wireless flash trigger

JulieLawsonPhotographyJulieLawsonPhotography Registered Users Posts: 787 Major grins
edited November 17, 2010 in Accessories
I had purchased the Cactus brand for my sigma flash when I first bought it and really didn't have much trouble at all with it firing. I've tried using it with my SB900 and it does work, but doesn't fire consistantly. Is there a trigger that anyone would suggest that will work the my SB900 and D700?
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  • time2smiletime2smile Registered Users Posts: 835 Major grins
    edited October 17, 2010
    Can i ask why you dont use the CLS system?

    I use the ebay RF-602's to fire my 3 Vivitar speedlights, and usually the internal CLS to fire my SB-600, The SB-600 does work consistently with the RF-602, sorry dont have a SB-900 to try...
    Ted....
    It's not what you look at that matters: Its what you see!
    Nikon
    http://www.time2smile.smugmug.com
  • JulieLawsonPhotographyJulieLawsonPhotography Registered Users Posts: 787 Major grins
    edited October 17, 2010
    time2smile wrote: »
    Can i ask why you dont use the CLS system?

    I use the ebay RF-602's to fire my 3 Vivitar speedlights, and usually the internal CLS to fire my SB-600, The SB-600 does work consistently with the RF-602, sorry dont have a SB-900 to try...

    I'm a hands on learner and don't know anyone in my area to show me how. I would really love to learn it.
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  • Sil3ntp8nd8Sil3ntp8nd8 Registered Users Posts: 42 Big grins
    edited October 17, 2010
    I would recommend the RF602 as well. Unless you have money, go with pocketwizards. You just have to set your flashes on M and manually control the power on the flash units.

    ebay link though it may not be the cheapest that you can find. http://cgi.ebay.com/4-Receiver-RF-602-Flash-Trigger-4-Nikon-D3x-D3-D700-/260495539083?pt=Camera_Camcorder_Remotes&hash=item3ca6be7b8b

    The go to guy that everyone buys from: http://myworld.ebay.com/hkyongnuophotoequipment/
    Website - www.stevenphamphoto.com
    My NIKON gear list ;)
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  • nipprdognipprdog Registered Users Posts: 660 Major grins
    edited October 17, 2010
    JulieLawsonPhotography wrote: »
    I had purchased the Cactus brand for my sigma flash when I first bought it and really didn't have much trouble at all with it firing. I've tried using it with my SB900 and it does work, but doesn't fire consistantly. Is there a trigger that anyone would suggest that will work the my SB900 and D700?

    Are you using the cheap batteries that came with them, or have you been using some good, brand name, batteries???
    Jim

    http://www.knippixels.com
  • kyeeziekyeezie Registered Users Posts: 290 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2010
    I have 2 sb800's and had issues with the communicating because of the whole line of sight and distance issues. I mainly do weddings. I went all out before my last wedding and got radio poppers. Best ever! No issues at all. They have different kinds that match your needs. One was attached to my flash and my tripod went crashing over. Flash and radio popper. In rocks and sand. Batteries flew everywhere and I almost cried. After i found my parts and put everything back together again, everything worked flawlessly! Never replaced the batteries in the poppers. Made a huge difference during the reception and am sad I didn't have them earlier. In your case, if I am understanding right, you want something to trigger your off camera flash. With the radiopoppers you do have to use at leAst an on camera flash. I went the more expensive way for reliability and I wanted to have the flexibility to use ttl. I really do love them, obviously. Oh, I am a visual person as well, luckily there are youtube videos. Instructions took me a few times, but were pretty easy. Ok. I'm done. Feel like I have been typing forver! Good luck!
  • Jeremy WinterbergJeremy Winterberg Registered Users Posts: 1,233 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2010
    I used to have issues with my Cactus V4's.. then I found out my batteries were near dead. Replaced them, no issues. "Alma, check ya battery!"
    Jer
  • Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2010
    Are you insured??? If you have good photo equipment insurance...then just fix or replace the broken equipment......
    if it is photo equipment insurance from a company comparable to Hill and Usher or Marsh....they should not quibble
    about replacing the equipment.

    This question were posed simply for your benefit...not to garner an answer from you........................


    Also make sure there is no sand or other debris that can be causing the malfunctions.

    Good Luck
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

  • Jeremy WinterbergJeremy Winterberg Registered Users Posts: 1,233 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2010
    Art Scott wrote: »
    Are you insured??? If you have good photo equipment insurance...then just fix or replace the broken equipment......
    if it is photo equipment insurance from a company comparable to Hill and Usher or Marsh....they should not quibble
    about replacing the equipment.

    Are you talking about kyeezie and how her gear fell and splattered everywhere? If not, it's just a cactus trigger.. a set costs like $50. Its not worth insuring. Would you insure your cheap ebay triggers?
    Jer
  • Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2010
    Jeremy Winterberg wrote: »
    Are you talking about kyeezie and how her gear fell and splattered everywhere? If not, it's just a cactus trigger.. a set costs like $50. Its not worth insuring. Would you insure your cheap ebay triggers?

    Yes Jeremy...ALL of my equipment is covered.......right down to my $5 Vivatar pc cables....I have always listed ALL of my equipment...even the inexpensive stuff adds up........and yes I was responding to Kyeezie...........guess I should have quoted Kyeezie to be clear........................
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

  • Jeremy WinterbergJeremy Winterberg Registered Users Posts: 1,233 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2010
    Art Scott wrote: »
    Yes Jeremy...ALL of my equipment is covered.......right down to my $5 Vivatar pc cables.....

    Well, that's very responsible of you. Personally, I only get insurance on things that cost over $100. For me its not worth insuring the cheap stuff that most likely will not break. My insurance covers everything including water damage and theft, so it adds up.

    Really? Even a pc cable? Thats just odd... rolleyes1.gif
    Jer
  • JimKarczewskiJimKarczewski Registered Users Posts: 969 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2010
    Art Scott wrote: »
    Yes Jeremy...ALL of my equipment is covered.......right down to my $5 Vivatar pc cables....I have always listed ALL of my equipment...even the inexpensive stuff adds up........and yes I was responding to Kyeezie...........guess I should have quoted Kyeezie to be clear........................

    It's great unless you have a $100 deductible like me. I don't have H&U only because I was lucky enough to tack it on to my State Farm policy for much less than H&U. The $100 probably negates the savings, but they've been really good to me so far.. so, no need to change.
    Jim Karczewski - http://www.jimkarczewski.com
  • kyeeziekyeezie Registered Users Posts: 290 Major grins
    edited November 11, 2010
    Nothing broke of mine, and was very surprised. There were a lot of rocks. The pieces that flew were attachable. You can't even tell now. I was basically saying that those radio poppers were good even after being beaten up a little. Everything worked great for the rest of the 5-6 hours. Thanks though!! They are more then a couple of my enses, it would be crazy not to insure them. I do not have a back up for those and the ceremony was about to start! What timing.
  • Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited November 11, 2010
    kyeezie wrote: »
    Nothing broke of mine, and was very surprised. There were a lot of rocks. The pieces that flew were attachable. You can't even tell now. I was basically saying that those radio poppers were good even after being beaten up a little. Everything worked great for the rest of the 5-6 hours. Thanks though!! They are more then a couple of my enses, it would be crazy not to insure them. I do not have a back up for those and the ceremony was about to start! What timing.

    That is cool.....I am glad to hear that all survived the fall.....and all went well for your shoot.
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

  • Ed911Ed911 Registered Users Posts: 1,306 Major grins
    edited November 17, 2010
    JulieLawsonPhotography wrote: »
    I had purchased the Cactus brand for my sigma flash when I first bought it and really didn't have much trouble at all with it firing. I've tried using it with my SB900 and it does work, but doesn't fire consistently. Is there a trigger that anyone would suggest that will work the my SB900 and D700?

    Hi Julie,

    I was going to suggest the Cyber Sync...but after a little more research, Radio Popper makes a more than comparable unit, and the base price is very close. It's the Radio Popper JrX...see the link below. The more that I read about it, the better I like it. Be sure to look at their EZ-set technology that allows you to manually control your flashes power from across the room...could be really nice at receptions for setting those strobes / flashes up across the room...and then dialing in the amount of light that you need...hmmm. It's going to run you $139 for a basic pair and a little more...$20 I think for the Studio receiver version so that you can use their EZ-set technology. See the first link.

    Note that the JrX doesn't need and on camera flash to work, and I don't think kyeezie was right about you needing to mount an on camera flash to use the PX system, at least for Nikons. Radio Popper makes an adapter so that you can use the radio popper transmitter with your camera pop-up flash in TTL mode...see the second link. (please note that the pop-up adapter is for Nikon's and I didn't see one for Canon...hmmm)

    That's a nice adapter ($20). You still have to have three Radio Poppers to operate two off camera flashes, but you save money, in that you don't have to have an SB900 or SB800 on camera to operate the other two SB900's off camera. This, if you have a Nikon with Commander mode and a pop-up flash capable of controlling your flashes, like on the D300, and D700. This adapter will not work with the D3...no pop-up flash, so you will have to have an SB800 or SB900 on the hot shoe of a D3 to use the PX system in TTL mode.

    Note that the PX, TTL system for a pair is over $500...compared to less than $200 for the JrX...but, there is a lot of difference between manual and TTL.

    http://shop.radiopopper.com/radiopopperjrxsystem.aspx (Radio Popper JrX)

    http://shop.radiopopper.com/pxreceiverreplacementcanonmountingbracketbase-1-1.aspx (here's the link for the adapter for the PX system.)

    Good luck...

    kyeezie, if you have this adapter, let us know how it works.

    Always call them first to make sure that they will do what you want, and check for compatibility.
    Remember, no one may want you to take pictures, but they all want to see them.
    Educate yourself like you'll live forever and live like you'll die tomorrow.

    Ed
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