and nuking shadows.

They also make an AC9 controller that can control Alien Bees studio strobes in manual mode if you ever get some of those in your lighting mix.

[GreggObst]

You might find these videos helpful.

Pocket Wizard AC3 Zone Controller Video:
YouTube - ‪How To: Using the AC3 ZoneController for Nikon‬‏

Mini TT1 and Flex TT5 introduction:
YouTube - ‪pocketwizardvids's Channel‬‏

[BrianD]

You've been very helpful - thank you. Is there a reason, that for $20 more, I wouldn't just get two flex units for a single flash setup instead of a mini and a flex? Is it just size on camera, since the flex has that many more options for a small increase in price?

Does the mini have a rechargeable battery option? I saw the flex takes AAs - how long do those last if you were doing a portrait session or wedding? As if I wasn't already carrying around a ton of AAs for the flash itself...ugg.

[GreggObst]

The batteries in the Flex TT5 seem to last forever. I've been using Everready rechargables in mine and hold up very well. I haven't seen any published numbers of expected number of flashes for a set of batteries in the Flex TT5 but you can probably count on running those things for a week without draining a set of AA batteries.

The Mini TT1 uses a flat, watch type battery. When mine arrived, the battery in it was dead, right from the factory. I was able to find a replacement at Target for I think $6. I bought several for backups but I haven't gone through one yet.

There's really no reason not to go with all Flex TT5s. You gain the advantage of standardizing on one battery type/size and you also gain the ability to do remote camera triggering if you ever wanted to do that.

Make sure you plug them into your computer with the USB and load the software when you get them so that you can do the firmware upgrade. They released a bunch of fixes over the last several months and you'll want those in the units before you start using them. It only takes a few minutes to upgrade the firmware and it's pretty easy.

[BrianD]

Thanks again - now I just need to determine if I want to reallocate funds set for 2.8 lenses for these, since originally seeing pocketwizard prices I assumed that it would be a kit setup, not having to buy 2 items around $200. Live and learn.

[GreggObst]

You don't necessarily need to get Pocket Wizards if you are just looking to remotely trigger the flash. Pocket Wizards are sort of the "gold standard" for radio triggers but you can get by with a super cheap set of radio triggers like this: Amazon.com: CowboyStudio NPT-04 4 Channel Wireless Hot Shoe Flash Trigger Receiver for Canon EOS, Nikon, Olympus & Pentax Flashes Other products by cowboystudio: Camera & Photo The caveat is that you can only shoot with manual flash, no TTL. I have a set of these that I have used and they have never failed me. They do have a much more limited range than the Pocket Wizards (about 150 feet) but that should be sufficient for most portrait and wedding work. They are also limited to four channels but again, that should not be an issue.

You might try those out and later on when you can shake the money tree a little more, move up to the Pocket Wizards.