Yesterday the postman called. I was so baffled by the complexity of the contents of the parcel that it was almost dusk when we set off on our final walk of the day.
Looking out to sea from the van.
Looking inland. The last rays of the sun really did look a picture.
We got down to the beach and not fifty yards off shore were a dozen Red Throated Divers…..There I was standing with a 50mm lens on the camera feeling a real plonker. By the time I’d finished watching them and located the dogs it was almost dark or as dark as it gets round here.
It’s a good job I didn’t find a non-Pocket Wizard. It’s a good job I’ve got big pockets in my jacket.
In the bag there are three of these. These are transceivers and will either fit on the camera and speak to each other or stand alone where ever one desires the flash to be.. The Speedlite fits in the hotshoe and the little switches do other things. I’d not noticed the phone sockets but they are for something else.
This is just a transmitter. It goes in the camera hotshoe and will work the remote speedlights as if the flash were camera mounted. It supports E-TTL and hyspeed snyc. So the off camera strobes will act just like the on-camera flash does. Erratically in my case. They have a mind of their own do flash guns. For those that have had problems with fill or E-TTL then the first shot is just a calibration one. As long as the ambient light doesn’t alter subsequent shots should be fine. I tend to use the things on manual and have a look.
This little gizmo just boggles my mind. When plugged into the hotshoe on the transmitter it can alter the flash intensity of the three off camera transceiver mounted speedlights independently of each other. The range of this system is, with a following wind, a few hundred feet so if I owned half a dozen strobes I could scatter them about to highlight landscape features without having to walk backwards and forwards adjusting flashguns. I could also achieve much the same effect in Photoshop but that is besides the point to a purist like what I am.
The instruction book is a hundred pages of A4 and only a few of them are rubbish……Don’t throw used batteries in the bin, don’t use this equipment underwater or in the shower……That sort of rubbish. I have had a flash out of it and it works, well it did when I put the batteries in!…I must have skipped that page.
I’m just waiting for the wind to drop and I’ll go and give it a whirl. I only have one Speedlight and a ring flash. This Pocket Wizard is a pre-cherished one..sounds much better than used and since I’ve updated the Firmware it should be like brand new. I hope, I hope I did it right. It’s much like Canon or Olympus firmware. It says it has re-set factory defaults and then asks if I want to….No choice at all then.
I can work with other flashers without them triggering my flashing…..I skipped that bit…..How many other folk are daft enough to invest in such a complicated system.
It’s guaranteed not to rust, bust, pick up dust, buckle or bend for a year. It was half price so not bad.
Have a great weekend.
Hi Adrian You have lost me here! It is all to technical for me!! Simple as simple does! Margaret
ReplyDeleteMargaret, they are simple, just shots of hereabouts taken late on.
DeleteYou posted a comment on your own...thank you and congratulations.
So you decided! It sounds great. As for the pop up flash that I have, I do have to walk on over to where the external flash unit is to adjust its output. It's not bothersome if the flash is close by; but if you place it further away it can be bothersome to have to walk to the unit to adjust it. I only have the 580EX II, but I might consider the 430EX as an additional midsize unit. It's cheaper and the 580EX II became now the 600EX-RT, the most powerful Canon flash unit, and the most pricey. The 430EX is very capable as well.
ReplyDeleteTake it easy Adrian. Don't get too complicated with lights and triggers; just use it when you need to. I had a case in which I was shooting a very shaded tree, and just needed more light to show the root system; so I set the 580EX on a small tripod and pointed it at the trees' roots, and then flashed wirelessly from my pop-up in-camera flash. It did work and did help to brighten the roots of the tree; but then I also realised that firing two units would have been more useful in getting the roots even brighter. So now, I may end up getting the 430EX in case I ever need to fire 2 units.
DeleteMaria, the 430 is fine I rarely get above half power anyway. If I decide to start shooting those posh shots that overpower ambient light then a bigger strobe may have to be begged, borrowed or stolen.
DeletePW's,as we pros call them, don't work well with the 580. Another 430 would do me + a soft box + a few gels + an umbrella + a reflector...hey I've already got a reflector but it got dirty whilst snapping some fungi...I'll give it a wash.
If you have CS6 then try giving the tree roots a swipe with the adjustment brush in the RAW editor. It can push two stops easily.
It can pull the same amount so you could expose for the roots. It's better to recover shadows than try to replace highlights that have blown out though.
Me....complikated..me is daft as a brush!
The Mark II 430 is the one to look for...the 600EX-RT I believe has radio trigger built in like the posh studio strobes.
I'll try the Hysync. I've never had much luck with it and it drops the power of the flash. I usually select 1/200s and pop away at different aperture settings. It's a whole new world in front of me.
You're right, I also do selective brightening with CS6. But the 430 is in my list, but I'm in no hurry.
DeleteIf I fancy something I have a couple of dealers in the UK who let you pop stuff on a 'Wish List'. It usually works pretty quickly and saves money.
DeleteI wish I had a hobby.
ReplyDeleteGraham, I wish I had Uma Thurman. You can't always have what you want.
Deleteit will give you hours of fun im sure. have a good weekend
ReplyDeletepeter
Peter, it will if it works. I just had an e-mail from a proper snapper and he still uses miles of old fashioned wire to connect his strobes to the camera.
DeleteI was worried. But once you said half price well, no sweat. What I wonder about is the guy who invents these. Where does he get the ideas that these gadgets may be needed? Ya I know! There's always something that will make a better picture.
ReplyDeleteRed, about third price but still not cheap. I should get out with it later. we'll see if it makes any difference.
DeleteI have no idea what you're talking about but I'm glad you are happy with your new equipment.
ReplyDeletePauline, it looks as if we are entering a period of more settled weather. I'll see what's what with it.
DeleteCan't wait to see the results you get for the "not-so" pocket wizard
ReplyDeleteDouglas, I think the idea of flash is that one can't see the results. Apparently it's supposed to be subtle.
Delete