Pocket Wizard Plus II transceivers - review & range test

[Mindtraveler3]

Have you ever tried to use the pocket wizard 2 to control the cheaper eBay receivers? Possibly they have the same Radio frequency?

[malonlave]

Matt can you use the Mini TT1 and Flex TT5 with the flash in Manual mode or is that only for TTL flash? also if i buy a Flex TT5 and a Plus 2 will they both work together for manual flash mode?"thanks.

[thatnikonguy]

@malonlave yes ok to manual and yes they talk :)

[malonlave]

@thatnikonguy Thanks Matt, so here is the thing I have a Canon 580 EX II and the flex TT5 and Mini TT1 and my flash will not work right in Manual mode as the distant scale is not communicating, I contacted pocket wizard and they told me that it is for ETTL only, so what I need to know for sure is if I buy a Flex and Mini for my SB 900 I can set the flash to Manual and have full control? I am leaving canon, thanks Matt;)

[JOHNNYVIPHOTO]

Thanks Matt, I have a question: Can you use Pocketwizard Plus II as a cable release for the camera. I am using Canon 5d?

[bitterer]

@JOHNNYVIPHOTO Yes, you can use the PW II as a remote trigger, but you'll need to use a special trigger cable, such as the Cowboystudio PW-A4.

[schneeg]

@JOHNNYVIPHOTO yes you can you just buy the camble for the 5D to pocketwizard

[thatnikonguy]

@DJstreet50 optical slave mode on other flash

[ulrick04]

Is there a specific plus II for Nikon or Canon?

[schneeg]

@ulrick04 the plus IIs are not brand specific so yo can use them in any brand of camara

[darbats]

hi matt if i will buy this pocketwizard this 2 items can i use my flash more than 5? and can i use for TLL my 5 speed light for this 2 items? and how can can i set? hoping for your help

i am planning to buy this soon...thanks great video:)

[thatnikonguy]

@darbats using these pocketwizards, no TTL - just manual. YOu can get the TT1 series pocket wizard, or stick to the Nikon CLS.

[cameratest]

I’ve had horrible reliability with these things since the day I got them. I’ve used 3 different transceiver units, 4 different cameras (Canon & Nikon), and 4 different flashes (Canon & Nikon) and they’ve never worked consistently. The test button always works fine but it often fails to fire when I take a photo. See my video /watch?v=Rz2aa-HBsYg.

[thatnikonguy]

@cameratest Wow - that is unheard of - I would return them straight away (after checking your sync etc was all set up correctly) They have never - ever - missed a beat for me.

[ctadin58]

Matt,

Thanks for the video. What do you set your remote flash unit to which has the pocket wizard plus II attached? And, the SU-4 flash (no pocket wizard) what is that set to? I would like to use this set up with my Nikon SB-900's. I know how to set it to SU-4 mode, but not sure if I put the flash in remote, on, or master. Thanks.

[thatnikonguy]

@ctadin58 hi mate. Not sure what you mean, power setting, zoom setting?? Or what? You would put them both in manual. One standard and the other on SU4.

[RAAR3040]

Hi Matt, what's going on, I have a doubt, the sync cord that you used in the video, does it already come in the box when you purchase the Pocket Wizard Plus II transceivers???

Thanks for the video, it was awesome, I'll be waiting for your answer!!!

[thatnikonguy]

@RAAR3040 yes it comes with the cord.

[DFMerlino]

can u do high speed sync?

[thatnikonguy]

@DFMerlino no, go for the TT version

[calvin22890]

Hey matt, thank you for that video, was very informative. i am a canon user but i was wondering if i could use pocket wizards to combine both my canon flash with a nikon flash? and the one other thing is how is the multi max in comparison to plus 2?

[dlasusa]

Have you used (or can you do a comparison to) Radio Poppers? Thx for all the work you put into these videos!

[thatnikonguy]

@dlasusa my pleasure - sorry I have not used radio poppers - I cannot compare.

[Kevina1965]

Great Video, I use the P/W TT1 and TT5's on SB 700's Great Products... I went the route of using cheaper and you get what you pay for. Get the Pocket Wizards !! Can't go wrong.

[thatnikonguy]

@Kevina1965 agree

[MrLallaboy]

What is opinion on the multimax ? do you have a video for that?

[thatnikonguy]

@MrLallaboy never used it. Will be introing the newest models soon though

[yeseverymomentcounts]

Matt I really like those light stands you are using in this video. Can you please give the info on them? Price name where II can get then and also the mounts for the flash to go on the stand with the umbrella mounts. Please share, thanks!

[thatnikonguy]

@yeseverymomentcounts Hi mate, thanks for comment. Sorry I can't be too helpful, I got my stands at different places, and they are not branded. I could do a video showing the different ones I have, what is good about each?

[Uscbryan949]

Thanks for the video. I have been doing research on the poverty wizards and most of what I have read is good. Hardly any misfires and in fact some say they are more reliable than that PW with a greater distance. Have they just gotten better since this review or did you have bad luck with them? I have just gotten into using my sb700 and I rented some PW 2 because I heard they were good. They feel EXTREMELY cheaply made. Also I read the poverty wizards can sync a lot faster than the PW2. Am I get

[thatnikonguy]

@Uscbryan949 as far as I know, nothing compare to pw range and reliability. Nothing is close. And sync speed is more determined by your camera, the latest pw have hyper sync, up to 4000/8000! Never heard of poverty one with that.

Poverty fine for play and non commercial work. For paid work,.I only use genuine pw.

[moneynfast]

When I look up the pocket wizard Plus II they always say transceiver, and not transceiver, and receiver. Am I suppose to purchase two PocketWizard II transceivers? Those the transceiver work like a receiver too?

[totyfotos]

Crazy range! but quite loudy those plus II are!!

Any chance to turn off the beeping??

[thatnikonguy]

@totyfotos The beep was on the Nikon flash - saying it has recycled and ready to shoot again. But the pocketwizard is silent :)

[totyfotos]

@thatnikonguy Thx men!

[moneynfast]

Nice review on the pocket wizard. I was wondering did you have a syn port cord on your camera connected to your transmitter? I have a canon 60D and it does not have a syn port hole for the wire to connect from the transmitter to the carmera. I have a canon 580ex II speedlite that I can use as the master. I will get another flash. I see that you only need one receiver to to make the second speedlite flash. How many speedlites will one transmitter set off. Thank you.

[thatnikonguy]

@moneynfast THanks for the question. The on camera PW goes in the hot shoe - it is triggered there - no need for sync port on camera.

If you have one transceiver attached to one flash by cable, you can then sync as many flashes as you want if they are set to optical slave - as long as they can 'see' the first flash.

If flashes do not have optical slave, you need to use iTTl or eTTL, or have a transceiver on each flash.

Does that make sense?

[moneynfast]

What is optical slave? Also Do you know if the canon 430ex II has it?

[moneynfast]

Ok I know what it is. It is the settting in the camera, but I know I don't have to the that with the master speedlite. Do you know if the vivtar 285, nikon sb80dx, and the sb900 have optical slave? Thanks for your help most appreciated.

[thatnikonguy]

YYou sure can. Check out the 10+ videos up called strobist- that will teach you everything you need to get going. 

[ilovepoo122]

Hey I just have a quick question. I was thinking of doing something similar with my flash gun. I normally shoot outdoors, so is there a way I can do this outdoors or it requires electricity/powercord/point. I was hoping I get a stand or an someone to hold it and shoot, and it will trigger it. I hope that makes sense. I just don't want the flash unit to be on top of my camera when shooting outdoors... thanks

[DeclanMWong]

Thanks for the post, great info.

[thatnikonguy]

@DeclanMWong pleasure

[PhotosPassionYou]

Hey Matt, where can I get one of those Flash stands? Can you name me some brands? Thanks (=

[thatnikonguy]

@PhotosPassionYou Hi again - sorry but mine are not brand name! I think Bogen make branded ones.

I get mine from HK and China directly - no packaging or branding - but very good price. Suggest you just check them out, see they are high enough for you, and check that the feet and the bracket for the flash are good quality - avoid too much plastic.

[PhotosPassionYou]

Nice! I was just about getting a pocket wizard trigger, great presentation!

[thatnikonguy]

@PhotosPassionYou Glad you like it! If you have any feedback or suggestions for future videos please let me know. I'd like ot know that the videos are useful for people. Matt

[PhotosPassionYou]

@thatnikonguy It was great, if you can do a review on the flash settings it would be great (=

[thatnikonguy]

@PhotosPassionYou Hey, I am going to post a couple of videos showing full process to set up a strobist portrait, firstly a simple 1 light, then a 2 or 3 light one.

Before that, will do a video comparing Nikon flashes for strobist use.