Help me choose some cheap wireless triggers.

[talan]

Alright guys im pretty set on purchasing a couple of Cactus KF26 (http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/product.php?productid=17195&cat=0&page=1) manual flashes for off camera lighting. They are the rebranded Vivitar 285HV after the company was bought out by Sakar.
http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/imagefile/dicflacackf36_1.jpg


Now the question is I will need some radio triggers. Im not in the financial position by purchase PocketWizards (http://www.pocketwizard.com/) or even the more affordable AlienBee CyberSyncs (http://www.alienbees.com/cybersync.html).

At the moment I have 2 choices in mind. Either the...

Cactus V4 trigger set (http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/product.php?productid=17204&cat=0&page=1)$39.95USD
http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/imagefile/dicflawftv4_1.jpg

Or the new Yong Nuo RF-601 (http://stores.shop.ebay.com/hkyongnuophotoequipment__W0QQ_sidZ720284096?_nkw=R F-602&submit=Search) $40.99USD which combines wireless shutter release with flash trigger.
http://www.kurbsterphotography.com/blog/RF-602a.jpg

There's obviously a few pros and cons of each system im debating about.

The pro with the Cactus unit is that both the sender and the receiver both use AAA batteries whereas the Yong Nuo unit uses the more expensive CR2 battery for the transmitter.

And the benefit of the Yong Nuo unit is you can use the receiver as a remote trigger release which may come in handy for bulb exposures, etc.

But my biggest question is what is each like in terms of reliability and misfires. I don't want something that always misfires but I don't expect them to fire 100% like PocketWizards.

Anyone read any reviews on both these products?

Thank you!
Talan

[Kelsonmassif]

One of my mates is using the Cactus V2's and hasnt had any problems with them at all, I've just sent an email to alien bees to get a price for some wireless items to NZ. pretty keen on them, the price of the pocket wizards seems too much imo

[EGD]

i have been using the alien bee cybersyncs for over 1.5 years now and haven't had a single miss fire (Y)

[talan]

I've just sent an email to alien bees to get a price for some wireless items to NZ. pretty keen on them, the price of the pocket wizards seems too much imo
Can you share the price once you get a reponse? I could be seconded into a set if I can justify paying a little more.

Another option, not as cheap as the ones i mentioned in my post but more comparable to the CyberSycs are the ELINCROM Skyport (http://www.elinchrom.com/products.php?cat=5)

I just may hang out for some reviews on the Yong Nuo RF-601 (http://stores.shop.ebay.com/hkyongnuophotoequipment__W0QQ_sidZ720284096?_nkw=R F-602&submit=Search) as it's new to the market. Will try to read some reviews of the V4 too

[Kelsonmassif]

yea man ill post up the shipping price etc once i get a reply

[Kelsonmassif]

hey man I got the reply back from them now,

Shipping's gonna be about $55 USD

for 2 recievers and a transmitter + shipping the total is - $254.70 USD ($390 NZD)

Then customs will most likely wanna tax it... maybe 450 max...

---------- Post added at 10:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:25 AM ----------

still a boat load cheaper then those Pocket Wizards, Ill be putting my order in very soon, so let me know asap if your still keen

[robo git]

Under $400 NZD = No GST, as they don't collect GST if the GST on the total including shipping cost is under $50NZD. 12.5% of $400 = $50 (Y)

Also there's no duty tax on importing electronic & photographic goods.

[Kelsonmassif]

ahhh good information right there!

[Redal]

I have the older cactus v4s, they work ok, but you have to think about position and distance and if anything is going to be in the way, i'm talking about outdoors here. In doors they were better.
If you get the Cactus V4s , and they dont work right out of the box, they might have a plastic wrapper over the battery hich is very had to see, i scatched my head for a couple of hours trying to work out why they didn't work :)

I also got cybersyncs , and there work every time without a second thought.
The shipping cost is a killer though, US$60 some you want to order as much as you can without going over NZ$400 incliding shipping so you dont have to pay GST.
The good thing now is they dont have an additional surcharge for international customers now ( it was about $15%)
I have some aleinbees and whitelightning and a vagabond 1 an 2 , and the customers service is very very good, i smashed a flash tube ( my fault) and ordered the replacement on Tuesday and it should be here on Monday.

---------- Post added at 12:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:27 PM ----------

Also i just spotted these on trademe,might be worth a look

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=233361862

[Spacemunkie]

I use Flashwaves triggers:

http://store.johnthomson.co.nz/product.php?productid=16152&cat=255&page=1

Solidly built and work very well. Cactus V4's look decent for the money though.

[talan]

I've just placed an order for some V4s.

Let's see if they work well :D

[robo git]

Nice (Y) Full review when you have a chance, yeah? Ta ;)

[talan]

Nice (Y) Full review when you have a chance, yeah? Ta ;)
Of course, along with some Cactus KF36 flashes :)

[robo git]

Good man (Y)

[BenClement]

if you can try save up for pocketwizards. they do wonders. so easy to use. i have some cactus aswell but found them to misfire a lot and not sync well with my 430ex and sb24.


where did you purchase those vivitar 285's from. i really want a few

[talan]

where did you purchase those vivitar 285's from. i really want a few

Hey Ben I got the Cactus KF36 which is the rebrand of the Vivitar 285. Specs and everything are the same, but not too sure about quality or reliability. We shall see! I got them from www.gadgetinfinity.com

[Haim]

i just bought 4 pocket wizards on sat cant wait for them to come !

will let you guys know how they are if anyone's interested>??

[robo git]

Feeling rich huh? Buy some for me? :p

Kidding (well.... unless you're willing to buy them for me... :D)

[talan]

i just bought 4 pocket wizards on sat cant wait for them to come !

Lot at the Pt Chev meet...

Haim: "You don't have to spend heaps of money on gear to get into strobist lighting."

Talan: "Ahuh" :rolleyes:

:D

[EGD]

i just bought 4 pocket wizards on sat cant wait for them to come !

will let you guys know how they are if anyone's interested>??

good time to buy from overseas, but you really should wait for the new version eh:p, but oh well, you won't regret with the pocket wizard II anyway. did you buy the right cables for them as well?

[Haim]

got cables velcroes and strings. for all 4 of them..............

there is no point to wait for a new one. what i want form the wireless trigger is :

- Mad range for when i need it
- Mad reliability
- Small pakage

only thing that would make me regret getting this new PW set is the new one being much much smaller .....

i dont really give a shit about ittl, if i wanted to use it i would just not use the PW and use on camera flash. simple.

---------- Post added at 09:47 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:45 AM ----------

Lot at the Pt Chev meet...

Haim: "You don't have to spend heaps of money on gear to get into strobist lighting."

Talan: "Ahuh" :rolleyes:

:D


you dont have to, but you can

[welly]

Anyone here using Elinchrom Skyports? I've had a set for a while. They're brilliant! Just totally reliable.

[smurff]

Talan, Have your V4's arrived?
am looking at getting some for myself, so having a nosie as to what you think of them :)

-smurff

[talan]

Talan, Have your V4's arrived?
am looking at getting some for myself, so having a nosie as to what you think of them :)

-smurff

Yes they have! I just need some time to do a writeup. Did a quick test. Fired maybe 15 shots, no misfires. I was in another room 10m down the hall, with some walls obstructing, flash still fired.

I think the first batch that came out had reliability issues when they first came out.

They arrived approx 7 days after ordering so very efficient service from Hong Kong (Y)

[smurff]

you got them from gadgetinfinity?
i have just ordered a flash from them, and am looking at gettin the triggers and maby the same flashes that you got, so any thoughts on them would be great :)

-smurff

[Haim]

Just recieved my triggers yesterday ........ I'm still really excited! they are amazing! I cant wait to do shoots now!

*goes to buy more flashes*

[Kelsonmassif]

Received the Alien Bees last week, only took 4 days to get to my door :)

value for money products, came with batteries ready to go out of the box

[Redal]

Received the Alien Bees last week, only took 4 days to get to my door :)

value for money products, came with batteries ready to go out of the box


I agree the service from P C Buff is superb, and so are there products. There new modifiers look interesting :)


Regarding the cactus v4's , if you have a Canon 5d , these cause banding through the image due to the frequency they use.

[Redal]

I just noticed that there is some pocket wizards on trademe for 305 each.
auction number -236632855

[smurff]

Hi all, just thought ild let you know, i just picked up a set of YongNuo brand 2.4GHz wireless flash triggers,
http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/tq/88/134770488.jpg
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/Camera-accessories/Remote-shutters/auction-303567590.htm

i got 2 receivers about to get a third, so i can use both my flashes and then the third on on the camera as it acts as a wireless shutter trigger, which i thought was really good.

so far im impressed, but have only been playing with them in the lounge, will update on how i find them after i get out and about with them :)

-smurff

[fokker]

I've been using yongnuo CTR-301 (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/Camera-accessories/Remote-shutters/auction-303779864.htm)

Can't say I've had any problems with them, and certainly can't complain at quality for the price. I haven't tested the range on them but then again, I don't need to so why worry.

I don't know if the more expensive pocketwizards etc have optical trigger, but these do which I find is helpful so I can trigger them with the popup if I need to.

[smurff]

those are the ones john showed me first, i when over to his place to get a cpl filter, ended up with that, a new tripod and a tripod head lol. was after a wireless shutter trigger and some remote flash triggers. he showed me those ones then the ones i got, then some other ones, but i didnt really have the money for the last set.

the only reason i got the ones i did is because i got use one of the receivers as my shutter release trigger aswell, otherwise i would have got the ones you did, i havnt heard that much bad about them.

-smurff

[talan]

I've had very few misfires with my Cactus V4. Mainly when used in conjunction with a wireless shutter release. I'm putting it down to radio inteference.

Here's a good writeup on Strobist http://strobist.blogspot.com/2010/07/syncing-your-flash-recommended-list.html

[fokker]

I've been using yongnuo CTR-301 (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/Camera-accessories/Remote-shutters/auction-303779864.htm)

Can't say I've had any problems with them, and certainly can't complain at quality for the price. I haven't tested the range on them but then again, I don't need to so why worry.

I don't know if the more expensive pocketwizards etc have optical trigger, but these do which I find is helpful so I can trigger them with the popup if I need to.


I had to go and say that... went to use them today for some photos of my car, and nothing. Can't get them to work and have no ideas, doesn't seem to be battery related - anybody got any ideas?

[smurff]

hahaha, well thats bad luck, cant say i have any ideas that could help you other than batteries, is there any indirection lights at all?

-smurff

[Photoshack]

Can you share the price once you get a reponse? I could be seconded into a set if I can justify paying a little more.

Another option, not as cheap as the ones i mentioned in my post but more comparable to the CyberSycs are the ELINCROM Skyport (http://www.elinchrom.com/products.php?cat=5)

I just may hang out for some reviews on the Yong Nuo RF-601 (http://stores.shop.ebay.com/hkyongnuophotoequipment__W0QQ_sidZ720284096?_nkw=R F-602&submit=Search) as it's new to the market. Will try to read some reviews of the V4 too

Try these out: http://www.photoshack.co.nz/afawcs0142140/CATID=31/ID=151/SID=1060899166/productdetails.html