PocketWizard, Yongnuo, or Phottix?

[beckstoy]

My cheap-o transmitter (which I paid about 20 bucks for) failed at a really important portion of a bridal shoot last night.  Time To Upgrade!

What do you guys use/suggest/endorse?  Why?

Thanks in advance!  I value everyone's opinions here at CR forums pretty highly (...maybe a mistake..?)

 

[Chris Geiger]

600 EX RTs. I use 4 of them. It's a great system that is much easier/faster to use then external radios.

[privatebydesign]

If you are doing it for money the 600-EX-RT, it is well worth the money. I have not had a single flash failure or misfire in a year of shooting with them. Buy once, future proof yourself, get the 600's and don't look back.

[JohnUSA]

My cheap-o transmitter (which I paid about 20 bucks for) failed at a really important portion of a bridal shoot last night.  Time To Upgrade!

What do you guys use/suggest/endorse?  Why?

Thanks in advance!  I value everyone's opinions here at CR forums pretty highly (...maybe a mistake..?)

 

What flashes are you using now and how to do you use them?

[beckstoy]

I use 580exII's  and one Yonguo (sp?) 560II

[Maxaperture]

I use YN622 transceivers with 600RT and 580EXll etc on a 5Dlll, they're awesome, even if they were twice the price, AND, you get a focus assist beam.
The assist beam is great if all your flashes are off camera, something the ST-E3 sadly lacks.
Save some money, buy a set of YN622s, and a YN58EXll or two.

We'd all love 1/2 dozen 600RTs though.......  :-)

[wickidwombat]

personally i use phottix odins

they are not the cheapest but they are the best
the transmitter unit has a really nice large intuitive display screen on the back which lets you control all your flash functionallity and groups etc

they also allow high speed sync with studio strobes this is an undocumented feature but still pretty cool
one cool thing with this is you dont need the expensive odin recievers on the studio light you can just use a much cheaper stratto 2!

then you can mix speedlights and studio lights and do pretty much whatever you like and control the speedlights from the back of the transmitter, the studio lights you cant control as they are hooked up with the 3.5mm audio jack

[docholliday]

I use PW tt's - the ability to control lighting ratios from the camera is really nice and with the newest firmware, there hasn't been any misfires. Of course, with 580EXII's, they have interference issues unless you send them to get them modded. I prefer 430EXIIs on all the remotes instead.

Still, nothing beats trading in all the strobes for a set of 600RTs and having the radio's built-in.

[alexturton]

I use 580exii's & 430exii's on Pixel Kings. Great for both manual and ETTL ratios. Get the occasional misfire though, but they are dirt cheap.

[surapon]

personally i use phottix odins

they are not the cheapest but they are the best
the transmitter unit has a really nice large intuitive display screen on the back which lets you control all your flash functionallity and groups etc

they also allow high speed sync with studio strobes this is an undocumented feature but still pretty cool
one cool thing with this is you dont need the expensive odin recievers on the studio light you can just use a much cheaper stratto 2!

then you can mix speedlights and studio lights and do pretty much whatever you like and control the speedlights from the back of the transmitter, the studio lights you cant control as they are hooked up with the 3.5mm audio jack

+ 100 for me , Sir
In my Idea past 5-6 months,  The Phottix Odin , 1 Transmiter and 4 Receivers are the Best for Me, Lazy Photographer , (who use E-TTL, and E-TTL II, AUTOFLASH IN THE SHOOTING MODES).After I use many High cost and the Cheapo Wireless Flashes control  FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
Yes, I get  98% Best/ Usable Flash Photos from my Phottix Odin.
Surapon

[Jim Saunders]

Yuonguo has 600EX-RT clones coming down the pipe that might be worth a look, if not that then get the Canon ones and be done with it - they just plain work.

Jim

[ScottyP]

personally i use phottix odins

they are not the cheapest but they are the best
the transmitter unit has a really nice large intuitive display screen on the back which lets you control all your flash functionallity and groups etc

they also allow high speed sync with studio strobes this is an undocumented feature but still pretty cool
one cool thing with this is you dont need the expensive odin recievers on the studio light you can just use a much cheaper stratto 2!

then you can mix speedlights and studio lights and do pretty much whatever you like and control the speedlights from the back of the transmitter, the studio lights you cant control as they are hooked up with the 3.5mm audio jack

Phottix also allows 2nd curtain sync off camera, which the Canon 600's cannot. Can someone explain how a 3rd party company can make a flash that can do that on a Canon camera, but Canon can't?  ?? 

[Jim Saunders]

Phottix also allows 2nd curtain sync off camera, which the Canon 600's cannot. Can someone explain how a 3rd party company can make a flash that can do that on a Canon camera, but Canon can't?  ?? 

I expect to see second curtain and wireless zoom in the next generation of Canon flashes.

Jim

[privatebydesign]

Phottix also allows 2nd curtain sync off camera, which the Canon 600's cannot. Can someone explain how a 3rd party company can make a flash that can do that on a Canon camera, but Canon can't?  ?? 

I expect to see second curtain and wireless zoom in the next generation of Canon flashes.

Jim

I don't, if they were going to introduce those as features then they would have done it with the introduction of the RT system. They chose to go five groups instead of three ( much more useful to me), and built in tranceivers, an industry first.

As for the question " How can a third party introduce a feature the original manufacturer can't?" Well that isn't too difficult, Canon have to commit to full implimentation across all EOS bodies, third parties do not, Canon have to make things work 100% of the time, third parties do not, the people paying the Canon premium expect consistency and reliability, the people buying third party gear are very accepting of compatibility, reliability and consistency "issues".

If Canon can't introduce a feature they feel they can stand behind 100% now and in the future then the bean counters and lawyers won't let them release it. The third parties don't care about the camera system as a whole and really don't care if none of their gear works with next years cameras.

[Jim Saunders]

I expect to see second curtain and wireless zoom in the next generation of Canon flashes.

Jim

I don't, if they were going to introduce those as features then they would have done it with the introduction of the RT system. They chose to go five groups instead of three ( much more useful to me), and built in tranceivers, an industry first.

I agree with you on the rest, make no mistake; I stand by my assertion that zoom and wireless second curtain sync will be in the next flash.  That may be due to unresolved technical issues or an interest in having something to set the new flash apart, but I have no doubt it'll show up.

Jim