Gear Announcements
PocketWizard Goes Direct, In the US Only
PocketWizard has opened a new online store here in the US, which allows you to purchase their products direct from the lighting accessory company. Previously, you could only purchase through other retailers or distributors.
The move marks another step for the American lighting trigger company, who has seen its grip on the marketplace loosen considerably with the introduction of lower priced, but equally reliable triggers.
The interesting point here though is that if you decide to purchase direct from PocketWizard, it will cost you more than anywhere else. This is not so uncommon, as many companies strictly stick to MSRP, so as not to undercut their retail partners. But if you want to buy a PocketWizard Plus X from this new PW store, it will cost you $103 vs. the $99 you can get it for at B&H.
Personally, unless this is just the first step for PW to go all Paul C Buff on us and to direct sales only, I hardly see the point. The deals will always be better from retailers like B&H, so why would anyone want to pay more to buy it direct from PocketWizard. Unless there is some advantage I am not currently seeing, it feels like a pointless move.
If you want to learn more, or want to buy direct from PocketWizard, you can do so by visiting the new store here.
There is 2 ways to reset them, I’ve tried everything and nothing works . I’ve also called tech support and they are not much help.
yea, yongnuo? tech support..WTH is that?basically go solo.
Right now as we speak my mini won’t communicate with the flex when using my ab800. I have to use the flex on camera and the 3 on my ab. Its not that they fail less its that sometimes they won’t work at all.
one slave fell to the floor and the hot shoe fired non reliably. I simply used a sync cable between that specific slave and a flash and it fires 100%
but isnt there a reset to default, on it? every wedding when I set up the flashes with the slaves I do a two button- 5 second press and it resets everything and I just dont have issues.
J D Do the Yongnuos have high speed sync that actually works?
I used TTL once in a wedding and I wasnt happy with the results. not so accurate.
I have not used HSS though outdoors. usually Im stopped down enough so I never pass 1/250
im surprised by your statement regarding reliability with the PW and cheaper triggers failing less.
Mario, I am not sure to be honest. I just use the rf-603II triggers. I do know the 622 triggers do HSS but I have never used them so I cannot comment on their reliability. All I can comment on is I have 6 of the triggers and 3 flashes and not once have I had a failure that wasn’t my fault.
Yes Robert it’s part of the learning experience. The flex and mini are nice if you’re just using them to trigger your flash with the ttl capabilities, However, I used to use regular cheap triggers and they actually fail a lot less than my pocket wizards.
That’s how I was able to switch people from the Pocket Wizards to the Yongnuos. I have done 5 paid shoots with my Yongnuos while the other shooter used Pocket Wizards. 4 of the 5 shoots ended with us both using my Yongnuos because the Pocket Wizards failed and we couldn’t figure out why.
I use their products but the support isn’t very good, i bought the mini and flex to use high speed sync with my D800E and a alien bee light and too this day no one there has been able to help me. IF had to buy it again i would go another route and save the 750 bucks i spent.
$750- damn I could have done alot with that $500 I would save by going with yongnuo 622
I’ve always used PW’s. Since the 80’s. I wouldn’t buy a YongDong no matter what.
why? it doesnt have to buy the ying yong brand but there are tons of excellent triggers being offered that are extremely reliable have all the featues one needs for a fraction of the price.
I don’t buy from Chinese companies that exploit workers and children and have no regard for the protection of the environment.
Profit over human rights? I’ll pay extra for the human rights. If it were possible I wouldn’t buy anything with a Chinese made part in it, but since that’s nearly impossible I have to make concessions.
You don’t have to agree with me, but that’s my personal stance on Chinese products.
very noble of you. I think of my children and supporting them. If I save hundreds of dollars so I can support them better, I have no issue with that whatsoever.
I thought you were going to say “because im and american and a patriot and want to support a US company” haha
I do believe in supporting US workers as well. I but all of my camera gear from a local store, I buy my music gear from local shops, and I buy American made guitars and amps. I eat at local restaurants, shop at a local grocery store. I’d rather know my money is supporting someone in my community than some faceless corporate greed mongers or scumbag millionaires like the Walton family.
I’ve only owned US made vehicles my whole life until last year when I bought a MINI Cooper (English/German).
Supporting US companies is supporting other people’s children as well. I don’t know what you do, but I bet you wouldn’t like it if your children had to go hungry because your job was outsourced to a cheaper offshore company.
It doesn’t have to be about patriotism. The political system in this country is screwed. It’s about caring about fellow Americans and preserving their jobs and helping keep the US economy moving, because I don’t want to live in this country when China calls in their debts and we become part of the People’s Republic of China.
I wrote a huge post then waited and let my venting pass. I will not get into a political argument. we will agree to disagree.
PW wont hold. tick tock.
This isn’t about politics. It’s simply my opinion and buying habits. I never said YOU should do what I do. I do what I think is right and you’re free to do the same or not.
good products those pocket wizards TTL triggers. not any better than yongnuo though.
but WAY OVERPRICED! I have 6x 622N slaves and I didnt feel a dent in my wallet. a single set of flex/mini-tt1 will cost $420!!! all of my 6×622 (which are transceivers no less) costed $210 shipped. wheres the proportion PW?
they milked people for years. they are not relevant today with the excellent offerings though with regard to price. they should have saw yongnuo’s threat and dropped prices immediately when the 622 was released. problem is most have all the slaves they need. and most are invested in a system. they are relaible and very high quality.
photoflex is out, metz is on the way. no more than 2 years before bankruptcy for PW.
They are/have become primarily a PRO sports shooter’s option. You can’t trigger arena strobes with a Yongnuo. But those Yongnuo’s/Cactus/etc are fine for most of the rest of us.
I would assume that part of the retail price is the cut that goes to the retailer (B & H, Adorama, etc.). So, why would the direct sale from the manufacturer result in a higher (!) price than if I were to buy it from B & H? And why would anyone pay $4 more for exactly the same thing?
They should stick to the 99 price and not add 5 more dollars!
I love them because they are very solid and well built.
they need to partner with the camera companies to put THEIR technology in the cameras and flashes themselves. Just like how Sony makes sensors for Nikon. Can you imagine if Canon and Nikon both had integrated Pocket wizards, and could talk to each other, and with the stand alone pocket wizards.
That would be awesome. Truth be told, if the PWs were more affordable, I’d dump my Yongnuos in a heartbeat.
I totally agree. Nikon and Canon can improves their speedlights to include all pocket wizard gives in the TT1 and TT5. This would save us a lot of money.
The plus 3 is pretty solid and I just usually buy them used and have never had a problem with used ones.
Yongnuos are pretty solid too. Not a single misfire with over 5 years use. And they’re SO cheap!
I love them.
Yup, the Yongnuos are so god, I’ve turned two guys I shoot with on to them and they both sold their Pocket Wizards to load up on the Yongnuos.
I agree Nick, I do have the PW Plus III’s but I also have Yongnuo 605C’s, 603’s, YN-E3-RT and a few others. Haven’t had any problems with Yongnuo.
There business has been in decline for several years now. With Canon putting out their newest speedlight with trigger capabilities embedded inside, and many manufacturers of lighting gear offering embedded solutions or their own triggering solutions, the market is just getting thinner and thinner for them. I’m actually surprised they’ve lasted this long.
I own their TT1 and a couple TT5’s but I really can’t see myself buying any more triggers from them in the future. I’ve moved on.
I hope Nikon and Canon improves their speedlights to include all pocket wizard gives in the TT1 and TT5. This would save us a lot of money.