Wireless flash thingamajigs

StarDust · 10-28-2008, 03:12 AM

So I was thinking of perhaps purchasing a radio transmitter for wireless flash photography to better control my off-camera flash pictures and be able to use my second flash which does not have a wireless mode.
The thing is, Pocket Wizards are too expensive for me and I'm not sure what else there is. I've heard about this eBay version or something but I really feel out of the loop here. Perhaps you guys can give me some tips on what brands work and what brands suck.
Also, I think I'll go for radio since optical requires that the flash receiver is not hidden and I may want to place my flash in locations where its is behind and object or perhaps inside a car etc.

cupic · 10-28-2008, 03:48 AM

Please let us know how you go with this ,as I too who like to run my Metz 48 AF-1 wireless of my K10D

cheers

soccerjoe5 · 10-28-2008, 03:56 AM

highly recommend the flashwaves. they're just like pocket wizards, much more compact and helluva lot cheaper. very well-made and hasn't let me down, much more reliable and better made than the cactus triggers. google it up.

another one you might want are the radio poppers, i haven't followed the news on them but they look like an affordable alternative to the pocket wizards too. they have the higher end version that's fully TTL, i dunno what happened to them

NeverSatisfied · 10-28-2008, 04:25 AM

I second the FlashWaves. Search this site, I think it was Gene'sPentax who did an excellent post on them.

JCSullivan · 10-28-2008, 04:32 AM

GenesPentax did the original introduction to FlashWaves, which got us into them and PeterZack has done a big write-up.

Here's Peter's thread: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-camera-accessories/31950-those-con...-triggers.html

Mike Cash · 10-28-2008, 04:37 AM

Add my name to the list of Flash Waves fans.

Here's a twilight shot done a few hours ago with them:

Pentax K20D
S-M-C Takumar 35/3.5
Pentax AF280T and National PE-3057
Flash Waves

vievetrick · 10-28-2008, 05:25 AM

Sorry but not on topic of OP but great shot Mike. What was your set up? PM me or add here. I am using the Cactus V2s and really wish I had spent the extra money for the flashwaves. More than likely will in the future.

Mike Cash · 10-28-2008, 05:33 AM

Originally posted by vievetrick

Sorry but not on topic of OP but great shot Mike. What was your set up? PM me or add here. I am using the Cactus V2s and really wish I had spent the extra money for the flashwaves. More than likely will in the future.

AF280T low to the left and PE-3057 low to the right, both on full power (GN28 and GN30) and aimed at the eaves. With my shooting aperture set I aimed at the sky in M mode and hit the green button to set the shutter speed to preserve correct exposure for any bits of sky that might make it into the photo. Nothing complicated. It could have been a lot better. But neither it nor I are going anywhere so I'll have a chance to do it again some other day.

kenyee · 10-28-2008, 06:05 AM

I have the "V2s" (not V2's) and use them up to 1/180 w/o a problem w/ my K10D and Nikon speedlights. For how well they sync, it's important to know what camera and flashes they're being used with.

StarDust · 10-28-2008, 04:17 PM

All right then! Flashwave and V2s, I'll surf around tomorrow and see what I can find about them, and then perhaps make a decision

Thanks guys!

dumrox · 10-28-2008, 07:25 PM

The V2s are the ebay triggers. They're also called "Cactus" (the brand name, V2s being the model name). I believe you can get them from ebay or from gadgetinfity.com (or something like that). They're not that well made, but mine work just fine on my K10D w/ Nikon SB-28's. I can also sync up to the camera's max 1/180th with no probs. The range is pretty low
(20-30 feet). There are some mods that can be made, one of which is to lengthen the antenna on the transmitter. I purchased a modded set off of a user here on these forums and their range is over 50' :-)

Mike Cash · 10-29-2008, 03:59 AM

The Gadget Infinity triggers are by far the cheapest and are good for dipping your toes in the figurative water and seeing if off-camera flash is something you really care to get into. Unfortunately, their range is so short and their reliability is so poor that they're not good for anything other than farting around with. In my experience they work well when messing around and when used at some event where you need to count on them they tend to fire about 1 shot out of 4 if you're lucky. That is extremely maddening. My Flash Waves don't have 100 percent reliability, but I would say it tends to be around 90%. I used them at a dance performance recently where I took about 170 shots in an hour and they failed maybe once, twice at the most.

10-28-2008, 03:12 AM	#1
StarDust Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Posts: 400	Wireless flash thingamajigs So I was thinking of perhaps purchasing a radio transmitter for wireless flash photography to better control my off-camera flash pictures and be able to use my second flash which does not have a wireless mode. The thing is, Pocket Wizards are too expensive for me and I'm not sure what else there is. I've heard about this eBay version or something but I really feel out of the loop here. Perhaps you guys can give me some tips on what brands work and what brands suck. Also, I think I'll go for radio since optical requires that the flash receiver is not hidden and I may want to place my flash in locations where its is behind and object or perhaps inside a car etc.

10-28-2008, 04:32 AM	#5
JCSullivan Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Windsor, Canada Posts: 3,056	GenesPentax did the original introduction to FlashWaves, which got us into them and PeterZack has done a big write-up. Here's Peter's thread: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-camera-accessories/31950-those-con...-triggers.html Last edited by JCSullivan; 10-28-2008 at 04:44 AM.

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10-28-2008, 03:48 AM	#2
cupic Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Australia-NSW Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,824	Please let us know how you go with this ,as I too who like to run my Metz 48 AF-1 wireless of my K10D cheers

10-28-2008, 03:56 AM	#3
soccerjoe5 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Philippines Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,343	highly recommend the flashwaves. they're just like pocket wizards, much more compact and helluva lot cheaper. very well-made and hasn't let me down, much more reliable and better made than the cactus triggers. google it up. another one you might want are the radio poppers, i haven't followed the news on them but they look like an affordable alternative to the pocket wizards too. they have the higher end version that's fully TTL, i dunno what happened to them

10-28-2008, 04:25 AM	#4
NeverSatisfied Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: S.E. Michigan Photos: Albums Posts: 688	I second the FlashWaves. Search this site, I think it was Gene'sPentax who did an excellent post on them.

10-28-2008, 04:37 AM	#6
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	Add my name to the list of Flash Waves fans. Here's a twilight shot done a few hours ago with them: Pentax K20D S-M-C Takumar 35/3.5 Pentax AF280T and National PE-3057 Flash Waves

10-28-2008, 05:25 AM	#7
vievetrick Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Easthampton - Massachusetts - USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,183	Sorry but not on topic of OP but great shot Mike. What was your set up? PM me or add here. I am using the Cactus V2s and really wish I had spent the extra money for the flashwaves. More than likely will in the future.

10-28-2008, 05:33 AM	#8
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	Originally posted by vievetrick Sorry but not on topic of OP but great shot Mike. What was your set up? PM me or add here. I am using the Cactus V2s and really wish I had spent the extra money for the flashwaves. More than likely will in the future. AF280T low to the left and PE-3057 low to the right, both on full power (GN28 and GN30) and aimed at the eaves. With my shooting aperture set I aimed at the sky in M mode and hit the green button to set the shutter speed to preserve correct exposure for any bits of sky that might make it into the photo. Nothing complicated. It could have been a lot better. But neither it nor I are going anywhere so I'll have a chance to do it again some other day.

10-28-2008, 06:05 AM	#9
kenyee Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Boston, PRofMA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,026	I have the "V2s" (not V2's) and use them up to 1/180 w/o a problem w/ my K10D and Nikon speedlights. For how well they sync, it's important to know what camera and flashes they're being used with.

10-28-2008, 04:17 PM	#10
StarDust Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Posts: 400 Original Poster	All right then! Flashwave and V2s, I'll surf around tomorrow and see what I can find about them, and then perhaps make a decision Thanks guys!

10-28-2008, 07:25 PM	#11
dumrox Inactive Account Join Date: Feb 2007 Photos: Albums Posts: 252	The V2s are the ebay triggers. They're also called "Cactus" (the brand name, V2s being the model name). I believe you can get them from ebay or from gadgetinfity.com (or something like that). They're not that well made, but mine work just fine on my K10D w/ Nikon SB-28's. I can also sync up to the camera's max 1/180th with no probs. The range is pretty low (20-30 feet). There are some mods that can be made, one of which is to lengthen the antenna on the transmitter. I purchased a modded set off of a user here on these forums and their range is over 50' :-)

10-29-2008, 03:59 AM	#12
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	The Gadget Infinity triggers are by far the cheapest and are good for dipping your toes in the figurative water and seeing if off-camera flash is something you really care to get into. Unfortunately, their range is so short and their reliability is so poor that they're not good for anything other than farting around with. In my experience they work well when messing around and when used at some event where you need to count on them they tend to fire about 1 shot out of 4 if you're lucky. That is extremely maddening. My Flash Waves don't have 100 percent reliability, but I would say it tends to be around 90%. I used them at a dance performance recently where I took about 170 shots in an hour and they failed maybe once, twice at the most.