What Pocket Wizards brings to the party

[autofocus]

This is crop of a recent client job shot outdoors by my wife with the following:
-Off camera TTL flash through a small 16x16 softbox,-1 1/3 stops, controlled by a pair of Pocket Wizards
-50mm f/1.4 lens shot at f/2.8
-shot in manual mode at 1/1250th sec (this is what I love about these radios..no need to worry about sync speed. Great for stopping action, and using wide apertures at the same time)
-ISO400


JP by vmontalbano, on Flickr

[Rentham]

Nice shot, Vince.

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by Rentham

Nice shot, Vince.

Thank you Mike

[kirbinster]

Nice shot. You don't need radio control for high speed sync. My D700 and D300 will work as controllers for my SB600 flash and I can shoot unteathered to the flash in FP mode at 1/8000th with no problem. I can have the on camera flash either provide light or not provide light as well, and I can use both of the SB-600 on different groups so I can control all three light sources separately with no radio units.

[scootermcq]

Looks Good Vince.

While what Kirbinser says is true, I have been thinking about the wizards, because they are not line of sight. Some times softboxes or umbrellas make the commander mode useless, like when you are behind a bounce back umbrella, or your flash is inside an apollo etc.

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by kirbinster

Nice shot. You don't need radio control for high speed sync. My D700 and D300 will work as controllers for my SB600 flash and I can shoot unteathered to the flash in FP mode at 1/8000th with no problem. I can have the on camera flash either provide light or not provide light as well, and I can use both of the SB-600 on different groups so I can control all three light sources separately with no radio units.

I know about commander mode Kirb, but what is the likelihood that it will work outdoors in bright ambient light? It has to be able to see the on-camera flash for it to work is my understanding, although I've never tried it...just hear it's a problem

[scootermcq]

Originally Posted by autofocus

I know about commander mode Kirb, but what is the likelihood that it will work outdoors in bright ambient light? It has to be able to see the on-camera flash for it to work is my understanding, although I've never tried it...just hear it's a problem

Works fine that way.... problem is the line of sight and crap getting in the way.

[danbaileyphoto]

I often use a second flash like the SB-800 or 900 as a master. I can point the head and zoom towards the remotes that I need to trigger, and if the flashes are on either side of me, I stick the dome diffuser on and point it straight up. Works great at close to medium range. For long range outside, it's Pocket Wizards all the way.

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by danbaileyphoto

I often use a second flash like the SB-800 or 900 as a master. I can point the head and zoom towards the remotes that I need to trigger, and if the flashes are on either side of me, I stick the dome diffuser on and point it straight up. Works great at close to medium range. For long range outside, it's Pocket Wizards all the way.

I guess over the past, I've heard of the problems associated with use of commander mode outdoors in bright light, and probably 75% of our work is outdoors. I'd hate to think we could miss a key moment because the flash didn't fire. Being that we currently only have one flash for the Nikon(SB800) buying the 2 radios probably cost me less than springing for one or two more speedlights. (unless I went with the Chinese knockoffs)
Also, our business is a lot of small kids, and to be sure your commander mode setup will work outdoors probably takes a little more thought just to make sure the light from the master is being seen. We're always chasing kids around, and I think the radio solution gives us a little more flexibility for quick moves of the light as we chase the 2 year old around the location.

[jdjr]

Just bought the mini tt1 and flex tt5 for my nikon d300s i'm using a nikon sb900 flash. After everything is set, my first picture the flash does not go off, then it is fine for every flash after that. I upgraded the firmware for both to version 3 and still the same thing. Any thoughts