Pocket Wizard: trigger camera, trigger flash?

[DavidHo]

[ QUOTE ]


1. Connect one PocketWizard Plus (or MultiMax) to your strobe(s). If you have more radio slave units, then connect then all on the same channel. But you could also hardwire them together.



[/ QUOTE ]

What cables would I need to hardwire a couple of 580ex/550ex flashes to a PocketWizard Plus receiver?


David

[JoaquinSiopack]

[ QUOTE ]

What cables would I need to hardwire a couple of 580ex/550ex flashes to a PocketWizard Plus receiver?
David

[/ QUOTE ]

For each Speedlite 580/550 you'll need a hotshoe to pc terminal connector.
Cheap generics one go for about $10

But you might want to get better cables from Paramount Cords. But you might want reliable cables from Paramount Cords.

Search the page for

PW-MHSF1
Miniphone to Hot Shoe Female ( 1 ft. straight )
Hot Shoe Female has 1/4 20 metal thread for mounting
at bottom. Hot Shoe Female has male Shoe ( cold shoe )
for mounting atop camera or in bracket.

$35(!)


THEN


For each hotshoe to female pc adapter you have, you'll need Paramount Cords male pc tip to household

2-1S Household to PC ( 1 foot straight ) $13.50 is the shortest and least expensive cable but there are longer lengths and if you feel the need, you might consider the voltage protector.



AND


You'll want PPW-MH1 Miniphone to Household 15 inches straight $22.

So that you can plug the PocketWizard receiver (or MultiMax Transceivers on receive mode) to your sync cord network which might look like spaghetti. (Expensive spaghetti that I can't eat!)


AND FINALLY


You'll need generic AC extension cords or make your own to connect everything
along with a few power strips.




BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING:

NEVER PLUG A HOUSEHOLD SYNC CABLE INTO ANY LIVE AC ELECTRICAL OUTLET. YOU WILL GET SERIOUSLY HURT. AND YOUR EQUIPMENT WILL GET FRIED IN LESS THAN A BLINK OF THE EYE.

MARK AND LABEL YOUR AC EXTENSION CORDS/POWER STRIPS FOR FLASH SYNC USE ONLY -- NEVER TO PLUG INTO AN ELECTRICAL OUTLET OF ANY TYPE.




Hope that helps

[JoaquinSiopack]

I ran out of time to edit my post so here is a correction:

Paramount Cord's PW-MHSF1 is something to consider if you're going to put one PocketWizard receiver to ever strobe, then you will want one PW-MHSF1 to go between every PocketWizard recevier and strobe) That's mighty expensive.

Stick with the $10 hotshoe to female pc adapter and then for each one get a male pc to household male cord from Paramount Cords. Make sure to tape the end with the male-female pc terminals. They sorta get loose by themselves at the worst time possible during a shoot.

To repeat:

Each Canon Speedlight is connected
to a hotshoe to female pc adapter, which is connected
to a male pc to household cable, which is connected
to a power strip, multi-plug adapter, which is connected
to an extension cord, which is connected
to a main power strip, which is connected
to a household to mini phono plug, which is connected
to the one and only PocketWizard receiver (or MultiMax Transceiver on receive mode)

AGAIN, DO NOT PLUG ANY OF THE ABOVE HOUSEHOLD PLUGS, POWER STRIPS, EXTENSION CORDS OR MULTI-PLUGS INTO ANY LIVE AC ELECTRICAL OUTLET. YOU WILL GET HURT OR KILLED.

This method uses electrical wiring because it's cheap and easy to find and ultimately very versatile but also dangerous if not labeled for Photographic Sync Only -- NEVER FOR ELECTRICAL POWER.


It looks super complicated, but it really isn't.

Hope my explanation didn't complicate things even more.

[Will_Perlis]

Post deleted by Will_Perlis

[Will_Perlis]

"This method uses electrical wiring because it's cheap and easy to find and ultimately very versatile but also dangerous if not labeled for Photographic Sync Only -- NEVER FOR ELECTRICAL POWER."

I've done things like that (TBH, many things far more dangerous that that) while experimenting all by myself but in the real world it's a good way to fry your gear, a sleepy assistant, or some little kid trying to be "helpful". Given the cost of the rest of the gear, spending a few extra bucks for purpose-built cables or for a small soldering iron, plugs, and a roll of shielded mike cable would make sense.

Creating something for production use that will go bang with just a moment's in- or mis-attention isn't a good idea considering what an insurance agent, fire marshal, D.A., or jury might conclude if anything goes wrong. IMX, Murphy and Glitch just love situations like that. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[JoaquinSiopack]

Yup, microphone cabling is another way to go that avoids somebody plugging your sync lines into an electrical outlet.

Telephone cable and Ethernet cables are other alternatives that are safer, thinner and lighter in weight. Look for connectors with boots that cover the clip so it doesn't break off so easy or you can add boots yourself.

Of course, you'll need a soldering iron and a few supplies (lots'a cable, wire stripper, heat shrink tubing, jacks, plugs, crimper) or better yet find somebody who has soldering skills if you want to miss out on the fun of making your own wiring -- read as making your fingertips go numb! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

And with all this, believe it or not, hard wiring is actually less of a headache than wireless (infrared, radio, visible strobe). It's just that few believe it until you discover something really fun called radio interferance and/or find your strobes firing when triggered by the flashes of disposable cameras.

D'oh! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

[David_Willoughby]

Jo,

My radio slaves, while not perfect, but I have only used them 5 times and am still learning, have been more reliable and offered me more freedom than using a cord, and optical (which is how I usually did it)slave. Did not have much problem with people firing the slave as the usually did not point their cameras at the monolight...my problem was them not fireing...or not being able to get them to fire in sunlight.....I had a beautiful ocean backround at a wedding that would have looked awesome 1 stop under and using the studio strobes for fill...but I had already had a nice contigincy plan figured out...and it worked great.