Radio Trigger Roundup: January 2014 Edition
Overview of The Systems
Trying to organize this round up has been a daunting task. There are now dozens of brands with their own systems on the market and many of the brands have everything from basic to advanced systems. Plus there’s a dozen ways to look at the data. Are you coming from the perspective of studio shooter looking for their first RF trigger system, or a general-purpose photographer looking for a reliable system that can be used in a lot of situations quickly and easily?
Basic Triggers
There are an ever-growing number of players offering basic radio triggers. There are no advanced features to be found here, just the basic functionality of triggering a remote device. This is the least exhaustive list part of the list.
Cactus
Cactus got their start about 5 years ago, as I recal. They’re currently on the 4th and 5th generation of radio triggers. In terms of quality and reliability, there’s not much to say. They’re entry-level products and are built and priced as such.
As far as Cactus goes, I’m not sure, if they’re the original manufacturer for their own triggers, or if they’re reselling another companies triggers. Searching through eBay or similar sites will find a lot of similar looking triggers under various brands. Don’t make the mistake in assuming that because they look the same they’ll be compatible.
Cowboy Studio
Cowboy Studio’s triggers are much in the same vein as Cactus’s; they’re inexpensive basic triggers. Unlike Cactus Cowboy Studio sells a verity of products not just radio triggers. I’ve included them in this list largely because they are very popular in the results on Amazon.
As far as Cowboy Studio triggers go, there offered in 3 versions, 2, 4, and 16 channel variants. I can’t speak for compatibility between the versions, or with whatever they’re ultimately replaced with. Compatibility in this level or product is not usually a high priority, so keep that in mind if you’re considering these. What you buy now, may not be expandable easily in a couple of years.
Basic Systems
The biggest step up from the basic triggers is when you move to a fully supported system. Almost all of these systems have an entry-level basic triggering component, but those basic components are designed to be compatible with more sophisticated higher-end devices. Though the distinction is almost arbitrary, I’ve grouped most of the radio trigger systems made by strobe manufactures into this level, as they offer a high level of functionality with controlling the manufacturers strobes but not necessarily an awful lot of flexibility beyond that.
Broncolor
Broncolor is a studio strobe manufacturer that decided to develop a RF trigger system. The primary feature of the Broncolor RFS system is control over compatible Broncolor strobes. Broncolor does sell receivers that can trigger any camera or strobe on the market, all-be-it without remote power control. Like most RF triggers, Broncolor uses the standard 2.4GHz ISM band, with a maximum range of 660 feet (200m).
Broncolor’s triggers provide 99 unique IDs spread over 40 frequencies to provide a lot of separation for photographers using the system. In addition, the RFS 2.1 system will address up to 40 individual lights for remote power control.
Elinchrom
Elinchrom is studio strobe manufacture that has developed a RF trigger system. Elinchrom’s Skyport system is largely aimed at providing Elinchrom users with remote power and triggering capabilities when used with Elinchrom strobes. However, they do offer a generic trigger model for triggering other brand devices.
Elinchrom site about their system is comparatively quiet on details, though from looking at the image of their transmitter, it appears that they SkyPort system supports 4 channels and 4 groups. At ranges between 40 and 130m depending on triggering mode.
Paul C. Buff CyberSync
Paul C. Buff is best known for their classic White Lighting and entry-level Alien Bees studio strobes. Their CyberSync RF trigger is perhaps not so well know. Designed primarily for controlling Paul C. Buff’s strobes, however, the receivers are generic enough to be able to fire other brand equipment.
The system consists of 2 types of transmitter modules, the Cyber Commander offering remote power control, and the Trigger Transmitter offering only triggering capabilities. Receivers come in a number of flavors, some battery powered, some AC powered, and some designed specifically for certain Paul C. Buff strobes.
A few key features distinguish the Cyber Commander from most of the most of the counter parts. One is the large LCD display and dual joystick controls. Second is the transmitter’s ability to save configurations to a build in micro-SD card and restore them later. Finally, the Cyber Commander is the only trigger unit that has a built in light meter.
Like most of the systems listed here, the CyberSyncs use the 2.4GHz ISM band, and have a range of up to about 400 feet.
TTL & Advanced Systems
Much like the basic systems, the distinction here is largely arbitrary. I consider the system to have stepped up to being advanced when it offers either TTL support, control over a verity of 3rd party devices, or very sophisticated functionality in the actual triggering.
Canon RT Speedlites
Canon, yes the camera company, is the new comer to the radio trigger market. Unfortunately, though not unexpectedly, Canon’s RF triggering system is not designed to work with 3rd party devices as most others are. Currently the Canon RT system consists of the Speedlite 600Ex-RT and Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT.
Like most triggering systems, Canon’s RT system communicates the 2.4GHz ISM band. Range is limited, compared to most of the contemporaries, at only 100 feet (30m). Users identify their equipment by programming a 4-digit ID offering 10,000 possible IDs.
Since the RT system is designed by Canon for their cameras and flashes it’s largely useless to non-Canon users. Moreover, the system builds on a close cooperation between the camera and the flash, resulting in varying levels of support and integration depending on the age of the camera. Post-2012 cameras can control up to 5 remote groups, and can be remotely fired by having a 600Ex-RT or ST-E3-RT in their hotshoe. Pre 2012 cameras are limited to 3 remote groups, and must be connected to the 600Ex-RT or ST-E3-RT via a cable to be triggered. Additionally there are subtle differences in possible max shutter speeds depending on the camera type.
Since the Canon RT system is built into their 600Ex-RT flashes instead of being a standalone module, the system is a little differently than the others discussed here. The 600Ex-RT can be used as the commander module as well as a remote flash or camera trigger; the ST-E3-RT can be used as the system commander, as well as a remote camera trigger.
- Canon Website
- My Canon 600Ex-RT Review
- Buy from Amazon (600Ex-RT(Affiliate Link) , ST-E3-RT(Affiliate Link) )
PocketWizards
LPA Design has been in the RF trigger business for a long time, and they’ve built a reputation as the leading manufacturer in this field. Their system spans the range from basic to advanced, with all the options featuring solid build quality and cross compatibility within their product line.
Since LPA Design is neither a camera manufacture nor a strobe manufacturer, they’ve had to focus on building functionality into their triggers themselves, and they’ve done this in spades. LPA Design’s PocketWizards are quite possibly the most fully featured and broadly compatible system on the market. In fact, if I were to attempt to cover all the features offered by the various flavors of PocketWizards I could easily triple the length of this already long overview.
PocketWizards, unlike virtually all other brands, don’t use the typical ISM bands for their radio signals, North American, European and Japanese models all operate on incompatible parts of the spectrum. The use of non-ISM bands does pose some issues with portability; you can find yourself on the wrong side of the law if you say use NA triggers in Europe. Typical range for most PocketWizards reaches up to 1600 feet (500 m). However, the TTL models are more limited.
PocketWizards use channels to separate photographer’s devices, and there are three types of channels, basic, quad-trigger, and control-TL. Basic channels (1-16) provide only simple triggering capabilities. Quad triggering channels (16-32) provide access more advanced features and up to 4 groups that can be toggled on or off independently. Finally, 20 control-TL channels provide full TTL communication and remote power control over 3 groups when used with appropriate receivers and compatible devices. Additionally, due to their widespread use for triggering cameras at major events, LPA design offers the ability to program custom frequencies/channels into some of their models to insure that your equipment is never interfered with by another photographer.
With the exception of the MiniTT1, all PocketWizards are transceivers, meaning it doesn’t matter which one you put on your camera or your remote device.
The ControlTL compatible transceivers are currently offered in Canon and Nikon versions, supporting either E-TTL2 or i-TTL protocols respectively. In addition to being able to do TTL metering with remote flashes, the ControlTL units can remotely control the manual flash power of up to 3 groups of Canon or Nikon strobes, Elinchrom RX series studio strobes, and Paul C. Buff Alien Bees and Einstine studio strobes.
Further, PocketWizard triggers have been integrated by, or offered as part of, Profoto, Bowens, and Dynalite strobe generators, as well as having been built into Sekonic flash meters.
Profoto Air
Until recently, Profoto relied on LPA Design’s PocketWizard units to build into their studio strobes. With the introduction of the Pro 8 line, they elected to go their own way producing their own RF system.
Like the vast majority of systems, the Profoto Air system uses the 2.4GHz ISM band, and offers photographers 8 channels to choose from and a 1000-foot (300m) range. The system offers 3 kinds of transmitters/transceivers. The basic model offers only triggering (both sending and receiving) capabilities. The controller version offers remote power control over up to 6 groups of Profoto Air compatible strobes. Finally, the TTL version offers Canon users full TTL metering and remote control over up to 3 groups of Profoto Air compatible strobes.
With the exception of the Air Remote TTL, Profoto’s Air Sync and Air Remote can be used as both transmitters and receivers. The Air Remote TTL is a transmitter only.
Radio Poppers
Radio Popper entered the market in the 2007, with one of the first TTL wireless systems. Unlike ControlTL PocketWizards, TTL Profoto Air, or Canon’s RT system, the radio popper system works by simply relaying the optical TTL remote system used by various manufacturers of their radio channel.
One advantage to Radio Popper’s methodology is that they aren’t dependent on reverse engineering the protocol and therefore there’s virtually no delay between being able to use new gear with their system. On the other hand, since the system works as a RF tunnel for the otpical commands, it does require special consideration when mounting receivers so the flashes they’re controlling only see the commands issued by the receiver not those issued by the master flash.
Radio Poppers currently offers 3 systems, the Nano a basic triggering system with no TTL capabilities; the JrX, a more sophisticated triggering system with remote power adjustment; and the flagship PX system that offers piggyback TTL control.
All 3 of Radio Popper’s systems are made up of single purpose transmitters and receivers.
Unlike virtually all of the systems outlined already, not all Radio Poppers are cross compatible. PX Transmitters, can trigger JrX receivers, however, JrX transmitters can only control PX receivers connected to Canon flashes.
Yongnuo
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Yongnuo, even though I haven’t fully researched their options yet. Yongnuo has been been a source of relatively inexpensive i- and E-TTL capable hot-shoe flashes for quite some time. Leveraging their reverse engineering of Canon and Nikon’s TTL protocols, they’ve branched out into radio triggers, including TTL capable ones. They make quite a verity of options, from basic triggers to fully TTL capable triggers, to a clone of Canon’s ST-E3-RT controller. Eventually I’ll sort out well enough to be able to summarize properly. That said, Yongnuo is one place to look for relatively inexpensive basic and TTL triggers.