Remote Triggers

January 15, 2008

How do you get rid of needless cables dragging around the studio… linking multiple flash heads on location… control the output of multiple flash heads from a central location?

Daunting eh?

Not to worry, technology is starting to make it possible. So here’s a quick guide…

The technology options – Infra Red (IR) or Radio?
IR is favoured by camera manufacturers as it avoids meeting the multitude of radio licensing requirements around the world. But IR means keeping units in “line of sight” of the transmitter and may not work well outside. The biggest benefit is that the manufacturer systems combine both flash triggering and TTL control of the light output.

On the other hand Radio transmitters can work well in a variety of circumstances and in very difficult locations. However they can be vulnerable to interference and don’t usually convey the TTL metering instructions from the camera.

Currently the pro solution is the PocketWizard. A sturdy device the Plus version will work up to a distance of 1600 feet and its signal is digitally encoded to avoid the flash being fired by stray signals from phones and other devices. (cost: around £250 for transmitter receiver kit, or $200 per unit)

update: there is a new PocketWizard MultiMAX which incorporates a USB port to enable the installation of future firmware updates by the end user.
See a comprehensive review on Rob Galbraith

New on the market is the MicroSync Digital. Doing the same job as the PocketWizard it is a fraction of the size (cost: around $200 for the kit)

Following up behind are various versions of the V2 Trigger. You’ll know why it’s nicknamed the “PovertyWizard” when you see the typical price of $28. They are primarily available from China on eBay (but we’ve also seen some non-ebay dealers are selling them for $160).

They are a great buy for jobs that aren’t ‘mission critical’ and can be bought with 4, 8 or 16 channel options. Some even have mains powered receivers, useful when using with studio flash heads. Many people rave about them and find they work flawlessly. However they are prone to interference from other radio sources and tend to have a short operating range (around 30 feet). Using high quality batteries is also recommended, as minor inconsistencies in voltage can cause problems. But all is not lost as there are several forums detailing modifications to improve performance and operating distance.

This thread on the Strobist Flickr forum ‘V2 Cactus modification’ details an antenna that could be added to improve reliability. However it seems that simply adding a coiled 4 inch/10cm piece of copper wire internally might do the same job.

StudioFlash.co.uk are marketing somewhat similar looking units under the name of “MiniMagic Slave Triggers” (TXRX2000). They even come in the same configurations as the Chinese versions. I haven’t seen any reports as to whether or not they are better or more reliable than those sourced directly from China.

If you don’t like or can’t buy the PocketWizards and you’re a dab hand with a soldering iron you might like to get involved with the “Open Source Trigger” project. This is aimed at delivering an alternative, self-assembly, high end device.
The price of the component parts is just $10!

Radio with TTL Control
Last but not least, on its way to the market is the RadioPopper. This unit “captures” the IR TTL information, converts it to become part of the radio signal and passes the whole package on to your dedicated flash head, along with the basic trigger to fire the flash.
Their first production unit is slated to be available in February 2008. (cost projected to be $175 per unit, or $349 for the kit)

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