Pluto Trigger and Droplet Valve review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ส.ค. 2024
- My review of the Pluto Droplet valve using the Pluto trigger. Overall, a very nice setup. I'll be looking forward to doing more with the trigger system.
This review is my own. I was in no way reimbursed to promote this product.
plutotrigger.c...
Facebook.com/ericswanderingphotography
Here it is 5-years later and I am watching your video for the first time. I had recently ordered and received a new Pluto Valve, but had not yet unwrapped it. After hearing your comments regarding the circuit board without a cover, I pulled out the Pluto Valve package and unwrapped it. I was pretty confident that after 5-years, the Pluto Valve makers would certainly have improved their product by at least making a cover for this circuit board, finding a better way to anchor the board to the "dropper" unit, and possibly "fixing" the problem with the weak solder joints on the circuit board power wires. However, I was disappointed to find that nothing much had changed. I can't tell for certain if the circuit board is still attached by 2-sided sticky tape, or if there is any improvement on how the power wires are attached to the circuit board. But there definitely is no cover on the board. It still appears just as it does in this video with all the wires and circuits exposed. I was surprised to see this, and to find that the Company had done nothing over this time period to make a protective cover for the circuit board.
That's honestly ridiculous that after all this time, nothing seemed to have changed. Still don't understand why you would want exposed electronics around water. I appreciate your comment and bringing all this back to me. I was just thinking about the pluto and dropper a few days ago. Maybe I should get it out again
did not see the beard coming. liked video just for that surprise.
Thanks man. I'll get better with my video quality eventually.
I enjoyed watching your video. Well done. I like your presentation, especially the dog. The information is valuable to me. After I get my Pluto up and running I'll share some with you.
Thank you Michael. I'm glad you enjoyed it and I could help you in some way.
thanks for the video. i made my own cover.
Care to give us some details on the cover you made please.
I've been using the Pluto trigger for a year and it works great. I have not had any of the issues you are having with the valve. There is no delay if you use the IR function to trigger the camera and plug the flash into the Pluto trigger via the flash cable (if you trigger your flash with a wireless trigger you will have a delay issue). If you set the flash power to the lowest power setting your images will be super sharp If the flash power is too high you get blurry drops. If you are shooting popping balloons you have to use the laser. Here are some examples of some water drops I took using the the Pluto trigger.
www.flickr.com/photos/synthesis36/
The issue I was having before shooting this was that my flash sync cable was missing from the package, so I had to find a different way to trigger it. I was able to use second 2.5mm cable to connect my flash, which eventually I got working. Once I did and got everything timed, it worked perfectly.
Sorry I never responded. Didn't see your comment.
A flash power setting isn't a speed setting. It is the flash intensity.
Eric Miller - Flash power most certainly affects the speed of the light. Look up “flash duration”. A 1/1 full power setting on a light is powerful but it’s slow like a tsunami. A lower power setting is weaker but travels extremely fast like a ripple over the surface of the water.
Thanks for the video, I’ve been curious about this product for a while!
That is too funny, the unit that utilizes a liquid has an exposed circuit board. Nice review, Thanks
Right. They should have at least sealed it.
Great review.
I've been on the fence about getting one of these.
I've managed water droplet photography before, using just trial and error, but this makes it look so easy.
I agree with your assessment about the lack of covering for the Pluto Valve. I can't believe they are shipping a product that isn't complete. Especially when dealing with water. Makes no sense.
But, the pros do seem to outweigh the cons.
Now I'm off to order myself a kit.
Hi eric, nice tuto but you don't explain the setup except you had wrong cable. i also purchased a dc2 cable for my d750 and read it is better to connect to flash so i ordered a 2.5-2.5mm cable.
at final, do you connect pluto to one speedlite and point IR of pluto towards your camera IR detector ? do you use seveal flashes, one for background (if yes in slave mode ?) ?
Honestly I don't remember. When I have time, I will set it up again and let you know. Life is busy, so it might be a little bit
Hi, thanks for this. I’ve been searching everywhere for what exactly the ‘step’ and ‘interval’ are about within the app. I’m guessing from your comments ‘step’ is the drop changing in size and that there’s intervals between? It’s been driving me nuts trying to work it out.
I believe so, but its been a long while since ive used it
Hi Eric, Thanks for this helpful advice and video. Got my Pluto Trigger last week and I entirely agree with you about that Pluto Valve for the waterdrop shots! It definitely requires a cover on it. A motherboard should never be exposed like this, especially with splashing droplets!
My camera (Nikon D500) doesn't have an infrared capacity but I do have 4 YONGNUO RF603N triggers which I know I'll struggle with in the connections between the Pluto Trigger, flashes and camera. Any advice would be most welcome ... PLEASE ! Cheers Rob
I wish I could help Rob. I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to Nikon. If it wasn't for the IR on my camera, I might have never got it working at all.
Rob, I can help with this. I have the exact same equipment. On your Pluto trigger connect auxiliary out to your Pluto valve. Connect the Pluto trigger camera out to your D500. Hoping you bought the DC0 (zero) cable from pluto unless you have one on had. Now mount your wireless trigger on top of the D500. Place the receiver on your flash. This is your complete wiring setup. Hope this helps.
Thanks George I'll have a go and see what happens.
hello Georges, many people, except first man photography at 1/200sec with transmitters, say we don't have consistent timing by connecting pluto to camera and they advise pluto to flash and IR towards camera. I have understood you don't have IR but there are perhaps external IR for D500 ? are you happy with your timings ?
What battery goes in the Pluto dropper? Came with zero instructions?
The website has it listed as a 12v 23A battery, which is what I bought.
I'm using a 2 Yongnuo 560 III flash and a YN560-TX II transmitter on a Canon 7D shutter set at 1/125 no problems with flash delay, my only problem I can't get 3 drops tried all different setings contacted Pluto and no response
The Miops trigger has a really nice water drop kit, the PCB is enclosed. Would it be possible to use their water drop kit with the Pluto Trigger? I like the Pluto over the MIOPS because the Pluto has more options than the MIOPS.
George as long as the connector cable is the same, it might be possible to use together. Really depends on what input signal is used to trigger the dropper.
Eric Miller Thank you.
The Miops is a much better product in terms of build and execution, the Miops is triggered by the app, so not sure who you gonna control it with Pluto, or even the point.
Hi Eric
I just got my Pluto trigger today. I was a little disappointed by it. I wanted to take water ballon popping but some how there a slight delay when pluto trigger the shuttle. I did 3 kinds of pluto sensor trigger, laser, sound and smart sensor shock from my handphone. There is a lag that does not fire the shuttle immediately on the sensor picks up the trigger. I wrote to the Pluto manufacture and was told there is a 150ms delay triggering the camera shuttle. 150ms delay causes the popping to be over and only captured water splashing. I even tried dropping a plastic cup, 150ms delay is enough to have the cup bounce off the shot. Have you tried this pluto function? any suggestion?
I have not tried anything like that with the trigger yet. I'm guessing you are dropping the balloon to make it pop. If it was me, I would try using the laser. Set the laser up facing the trigger, about 1 foot off the ground. (assuming you have the camera low to the ground)
Depending on the drop height of the balloon, that might be enough of a delay when you drop into the laser to trigger the camera at the correct time. It will probably be trial and error, but that is what I would do. Just make sure to drop the balloon from the same height every time you adjust the laser location. I would also set the trigger up to take a burst of photos, just in case you are a hair early.
Oh, I did that. I punctured a hole instead of popping it. By the time the shuttle snap, the ballon bounced off the table. What it did next was to have the laser beam just beside the ballon and using a pen knife i slash the ballon. I use the knife to push the ballon to break the laser. it captured but only the small bit of water splash.
Give it a try when you free and see if you manage to capture the moment it burst. It could be my setup that is wrong.
Will do. Sounds like a challenge. Probably make an interesting video.
Thanks.. now I have to call B&H 😜
Everyone seems to be having a lot of success with the Pluto water valve. I'm one who is having 0 success. I've tried everything. The worst is that the dropper won't drop 2 drops consistently and believe me, I've tried many, many numbers. The first drop won't even drop at all unless the number is 200. I'm talking about with plain water. When I do get 2 drops, the second comes down so slow, it makes an entirely different splash. Eric, you say there's a menu on the phone for drop 3. I don't have that. I've tried for about 6 hours a day for a week now and feel like I'm just not getting anywhere. I don't mind trying more if I could gain a little success. Right now, I'm considering putting the valve in the trash. Oh, yes, and the plastic on the black handle on the clamp has broken apart, so I am now unable to release the glass tube.
Dee Carpenter that sounds like you are just having a terrible time. Have you tried contacting Pluto? I know when I was having an issue with the audio trigger part, they emailed back quickly and were very helpful.
Yes, I emailed them. However, it will take awhile to hear from them because of their Chinese holiday. I decided to totally start over, so I cleaned out the tube, as I did try Xanthan Gum besides plain water. I put soapy water in the tube, turned on the auto drip and let it go for awhile. The water went through really well. So I'm thinking maybe the Xanthan gum solution might have left some residue and caused me the drip problems. I'll give it another go and see what happens. Thanks for answering me.
Dee Carpenter Did you get your issues resolved? I installed my Pluto valve, and had it running in less than an hour, with droplet collisions, even though the valve was leaking some water. They sent me a new one, and it works flawlessly. Use the setup recommended on the Pluto website(using Canon EOS 70D w/ infrared trigger, YuongNuo YN600EX II flashes, one triggered from Pluto, other set for flash trigger from first one. All works flawlessly! Mixture can be a little tricky, but plain water works very good - use some food coloring, and have some fun!!
Least everyone knows you conceal carry. Cool pictures.
Always. Better safe than dead. Thanks
Eric Miller agreed, no disrespect, but a tiny advice. Don’t advertise. The times are sadly changing. Great video.
Good video.What stand are you using to hold the dropper?Thank you.
Just a generic stand off amazon
first photo at 6:15
Sound breaking a laser beam??? I don't think so....
I wasn't saying sound would break the laser. If you watch, I was just reading down the list. Sound is on the list below laser. Lightning is below that. (skipped light)