How to use Canon Pocket Wizard Flex TT5 and Mini TT1

lakewebd

Well, got my goodies today but I'm completely clueless how to get them to work.

I downlaod the software on my computer, hooked up the USB cord then did the test/learn thing. The flash fires if connected to the computer but other wise I can't get it to fire .

Anyone have this pair, it's Canon type and I have the 580 ex11 speed light. I'm pretty confused at this point.

ziggy53

I am unclear about what you wish to do. The USB connection to the computer is for setting some of the Flex TT5 and MiniTT1 modes. Is that what you wish to know more about?

Otherwise I believe that the Flex TT5 and MiniTT1 should act fairly transparently with regard to function and communication between camera and flash. No USB connection should be required to actually use the units.

There is a full set of tutorials here:

http://www.pocketwizard.com/inspirations/tutorials/

I suggest starting with the tutorials:

• Using the PocketWizard Utility
  
• ControlTL Learn Mode
  
• Resetting the MiniTT1 and FlexTT5

Matthew Saville

lakewebd wrote: »

Well, got my goodies today but I'm completely clueless how to get them to work.

I downlaod the software on my computer, hooked up the USB cord then did the test/learn thing. The flash fires if connected to the computer but other wise I can't get it to fire .

Anyone have this pair, it's Canon type and I have the 580 ex11 speed light. I'm pretty confused at this point.

This is why I don't like the PW system compared to the Radio Poppers system; it's hybrid and far less straightforward. It doesn't just piggyback on the infra-red system, it tries to do it's own thing part of the way.

So my first question is, do you have to have the in-camera commander etc. settings turned on for this to work? And what does it say to set the remotes to? Wireless remote, or TTL?

Dan7312

+1 on what ziggy said.

To reset hold turn off the mini and flex. Then press the on button and hold it on for at least 20 seconds (4 flashes on the little pilot light) on both the mini and flex.

Once you have done that make sure everything is turned off. Then put the mini on your camera and the flex on your flash. Make sure your flash is not in master or slave mode. Make sure the Flex is set to 'A'. Then turn on the mini and flex to C1, the farthest position from off, order doesn't matter. Then turn on your flash, Then turn on your camera. Then press the shutter button once to synchronize everything, the flash should go off... that will be a throw away shot. Then you are set to go for eTTL mode flash, try taking some pictures:D.

You only need to use the software on your computer to load new firmware onto the mini and flex or to set up something other than the default settings or other special things. This can be useful but, as Matt says, things get complicated fast when you do this. Get comfortable with the defaults before you try custom settings.

The learn mode is only for when you are in the field and don't have a computer to get the settings between the mini and flex in sync with each other.

The PocketWizard.com site has some helpful videos on it.

ziggy53 wrote: »

I am unclear about what you wish to do. The USB connection to the computer is for setting some of the Flex TT5 and MiniTT1 modes. Is that what you wish to know more about?

Otherwise I believe that the Flex TT5 and MiniTT1 should act fairly transparently with regard to function and communication between camera and flash. No USB connection should be required to actually use the units.

There is a full set of tutorials here:

http://www.pocketwizard.com/inspirations/tutorials/

I suggest starting with the tutorials:

• Using the PocketWizard Utility
  
• ControlTL Learn Mode
  
• Resetting the MiniTT1 and FlexTT5

lakewebd

Dan7312 wrote: »

+1 on what ziggy said.

To reset hold turn off the mini and flex. Then press the on button and hold it on for at least 20 seconds (4 flashes on the little pilot light) on both the mini and flex.

Once you have done that make sure everything is turned off. Then put the mini on your camera and the flex on your flash. Make sure your flash is not in master or slave mode. Make sure the Flex is set to 'A'. Then turn on the mini and flex to C1, the farthest position from off, order doesn't matter. Then turn on your flash, Then turn on your camera. Then press the shutter button once to synchronize everything, the flash should go off... that will be a throw away shot. Then you are set to go for eTTL mode flash, try taking some pictures:D.

You only need to use the software on your computer to load new firmware onto the mini and flex or to set up something other than the default settings or other special things. This can be useful but, as Matt says, things get complicated fast when you do this. Get comfortable with the defaults before you try custom settings.

The learn mode is only for when you are in the field and don't have a computer to get the settings between the mini and flex in sync with each other.

The PocketWizard.com site has some helpful videos on it.

Dan,
I tried everything you suggested but the Flex is not blinking or working. The mini is blinking however.
The directions said download first, so I did. I do not understand power sources at all so this is confusing. Probably something simple I'm too confused to get.

lakewebd

Well, simple checkhelped. Batteries in Flex were in wrong. Now they are happily blinking at each other but my flash is not firing. Get the feeling I'm close but there is still a piece missing.

Dan7312

The instructions want you to plug the flex/mini's into the computer to load the latest firmware into them. However the basic stuff should work out of the box.

After you got the batteries in right and do the reset , then next thing to try to make sure the flex and mini themselves are both working.

Take them off the camera and flash so they are by themselves and turn them off. Then turn them on to C2. The mini should blink green a few times and then stop. The flex should keep blinking green but if it's in a bright light you might not see it.

Press the test learn button on the mini, don't hold it just press it and let it go. The light Flex should flash red and it should stay on as long as you hold down the test learn button on the mini. If this isn't happening then they are not communicating.

When you ran the PocketWizard utility on your computer you may have updated only one PW? To check to see if the flex/mini are in sync with each other run the pockwizard utilility and plug the mini into your computer. It will take a few seconds but once the utility sees your mini select the settings/channel 2 tab and you should see something like below, make sure the mini is turned on so you will get a battery reading.





Do the same with the flex






Both flex and mini should have same application version. If they don't then follow the direction to update the firmware in both flex and mini with the latest.

Both should be set to ControlTL channel 2 (for configuration 2). The flex should have the "Use controlTL channel for receive" checked.

Both should show good batteries (the battery reading won't be shown unless the units are turned on when you plug them into the computer.

lakewebd wrote: »

Well, simple checkhelped. Batteries in Flex were in wrong. Now they are happily blinking at each other but my flash is not firing. Get the feeling I'm close but there is still a piece missing.

lakewebd

ziggy53 wrote: »

I am unclear about what you wish to do. The USB connection to the computer is for setting some of the Flex TT5 and MiniTT1 modes. Is that what you wish to know more about?

Otherwise I believe that the Flex TT5 and MiniTT1 should act fairly transparently with regard to function and communication between camera and flash. No USB connection should be required to actually use the units.

There is a full set of tutorials here:

http://www.pocketwizard.com/inspirations/tutorials/

I suggest starting with the tutorials:

• Using the PocketWizard Utility
  
• ControlTL Learn Mode
  
• Resetting the MiniTT1 and FlexTT5

Hi Ziggy,
THe tutorial are good it's just not working for me. With Dan's direction and getting the batteries right they are flashing at each other but the speedlight won't flash.
I think I need hands on help somehow. Tutorials make it look easy, so it must be.

Dan7312

You've probably already done this, but have you put the speedlight on the camera, no flex or mini involved, and tried it to be sure the flash is working?

One of the things that is important is the order in which you turn things on. You must turn on the flex and mini before the camera or flashes. If you don't sometimes they just don't sync up.

I don't have the 580 mkII so I'm not familiar with the controls. However the flex, at least in theory, should completely take over control of the 580 as long as it is not set in master or slave mode.

I can't think of anything else to try but try contacting customer.support@poc<WBR>ketwizard.com Unfortunately you won't hear anything from them today, but I've found them to be pretty responsive. Also this is the phone number for support (802) 658-0038, but of course it won't do you any good until tomorrow. This is the phone number directly into PW in NH, not the company that distributes them in NY.

You've run into the weakness of the mini/flex, it's easy to configure them incorrectly and when something goes wrong it's not easy to figure out what happened. However once they are setup right they do work and give you radio remote with eTTL (which Matt doesn't need , really he doesn't) and second curtain sync and better high speed sync.

lakewebd wrote: »

Hi Ziggy,
THe tutorial are good it's just not working for me. With Dan's direction and getting the batteries right they are flashing at each other but the speedlight won't flash.
I think I need hands on help somehow. Tutorials make it look easy, so it must be.

lakewebd

Dan7312 wrote: »

The instructions want you to plug the flex/mini's into the computer to load the latest firmware into them. However the basic stuff should work out of the box.

After you got the batteries in right and do the reset , then next thing to try to make sure the flex and mini themselves are both working.

Take them off the camera and flash so they are by themselves and turn them off. Then turn them on to C2. The mini should blink green a few times and then stop. The flex should keep blinking green but if it's in a bright light you might not see it.

Press the test learn button on the mini, don't hold it just press it and let it go. The light Flex should flash red and it should stay on as long as you hold down the test learn button on the mini. If this isn't happening then they are not communicating.

When you ran the PocketWizard utility on your computer you may have updated only one PW? To check to see if the flex/mini are in sync with each other run the pockwizard utilility and plug the mini into your computer. It will take a few seconds but once the utility sees your mini select the settings/channel 2 tab and you should see something like below, make sure the mini is turned on so you will get a battery reading.





Do the same with the flex






Both flex and mini should have same application version. If they don't then follow the direction to update the firmware in both flex and mini with the latest.

Both should be set to ControlTL channel 2 (for configuration 2). The flex should have the "Use controlTL channel for receive" checked.

Both should show good batteries (the battery reading won't be shown unless the units are turned on when you plug them into the computer.

Dan, Great help, Thank you. I updated the software on both units, also set it to my Mark IV. But alas, the speed light will not fire. When I put it on the Flex it fired a test shot. When I press the shutter the red light on the flex fires but not the flash.
The flash will fire if mounted on the camera without the PW. Must be something on the camera settings or flash settings.