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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 1D X NOT compatible with Pocket Wizard!
« on: July 23, 2012, 06:46:06 AM »Just to toot THAT horn again, it works perfect with the Phottix Odin and always has. Tried with the first firmware on a Sample 1d X and it worked. Used it a lot on my 5d3 and it works without a single hitch, no matter which speed I shoot.
The Phottix Odins come up from time to time when compatibility issues with PocketWizard is discussed. One must keep in mind that the two companies are from two different countries that operate under different laws.
Phottix is a Chinese company, and is simply forwarding the stock Canon flash code on to its receivers. They can only get away with this by operating outside the USA. On the flip side, as an American company PocketWizard cannot use Canon's codes without violating US patents. To get around this, they reverse engineer the flash codes, transmit a proprietary PocketWizard code, which is then converted back to Canon's coding on the receiving end. A bit of a mess which requires the long and tedious process of reverse engineering when new products launch. Unfortunately, it's the only way PW can operate in the USA and remain legal. If all they were doing was sending out Canon signals in a PocketWizard branded box (the Phottix approach), they'd be slapped with a lawsuit in no time.
There are pros/cons to both systems, and pros/cons to working with a foreign manufacturer vs. a US supplier. To each their own. I just think it should be understood why one system often works "out of the box" when the other does not.
That is of course a very valid point, and I'm glad you pointed it out.
But I must admit, I reeaally don't care about what law says what when I'm buying a very expensive product that promises gold and unicorns and fail on every single level when I wanted to use them.
