Pocket Wizard FlexTT5 Transceiver For Canon TTL Flashes and Digital SLR Cameras
by Pocket Wizard
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Pocket Wizard FlexTT5 Transceiver For Canon TTL Flashes and Digital SLR Cameras
Customer Review: MUCH improved (was: Not ready for Prime Time)
Summary: 4 Stars
UPDATE: I have had the opportunity to test both the Flex TT5 and Mini TT1 remotes again, with the latest firmware updates and using the Canon 430EX II flash. The results using the 430EX II flash are SIGNIFICANTLY better than using my original 430EX flash. In fact, I would say that shooting indoors using the 430EX II yielded a 99% success rate. And, when using my 430EX flash I did achieve MUCH better results after the latest firmware updates-- probably a 95%+ success rate. Outdoors the success rate dropped a bit for both flashes-- I am hopeful that the forthcoming AC-7 product will get these units back to peak performance. Long story short, I am now 95% convinced that these PWs are capable of performing quite well, 100% if you have the less-noisy Canon strobes. I don't seem to be able to update my star rating, but if I could I would bump it to 4 stars.
One other note... Recently, I have had the opportunity to work with the folks in customer service at PocketWizard, and want to report that they are top notch. So many companies don't "get" customer service-- these folks definitely do. They have been very receptive to the issues that I have been encountering and have gone above and beyond to help me resolve them. It is very obvious that they really care about their products and their customers as well. I knew that PocketWizard had a great reputation from their products (which is why I was so disappointed with my initial experience), but, from my experience, their customer service is the best there is. I'd rate that experience 5-stars.
UPDATE: I have contacted the manufacturer and they have informed me that they are working on a fix to get the 403EX to perform better with their devices. Perhaps that was included in the firmware update earlier this week. However, they also told me that they would contact me when they thought that they had a workable solution to the 430EX inconsistencies, but that has not happened yet. When and if that does, I will update my review further.
When the Pocket Wizard Flex TT5 was first announced, I was *very* excited. I quickly found reviews by several gentlemen whom I greatly respect who gave these babies very high marks based on their early testing of the product. So, I put my order in and anxiously awaited for my units to arrive.
Unfortunately, I did not get the same performance from my units that these other reviewers seemed to get. I own a Canon 30D and the 430EX flash. Admittedly, the product documentation does say that the 430EX flash is likely to encounter the most problems with the Pocket Wizards, due to RF interference from the flash. However, according to the docs, the range using this flash should be about 30 feet. My experience was much worse.
I bought 2 of these units. One as a transmitter placed on the hot shoe of my camera, one as the receiver with my flash attached. I tested in a few different scenarios: holding the remote flash in one hand while taking the picture with the other and setting up the remote flash ~10 feet away and shooting. I would estimate that the flash fired successfully about 50% of the time. For a series of shots taken 4-5 seconds apart, it would work a few times, then stop working. Sometimes it would start working again, sometimes it never started working again until everything was powered down and back up again. I got this behavior shooting both manually and in ETTL mode. I set my flash to not sleep, I tried replacing all the batteries, setting the TT5's to factory defaults, etc., but nothing improved the situation. Nor was I shooting in an environment where there was much (if any) RF interference (in my house and at a local botanical garden in the middle of the country). Also, for much of the shooting that I was doing, I had the flash set to 1/64th power, so flash charge time was an absolute minimum.
I am very disappointed, as I very much wanted these units to work flawlessly. I have just a single flash, so the ability to get wireless production without having to buy a second (more expensive) "master" flash is very appealing to me. However, my units are now on their way back to the manufacturer for a refund. Perhaps I will check out the remote flash trigger product from Gadget Infinity. There are also complaints about their reliability, but for the price (about 1/10 of the price for a transmitter & receiver as compared to the PWs), that lack of reliability is much more tolerable. Of course, the devices by Gadget do not support ETTL, so they are also much less feature-rich.
I have read that the PWs do have more problems with Canon flashes than they do with Nikons, given the frequency range used for each. I would expect that when these units are released for Nikon, the performance will hopefully be much better.
I have contacted Pocket Wizard to inform them of the difficulties that I have encountered. I expect that I am one of the first customers who have put these to use and hopefully they can use my experience to work out the kinks. Perhaps future updates to these devices will cure the unreliability issues for the Canon models. However, until some better, real world, experiences are posted using the same equipment that I have, I will save my money for something else.
Customer Review: Extra light output at high shutter speeds is amazing!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've used radiopoppers and the FlexTT5 so will give a comparison since both are the only game in town and competitors.
I started with radiopoppers a while back and was suprised by lack of full compatibility with canon flashes. All canon flash features are not supported and it's not documented on their web site (ie FEL). Range for me was only about 80ft outdoors as well which is suprising. Build qualitiy is poor but the scheme they have to attach the radiopopper to the flash is slick. The tranmitter still needs velcro but I can live with that.
After being dissapointed with radiopopper compatibility I decided to give the FlexTT5's a try (I use for transmitter as well) as I was lured by the extra light output at high shutter speeds compared to a stock canon with their wireless ETTL. The FlexTT5 does have a range issue with 580exII/others as well described elsewhere (50ft outdoors for me), but the AC5 sock resolves range if necessary. Indoors I found the range to be similar to radiopoppers. If there is a lot of concrete I can get both to misfire. I found Radiopopper's weakness to be with camera in portrait / antenna horizontal. With TT5 you just need to rotate the antenna or leave 45degrees. If I put the AC5 on the flexTT5 I do not get misfires in the same scenario (around concrete). For my units, pocketwizard had greater range with the AC5 compared to radiopoppers and less range without (but useable for me).
What I think is amazing is how well the hypersync/HSS mode work and light efficiency gained. I believe I am getting close to two stops improvement at high shutter speeds. I only eyeballed but its definatley greater than 1 stop. This means a single 580ex in HSS mode (ie 1/1000 or 1/4000) with a flexTT5 is putting out as much light as 2 to 4 580ex's with the optical or radiopopper triggers! That is amazing and I am suprised this is not highlighted as the main reason to get these. This is a game changer for those that use their strobes outdoors as speedlites today are underpowered when in sun.
I do have some problems with the 550ex that I'm working through (blown exposures in certain situations like bounce flash filling a large room and light fall off at high shutter speeds). Resolution for me is to use 580exII's for bouncing and 550EX's for direct flash and just crank in the FEC or ratios as needed to get the necessary ratio. With 580ex the only issue I've encountered has been the range issue, and all functionality appears to be completely in sync with canon's wireless ETTL (as far as I can tell). Reliablity when in range is excellent and ETTL is working as expected.
I dropped one of my flexTT5's with a 580ex and broke the top shoe. I know some people complain about a plastic foot but it worked as desiged. It broke off and my flash was fine. I called pocketwizard and the sent me a replacement shoe to fix myself at a very reasonable cost. This is excellent service and it saved the more expensive flash (and who an argue with user replaceable parts!). Sending in for repair is always an option but I prefer the DIY approach in this case. That said, the build quality is excellent and much better than radiopoppers. The plastic is solid and has no give. The antenna is rubber and folds down. The battery doors is very solid with a nice latch.
If you have a 580exII and can deal with the range issues I think you'll be very pleased. If you have a 550ex I think you'll struggle a bit with some compatibilty issues as described above (which are being worked on by pocketwizad for a firmware fix if they resolve). I don't have experience with other flash compatibility. Radiopoppers are certainly good, but if you want to get more light output at higher shutter speeds then the pocketwizards are the only option (other than buying more flashes). Pocketwizard is also coming out with the AC3 zone controller which is very slick...
Customer Review: Take Control of Your Flash: A PocketWizard FlexTT5 Transceiver for Canon TTL Flashes Review
Summary: 5 Stars
The PocketWizard FlexTT5 radio transceiver, when used with a PocketWizard transmitter, communicates by radio frequency enabling the flash to be located remotely from the camera without a direct line of sight. The FlexTT5, combined with the MiniTT1, boosts 8 fps, Hypersync up to 1/500th a second, and high speed sync up to 1/8000th a second automatically.
Remote flash and remote camera triggering ports are also included. The transceiver has a hot shoe on top to connect the flash; while the bottom has both a hot shoe connector and a 1/4 20 mount. Using the power switch, the transceiver allows for two configured flash channels, plus another switch provides three slave zones. Updates and customization are handled through the downloadable ControlTL software available on the PocketWizard's website along with the manual, addendum, and tutorials. While there, registering the FlexTT5 will add an additional year to the warranty as compared to registering by mail.
Having regularly followed the Strobist's blog, I was excited to receive the compact FlexTT5 in the vine program in connection to reviewing the MiniTT1. Set up included installing the provided two AA batteries and training each channel to the desired configuration. Training basically consists of pressing a button on the transmitter until the status LED blinks a certain way, followed by doing the same on the transceiver. After a few minutes, the FlexTT5 is ready to use.
A USB cord is included to connect the FlexTT5 to a computer (PC or Mac) for using the downloadable ControlTL software. The software isn't required for use, but helps to future proof the FlexTT5 by managing firmware updates (currently version 5) while also allowing for customizing settings on each channel. Customizable options include Channel, Modeling, Exposure, Sync Timing, and Flash settings. The only potential problem is the settings can be lost after performing a firmware upgrade.
In addition to the USB cord, a mount extender and AC5 RF soft shield is included. The extender isn't necessary, but allows the shield to close easier. The cloth shield has a zip string to seal off the base of the flash, while a Velcro strap fastens the top around the flash head.
To give the FlexTT5 a test, I positioned the flash on a transceiver in a large walk-in closet on one end of the house. I then went around the corner and started down the hall. I pressed the Canon 7D's shutter button and the flash triggered. I continued down the hall snapping pictures and watching for the flash in the darkened room through the windows. I got all the way to the other end of the house, over 40 feet away, and the FlexTT5 had no problem communicating with the transmitter. According to PocketWizard, the radio signal can communicate up to 800 feet away under optimal conditions.
When not in use, the FlexTT5 takes up little space but is twice as large as the MiniTT1. Measuring 3 1/2 by 2 3/4 by 1 inches, finding a spot in most well packed camera bags shouldn't be a problem.
PocketWizard has designed a transceiver for use by both amateurs and pros. By using radio frequencies, the flash can be position behind objects without a direct line of site. Having only one FlexTT5, I was unable to try a complicated set up. For my simple one flash arrangement, the MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 worked well. This may be a more expensive option than a Speedlight transmitter, but provides far more opportunities. If you can take advantage of the FlexTT5's features and want an expandable system, PocketWizard's system is a purchase well worth considering.
PROS:
Simple set up
Uses radio frequency
Works over 40 feet away
Up to a 3 year warranty
Compact size
CONS:
Steep price
Firmware upgrade may reset customized settings.
Customer Review: Why didn't canon do this?
Summary: 5 Stars
I've heard a lot of mixed reviews about the MiniTT1 and FlexTT5, but some of what I read made this worth a try. What really attracted me was the 2nd curtain flash sync with radio wireless. To my surprise, they worked better than expected -- After upgrading the firmware to 4.374 BETA.
The one negative aspect was that I had to upgrade to the beta firmware to get the feature I wanted. Upgrading itself was painless. It took me 5 minutes to upgrade all 4 units. Once upgraded, these units delivered everything I wanted and quite a bit more.
Most simply explained, the Mini/Flex combo allow any flash you want to use to be perfectly synced with whatever exposure you want, from a 30 second exposure with a 2nd (rear) curtain flash all the way to their advertised 1/8000sec (if supported by your camera). No matter what setting I used, my flashes were always perfectly timed - all using the default settings from the beta firmware. I'd like to emphasize that this works with any flash you want -- You're no longer limited to Canon speed lights, and you get a wider range of timing control.
To my surprise, 2nd curtain sync works much better with the Mini/Flex than it ever did using my canon speed light. My club/event shots where I drag the shutter to capture motion blur all have the subject solidly frozen at the end of the exposure where as my canon 580 on its own had occasional blur after the flash. One feature I especially liked is this works with a light on the camera, and one in hand -- This means you can get more flexibility and lighting control at parties and events than with the default canon speedlights. In a more controlled environment, the Mini/Flex combo become even more transparent.
I'm far from being a photography expert, but I can say my experience within 5 minutes of using the Mini/Flex combo was worlds better than using canon's speed lights and wireless. My ratio of keepers and amazing photos while using flash has greatly increased.
It might be good to note that with exception to AF and sync timing, I keep my camera and flashes in full manual mode. Your experiences may vary.
--- Update ---
PocketWizard now includes Firmware v5.0 out of the box as well as a soft-shield. No more need to upgrade to beta firware, it should work out the box for most purposes (unless you like to tweak).
The soft-shield is for flashes that put out a lot of RF interference such as the Canon 580EX II. The interference can reduce the effective range of the wireless signal.
I've also tested my FlexTT5 in various conditions, including 30 second exposure to 1/4000 second exposure and pulled off some amazing shots. The 1/4000, F1.8, 100 ISO shot that was called "impossible" by a pro friend of mine - clearly not. Will see if I can post some samples. After 2 months, my satisfaction has only increased with these units.
Customer Review: Buyer Beware -- Fried Speedlites!
Summary: 1 Stars
BUYER BEWARE!
I purchased the Flex TT5/Mini TT1 on August 4th, 2010 for my Canon 580EX II. It also came with the 'AC5 RF Soft Shield' which PocketWizard touted as:
"...a simple solution to reduce interference and improve performance of the FlexTT5 Transceiver. Special RF fabric and a shoe filter shields the FlexTT5 Transceiver from RF noise emitted by some Canon Speedlites (580EX II, 580EX and 430EX)."
The AC5 RF Soft Shield and shoe filter was actually PocketWizards band-aid attempt at fixing "limited range performance when the FlexTT5 radios" and dealing with "RF noise emitted by some Canon Speedlites (580EX II, 580EX and 430EX)."
I have owned my 580EX II Speedlite since March, 2008 and have taken hundred of photos indoor/outdoor in a variety of lighting situations with absolutely no issues. I also used the Flex TT5/Mini TT1 with my 580EX II WITHOUT the RF Soft Shield/shoe filter and it performed fine within a close range of the receiver. I shot many photos using this setup with an occasional misfire.
I was involved in a photoshoot last Saturday that required I shoot from a long distance from the receiver so I decided to use the AC5 on my 580EX II. After carefully reading the instructions, I attached the AC5 shield/shoe filter, powered on the components as described and began my shoot in ETTL mode. I took 7 photos successfully outdoors in partial shade. After shooting 7 shots, I noticed the photos were underexposed and all I was getting was the pre-flash on my 580EX II and full power only in manual mode. Once I arrived at home, I did further testing without the PocketWizard Flex TT5/Mini TT1 and discovered my 580EX II was definately not working correctly -- it was definately fried! I am sending my 580EX II for repair at a cost of $120.00.
How can PocketWizard deny a problem exists with the AC5 kit that accompanies the Flex TT5/Mini TT1? The evidence is overwhelming. Read the forums that exist and hear the customers accounts of fried Speedlites!
For more proof of others with fried 580EX II, do a search for 'fried 580EX II and TT5' in your favorite search engine.