Been working with a Yongnuo 560 II and 560 IV for months. Both manual flash and when you find the compatibility between you and your flashes, what used to be laboring between walking back and forth becomes almost second nature. Plus, learning manual before ETTL, is like learning to drive standard before automatic in terms of cars
I love how you're the only guy who says how many things are truly useless ie FEB, modeling light etc,., Thanks for such straight forward and well spoken reviews.. and for not spending 30 minutes fondling boxes they cam ein and showing us how they're wrapped and how many useless things
Im using the YN flashes and triggers since like two years, I'm fashion, beauty and baby photographer, and these devices running absolutely perfect and durable, you have to check the new YN-622 TX, it has a screen and its amazing all what you need is there in a button press.
I own PW Plus III and they are great for manual flash and grouping. But I bought the YN-622C and I love them they are great, fast, 100% reliable, cheap, and I can control everything from my 5D3.
Very nicely done - thank you. Even now, 6 years later, the Cyber Commander remains one of the most technologically advanced and versatile remote triggering systems. I use it with 3 Einstein's (and a White Lightning when called for) on a daily basis. For anyone using PCB strobes it really is the best. I have a friend who just switched to PCB strobes because of the Cyber commander system. There's a lot of negative press out there from non-PCB users, so thanks again!
One thing the Video doesn't mention about the YN-622C is that that only the "One-digit" Canon DSLR can control three groups. Cameras like the 60D/70D are limited to two groups. Older but still good models like the 50D don't support remote flash at all. I don't know about the entry level cameras, but I bet it's limited there too - maybe even one group only. If you want three group remote control with any Canon you have to use the Yongnuo YN-622C-TX. You don't have to use the camera's menu any more to change or even view the flash settings - and you see the settings of all groups at once like with the Phottix. Since it doesn't cost much more than a single YN-622C, I'd recommend that - no matter how many YN-622C you're planning to buy - buy one less and add the YN-622C-TX instead. Actually I think the TX cost only about 10 bucks more then the receiver and I saw bundles with 1 TX and 3 Receiver for under $180 or something making the Phottix superfluous.
Since this filming, Yougnuo has made a transceiver YN-622N TX or YN 622C TX with a full display and the ability to fully control multiple flashes. Also a port for flashing an update to the unit. Put your flash in TTL and the trigger in manual and you have remote control over your flash.
1 correction and a question: A) on Canon, you can turn on a speedlite's modelling light with the preview depth of field button so I don't see it as an advantage to have that on the transmitter necessarily. B) how HyperSync is any different than regular HSS? Max sync speed is a function of the camera's shutter mechanism, not the flash or it's triggering mechanism.
High Speed Synch fires the light source repeatedly as the shutter curtain travels across the sensor so that the entire sensor is covered with what are essentially mini-pulses of light. Hyper Synch fires the light source one time and triggers the shutter to go off while the light pulse is being produced. Hyper Synch requires a very precise synch of the shutter and light pulse as well as the single pulse of light to be of a relatively long duration so that the shutter curtain can travel across the sensor during that one pulse. If the usable light pulse is 1/350 of a second and the shutter speed is 1/1000 of a second, the shutter has to be triggered to go off within that 1/350 of a second the light is being produced.
Information regarding Yongnuo and Nikon is now out dated with the release of the YN-622N-TX controller. I can now control the off camera flashes all from the camera. I have had the YN-622N-TX since February and use it with YN-622N's to fire both Nikon and Yongnuo brand speedlights. I did enjoy this video and your comparisons though.
I would like to share my opinion. 1. If all you use are PCB lighting, use the cyber ommander, if you mix and match speelights or use only speedlights, look elsewhere. 2. If your budget is limited as well as all you want is a basic trigger, any of the others will do the job amicably. 3. If you want to control speedlights AND studio heads, PW and no one else does this. PW also offs a TON of other features that were not mentioned, like Speedcycler, HyperSync (incorrectly described), higher maximum sync soeeds, remote camera control, a chouce to use on camera flash or not, TTL, full compatibility with all previous PW products, wider industry acceptance, and on and on. However, the PW setup does have a few considerations... It is expensive, it has a much higher learning curve, that if you are not aware of WILL cause reliability and functional issues. However, once you lesrn it's idiosyncracies, it IS as reliable as anything else out in the market. Is it for everyone? No. Is itbthe most feature rich and best supported unit in the market? Yes. Try getting support from Phottix or Yongnuo in North America... not going to happen. PW is a US company with a several decade reputation in the trigger market, that is something no other one can say. Obviously, I am pro PW, but then again, I am a pro photographer and demand a lot from my equipment. I ask things of the ControlTL units that no other unit on the market can even come close to delivering.
Thanks for a great video, Tony. I own a Canon 5D Mark III and had purchased late last year three Yongnuo YN568EX II flashes along with four YN-622 units, and have had good luck. I was racing around at a wedding were the arrangements of flashes (all on stands with umbrellas) kept changing, and it was *really* nice to adjust the power output ratios remotely, especially to compensate against the sun as fill flashes when I was using a telephoto and at least 50 feet away from the subject(s) and flash units. This year I bought four Einsteins along with a Cyber Commander for studio work, but I have yet to really use them. I've been worried that the Cyber Command will be too complex to change output (that's one thing I really like about the PocketWizard AC3 zone controller - it's simple and quick to make changes). But after seeing your review, you renewed my faith that I had made the best buying choice for my wireless triggers for my Einsteins.
Hi Tony I know this is a few years old now but the Nikon D7200 has control of A and B flash groups with both TTL and manual modes and flash output control on camera as well as control for the on camera flash. I'm not sure if this is a fairly new feature or not as I have only just got this camera as an update from a Nikon D60 which is 10 years old and has no remote flash function. Love the videos very informative for someone learning
Not only does the yongnuo YN622c TX really complete the setup, it operates my alienbees and speedlights independent, Ive had these units for almost two years and have never had a failure, I use my alienbee-abr800 for main light and use speedlight for fill with umbrella and another speedlight for hairlight, works great. more than enough light. you can find alienbees used quite cheap, I bought mine 120 dollars, I got my yn622c's two of them and the yh622c-tx for 149, and them found some used yn622c's in some things I bought used he just threw them in, the deals are out there just be patient and keep looking. also ive had my yn568exii for over a year as well and never had problems.
I get a little frustrated when everything is rated better because of it's lower price when their is so many combinations to come up to a certain figure. This is only a preference and how much it is worth to you. Zero frustration and a peace of mind is priceless for me. I really love the AC3 concept but would love it more if it had a cable or work wireless instead of having to sit on top of the camera.
Thanks Tony and Chelsea! I enjoy your video tutorials. Just picked up Yongnuo Yn622c-TX and few YN-622cs. On a budget so banking on these triggers to further my needs. Keep up the good work!
When I first got into flash photography I used a canon 430exii. I sold that moved to a 580exii. I sold that off because I hated using the flex and mini from pocket wizard. Now I shoot with the canon 600ex rt system, which I used to trigger with the canon st-e3 rt until last week. I replaced my trigger with the yn-e3 rt. In my opinion the canon system is by far my most favorite system. Not a single mis-fire.
The Canon is a great system, and it's one that I cover in my Photography Buying Guide. It depends on what your purposes are, but I think most people can get more out of their budget using either Alien Bees + CyberSync or third-party flashes and one of the systems I describe here. The 600EX-RTs are very nice, but try an Einstein E640 (close to the same price) and you'll be completely blown away.
This video is obviously for Canon users. Nikon users. The Yongnuo YN-622n TX will give full control of 3 groups of speed lights and has a LCD screen to show and adjust all settings, including flash mode, power and zoom. It also has control over time-adjustable HSS.
I went for the Yongnuo YN-622c x4 to upgrade the older RF-602`s and have been pleased with the optional TTL. As a non-pro its hard to justify the money for PW`s
The yongnuo system is indeed available for Nikon.An existing flash or su800 is required for visable control. You can also control your lights with button pushes on the yongnuo but it is klugy.
Yes, and I thought I mentioned that, but maybe it got cut in editing. But the YN-622Ns really aren't usable on Nikon cameras without an on-camera master... at least, you can't control the individual outputs in any practical way. So, you buy a master flash or an SU-800, which adds so much to the cost that you might as well upgrade to the Phottix. That's why I recommend the YN-622C but not the YN-622N.
In all fairness Tony's review was out before the yongnuo yn622n-tx was available. I have picked one up and it is a game changer. Tony, when you get a chance you should give this a follow up. I think it is a big deal for Nikon shooters.
Tony Northrup I agree with William Kearns. You should do a follow up on this. The unit is called the yn-622n-tx and it works almost exactly like the Odin controller. It's awesome. I have 4 yn-622n and the tx and it cost me a total of $215 ($148 for 4 yn-6222n and $67 for the tx) so take one tranceiver out to have a 3light setup it would cost you around $178 and you have even more control than the Canon version.
Some this is a little out of date. The Yongnuo 622 now comes in Nikon and Canon versions. There is a transmitter version which allows setting the flashes on the unit. I prefer the regular one because I use the female hot shoe to hold the transmitter for the strobes (e.g., the Cyber Commander). The 622 supports HSS and TTL. A YN-622 limitation is the lack of a USB port for firmware upgrades. It wasn't addressed which of the others have USB ports. Yongnuo also has integrated in receivers in their 560EX III and 560EX-IV flashes along with a transmitter with screen. These are manual only but popular with event photographers because they are inexpensive. The integrated receivers in the flashes reduces complexity including needing to mount the receiver between the flash and the hot shoe. Godox has a Bowens S-mount flash bracket. This clamps on the head of the flash and allows the use of a wide variety of strobe light modifiers. The mount on the flash is more secure than the hot shoe and the hot shoe is only supporting the weight of the receiver. I've found at 1/8-to-1/4 power or greater the flash can fill a 37" octagonal softbox. I don't have it, is Yongnuo is about to introduce receivers for the Canon 600EX-RT system. While Yongnuo sells Canon compatible 600EX-RT flashes that have integrated transceivers and an E3-RT compatible transmitter (so either Canon or Yongnuo can be used interchangeably. The receiver will allow this system to be used with non-600EX-RT flashes. With its integrated receiver, the 600EX-RT (at least the Yongnuo version) isn't much more expensive than a comparable flash plus a receiver. While the video talked about strobe advantages the big advantage of flashes is portability. They are small, lightweight, and contain the battery. While flashes are often used with external battery packs for quicker recycle times and longer battery life, Godox has 2 models that include a 11.1v lithium ion battery effectively integrating the external battery in the flash. I have 3 of their TTL/HSS model and they seem to work well with the YN-622c transceivers.
The very small Canon Speedlite 90EX Flash works as a Opical Wireless Master! So this will be a smaller and less expensive, but better in many ways option compared to the yongnou 622c. It works with optical ETTL.
I had the Pocketwizard Flex system for my Canon 580EXII's and had to get rid of them as they were too unreliable, as much as I really wanted them to work after investing so much $$ into them. I've since switched to the Phottix Odin/Mitros+ system and have not looked back.
Have been looking at my first light setup and was settle on PCB for integrated control through PocketWizard and the PowerMC2 module. Then just read the sales of the MC2 module have been halted due to potential shock hazard if the antenna becomes broke.
yup my D5100 does not has the menus for CLS, just ttl and manual, but my D200 has the CLS or commander mode, but the other hand my SB700s has the commander mode so no worries about just need the YongNuo YN-622n, for the wireless work.
Hi Tony. I have a Nikon D700 and the Phottix Odin to control my SB600 and SB910 - I've use the Phottix in manual mode and love it! Really informative video, thanks.
You could just as easily use the built in Commander Mode for those two flash units. CLS is very intuitive. I've a got a D700 with an sb-600 and sb-700 and use it extensively.
Just to confirm the Phottix Odin does offer high speed sync and can trigger studio strobes (but not control their settings). One of the things I like about the Odin is that it is also backwards compatible with Phottix Strato receivers too. They are great to use with a mixed flashgun and monoblock setup. So I can put Odin receivers inside my Westcott Apollo softbox and manually adjust the settings, while at the same time firing a Strato II receiver attached by cable to my studio monoblocks. Obviously the Pocketwizards can do this too (at a much higher price), but the Cyber Commanders seem really limited by only working with Paul C Buff gear (rather rare here in the UK). I'm not sure why you were having problems getting the various systems to work. Its not a problem I've come across with the Phottix gear. But I must admit I only ever work with manual and not E-TTL II. PS Phottix now make flashguns with built in Odin receivers.
To be clear, the Odin, PocketWizard, and YongNuo products reviewed here all support High Speed Sync (HSS) and can trigger external devices like monolights (but without control over their output). I think people might be commenting on the HSS because I mentioned that PocketWizard has their proprietary "HyperSync" feature... HyperSync is a different animal entirely; it allows you to use faster shutter speeds without jumping to HSS. HSS requires far greater flash output (increasing recycle time and reducing battery life) than HyperSync. HyperSync can also work with flashes and monolights that don't support HSS. Just wanted to clarify that they are two different technologies. And you're right that the Paul C. Buff gear is harder to get overseas (though they're working on better international distribution).
Tony Northrup although only PW has "hypersync", they all now have the same thing (different names). Yongnuo has "Supersync" and Phottix Odin has "ODS" ("OverDrive Sync"). Odin can customize timing from the trigger, unlike Pocketwizard's hypersync (must use computer program and USB cable). Yongnuo allows timing to be set on their new trigger transmitter (not transceiver)-- available only for Nikon right now, Canon soon.
Great video. But, I am so much more elementary. I would really appreciate (1) what should be me first flash on/over camera (T5i). (2) A flash that should to expand to the types of tools shown in this video. Plus, I have/bought your book. Let me me get simple, I have T1i and T51, and I can't get my 300EZ to work basically with either camera. Yes, I am old (old-school) film guy.
Hi I bought pocket wizards of eBay the only problem i had was being beat a few times but if you wait you can save a fortune just do not not chase the price and you will get them at a reasonable price which is what i do for Nikon lenses,i got a Nikon 85mm 1.4 d for £400 and its like new
Phottix Mitros flashes won’t work with vintage and “unchipped” manual lenses-this is a really big deal for mirrorless camera users! TTL and M modes do not work when mounted on the hot shoe, or when controlled by an Odin transmitter. There’s a horrible work-around by using them off-camera in M mode, and adjusting each flash at the flash (exactly not the reason you’d by into the Odin/Mitros+ system). You should really take a look at this and maybe do a new review and point out the other flashes that don’t have this limitation.
Love your product reviews, but you've made a few significant errors in your assessment of the Phottix system. 1) It does also work with high speed sync, though you claim it does not. 2) It will also control a speedlight or mono light. 3) If you purchase one or more Phottix Mitros+ speedlight, you will have both a receiver and transmitter in one unit. This can serve as a backup control unit in the event the main unit fails. 2 other key features you did not even touch on are 1) the units are very durable. I've been using mine daily on location and in studio for 2+ years with no issues. And 2) the usable range of the Phottix system is well over their conservatively stated 100 meters!
Hey Tony, you mention in the video that it's not a good idea to get the YongNuo transceivers for Nikon because of the menu system... this was 3 years ago, so I would like to check if it still holds true, can't you control it with Nikon's commander flash mode?
One more thing, for me flashes is much better than Stoops simply because i don't have a studio i do photoshoots on locations so flashes with rechargeable batteries is my best choice, its less powerful but in case i need to over power the sun i do stack two or 3 flashes and results are amazing :)
Hey Tony, I know this video is really old and I went back to watch it again as I have a few new DigiBee 800's coming in along with the Cyber Commander. Anyways just wanted to see if you have taken a look at the DigiBee's? They really change things in the Paul C Buff eco system. I mean daylight balanced 400W LED modeling lights that are "what you see is what you get" along with the capability to use them for video work!!! Awesome.
Really nice tutorial, thanks! I have a question, I want to fire Canon Speedlight model 430EXII's and wonder if the YN-622 will work to dial down or dial up flash control with the 430's as slaves from the camera, or will i need 'smarter' slave flash units?
Hello. I am having trouble trying to figure out the set up for using the Phottix with a STROBE light (Alien Bee 800). Where does the receiver go? I'm not able to get it to work with putting transmitter on my Nikon and the receiver attached to the back of the Alien Bee in the synch chord out let...one end in the alien bee and the other in the receiver. Can you help? Thank you!
Hello, great video. I have a few yongnuo YN-568II flashes for Nikon. Will the phottix odin control (manual/TTL and HSS) with these flashes? I see that you have one of these flashes in the video. There are conflicting reports on the web if this will all work correctly. Thanks for your help!
Hello Tony. I'm about to buy a flash setup and I was thinking of buying a complete Yongnuo setup (triggers and two YN568EXII flashes) but, while browsing I found very mixed reviews, ones saying they were very good flashes and others saying they broke after a few months or weeks because they can't endure constant flashing (they heat and break the wire-thing, I don't know the name, english is not my native languaje, sorry). Seeing that you use them as a professional photograher, I have two questions: Have you used them, like, really pushing then to the limits and have they endured?. And second: are they good enough for a beginer? or should I buy a used 430ex II?. I hope you please respond. Thanks.
Your video is very helpful! Does the PocketWizard work with multiple types of flashes/strobes at the same time? Say I had a Canon 580EX II, Alienbee strobe, and Yongnuo 565 and wanted to use all of them at the same time?
+Jessica Lee Meetze Yeah, it's pretty versatile, but it won't provide remote control over the output of the AlienBees or the Yongnuo... it'll just fire them.
Hello Tony. I need your advice. I’m about to do my first outdoor shoot and I want to use flash. I need a remote trigger but not sure what to get. I have the canon 6D mark 2 and a yongnuo flash. This video was back in 2013 so I was wondering if this unit by yongnuo was still a good choice..I hope you see this! Thank you sir!
Hi Tony. Thank you for your videos. I'm still really confused about transmitters. I have 1 alien bee that I want to combine with my canon speedlight 430 Ex. What is the best and easiest transmitter system to use?
I have a problem.. I have the YN622N-TX with 2 YN622N. They do work with YN568 EX. but I also have a YN565 Canon and the 600Canon flash both do not work with this system, I know the pins are different. CAn I get the Yn622C receivers? will they fire properly with the Nikon Transmitter?
I don't get the point "iTTL" that you mention about the PocketWizard. I searched around the internet, they are all saying the PocketWizard will work with Nikon on iTTL mode. I'm talking about the real iTTL mode.
The user's manual of the YN622C mentions: "Caution! Do not connect to the PC port any flash requiring trigger voltage more than 300V, or the transceiver may be damaged." Can anyone confirm that the following two studio strobes will be safe to use? I've done several searches, and I'm not finding a clear answer. The two strobes in question are: 1. Norman ML600 2. White Lightening 5000 BCPS
Brian Bremer I can't guarantee anything, but I do believe I've used the YN622C to trigger either an Alien Bees or White Lightning strobe with no problem.
Great video! Very informative like all your videos. After years of shooting I still refer to your book "How To Create Stunning Digital Photography". Best book on photography I've read! I have a question though. I recently switched to a micro four thirds system (omd) and the one big drawback for me is the off camera HSS. Do you know if with the pocketwizard system I can get "HSS" with the OMD using alienbees or einstein? (if I could get to 1/1000 would be more than enough for me).
Hi, I have a Nikon D5300, a SB700, a YN622N Transceiver, YN622N Flash Controller. I want to keep my SB700 flash on my camera with the YN622N Transceiver. Will the Yongnuo YN685 TTL Wireless Flash Speedlite work off camera using the YN622N Transceiver without I having to buy another transreciever
In the studio, I've always used basic Pocket Wizard Plus II's. They're super simple when connected to strobes. I'm curious if you have any opinions about using Pocket Wizard II's or Plus III's with speedlights? I know they'd require a sync cord adapter and will lose on camera control functions, but they should still trigger the speedlights if hooked up properly? If I were using the Plus III's with speedlights would I still be able to do flash grouping? The reason I have considered this option is because it's more affordable than the Pocket Wizard Flex system, while still allowing me to have reliable triggers that will work with strobes. Do you have any opinions? Thanks. (I'm a Canon shooter, by the way.)
If all you want is radio poppers (radio triggers with no control over flash output), just get some YongNuo RF-603s ($33). But really, once you get remote control over output, you'll never want to go back. More info in my Photography Buying Guide (sdp.io/buybg)... just think about how you can get the most done with your budget, and the PW radio poppers probably won't look that great. There was a time when PWs were the best (and only) option, but we have better choices now for most tasks.
Will this YN-622 work fine with Sony camera's now? I haven't seen a specific Sony system from YongNuo. Maybe you can provide an updated video which includes a few other brands of Triggers, like Cactus V5 or V6 and one's compatible with Sony. Thanks!
Cool Video as always , but your point about Nikon was a little misleading most modern prosumer and pro Nikon bodies like D800.600,7000,7100,700 etc all have 3 group wireless cls control menu built in so you don't need a su800 or on camera master , I control 3 groups from my camera all the time using the in camera menu system when working fast on assignment
TheFred1021 OK, that makes sense. I'm covering radio systems, and the Nikon CLS is an infrared system. The radio systems don't require line-of-sight and therefore tend to be much more flexible and reliable. They also allow the use of third-party flashes, which tend to be under 50% less expensive than the name brand flashes. There's more information in my Photography Buying Guide (sdp.io/buybg).
Hi Tony, This being late 2014, what trigger do you use today in studio and which flashes and which strobes? Rather than reinventing the wheel by trial and error, learning tried and true combinations would be invaluable! :)
I presume as my Cannon 400D proved able to directly trigger any of a professional photographer's nearby flash units set up around a function (wow, was I bemused initially when everyone else's on-camera flashes were failing to expose the dim room yet my camera seemed perfect), that I could set up a couple of flashes within whatever the camera's range is and trigger them all at once without these controllers, but then lack the ability to set individual flash-unit power levels ?
Sorry, I'm not sure I understand the question. But yes, any of these controllers provide remote control over up to three flash groups, and as long as you select a different channel than other photographers, they won't interfere (unlike, say, optical slaves). The Cyber Commander can handle 16 monolights, as I recall.
I am comparing all the PocketWizards and don't know what to buy! Why would a Canon/Alienbee/Yongnuo shooter want a PocketWizard Mini TT1 ($170) over a Flex TT5 ($186) other than the size & price? I am seeing a lot of TT5 & TT1's sold together but don't understand why. Why would you want both? If one person is shooting a wedding, rotating between 2 cameras and wants both cameras to use the same 2 off camera lights, what would they choose to buy? Would 4 Plus II or III Transceivers work? Or 2 Flex TT5's and 2 Plus II or III's work? Or 2 Mini TT1's and 2 Plus II or III's? Different scenario: If two people are shooting a wedding, each on their own camera and different off camera camera lights, what would they choose to buy? I will be using both scenarios.
Hi Tony, are you aware of the new flashes from Phottix ( the Phottix Mitros + that has a built in received and transmitter) Are you planning to review this flash? It will be very interesting and helpful. Thank you for your videos, I enjoy them very much and they are very, very helpfull.
***** I use the YN622N-TX+ receivers - it works fine with TTL. You can mix TTL and manual and even add in studio strobes. It supports high speed sync with compatible flashes (SB900 et al, YN568 etc). It also supports tail sync with big ole' slow studio strobes (Yongnuo call this SuperSync, Pocket wizard call it HyperSync). You can mix all this up on the 3 groups too (so say, group A as iTTL, group B as manual speedlight and group C on an old monoblock.) You really do need the TX for the Nikon version, as Tony mentioned in the vid, you can't do the trick of passing through the on-camera remote flash config to the 622N like you can with the 622C. Good news is the TX is about the same price now as the receivers :) Yongnuo's build quality is very good these days too, and mine have worked flawlessly for months now If you break one - it's £25 (about $40). Why anyone pays Pocketwizard $250 for their FlexTTL system is beyond me - especially as you need to balance that crude looking AC3 zone controller thing on top of it ....
***** I don't know tbh - Brand loyalty? Maybe a perceived reliability advantage? But then if that is a concern, you can buy at least one spare Yongnuo TX and Receiver and it;ll still be a lot cheaper than PW. I was about to buy the Odin too when the 622N-TX appeared. I got mine from a UK based supplier via eBay - not sure who exactly, but if you search eBay or Amazon for YN622N-TX you'll get plenty of options.
I have a NikonD7100 DSLR, a NikonSB-910 and a Yongnuo YN560-iii! How do I make both flashes work with my camera simultaneously. I also have a triple set of Pocketwizard Plus iii
Tony, I have a 5D3, a canon 580 flash and and old Minolta 5400 flash which I no longer use. Is it possible to use a wireless controller which can trigger both of these flashes wirelessly?
Triggering them is pretty easy--any radio popper will do that. Getting remote control over them, which was the focus of this video, won't be possible. If you want the remote control, sell your flashes and buy a couple of YN-568EX II's and the YN-622C system that I review here.
I use Phottix Odin ii transmitter and receiver, 5D Mkiii and Flashpoint RL 600B. I did the right set up but I still can not control the power of the light. It just fire the light. Can you tell me what should I do? Thank you.
Vince, it will probably trigger the flash, but won't give you remote control over the output. Only flashes that support TTL will give you remote power control.
My canon 60D does what these little guys do with my 430II flash. good to know because I was looking for a radio activation device. maybe if I just want that I will save more money?
It's pretty complex and the setup is hard, even for a techie like me. But once it's setup, it's pretty easy... not easy like the PocketWizard, though, but not bad.
Tony. . . If I get the Phottix system and a Nikon SB-910 flash would the high speed sync bracketing work for the flash off-camera with my D7100? I don't know if I am asking the question correctly.
Great video! Love Alienbees but I found something that works better for me, check out Cheetah Light, even smaller bare bulb system. Almost went with the Einsteins but Cheetah Light is great!
⭐YongNuo YN-622C on Amazon help.tc/yn622
⭐Phottix Odin on Amazon help.tc/phottix
⭐Pocket Wizard Flex TT5/Mini TT1 on Amazon help.tc/pocketwizard
⭐Paul C. Buff Cyber Commander on Amazon help.tc/cyber
Been working with a Yongnuo 560 II and 560 IV for months. Both manual flash and when you find the compatibility between you and your flashes, what used to be laboring between walking back and forth becomes almost second nature. Plus, learning manual before ETTL, is like learning to drive standard before automatic in terms of cars
I love how you're the only guy who says how many things are truly useless ie FEB, modeling light etc,., Thanks for such straight forward and well spoken reviews.. and for not spending 30 minutes fondling boxes they cam ein and showing us how they're wrapped and how many useless things
Im using the YN flashes and triggers since like two years, I'm fashion, beauty and baby photographer, and these devices running absolutely perfect and durable, you have to check the new YN-622 TX, it has a screen and its amazing all what you need is there in a button press.
I own PW Plus III and they are great for manual flash and grouping. But I bought the YN-622C and I love them they are great, fast, 100% reliable, cheap, and I can control everything from my 5D3.
The yongnuo YN622c TX really completes the setup :D
Very nicely done - thank you. Even now, 6 years later, the Cyber Commander remains one of the most technologically advanced and versatile remote triggering systems. I use it with 3 Einstein's (and a White Lightning when called for) on a daily basis. For anyone using PCB strobes it really is the best. I have a friend who just switched to PCB strobes because of the Cyber commander system. There's a lot of negative press out there from non-PCB users, so thanks again!
I have owned 3 yn-622c for over a year now, and just love those things. They work great once you figure them out, and are worth every penny.
Thank you, best comparison between the Yongnuo and Phottix systems. Wasn't aware of the limitations of the Yongnuo for Nikon camera before this.
One thing the Video doesn't mention about the YN-622C is that that only the "One-digit" Canon DSLR can control three groups. Cameras like the 60D/70D are limited to two groups. Older but still good models like the 50D don't support remote flash at all. I don't know about the entry level cameras, but I bet it's limited there too - maybe even one group only.
If you want three group remote control with any Canon you have to use the Yongnuo YN-622C-TX. You don't have to use the camera's menu any more to change or even view the flash settings - and you see the settings of all groups at once like with the Phottix. Since it doesn't cost much more than a single YN-622C, I'd recommend that - no matter how many YN-622C you're planning to buy - buy one less and add the YN-622C-TX instead. Actually I think the TX cost only about 10 bucks more then the receiver and I saw bundles with 1 TX and 3 Receiver for under $180 or something making the Phottix superfluous.
Since this filming, Yougnuo has made a transceiver YN-622N TX or YN 622C TX with a full display and the ability to fully control multiple flashes. Also a port for flashing an update to the unit. Put your flash in TTL and the trigger in manual and you have remote control over your flash.
JEFF PETERSON Yes, we have a follow-up review coming soon.
1 correction and a question:
A) on Canon, you can turn on a speedlite's modelling light with the preview depth of field button so I don't see it as an advantage to have that on the transmitter necessarily.
B) how HyperSync is any different than regular HSS? Max sync speed is a function of the camera's shutter mechanism, not the flash or it's triggering mechanism.
High Speed Synch fires the light source repeatedly as the shutter curtain travels across the sensor so that the entire sensor is covered with what are essentially mini-pulses of light. Hyper Synch fires the light source one time and triggers the shutter to go off while the light pulse is being produced. Hyper Synch requires a very precise synch of the shutter and light pulse as well as the single pulse of light to be of a relatively long duration so that the shutter curtain can travel across the sensor during that one pulse. If the usable light pulse is 1/350 of a second and the shutter speed is 1/1000 of a second, the shutter has to be triggered to go off within that 1/350 of a second the light is being produced.
Thanks!!! Great Video.
Yongnuo 622 tranceiver is the the best, Hight speed sync, IR focus assistant, TTL system,$40.each, and more.
Information regarding Yongnuo and Nikon is now out dated with the release of the YN-622N-TX controller. I can now control the off camera flashes all from the camera. I have had the YN-622N-TX since February and use it with YN-622N's to fire both Nikon and Yongnuo brand speedlights. I did enjoy this video and your comparisons though.
Yes, we're waiting on our copy of the YN-622N-TX so we can update the review.
I would like to share my opinion.
1. If all you use are PCB lighting, use the cyber ommander, if you mix and match speelights or use only speedlights, look elsewhere.
2. If your budget is limited as well as all you want is a basic trigger, any of the others will do the job amicably.
3. If you want to control speedlights AND studio heads, PW and no one else does this. PW also offs a TON of other features that were not mentioned, like Speedcycler, HyperSync (incorrectly described), higher maximum sync soeeds, remote camera control, a chouce to use on camera flash or not, TTL, full compatibility with all previous PW products, wider industry acceptance, and on and on. However, the PW setup does have a few considerations... It is expensive, it has a much higher learning curve, that if you are not aware of WILL cause reliability and functional issues. However, once you lesrn it's idiosyncracies, it IS as reliable as anything else out in the market. Is it for everyone? No. Is itbthe most feature rich and best supported unit in the market? Yes. Try getting support from Phottix or Yongnuo in North America... not going to happen. PW is a US company with a several decade reputation in the trigger market, that is something no other one can say. Obviously, I am pro PW, but then again, I am a pro photographer and demand a lot from my equipment. I ask things of the ControlTL units that no other unit on the market can even come close to delivering.
really happy you did this video tony lots of people ask me about this and I have never used anything else but the yongnuo set up
Nowadays,YongNuo has a distinc transmiter too and no need for camera control.
By the way your tutorials are informative as usual.
Thank you
Thanks for a great video, Tony. I own a Canon 5D Mark III and had purchased late last year three Yongnuo YN568EX II flashes along with four YN-622 units, and have had good luck. I was racing around at a wedding were the arrangements of flashes (all on stands with umbrellas) kept changing, and it was *really* nice to adjust the power output ratios remotely, especially to compensate against the sun as fill flashes when I was using a telephoto and at least 50 feet away from the subject(s) and flash units.
This year I bought four Einsteins along with a Cyber Commander for studio work, but I have yet to really use them. I've been worried that the Cyber Command will be too complex to change output (that's one thing I really like about the PocketWizard AC3 zone controller - it's simple and quick to make changes). But after seeing your review, you renewed my faith that I had made the best buying choice for my wireless triggers for my Einsteins.
Hi Tony I know this is a few years old now but the Nikon D7200 has control of A and B flash groups with both TTL and manual modes and flash output control on camera as well as control for the on camera flash. I'm not sure if this is a fairly new feature or not as I have only just got this camera as an update from a Nikon D60 which is 10 years old and has no remote flash function. Love the videos very informative for someone learning
Not only does the yongnuo YN622c TX really complete the setup, it operates my alienbees and speedlights independent, Ive had these units for almost two years and have never had a failure, I use my alienbee-abr800 for main light and use speedlight for fill with umbrella and another speedlight for hairlight, works great. more than enough light. you can find alienbees used quite cheap, I bought mine 120 dollars, I got my yn622c's two of them and the yh622c-tx for 149, and them found some used yn622c's in some things I bought used he just threw them in, the deals are out there just be patient and keep looking. also ive had my yn568exii for over a year as well and never had problems.
I get a little frustrated when everything is rated better because of it's lower price when their is so many combinations to come up to a certain figure. This is only a preference and how much it is worth to you. Zero frustration and a peace of mind is priceless for me. I really love the AC3 concept but would love it more if it had a cable or work wireless instead of having to sit on top of the camera.
Thanks Tony and Chelsea! I enjoy your video tutorials. Just picked up Yongnuo Yn622c-TX and few YN-622cs. On a budget so banking on these triggers to further my needs. Keep up the good work!
When I first got into flash photography I used a canon 430exii. I sold that moved to a 580exii. I sold that off because I hated using the flex and mini from pocket wizard. Now I shoot with the canon 600ex rt system, which I used to trigger with the canon st-e3 rt until last week. I replaced my trigger with the yn-e3 rt. In my opinion the canon system is by far my most favorite system. Not a single mis-fire.
The Canon is a great system, and it's one that I cover in my Photography Buying Guide. It depends on what your purposes are, but I think most people can get more out of their budget using either Alien Bees + CyberSync or third-party flashes and one of the systems I describe here. The 600EX-RTs are very nice, but try an Einstein E640 (close to the same price) and you'll be completely blown away.
This video is obviously for Canon users.
Nikon users. The Yongnuo YN-622n TX will give full control of 3 groups of speed lights and has a LCD screen to show and adjust all settings, including flash mode, power and zoom. It also has control over time-adjustable HSS.
I own both Canon and Fuji X systems, and the Canon model works perfectly on my X-T1, less TTL and HSS. But for studio, works like a charm
The Yong Nuo trigger can be used on any studio with strobe that has a cable socket.
I went for the Yongnuo YN-622c x4 to upgrade the older RF-602`s and have been pleased with the optional TTL. As a non-pro its hard to justify the money for PW`s
Thx T-bone. I bought 4 yn622c and a yn565ex to add to my canon 600ex collection. Looking forward to controlling various lights with e-ttl.
The yongnuo system is indeed available for Nikon.An existing flash or su800 is required for visable control. You can also control your lights with button pushes on the yongnuo but it is klugy.
Yes, and I thought I mentioned that, but maybe it got cut in editing. But the YN-622Ns really aren't usable on Nikon cameras without an on-camera master... at least, you can't control the individual outputs in any practical way. So, you buy a master flash or an SU-800, which adds so much to the cost that you might as well upgrade to the Phottix.
That's why I recommend the YN-622C but not the YN-622N.
Tony Northrup
Thats not entirely true, there is an optional controller unit with LCD display that makes it dead simple.
In all fairness Tony's review was out before the yongnuo yn622n-tx was available. I have picked one up and it is a game changer.
Tony, when you get a chance you should give this a follow up. I think it is a big deal for Nikon shooters.
Tony Northrup I agree with William Kearns. You should do a follow up on this. The unit is called the yn-622n-tx and it works almost exactly like the Odin controller. It's awesome. I have 4 yn-622n and the tx and it cost me a total of $215 ($148 for 4 yn-6222n and $67 for the tx) so take one tranceiver out to have a 3light setup it would cost you around $178 and you have even more control than the Canon version.
Yongnuo 622c is around 60 US dollars in China. My friend is going back to China to spend the spring break. I will ask her to bring me one of those:)
Is that for a set? You can buy them on ebay for $41 shipped, and a pair is $75.
Some this is a little out of date. The Yongnuo 622 now comes in Nikon and Canon versions. There is a transmitter version which allows setting the flashes on the unit. I prefer the regular one because I use the female hot shoe to hold the transmitter for the strobes (e.g., the Cyber Commander). The 622 supports HSS and TTL.
A YN-622 limitation is the lack of a USB port for firmware upgrades. It wasn't addressed which of the others have USB ports.
Yongnuo also has integrated in receivers in their 560EX III and 560EX-IV flashes along with a transmitter with screen. These are manual only but popular with event photographers because they are inexpensive. The integrated receivers in the flashes reduces complexity including needing to mount the receiver between the flash and the hot shoe.
Godox has a Bowens S-mount flash bracket. This clamps on the head of the flash and allows the use of a wide variety of strobe light modifiers. The mount on the flash is more secure than the hot shoe and the hot shoe is only supporting the weight of the receiver. I've found at 1/8-to-1/4 power or greater the flash can fill a 37" octagonal softbox.
I don't have it, is Yongnuo is about to introduce receivers for the Canon 600EX-RT system. While Yongnuo sells Canon compatible 600EX-RT flashes that have integrated transceivers and an E3-RT compatible transmitter (so either Canon or Yongnuo can be used interchangeably. The receiver will allow this system to be used with non-600EX-RT flashes. With its integrated receiver, the 600EX-RT (at least the Yongnuo version) isn't much more expensive than a comparable flash plus a receiver.
While the video talked about strobe advantages the big advantage of flashes is portability. They are small, lightweight, and contain the battery. While flashes are often used with external battery packs for quicker recycle times and longer battery life, Godox has 2 models that include a 11.1v lithium ion battery effectively integrating the external battery in the flash. I have 3 of their TTL/HSS model and they seem to work well with the YN-622c transceivers.
DavidNJ1 Yes, we're planning a follow-up review with the latest triggers and flashes with built-in receivers.
The very small Canon Speedlite 90EX Flash works as a Opical Wireless Master! So this will be a smaller and less expensive, but better in many ways option compared to the yongnou 622c. It works with optical ETTL.
This comparison was specifically for radio control systems; optical isn't reliable or flexible enough for professional needs.
I had the Pocketwizard Flex system for my Canon 580EXII's and had to get rid of them as they were too unreliable, as much as I really wanted them to work after investing so much $$ into them. I've since switched to the Phottix Odin/Mitros+
system and have not looked back.
Have been looking at my first light setup and was settle on PCB for integrated control through PocketWizard and the PowerMC2 module. Then just read the sales of the MC2 module have been halted due to potential shock hazard if the antenna becomes broke.
My Nikon D7000 has the in camera menus for CLS control.
No sure about D3x00 and D5x000 but the 7x00 and up do.
yup my D5100 does not has the menus for CLS, just ttl and manual, but my D200 has the CLS or commander mode, but the other hand my SB700s has the commander mode so no worries about just need the YongNuo YN-622n, for the wireless work.
Hi Tony. I have a Nikon D700 and the Phottix Odin to control my SB600 and SB910 - I've use the Phottix in manual mode and love it! Really informative video, thanks.
You could just as easily use the built in Commander Mode for those two flash units. CLS is very intuitive. I've a got a D700 with an sb-600 and sb-700 and use it extensively.
Just to confirm the Phottix Odin does offer high speed sync and can trigger studio strobes (but not control their settings).
One of the things I like about the Odin is that it is also backwards compatible with Phottix Strato receivers too. They are great to use with a mixed flashgun and monoblock setup. So I can put Odin receivers inside my Westcott Apollo softbox and manually adjust the settings, while at the same time firing a Strato II receiver attached by cable to my studio monoblocks. Obviously the Pocketwizards can do this too (at a much higher price), but the Cyber Commanders seem really limited by only working with Paul C Buff gear (rather rare here in the UK).
I'm not sure why you were having problems getting the various systems to work. Its not a problem I've come across with the Phottix gear. But I must admit I only ever work with manual and not E-TTL II.
PS Phottix now make flashguns with built in Odin receivers.
To be clear, the Odin, PocketWizard, and YongNuo products reviewed here all support High Speed Sync (HSS) and can trigger external devices like monolights (but without control over their output). I think people might be commenting on the HSS because I mentioned that PocketWizard has their proprietary "HyperSync" feature... HyperSync is a different animal entirely; it allows you to use faster shutter speeds without jumping to HSS. HSS requires far greater flash output (increasing recycle time and reducing battery life) than HyperSync. HyperSync can also work with flashes and monolights that don't support HSS.
Just wanted to clarify that they are two different technologies.
And you're right that the Paul C. Buff gear is harder to get overseas (though they're working on better international distribution).
Tony Northrup although only PW has "hypersync", they all now have the same thing (different names). Yongnuo has "Supersync" and Phottix Odin has "ODS" ("OverDrive Sync"). Odin can customize timing from the trigger, unlike Pocketwizard's hypersync (must use computer program and USB cable). Yongnuo allows timing to be set on their new trigger transmitter (not transceiver)-- available only for Nikon right now, Canon soon.
Great video. But, I am so much more elementary. I would really appreciate (1) what should be me first flash on/over camera (T5i). (2) A flash that should to expand to the types of tools shown in this video. Plus, I have/bought your book. Let me me get simple, I have T1i and T51, and I can't get my 300EZ to work basically with either camera. Yes, I am old (old-school) film guy.
u can do Modeling light on YN by clicking the small button on the front of the camera next or under the lens :)
Very helpful so thanks for posting! Appreciate the thorough review of each system as I'm just now getting started with flash photography.
Hi I bought pocket wizards of eBay the only problem i had was being beat a few times but if you wait you can save a fortune just do not not chase the price and you will get them at a reasonable price which is what i do for Nikon lenses,i got a Nikon 85mm 1.4 d for £400 and its like new
I recommend the Godox / Flashpoint (Adorama) trigger system.
Yeah we've since switched to that.
Phottix Mitros flashes won’t work with vintage and “unchipped” manual lenses-this is a really big deal for mirrorless camera users! TTL and M modes do not work when mounted on the hot shoe, or when controlled by an Odin transmitter. There’s a horrible work-around by using them off-camera in M mode, and adjusting each flash at the flash (exactly not the reason you’d by into the Odin/Mitros+ system). You should really take a look at this and maybe do a new review and point out the other flashes that don’t have this limitation.
Love your product reviews, but you've made a few significant errors in your assessment of the Phottix system. 1) It does also work with high speed sync, though you claim it does not. 2) It will also control a speedlight or mono light. 3) If you purchase one or more Phottix Mitros+ speedlight, you will have both a receiver and transmitter in one unit. This can serve as a backup control unit in the event the main unit fails. 2 other key features you did not even touch on are 1) the units are very durable. I've been using mine daily on location and in studio for 2+ years with no issues. And 2) the usable range of the Phottix system is well over their conservatively stated 100 meters!
Glad you took the time to write this, I was going to. You saved me from doing so..
Hey Tony, you mention in the video that it's not a good idea to get the YongNuo transceivers for Nikon because of the menu system... this was 3 years ago, so I would like to check if it still holds true, can't you control it with Nikon's commander flash mode?
One more thing, for me flashes is much better than Stoops simply because i don't have a studio i do photoshoots on locations so flashes with rechargeable batteries is my best choice, its less powerful but in case i need to over power the sun i do stack two or 3 flashes and results are amazing :)
Hey Tony, I know this video is really old and I went back to watch it again as I have a few new DigiBee 800's coming in along with the Cyber Commander. Anyways just wanted to see if you have taken a look at the DigiBee's? They really change things in the Paul C Buff eco system. I mean daylight balanced 400W LED modeling lights that are "what you see is what you get" along with the capability to use them for video work!!! Awesome.
Really nice tutorial, thanks! I have a question, I want to fire Canon Speedlight model 430EXII's and wonder if the YN-622 will work to dial down or dial up flash control with the 430's as slaves from the camera, or will i need 'smarter' slave flash units?
Hello. I am having trouble trying to figure out the set up for using the Phottix with a STROBE light (Alien Bee 800). Where does the receiver go? I'm not able to get it to work with putting transmitter on my Nikon and the receiver attached to the back of the Alien Bee in the synch chord out let...one end in the alien bee and the other in the receiver. Can you help? Thank you!
Manual mode is no problem for Chelsea. She can take photos like a boss and have you run around the lights! XD
great vid btw :)
Hello, great video. I have a few yongnuo YN-568II flashes for Nikon. Will the phottix odin control (manual/TTL and HSS) with these flashes? I see that you have one of these flashes in the video. There are conflicting reports on the web if this will all work correctly. Thanks for your help!
You can get the Nikon version of the YN622 for the exact same price as the Nikon version now.
Hi Tony, for a Nikon D610 and a speed light NikonSB 700 photthix is the best option ? Thank you for your help
I have the Yn-622n tx controller and three yn 622n transceivers....would not be without it!!! one day ill upgrade to the pocket wizard...but maybe
Hello Tony.
I'm about to buy a flash setup and I was thinking of buying a complete Yongnuo setup (triggers and two YN568EXII flashes) but, while browsing I found very mixed reviews, ones saying they were very good flashes and others saying they broke after a few months or weeks because they can't endure constant flashing (they heat and break the wire-thing, I don't know the name, english is not my native languaje, sorry). Seeing that you use them as a professional photograher, I have two questions: Have you used them, like, really pushing then to the limits and have they endured?. And second: are they good enough for a beginer? or should I buy a used 430ex II?. I hope you please respond. Thanks.
Your video is very helpful! Does the PocketWizard work with multiple types of flashes/strobes at the same time? Say I had a Canon 580EX II, Alienbee strobe, and Yongnuo 565 and wanted to use all of them at the same time?
+Jessica Lee Meetze Yeah, it's pretty versatile, but it won't provide remote control over the output of the AlienBees or the Yongnuo... it'll just fire them.
Hello Tony and Chelsea! Would it be possible for you two to test and compare YongNuo's SuperSync, Phottix's OverDrive Sync, and PW's HyperSync?
Hello Tony. I need your advice. I’m about to do my first outdoor shoot and I want to use flash.
I need a remote trigger but not sure what to get. I have the canon 6D mark 2 and a yongnuo flash. This video was back in 2013 so I was wondering if this unit by yongnuo was still a good choice..I hope you see this! Thank you sir!
you may or may not have answered this question but which trigger system is capable of controlling the zoom function on canon's 600ex-rt??
Hi Tony. Thank you for your videos. I'm still really confused about transmitters. I have 1 alien bee that I want to combine with my canon speedlight 430 Ex. What is the best and easiest transmitter system to use?
I have a problem.. I have the YN622N-TX with 2 YN622N. They do work with YN568 EX. but I also have a YN565 Canon and the 600Canon flash both do not work with this system, I know the pins are different. CAn I get the Yn622C receivers? will they fire properly with the Nikon Transmitter?
So will the 622 not work with Nikon at all? Or do you just not have the option to adjust the flash power remotely?
Is there any trigger & reciever set which can flash one flash mounted on camera two flash offcamera & three studio lights also at same time
Do you need a receiver for Canon speedlites (e.g. 430 EX III and the 600 EX) ... can't they just receive the signal from the trigger directly?
I don't get the point "iTTL" that you mention about the PocketWizard. I searched around the internet, they are all saying the PocketWizard will work with Nikon on iTTL mode. I'm talking about the real iTTL mode.
I had a problems with the pocket wizard with canon flashes somewhere like 60-70% misflashes! >
Thx so much Tony & Chelsea!!!
techgiant 2k You're welcome!
The user's manual of the YN622C mentions:
"Caution! Do not connect to the PC port any flash requiring trigger voltage more than 300V, or the transceiver may be damaged."
Can anyone confirm that the following two studio strobes will be safe to use? I've done several searches, and I'm not finding a clear answer. The two strobes in question are:
1. Norman ML600
2. White Lightening 5000 BCPS
Brian Bremer I can't guarantee anything, but I do believe I've used the YN622C to trigger either an Alien Bees or White Lightning strobe with no problem.
thanks for the video. will these triggers allow me to use my on camera flash as a fill flash while using the trigger to fire the external flash?
Great video! Very informative like all your videos. After years of shooting I still refer to your book "How To Create Stunning Digital Photography". Best book on photography I've read! I have a question though. I recently switched to a micro four thirds system (omd) and the one big drawback for me is the off camera HSS. Do you know if with the pocketwizard system I can get "HSS" with the OMD using alienbees or einstein? (if I could get to 1/1000 would be more than enough for me).
Hi, I have a Nikon D5300, a SB700, a YN622N Transceiver, YN622N Flash Controller. I want to keep my SB700 flash on my camera with the YN622N Transceiver. Will the Yongnuo YN685 TTL Wireless Flash Speedlite work off camera using the YN622N Transceiver without I having to buy another transreciever
do you know what the max sync speed is for the alien bees with the 622c tx or regular 622 yongnuo ?
In the studio, I've always used basic Pocket Wizard Plus II's. They're super simple when connected to strobes. I'm curious if you have any opinions about using Pocket Wizard II's or Plus III's with speedlights? I know they'd require a sync cord adapter and will lose on camera control functions, but they should still trigger the speedlights if hooked up properly? If I were using the Plus III's with speedlights would I still be able to do flash grouping? The reason I have considered this option is because it's more affordable than the Pocket Wizard Flex system, while still allowing me to have reliable triggers that will work with strobes. Do you have any opinions? Thanks. (I'm a Canon shooter, by the way.)
If all you want is radio poppers (radio triggers with no control over flash output), just get some YongNuo RF-603s ($33). But really, once you get remote control over output, you'll never want to go back. More info in my Photography Buying Guide (sdp.io/buybg)... just think about how you can get the most done with your budget, and the PW radio poppers probably won't look that great. There was a time when PWs were the best (and only) option, but we have better choices now for most tasks.
Will this YN-622 work fine with Sony camera's now? I haven't seen a specific Sony system from YongNuo. Maybe you can provide an updated video which includes a few other brands of Triggers, like Cactus V5 or V6 and one's compatible with Sony. Thanks!
Cool Video as always , but your point about Nikon was a little misleading most modern prosumer and pro Nikon bodies like D800.600,7000,7100,700 etc all have 3 group wireless cls control menu built in so you don't need a su800 or on camera master , I control 3 groups from my camera all the time using the in camera menu system when working fast on assignment
Using which flash trigger system?
using the built in NIKON CLS trigger system in the body it self
TheFred1021 OK, that makes sense. I'm covering radio systems, and the Nikon CLS is an infrared system. The radio systems don't require line-of-sight and therefore tend to be much more flexible and reliable. They also allow the use of third-party flashes, which tend to be under 50% less expensive than the name brand flashes. There's more information in my Photography Buying Guide (sdp.io/buybg).
Hi Tony,
This being late 2014, what trigger do you use today in studio and which flashes and which strobes? Rather than reinventing the wheel by trial and error, learning tried and true combinations would be invaluable! :)
Geoff Maxwell The Paul C Buff Cyber Commander, just as in this video
I presume as my Cannon 400D proved able to directly trigger any of a professional photographer's nearby flash units set up around a function (wow, was I bemused initially when everyone else's on-camera flashes were failing to expose the dim room yet my camera seemed perfect), that I could set up a couple of flashes within whatever the camera's range is and trigger them all at once without these controllers, but then lack the ability to set individual flash-unit power levels ?
Sorry, I'm not sure I understand the question. But yes, any of these controllers provide remote control over up to three flash groups, and as long as you select a different channel than other photographers, they won't interfere (unlike, say, optical slaves). The Cyber Commander can handle 16 monolights, as I recall.
I am comparing all the PocketWizards and don't know what to buy!
Why would a Canon/Alienbee/Yongnuo shooter want a PocketWizard Mini TT1 ($170) over a Flex TT5 ($186) other than the size & price? I am seeing a lot of TT5 & TT1's sold together but don't understand why. Why would you want both?
If one person is shooting a wedding, rotating between 2 cameras and wants both cameras to use the same 2 off camera lights, what would they choose to buy? Would 4 Plus II or III Transceivers work? Or 2 Flex TT5's and 2 Plus II or III's work? Or 2 Mini TT1's and 2 Plus II or III's?
Different scenario: If two people are shooting a wedding, each on their own camera and different off camera camera lights, what would they choose to buy? I will be using both scenarios.
Hi Tony, are you aware of the new flashes from Phottix ( the Phottix Mitros + that has a built in received and transmitter) Are you planning to review this flash? It will be very interesting and helpful. Thank you for your videos, I enjoy them very much and they are very, very helpfull.
I have a main soft box light is on, why i need to trigger the soft box again. thank
Was this done before the YN-622N got an on camera controller ? or am I missing something major here ?
Hello Tony, I would like to get your opinion on Yongnuo YN-622N-TX Wireless Flash Commander?
Detroit Don I recommend them. Check the Flash Triggers chapter of my Photography Buying Guide (links in the description) for more info.
***** I use the YN622N-TX+ receivers - it works fine with TTL. You can mix TTL and manual and even add in studio strobes. It supports high speed sync with compatible flashes (SB900 et al, YN568 etc). It also supports tail sync with big ole' slow studio strobes (Yongnuo call this SuperSync, Pocket wizard call it HyperSync). You can mix all this up on the 3 groups too (so say, group A as iTTL, group B as manual speedlight and group C on an old monoblock.)
You really do need the TX for the Nikon version, as Tony mentioned in the vid, you can't do the trick of passing through the on-camera remote flash config to the 622N like you can with the 622C. Good news is the TX is about the same price now as the receivers :)
Yongnuo's build quality is very good these days too, and mine have worked flawlessly for months now If you break one - it's £25 (about $40). Why anyone pays Pocketwizard $250 for their FlexTTL system is beyond me - especially as you need to balance that crude looking AC3 zone controller thing on top of it ....
***** I don't know tbh - Brand loyalty? Maybe a perceived reliability advantage? But then if that is a concern, you can buy at least one spare Yongnuo TX and Receiver and it;ll still be a lot cheaper than PW. I was about to buy the Odin too when the 622N-TX appeared. I got mine from a UK based supplier via eBay - not sure who exactly, but if you search eBay or Amazon for YN622N-TX you'll get plenty of options.
Just bought my first flash, the Neewer Speedlite 750 II. Would any of these flash triggers work for my flash?
can you make a video on AC3 ZoneController - Pocketwizard. Set-up and how tos in canon 6d camera. thank you and more power.
I have a NikonD7100 DSLR, a NikonSB-910 and a Yongnuo YN560-iii! How do I make both flashes work with my camera simultaneously. I also have a triple set of Pocketwizard Plus iii
Make sure all of the transmitters are on the same channel.
Tony, I have a 5D3, a canon 580 flash and and old Minolta 5400 flash which I no longer use. Is it possible to use a wireless controller which can trigger both of these flashes wirelessly?
Triggering them is pretty easy--any radio popper will do that. Getting remote control over them, which was the focus of this video, won't be possible. If you want the remote control, sell your flashes and buy a couple of YN-568EX II's and the YN-622C system that I review here.
Excellent information and super presentation style
I use Phottix Odin ii transmitter and receiver, 5D Mkiii and Flashpoint RL 600B. I did the right set up but I still can not control the power of the light. It just fire the light. Can you tell me what should I do? Thank you.
You can only control the power of Canon compatible speedlites with these triggers, it can't communicate with your monolight.
hi tony does the 622n or c can control studio lights or portable light aside from strobe flashes thanks
what is your opinion on the odin for sony systems... to date, would it not be the best for HHS and all other options ?
Thanks for the review.
Happy Holidays
Hi Tony! I have a Yongnuo 560III and I'm wondering if that flash is compatible with the PocketWizard system? Thank you and great video.
Vince, it will probably trigger the flash, but won't give you remote control over the output. Only flashes that support TTL will give you remote power control.
thank you for your videos ! happy holidays for you and yours !
best regards from cologne, andreas
Doesn't the Odin also do 1/8000 HSS? Also, do all PocketWizards do 1/8000 HSS or just the one that you were reviewing? Thanks.
does the odin system work with yongnuo flashes?
My canon 60D does what these little guys do with my 430II flash.
good to know because I was looking for a radio activation device. maybe if I just want that I will save more money?
I've heard there is a learning curve with cyber commander.
It's pretty complex and the setup is hard, even for a techie like me. But once it's setup, it's pretty easy... not easy like the PocketWizard, though, but not bad.
Tony. . . If I get the Phottix system and a Nikon SB-910 flash would the high speed sync bracketing work for the flash off-camera with my D7100? I don't know if I am asking the question correctly.
+Gracebeliever077 Phottix Odin can do HSS for Nikon with SB910, I am using it.
+Arif Kaser Thank you!
welcome bro. make sure its Phottix Odin Triggers and Phottix Odin Receivers for Nikon.
+Arif Kaser Thanks again and I will keep that and this video in mind when I get to the point of purchase. I appreciate it!
A very nice review thanks.
Great video! Love Alienbees but I found something that works better for me, check out Cheetah Light, even smaller bare bulb system. Almost went with the Einsteins but Cheetah Light is great!