POCKET WIZARDS

For the latest installment of MY GEAR, I bring you one of the most critical components to your camera bag: Pocket Wizard Transceivers. The purpose of these battery-operated units is to trigger any number of flashes you have set up remotely. You can also fire a multitude of second and third angle cameras, no problem.

The number one rule with remotes is making sure they fire on command every time in any given photographic situation. That’s why I started with Pocket Wizard and have stayed with Pocket Wizard. Their commitment to quality, reliability and the ability for all of their products to work together is unmatched.

The quick breakdown on setting up your remotes is placing the transmitter on the camera body hot shoe, while the receiving unit is plugged into the remote flash or remote camera. Once the shutter button is clicked the signal is sent out to the remotes and they fire away. Simple.

You can use the Multimax, Mini TT1 or Flex TT5 on the camera body, while the Multimax or Flex TT5 can be placed remotely. My day-to-day set up is Mini TT1 or Multimax on the 1Ds, while placing the Flex TT5 or Multimax on the flashes. It boils down to how many flashes and cameras I have set up on remote and the number of Pocket Wizard units available to me at any given photo shoot.

The Mini TT1 and Flex TT5 units are a new product from Pocket Wizard this year and it’s been a huge step in syncing flashes at higher shutter speeds. Let me break it down.

A Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera (aka: DSLR) has to the ability to capture artificial light that’s introduced into the picture when the shutter clicks. Now this is all fine and dandy until you’re trying to add artificial light at a shutter speed greater than 320 (which is common in snowboard photography). The DSLR will still capture that light, but only part of the frame will benefit from it (this is called “clipping”). The higher the shutter speed, the greater the clipping will be. Sometimes you can get away with this according to your composition, but having a fully lit frame gives you way more flexibility.

So along came the Mini TT1 and Flex TT5 with their ability to ‘trick’ the DSLR cameras. Set up the unit with the supplied software, select which Canon camera body you’re using, plug in your choice of flash and that’s it. You’re now ready to add artificial light to any image no matter what the shutter speed is set at (with no clipping) ! It’s that easy !

This is the answer to everybody’s prayers and the solution to capturing fast moving objects sharp while utilizing remote flashes. I know it seems to good to be true, I felt the same way…but this is the real deal.

For a lot more information on the Pocket Wizard products, including the entire technical mumbo jumbo, visit POCKETWIZARD.COM and place your order today.

Blotto

The classic Multimax. This little guy has been with me through the thick and thin of travel and photo shooting and has yet to let me down. Can you say RELIABLE !

The new shizzz...Flex TT5.

The little guy...and I mean small ! Once on top of your DSLR, the Mini TT1 becomes one with the camera body.