Radiopopper PX System
hey all - I just received last week the new radio popper PX system. One transmitter and two receivers. There is good info on the radio popper site... but one "short coming" of the system is no mount for a transmitter when using the popup flash on a Nikon dSLR as the "commander". Here is a photo of a "jury-rigged" solution that is stable and is working GREAT for me. It may not look perfectly elegant but it works.
The PX transmitter has the "hook" side of velcro attached to it's underside just as instructed by the radiopopper site. It can be attached to the top of a sb-800, sb-900 or su800 in commander mode anytime. But I wanted to use my pop up as commander as I rarely want light from the top of my camera to contribute significantly the lighting of my subject.
The nikon sg-3 is a little screen that fits in the hot shoe and effectively blocks the flash output from the popup flash. But the pop up still flashes and the RP PX transmitter picks up the flash and uses radio to transmit firing instructions to my remote flashes. So I've put a small piece of velcro "pile" on the top of the SG-3 and together with the doubled up rubber band, the transmitter if secure!
Now for my impression of the radio popper PX system... AWESOME!
This is a great thread for a noob like me lol. So just to clarify: the mini still needs to be used with a transceiver, and the flex still needs to be used with either a transmitter or another transceiver, right? Basically, the mini acts like the ST-E2, but every flash must still have another pocket wizard (transceiver connected to it). So now instead of getting an ST-E2 for ~$230, I can get a mini for $199 and each flex for $219, which is less than a set of radiopoppers (though I don't know how much the JRX will cost when it comes out). Do I have this right?
This is a great thread for a noob like me lol. So just to clarify: the mini still needs to be used with a transceiver, and the flex still needs to be used with either a transmitter or another transceiver, right? Basically, the mini acts like the ST-E2, but every flash must still have another pocket wizard (transceiver connected to it). So now instead of getting an ST-E2 for ~$230, I can get a mini for $199 and each flex for $219, which is less than a set of radiopoppers (though I don't know how much the JRX will cost when it comes out). Do I have this right?
You dont quite have it right. The mini is not exactly like the STE2....it doesn't...in and of itself...allow you to control ratios for one thing. Also.....research carefully before plunking down that kind of money. The new wizards claim full ETTL compatability but....
-There are issues concerning the funcionality of Flash Exposure Compensation.....and even whether the funtion is working at all.
- It seems that unless you also buy a Canon off camera cord to link between the tranciever and a 580EXII you may be limited to around 30 maximum distance. The STE2 can handle that itself in most situations albeit with a direct line of sight.
If they can iron out these short comings?
Give me my 3 stops plus/minus FEC and triple figure distance wireless and Im all in!
For now Ill keep my STE2 and wait....
...and to give examples of the STE2 in use...
The last taken outdoors...via a 200mm focal length......flash near the subject.
wow awesome thread man i learned a lot of stuff shoot i dont want to sound to embrassing i been trying to learn what all the pocketwizards can do i seemed to have learned more then i thought i would in this thread lol
hmm those pictures was awesome in this thread i dont no what was used to take it hmm im hoping to became a professional
I have two 580EX, one with a broken hotshoe-whatchamacallit (the contacts work, but half the square piece that fits into the camera hotshoe broke off so it won't slide in). It can still be handheld though...or maybe with some creative duct taping...
Anyway, I landed a great deal on STE2 on Ebay for $165. I got a lightstand and an incoming justin clamp. Just gotta pick up the duct tape and then it's all systems go
I'm really excited. I just did a photoshoot for a club in my college and learned not to rely on hazy sunlight through the window with only a reflector and an on-camera flash It wouldn't have been too too bad if the reflector holders weren't slightly listless models switching off to get ready for makeup lol. The reflector more often than not ended up halfway to the ground, or getting trampled beneath 4inch heels. They did make an effort, though, but It was still quite maddening
I have two 580EX, one with a broken hotshoe-whatchamacallit (the contacts work, but half the square piece that fits into the camera hotshoe broke off so it won't slide in). It can still be handheld though...or maybe with some creative duct taping...
Anyway, I landed a great deal on STE2 on Ebay for $165. I got a lightstand and an incoming justin clamp. Just gotta pick up the duct tape and then it's all systems go
I'm really excited. I just did a photoshoot for a club in my college and learned not to rely on hazy sunlight through the window with only a reflector and an on-camera flash It wouldn't have been too too bad if the reflector holders weren't slightly listless models switching off to get ready for makeup lol. The reflector more often than not ended up halfway to the ground, or getting trampled beneath 4inch heels. They did make an effort, though, but It was still quite maddening
That hotshoe can be replaced. I think its an easy DIY project and the part doesn't cost that much.
This is a great thread for a noob like me lol. So just to clarify: the mini still needs to be used with a transceiver, and the flex still needs to be used with either a transmitter or another transceiver, right? Basically, the mini acts like the ST-E2, but every flash must still have another pocket wizard (transceiver connected to it). So now instead of getting an ST-E2 for ~$230, I can get a mini for $199 and each flex for $219, which is less than a set of radiopoppers (though I don't know how much the JRX will cost when it comes out). Do I have this right?
Good grief, Jeff. I was just scratching my head after I read your earlier comment that I could still DIY that hot shoe. Then I clicked on the top link and my mind went completely blank but for one thought: "How'd they get my flash?" Lol, well, dur huh. Same break -_-
Thank you so much for these! Thank you thank you thank you!!
Good grief, Jeff. I was just scratching my head after I read your earlier comment that I could still DIY that hot shoe. Then I clicked on the top link and my mind went completely blank but for one thought: "How'd they get my flash?" Lol, well, dur huh. Same break -_-
Thank you so much for these! Thank you thank you thank you!!
No problem.
BTW....if you feel intimidated about doing a repair of this type...you probably know someone who would be willing to tackle it. I (although I am not intimidated by it) am thinking of my "can fix anything dad". Im sure you know someone just like that.:D
Id be very interested in hearing how well it drives ETTL and especially the way it handles FEC.
I must say I'm not really into whole ETTL thing, since it's not what I do (and I have ste2 for that one, complete with focus assist lamp etc)
What I like about TT1 is:
1) distinct low profile, so I know exactly what to put on my camera and what goes to lights.
2) ability to microadjust the trigerring. My 5D2 has 1/200 top sync speed , they promised to bring it back to more normal 1/250
BTW....if you feel intimidated about doing a repair of this type...you probably know someone who would be willing to tackle it. I (although I am not intimidated by it) am thinking of my "can fix anything dad". Im sure you know someone just like that.:D
^_^
I'm going to give it a try. I did a *very* brief stint in the navy as an electrician for F/18s, but that's been more than a few years ago lol, and I can't say I was very good at it. I still get excited when I see naked wires, but I probably have to get some tools. And if it all goes downhill, you're absolutely right, off to my "can fix anything dad" it goes haha!
My PW MINI TT1 should arrive hopefully early next week. I'll share the experience once I get some :-)
And here it came... Took a bit longer than I thought, but it arrived anyway... Acquainted it with my PWII+ transcievers/receivers, verified the HyperSync adjustment - et voila, my 5D2 is now capable of shooting at 1/250 instead of 1/200 - and it looks MUCH better.
Sorry for the quality of the shot - taken with a cellphone. My 50D is still at Canon's Irvine facility for shortfocusing issue :-(
Comments
*blush* You're welcome.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
hey all - I just received last week the new radio popper PX system. One transmitter and two receivers. There is good info on the radio popper site... but one "short coming" of the system is no mount for a transmitter when using the popup flash on a Nikon dSLR as the "commander". Here is a photo of a "jury-rigged" solution that is stable and is working GREAT for me. It may not look perfectly elegant but it works.
The PX transmitter has the "hook" side of velcro attached to it's underside just as instructed by the radiopopper site. It can be attached to the top of a sb-800, sb-900 or su800 in commander mode anytime. But I wanted to use my pop up as commander as I rarely want light from the top of my camera to contribute significantly the lighting of my subject.
The nikon sg-3 is a little screen that fits in the hot shoe and effectively blocks the flash output from the popup flash. But the pop up still flashes and the RP PX transmitter picks up the flash and uses radio to transmit firing instructions to my remote flashes. So I've put a small piece of velcro "pile" on the top of the SG-3 and together with the doubled up rubber band, the transmitter if secure!
Now for my impression of the radio popper PX system... AWESOME!
let me know if any of you have any questions.
Life and Lens Photography
www.lifeandlens.com
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2009/02/pocketwizard-flextt5-and-minitt1-full.html
My website | NANPA Member
This is a great thread for a noob like me lol. So just to clarify: the mini still needs to be used with a transceiver, and the flex still needs to be used with either a transmitter or another transceiver, right? Basically, the mini acts like the ST-E2, but every flash must still have another pocket wizard (transceiver connected to it). So now instead of getting an ST-E2 for ~$230, I can get a mini for $199 and each flex for $219, which is less than a set of radiopoppers (though I don't know how much the JRX will cost when it comes out). Do I have this right?
Houston Portrait Photographer
Children's Illustrator
You dont quite have it right. The mini is not exactly like the STE2....it doesn't...in and of itself...allow you to control ratios for one thing. Also.....research carefully before plunking down that kind of money. The new wizards claim full ETTL compatability but....
-There are issues concerning the funcionality of Flash Exposure Compensation.....and even whether the funtion is working at all.
- It seems that unless you also buy a Canon off camera cord to link between the tranciever and a 580EXII you may be limited to around 30 maximum distance. The STE2 can handle that itself in most situations albeit with a direct line of sight.
If they can iron out these short comings?
Give me my 3 stops plus/minus FEC and triple figure distance wireless and Im all in!
For now Ill keep my STE2 and wait....
...and to give examples of the STE2 in use...
The last taken outdoors...via a 200mm focal length......flash near the subject.
Jeff
-Need help with Dgrin?; Wedding Photography Resources
-My Website - Blog - Tips for Senior Portraiture
hmm those pictures was awesome in this thread i dont no what was used to take it hmm im hoping to became a professional
I have two 580EX, one with a broken hotshoe-whatchamacallit (the contacts work, but half the square piece that fits into the camera hotshoe broke off so it won't slide in). It can still be handheld though...or maybe with some creative duct taping...
Anyway, I landed a great deal on STE2 on Ebay for $165. I got a lightstand and an incoming justin clamp. Just gotta pick up the duct tape and then it's all systems go
I'm really excited. I just did a photoshoot for a club in my college and learned not to rely on hazy sunlight through the window with only a reflector and an on-camera flash
Houston Portrait Photographer
Children's Illustrator
That hotshoe can be replaced. I think its an easy DIY project and the part doesn't cost that much.
Jeff
-Need help with Dgrin?; Wedding Photography Resources
-My Website - Blog - Tips for Senior Portraiture
Id be very interested in hearing how well it drives ETTL and especially the way it handles FEC.
Jeff
-Need help with Dgrin?; Wedding Photography Resources
-My Website - Blog - Tips for Senior Portraiture
Found it....
http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/2007/05/31/repairing-the-canon-580ex-hotshoe-foot/
and this
http://www.sdcamerasolution.com/index.php?p=product&id=68&parent=28
Jeff
-Need help with Dgrin?; Wedding Photography Resources
-My Website - Blog - Tips for Senior Portraiture
Good grief, Jeff. I was just scratching my head after I read your earlier comment that I could still DIY that hot shoe. Then I clicked on the top link and my mind went completely blank but for one thought: "How'd they get my flash?" Lol, well, dur huh. Same break -_-
Thank you so much for these! Thank you thank you thank you!!
Houston Portrait Photographer
Children's Illustrator
No problem.
BTW....if you feel intimidated about doing a repair of this type...you probably know someone who would be willing to tackle it. I (although I am not intimidated by it) am thinking of my "can fix anything dad". Im sure you know someone just like that.:D
Jeff
-Need help with Dgrin?; Wedding Photography Resources
-My Website - Blog - Tips for Senior Portraiture
What I like about TT1 is:
1) distinct low profile, so I know exactly what to put on my camera and what goes to lights.
2) ability to microadjust the trigerring. My 5D2 has 1/200 top sync speed
^_^
I'm going to give it a try. I did a *very* brief stint in the navy as an electrician for F/18s, but that's been more than a few years ago lol, and I can't say I was very good at it. I still get excited when I see naked wires, but I probably have to get some tools. And if it all goes downhill, you're absolutely right, off to my "can fix anything dad" it goes haha!
Houston Portrait Photographer
Children's Illustrator
Sorry for the quality of the shot - taken with a cellphone. My 50D is still at Canon's Irvine facility for shortfocusing issue :-(
Thus far I'm liking it!