IR or Radio Transmitter Triggers

ant_moore123

Just received my home studio kit(interfit EXD200) and then noticed that my Sony A350 has no PC Sync connection.

So i'm going to get a wireless trigger but was wondering which one is better, IR or Radio the EXD200 has a built in infrared slave cell so i would only need to buy a IR transmitter, but there is only a few quid difference between the 2 interfit triggers so i'm not sure what to get.

Or can anyone recommend any other make

Also i was looking at the cactus v4 on Gadget Infinity, would these do the job cause then i could use them for my external flash aswel?

Thanks

Borderfox

If I have no trigger with me I use a flashgun set on manual to trigger my Elinchrom D-Lite's

swingking

I'd recommned getting the Elinchrom Skyports. Although there is no TTL metering, they still work very well for studio lights and for external speedlites

ant_moore123

Does that have an effect the shot?

Ballyman

I'd get the radio triggers as well as the IR requires line of sight so can end up limiting their usage although unlikely.

The Skyports are supposed to be very good and very reliable. The cactus triggers are good for the price but they aren't very reliable. And of course Pocket Wizards, 100% reliable but very expensive.

ihastakephoto

I use the cactus V4's, I shoot canon with nikon flashes (x5) all on manual.
They're...ok...I get a lot of non fires and the odd missfire, but for the price you're paying it well worth the experiment

Hugh_C

I hav the cactus v4s and get very few misfires/non fires - I'd say out of the about 6000 shots I take a month I might get half a dozen. No big deal.

FoxT

I use them occasionally with a 40d & 550EX flash. They work grand 99% of the time, at distances of up to 60 metres or more - which is a longer range than IR. I am not a heavy user though.

They are defo. worth what I paid for them. Alien Bees are supposed to be good too, & not as expensive as PWs - which are apparently the Rolls Royce.

-FoxT

Borderfox

if they are studio flash then you only need ir

.Longshanks.

Just my 2c
I have a set of radio RF-602's triggers (ebay job - google for more info). I was in a forest over the weekend and decided test their capabilities for the craic.

I got about 50m from the flash and there there was easily 10-15 trees in the line of sight between camera and flash. No issue triggering at all. I've had them for about 6 months and they have never missed a beat yet.

The RF-602's are rated to up to 100m AFAIK, but to be honest i dont think i'd want to be 100m from my flash

.....Dunno if even relevant to the OP

ant_moore123

Thanks for all the replies

Will the Cactus/Ebay ones fire studio flash?

Borderfox

you can get some cheap ones in Calumet in Belfast too

ant_moore123

Just went for the Interfit IR trigger in the end to get me going

Got it in Miniphoto out in Lucan was cheaper there than anywhere online

ValueInIreland

I hope you remembered to pick up a Minolta (Sony) hotshoe adaptor as the IR trigger won't fit on the Sony's hotshoe?
I know you have already purchased, but for anybody else making the same decision another issue is that the IR Triggers are just a small flash gun with an IR Filter, so they need time to Re-cycle, and this time gets longer as the batteries fade.
Radio triggers are also battery powered, but last a long time and are much better where quick firing is required. IR triggers will always work fine in a domestic situation, but if you set up your lights in a big space (eg Hotel function room) and you are working in front of the lights, they may not trigger as there is very little in front of you to bounce the beam back to the Lights sensors (usually on the back of the lights), this is the real benefit of Radio triggers.
With radio triggers you do get what you pay for, I just binned two fifferent sets of cheapies this week (one hotshoe parted from the receiver and the attached 580 got damaged), the other set started misfiring on their own. Pocket Wizards are great, Skyports also at Half the price (just updated to new SPEED versions - allow higher sync speeds) and the Seculine ones have a real quality feel also, but I have no feedback on these yet and they are a bit dearer than the Skyports.
Tip: No matter what triggering system you use, ALWAYS carry a (Spare) sync. lead!

ant_moore123

I got the Hotshoe adaptor also

Thanks Anyway

Borderfox

ValueInIreland wrote: »

I hope you remembered to pick up a Minolta (Sony) hotshoe adaptor as the IR trigger won't fit on the Sony's hotshoe?
I know you have already purchased, but for anybody else making the same decision another issue is that the IR Triggers are just a small flash gun with an IR Filter, so they need time to Re-cycle, and this time gets longer as the batteries fade.
Radio triggers are also battery powered, but last a long time and are much better where quick firing is required. IR triggers will always work fine in a domestic situation, but if you set up your lights in a big space (eg Hotel function room) and you are working in front of the lights, they may not trigger as there is very little in front of you to bounce the beam back to the Lights sensors (usually on the back of the lights), this is the real benefit of Radio triggers.
With radio triggers you do get what you pay for, I just binned two fifferent sets of cheapies this week (one hotshoe parted from the receiver and the attached 580 got damaged), the other set started misfiring on their own. Pocket Wizards are great, Skyports also at Half the price (just updated to new SPEED versions - allow higher sync speeds) and the Seculine ones have a real quality feel also, but I have no feedback on these yet and they are a bit dearer than the Skyports.
Tip: No matter what triggering system you use, ALWAYS carry a (Spare) sync. lead!

Very good advice

I tried a few of the cheap transmitters and eventually ended up going for Pocketwizards (Flex tt5, they also keep TTL on flashguns) and they are perfect, work each time everytime.
Bearing in mind for me these are for work so I can offset purchase price from customers