PocketWizard’s Thriving flickr Community

To date, the PocketWizard group on flickr has over 3,500 members and 27,000 photos. Looking at their group pool, it becomes immediately obvious the PocketWizard radios can go anywhere, do anything, and help create any effect.

Here you can see PocketWizard radio triggers at work on the beach, in the studio, in boxing rings, and on rooftops. Subjects range from babies to beer, from extreme sports to engagement portraits. Lighting styles include ethereal, poppy, dramatic, subtle, and just plain awesome.

The group also has an active discussion page. It’s here members help each other figure out the best and most effective ways to use their PocketWizard radios. Take a look for some inspiration and to post a photo of your own!

This story is ©PocketWizard. Please respect and support photographers’ rights. Feel free to link to this blog post, but please do not replicate or re-post elsewhere without written permission.

Dan Bailey’s Mountain Biking Self-Portrait

We’ve profiled photographer and adventurer Dan Bailey before, and now he’s back with a post about the creation and inspiration behind his recent mountain biking self-portrait.

Inspired by a photo he saw by Australian photographer Tim Arch, Dan set out to try to make his own. After finding the perfect spot, Dan set up his camera and lights on the side of the trail and used his PocketWizard Plus III triggers to remotely fire the camera. That way he could carry one unit with him on his bike and, with some luck, fire the camera at exactly the right moment.

In under 30 minutes, Dan had gotten himself an awesome shot and probably plenty of bug bites.

Read the full post and check out his site for more adventure photography. Nice job, Dan!

All images, quotes and video in this post are used with permission and ©Dan Bailey, all rights reserved; story is ©PocketWizard. Please respect and support photographers’ rights. Feel free to link to this blog post, but please do not replicate or re-post elsewhere without written permission.

Sports Shooter Academy PocketWizard Workshop Winners

Sports Shooter Academy recently held their 9th sports photography and remote workshop. PocketWizard rep Ian Ray was on-site throughout the four day event, offering knowledge, equipment and support to future PocketWizard shooters. SSA selected winning photographs from participants in two categories: Sports Remote and Portrait.

Elaine Villaflores took the remote category with her behind-the-net shot of a goal in action while Mat Boyle impressed the judges with his dramatic mid-air portrait. They will both receive a pair of PocketWizard Plus III radio triggers for their awesome work.

Elaine has her own impressions of the experience, complete with more photos from the workshop on her blog.

Check out the winning shots on SSA and see more of Elaine’s work and Mat’s work.

PocketWizard Photo Products Announces ControlTL Firmware Update

Today a new firmware update has been issued. Please read the press release below for full details.

New features and free upgrades available now for MiniTT1^® and FlexTT5^® radios, both Canon and Nikon versions

So. Burlington, VT – August 6, 2012 – LPA Design, manufacturers of PocketWizard Photo Products, the world leader in wireless control of cameras, flash lighting and light meters, announces today a new update to its ControlTL firmware for both Nikon and Canon versions of its MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 radios. Available now, version 3.150 for Nikon and Version 6.150 for Canon include several new features and updates including compatibility with more cameras and flash units, added support for the Sekonic RT-32CTL module, and new optimized rear curtain sync utility control. Any current owner of the ControlTL system can easily install these new features via USB connection and update for free using the PocketWizard Utility.

“This latest release of ControlTL firmware further strengthens PocketWizard’s compatibility with Nikon and Canon brand digital cameras and flashes,” said Dave Schmidt, Vice President of Marketing at LPA Design, the company that manufacturers PocketWizard photo products. “Providing photographers with frequent important upgrades such as this is a very high priority for us because it allows owners of PocketWizard radios to stay current as new cameras and flash units are introduced.”

New firmware features include compatibility with the Nikon D4, D800 and D800E digital cameras and Nikon SB-910 Speedlight as well as compatibility with the Canon 600 EX-RT Speedlite and ST-E3-RT Speedlite Transmitter. Compatibility for the Canon 5D Mark III is not available at this time but firmware for this camera should be available in the near future.

PocketWizard’s MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 radios require this firmware update to work with Sekonic light meters with the RT-32CTL module in ControlTL mode. Using this module, compatible Sekonic light meters can trigger ControlTL radios receiving on ControlTL channels. This allows photographers to use an AC3 ZoneController on their transmitting MiniTT1or FlexTT5 to set their remote flash power levels, and then meter those remote flashes using their compatible Sekonic light meter, all wirelessly within the ControlTL system. More information can be found here.

These two firmware releases also include many additional operational improvements including improved default Aperture Priority combined with Rear Curtain Sync operation, improved Pre-Flash operation across all zones (Nikon), and more.

More information on how to update PocketWizard products via USB connection can be found here.

MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 Firmware Release Notes for Canon (6.150).

MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 Firmware Release Notes for Nikon (3.150).

PocketWizard Announces G-Wiz Squared

A new storage solution has been introduced by PocketWizard. Here is the official press release.

PocketWizard G-Wiz Squared gadget bag perfect for the safe and convenient storage of multiple Plus® III’s and accessories

So. Burlington, VT – August 1, 2012 – LPA Design, manufacturers of PocketWizard Photo Products, the world leader in wireless control of cameras, flash lighting and light meters, announces today the new G-Wiz Squared bag. Designed specifically for use with the PocketWizard Plus III Transceivers and accessories, this optimally-sized padded gear bag, available in three colors, packs a lot of room in a small space and still fits easily into a photographer’s complete gear bag.

“This colorful new G-Wiz Squared bag offers photographers a convenient and secure solution to keep all their radios and coordinating accessories organized and together in one place for quick and easy access,” said Dave Schmidt, LPA Design’s VP of Marketing. “It’s the ideal storage solution for photographers that have invested in multiple Plus III Transceivers plus it’s a perfect general gadget bag as well.”

The new PocketWizard G-Wiz Squared bag holds up to four Plus III’s and connector cables and features movable hook-n-loop padded dividers allowing photographers to customize this bag to fit their gear-packing needs. The G-Wiz Squared opens from the top allowing photographers to ensure at a glance that all their PocketWizard gear is neatly and safely packed away. And, the padded movable dividers provide extra protection when traveling.

Features include: zippered inside pocket perfect for connector cables, Super Snap Closure attachment straps, movable hook-n-loop padded dividers, 2.8″ wide x 4.7″ high by 4.7″ deep, and durable rip-stop nylon construction. The G-Wiz Squared bags are available now in Black, Orange and Blue for around $25.

Thank you, Facebook Fans!

Since our first post on the PocketWizard Photo Accessories Facebook page on May 29, 2009, we’ve built a loyal following of fans interested in all things PocketWizard.

In just over three years, we’re proud to announce we have just passed the 15,000 fan-mark. We thank you for your support and interest in all developments happening at PocketWizard. Stay tuned for more!

PocketWizard Goes to the Olympics

At the 2012 Olympic summer games, Reuters is trying something new: robots! Using a system they have been developing since 2009, Reuters will place eleven robotic cameras high in the rafters of the Olympic stadium, a point of view otherwise inaccessible to photographers.

The photographers will then be able to control the cameras remotely using a joystick and fire them via wireless transmitter. Pictures will be transmitted wirelessly into their editing system where they can then be sent out all over the world.

Click here to read the full article on Reuters’ site written by Fabrizio Bensch and see more photos of the robo-cam’s installation. In the shot below we’ve spotted a PocketWizard MultiMAX radio trigger helping to get the angles no one else will.

Fabrizio Bensch captures one of his Reuters rigs for the Olympics. Check out the PocketWizard MultiMAX on the left. ©Fabrizio Bensch for Reuters

The FlexTT5 on the Slopes of Chile

The photographers at The Public Works agency in Colorado have been immersed in the world of action sports for years. Last year was no exception when they put the PocketWizard FlexTT5® system to the test on a shoot for Spyder in Portillo, Chile.

How did it go? They write:

“The ControlTL system works shockingly well. The fact that we can now set up as many strobes as we want and get a baseline exposure PERFECT on the first set up in no time at all is huge. For events, shooting lifestyle with speed lights, and other high paced environments this is a huge help.”

Using a Profoto Pro-7B pack, they reported a sync speed of 1/1600th without losing any of the frame and up to 1/8000th using Nikon speedlights. As they say, “This is HUGE!”

Read the full report and take a look at some of their amazing images.

PocketWizard Nikon Beta Firmware Released

Nikon shooters may be interested to note PocketWizard has released beta firmware version 3.110 for the PocketWizard MiniTT1 and FlexTT5. What follows is the Beta Firmware Release Bulletin from The Beta Lab. Please read everything carefully, including Nikon compatibility issues, before you decide to install this beta software.

PLEASE NOTE: This release is Nikon Beta Firmware Release 3.110, providing compatibility with D4, D800 and D800E cameras and the SB-910.

June 21, 2012

ControlTL MiniTT1 / FlexTT5 Nikon Beta Firmware
Beta Firmware Version: 3.110

Intro: Beta Firmware Version 3.110 addresses some improvements we have made since the launch of ControlTL Firmware Beta version 3.022.

Please report any problems with this beta version to betalab@pocketwizard.com.

IMPORTANT: This new beta firmware requires that you use PocketWizard Utility version 1.35 or later. It is available here. Upgrade to the latest Utility first, then upgrade your radios’ firmware.

When updating firmware, be sure to update all of your radios to the latest version, which is 3.110 for the MiniTT1 and the FlexTT5 for Nikon. Your radios will only operate as expected when all units are using the latest firmware.

Note:
Previously used settings or saved profiles cannot be automatically reloaded after installing the new 3.110 firmware. Make sure to copy down any important settings before loading the firmware because the PocketWizard Utility will perform a factory reset once the installation is complete.

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The Plus II is Still a Scream!

We love seeing people use PocketWizard technology in unanticipated applications. The following is one which made us smile.

Jakob Schiller has written a fascinating story for Wired on photographer Billy Hunt. For a series of portraits, Hunt felt he wanted to shake up his subjects, getting them to step outside their usual poses when getting their portraits taken. He used audio to make this happen, bringing a new dimension to the silent art of photography.

Hunt had a karaoke boom box wired so when a certain volume level is hit, a PocketWizard Plus II is signaled, which then triggers a camera, creating a portrait of a person screaming.

Schiller’s article also includes a strange, two-minute video of people screaming for Hunt in slow motion. Be sure to read the full article, and also check out Billy Hunt’s portfolio on his site.