SOSKIphoto poses the question that I’m sure more than a few photographers have been asking: “Does the new PlusX offer enough bang-for-the-buck or is the Plus III a better buy?”
Helpfully, they offer a side by side comparison of the features of the two triggers and suggest target users for each. They write, “With the PlusX’s top notch build quality, updated feature set, and friendly price, there is no denying that this radio trigger will take the Strobist market by storm.”
Which trigger is right for you? Read the full post to find out.
“The PlusX is a trigger,” adventure photographer Dan Bailey writes, “No more, no less. One button, knob. Connect to flash/camera, turn it on, set the channel and boom. You’re ready to fire. Boundless creative options.”
Dan recommends our newest trigger for two types of photographers. “At $99 each,” he writes, “the new PlusX is by far the best value for a radio trigger. It’s the perfect choice for photographers who are just entering the world of radio remotes, as well as shooters who just need more triggers because they keep getting more lights.”
Adam Bronkhorst is a Brighton-based portrait photographer who also offers workshops on a variety of topics, from toy cameras to wedding photography.
As a teacher, Adam always recommended PocketWizard radio triggers to his students saying that “I’ve tried most things on the market and I’ve found what works and more importantly what doesn’t work, so if I can save people time and money then I’m more than happy to.” PocketWizards, he says, “just work.”
He was overjoyed to hear about the new PlusX, an affordable option with the same range and reliability of the other more advanced PocketWizard triggers.
The Phoblographer’s Chris Gampat is out of the gate and running with the new PocketWizard PlusX. He’s written up his first impressions of the just-announced trigger and says “so far they’re quite tempting — especially at the $99 price point.”
In the couple of hours he spent with them, Chris managed to trigger studio strobes and flashes from two floors above and on the other side of the building from his apartment. In a later review, he’ll be comparing them to his Plus III’s, but for now he concludes the PlusX is “compact, solid feeling, reliable, and simple to use.”
As soon as they were out of the box, he got them on his camera and went off to shoot, reporting “not a single hiccup” in use. He wraps up the mini review by saying, “As far as I’m concerned, at this price point, these units are a no-brainer if you are looking for legendary PocketWizard reliability, cross-platform capability, and support… [They’re] guaranteed to work, have an excellent support system in place, and will work with basically every lighting system under the sun.”
We look forward to their in depth review, coming soon! Read the mini review on FStoppers.com.
Matt, or That Nikon Guy, is a longtime PocketWizard user who owns quite a number of different models, including the Plus II, Plus III, MiniTT1, and FlexTT5, so when he talks about triggers, you’re sure he knows his stuff.
In this video, he presents the PocketWizard PlusX, which he finds to be a great option for people who want “rock solid reliability”, but don’t need all the features of the Plus III or FlexTT5. It’s also compatible with all other PocketWizards, making it great for someone like Matt, who’s already invested in a PocketWizard system.
Despite his name, That Nikon Guy is a great resource for photographers, no matter what gear you favor. See more of his videos and connect with him on Facebook.
The buzz surrounding the release of the PocketWizard PlusX has made us very excited. We’d like to send a huge “thank you” to the entire photography community. The PlusX is the simplest PocketWizard ever, and has already earned over 55 positive reviews.
Here’s what one of the Internet’s favorite photo educators has to say about our latest release.
strobist.com
“Basically,” David Hobby of Strobist writes, “the new PlusX transceiver has everything you really need—and nothing you don’t.”
In his overview, David goes over the PlusX’s features, including design, controls, range, and power. As a longtime PocketWizard user, David is a great source of insight on the newest member of the PocketWizard family. He even notices the rotary dial is much like the one found on some of our older triggers. Good eye, David!
He concludes, “With it’s robust build, significant range, non-obsolescence and 2-digit price tag, I think the PlusX will quickly prove to be PocketWizard’s most popular remote.”
Robert Lowdon is a commercial portrait and event photographer working in Winnipeg. His blog is full of photo-related advice and news from the Instagram controversy to how to take better pictures in snow to gear reviews.
For the last six months, he’s been putting the new PocketWizard Plus® III through its paces so he could give it a thorough review. He uses PocketWizard radios regularly and the Plus III’s are an upgrade to his kit. He says, “I like PocketWizard for one simple reason, because they work. By that I mean they work every time, every single time.”
He concludes, “This item is a definite buy, and that is something I rarely say.”
Always happy to please. See the full review on his blog, check out his work on his site, and connect with him on Twitter and Facebook.
Tech blog Engadget wrote a short piece on the PocketWizard FlexTT5® and MiniTT1® as part of their IRL series, which discusses “the gadgets, apps, and toys they’re using in real life.”
The author’s wife needed to add some oomph to her wedding photography setup once Nikon’s built-in triggering system wasn’t cutting it anymore. Using a MiniTT1 and FlexTT5, he writes, “she was able to sit two Speedlight flashes on two separate tripods at a wedding reception, each some 30 feet away from the other. A simple click of the shutter told the MiniTT1 to trigger both remote flashes, and it worked like a charm.”
Read more on Engadget and get their account of Rosetta Stone software and a TomTom GPS while you’re there.
In this detailed review of the PocketWizard Plus III by Will Crockett, Will subjects the Plus III to some rigorous testing, and it comes away looking just fine.
In the video, Will takes the Plus III units to a place where many other radio triggers have failed—Chicago’s Lower Michigan Avenue. Not only is this a challenging urban environment, but it is right next to the Tribune News, WGN Radio, and two television stations. It would be tough to a location with more radio interference than that. To complicate matters, Will really spreads his strobes out, placing one 150 feet away. Despite his best efforts, Will experienced zero triggering failures out of the 268 shots he fired, leading him to say, “that tells me it works like a champ.”
