Flash triggers
Free your flashgun or create advanced multi-light setups: it’s all possible with a wireless flash trigger…
Six invaluable wireless flash triggers for getting clever with lighting
w w w.cac t us-ima ge.com Cactus V6 £70/$60
The Cactus V6 is something 1 special in the wireless trigger world: it can simultaneously trigger flashguns from all major manufacturers, including Canon, Nikon, Nissin and Sigma.
The cross-compatible hotshoe design also means the V6 isn’t picky about which camera you mount it to, and it can be triggered via a standard PC Sync socket.
You’ll need two V6 units to get started: one set as transmitter, the other as receiver. This makes the combined price double what we’ve quoted, and therefore slightly less appealing. However, the system offers an excellent 100+-metre range and the ability to manage four flash groups over 16 possible channels.
Everything’s controlled by a clear, backlit LCD screen and intuitive controls, while the V6’s build quality is up to a professional standard with metal hotshoe mounts top and bottom. These connections also feature TTL passthrough, so an on-camera flashgun can still use TTL metering. Pros: Cross-brand flashgun and camera compatibility CONS: Won’t wirelessly transmit TTL metering signals
The original Viper system was a 2 simple but very effective trigger with an impressive 2.4GHz, 100-metre range.
However, it was Canon-only and lacked TTL transmission – but now Hähnel has addressed both these limitations. The Viper TTL kit comes in Canon, Nikon and Sony variants, with TTL compatibility for all three brands. We found the TTL mode on our Nikon sample worked perfectly.
You still get remote control of flashgun power from the transmitter, with the clear backlit LCD screen and logical controls making it a cinch to use. Flashguns can be arranged into up to three groups. Although there’s no choice of frequency channels, Hähnel goes one better with a Digital Channel Matching system, which securely codes the transmitter and receivers together to prevent interference.
The build quality here isn’t quite on a par with that of the Cactus or Phottix triggers, but it’s not far off and features metal mounts all round. Pros: Effective long-range control and TTL triggering of multiple flashguns CONS: Lacks some advanced features; larger than competing Nissin system
Nissin’s Air System uses a 3 2.4GHz radio frequency link for up to 30 metres of wireless range.
That’s a fair distance short of some rival systems, but we found it more than adequate, with obstacles posing no connectivity issues.
The Air 1 Commander unit is totally intuitive to operate, with a clear, logical display and pared-down controls. It still packs in the features, though, like remote power adjustment of three flash groups and an AF assist lamp, not to mention wireless TTL compatibility with Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Fujifilm TTL systems.
You can control Nissin’s own Di700A and i60A flashguns directly from the Air 1 without an Air R receiver attached. The receiver itself is just as compact as the Commander, and is also powered by AAA batteries. It has eight selectable channels, and Nissin has thoughtfully added a little flip-down foot that lets you stand the receiver and attached flashgun on a flat surface. Pros Compact and very easy to use; good build quality; TTL triggering CONS Relatively short range; can’t match the Phottix or PocketWizard devices for pro features
The Odin II system is available 4 for Canon or Nikon systems, and its premium price reflects the extensive feature set.
Where most triggers have three group options, Phottix gives you five, as well as 32 frequency channels and Digital ID matching to maintain a secure, uninterrupted connection. Naturally there’s wireless TTL, and even flash zoom control.
It’s small wonder, then, that the Odin II’s performance is outstanding. Sustained burst shooting posed no problems; nor did long-range triggering. We were able to shoot at our test camera’s 1/200 sec maximum sync speed with no banding, although there is a High Speed Sync mode that’ll top out at 1/8,000 sec.
With so much to play with, the Odin II isn’t the most accessible system for newcomers, but its streamlined control layout and clear backlit screen are a pleasure to use. ProS: Wireless TTL triggering; numerous advanced features CONS: More complicated than most systems; high combined cost
PocketWizard is a pro favourite 5 in this sector, and it’s easy to see why with this no-compromise combo.
The FlexTT5 transceiver can double as a transmitter or receiver, but we went with the smaller MiniTT1 transmitter. This comes in Canon and Nikon flavours and supports TTL metering over a huge 240-metre range. If that’s not far enough, this can be increased to a staggering 365 metres in Basic Trigger mode, which allows the MiniTT1 or FlexTT5 to work on any camera with a standard hotshoe.
The FlexTT5 enables high-speed sync with compatible flashguns, allowing for super-fast shutter speeds up to 1/8000 of a second. You can tweak this and adjust the plethora of other advanced features, including extensive channel options, by connecting the on-board USB port and using PocketWizard’s Utility software, which also enables the device to receive firmware updates. ProS: Flawless performance; works with advanced flashgun features CONS Even more daunting to learn than the Odin II; underwhelming build with plastic mounts
Shoestring budget contenders 6 like this can often disappoint, but first impressions of the RF-602 are encouraging.
The fit and finish are more than acceptable for the money, and while the receiver’s coldshoe mount is plastic, the two hotshoes are metal.
Although there are no group options, 16 frequency channels are available to avoid interference, although they’re set using microscopic switches under the transmitter. A full-on 2.4GHz RF link provides a genuine 100-metre range and, when testing at closer distances, Yongnuo claims sync speeds of up to 1/250 sec. We could only manage a reliable 1/160 sec sync in our testing, but the connection was stable enough to avoid misfires during burst shooting.
The final trick up the RF-602’s sleeve is it can be used as a wireless shutter release: just connect the receiver to your camera’s remote socket, then the two-stage button on the transmitter focuses before firing the shutter. ProS Low price; long range; wireless shutter release capability CONS Transmitter requires a CR2 battery; no group options