PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR
When you add the Pocket Wizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon to your on-camera MiniTT1 Transmitter or FlexTT5 Transceiver, you instantly have three zones of flash control. Whether in E-TTL II or Manual mode, you have control over all your flashes from your camera position. Put your flashes wherever you want, without worrying about having to access them during a shoot.
Three clearly labeled dials let you increase or decrease power to three zones of flash in 1/3-stop increments--with a range of up to six stops. Three switches allow you to change zones between Manual, Auto (PowerTracking/E-TTL II) or OFF. Best of all, the design is simple to use, with an intuitive interface. When matched with the PowerST4 or AC9 AlienBees Adapter, you can now control ElinchromRX1, White Lightning2 and AlienBees2 flashes right from the camera's position.
The AC3 requires firmware version 5.10 (or later) be installed on paired MiniTT1's and FlexTT5's.
- Three independent zones of flash control
- 6 stops of flash control in 1/3rd stop increments
- Works in PowerTracking/E-TTL II or Manual mode
- Turn zones on and off remotely
- Put your flashes where you want, without worrying about accessing them during a shoot
| Mounting | Hot shoe |
| Status Indicator | LED: Green status indicator |
| Operating Temperature | Above 5°F (-15°C) and below 120°F (50°C) |
| Storage Temperature | Above 22°F (-30°C) and below 185°F (85°C) |
| Power | Receives power from MiniTT1 Transmitter or FlexTT5 Pocket Wizard |
| Dimensions | 2 x 1.7 x 0.9" (5 x 4.2 x 2.1 cm) |
| Weight | 0.82 oz (23.25 g) |
| Requirements | MiniTT1 Transmitter or FlexTT5 Transceiver with firmware version 5.10 (or later) needed as a host |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 73 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
97%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Attach securely (33)
- Easy to use (22)
- Lightweight (18)
- Durable (15)
- Reliable (13)
Cons
- Poor quality (5)
- Flimsy (4)
Best Uses
- Indoors (28)
- Outdoor events / games (28)
- Low light (25)
- Outdoors (25)
- General purpose (24)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Semi-pro photographer (39), Pro photographer (27), Photo enthusiast (7)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (69), Yes (3)
Most Liked Positive Review
I should have bought this sooner!
The AC3 is an excellent product. There are countless uses for this simple device, such as wedding photography and environmental portraits. Yes I have a light meter and yes I could set up my...Read complete review
The AC3 is an excellent product. There are countless uses for this simple device, such as wedding photography and environmental portraits. Yes I have a light meter and yes I could set up my 580s on manual, but TTL allows me to work much more quickly when working with a time restraint.
For example, the brides maids are ready for their group shots with their white or light colored dresses.... No problem, just dial your strobes (that are on your light stands) to plus 2/3 or one stop over or however much you need based on the lighting and background. Next comes your groomsmen wearing all black. Without bringing your stands down, adjusting (hopefully having it right), and putting your stands back up, you can just turn a dial on the top of your camera. And if the first shot is a little hot based on your histogram, just dial the flashes down a little more. The time you save from making constant adjusts is worth the money. Besides, have you ever photographed a wedding where you had as much time as you wish you had?
Not a wedding photographer? Fine. Use this device while you're at a skatepark when your camera meter is seeing too much of the background and is trying to use the flash to compensate, washing out your subject.
I only have three minor complaints:
1. This technology should have been built into the original MiniTT1.
2. You can no longer fit a strobe on camera for fill flash (again, too bad it wasn't built into the MiniTT1)
3. The dials could be bumped out of position if you're not careful. I wish the dials had more distinct solid clicks.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Neat but fragile...
I really wish I could give the AC3 a better score. Honestly, when it works it's brilliant. Being able to adjust speedlights without walking over to them and pressing their tiny buttons and reading...Read complete review
I really wish I could give the AC3 a better score. Honestly, when it works it's brilliant. Being able to adjust speedlights without walking over to them and pressing their tiny buttons and reading their terrible screens is great. You can easily dial more or less power, switch modes or even turn groups on and off. Fantastic.
But I've only had the AC3 for a little over two months, and I'm about to send it in for repair again. The first one died within a couple days, and this one has only lasted a couple months.
So, while it's brilliant and immediately becomes indispensable, I can't rely on it. Total bummer.
Because of the problems I've had with the AC3, I really want to give it one or two stars. But it's such a great idea and, as I said, when it works it's fantastic. At least it's pretty cheap, so maybe I need to buy two and keep a spare...
REVIEWS
Reviewed by 73 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-20
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Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
Cons
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Weddings/Events
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
I tried it with two Canon Speedlights with Pocket Wizards and it worked great!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
Cons
- Weak Construction
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Sports/Action
- Weddings/Events
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
Fantastic!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
Cons
- Unreliable
- Weak Construction
Best Uses
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
I really wish I could give the AC3 a better score. Honestly, when it works it's brilliant. Being able to adjust speedlights without walking over to them and pressing their tiny buttons and reading their terrible screens is great. You can easily dial more or less power, switch modes or even turn groups on and off. Fantastic.
But I've only had the AC3 for a little over two months, and I'm about to send it in for repair again. The first one died within a couple days, and this one has only lasted a couple months.
So, while it's brilliant and immediately becomes indispensable, I can't rely on it. Total bummer.
Because of the problems I've had with the AC3, I really want to give it one or two stars. But it's such a great idea and, as I said, when it works it's fantastic. At least it's pretty cheap, so maybe I need to buy two and keep a spare...
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
If not for the shoddy Flex TT5 units that this little guy sits atop, this thing would be fantastic! I already left a poor review for the TT5 units, but the AC3 zone controller really cannot be blamed for it's counterparts. It does it's job well and is easy to use.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Portraits
- Weddings/Events
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
If little time and need a lot of photograph - this product is simply irreplaceable
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Weddings/Events
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
Another wedding photographer friend of mine has this, and I love the way it allows for better control of the speedlites when they are set up in umbrellas for group shots. Still need to do some testing, but so far I love this piece of equipment!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
Awesome. So easy to use, excellent results. this is a must have item for your Mini and Flex system.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy to Use
- Reasonably priced
- Reliable
Cons
- None
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Weddings/Events
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
quickly control lighting w/out running around setting controls on speedlights.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
Cons
- Unreliable
- Weak Construction
Best Uses
- Family Photos
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
My intentions for this product was to simplify the control of my external Canon 580EX2 flashes during portrait photography. I am sad to say it was a bit of a dissapointment. Using the flashes in ETTL mode will overexpose your pictures, and you will manually have to adjust flash exposure compensation to fight this issue. The AC3 controllers build quality is also a little dissapointing as it feels a little flimsy, and the flash control slide buttons are of cheap quality and feel. The good news about this device is that it works fairly ok in manual mode, but don't expect any miracles from it.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
Lightweight, easy to use, perfect. I like this much better than using a flash on top just to control ratios, etc. Would be perfect if it only had AF assist.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
Cons
- Weak Construction
Best Uses
- Weddings/Events
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
I think this is a great addition to the minitt1 and has a myriad of uses at weddings and other scenarios.
Only complaints are how cheap it feels and I wish the dials were marked in a more meaningful way - although it's easy to criticize; harder to come up with something better!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
Cons
Best Uses
- Studio or multiple lights
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
If you have the newer pocket wizard system (TT5. Mini, or on-strobe units such as the one for Paul C. Buff Einstein , there is simply no better way to control lighting. Control up to 3 zones right from the camera. Saves us tons of time in the Studio, but great on location as well.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Lightweight
Cons
- Flextt5 is the weak link
Best Uses
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
ac3 works as intended..saves me a lot of trip to the flash to dial the power..
now if the flextt5 works more consistently with the 580ex2 then we would have a winner.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
- Strong Construction
Cons
- None
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Modeling
- Portraits
- Weddings/Events
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
Works as advertised. Gives a lot of freedom when placing your canon flashes.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
Cons
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Weddings/Events
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
Small and compact. Works as advertised with my 430EXII's, Flexes and Mini. Definitely makes off camera lighting easier to manage.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy to Use
Cons
- Weak Construction
Best Uses
- General Flash
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
Finally getting the flash off the camera. this helps an simplify the whole adjustment process. It could be sturdier - like to pocketwizards, but no issues.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Landscape/Scenery
- Sports/Action
- Weddings/Events
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
Works with Pocket Wizard to adjust power output to 3 different flashes. I use it with my Canon 7D and it is great
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Pack
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
Cons
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Sports/Action
- Weddings/Events
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
Talking about simplifying your workload. I use quite a few strobes on a regular basis. This speeds up my shoot times a lot. I can quickly adjust on the fly. Its wonderful
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy to Use
- Lightweight
- Reliable
- Saves time
Cons
Best Uses
- Family Photos
- Sports/Action
- Travel
- Weddings/Events
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
I find it is much easier to use the AC3 to set ratios than it is to do it with an on camera flash. Plus, you can mix between automatic (ETTL) and manual with each of the three groups without having to walk over to adjust each flash. It is much faster; a real time saver. I highly recommend this for anyone using the Mini and/or Flex setups for off camera flash.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Attach Securely
- Convenient
Cons
- Flimsy
Best Uses
- General Use
- Indoors
- Night Time
- Special Events
Comments about PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController for Canon DSLR:
Although I have frustration about the entire line of PW TTL equipment for Canon, I have to admit that this little addition gives me a sense of awe. It is really cool to be able to quickly change the ratio of my four flashes (in three different banks)
This is really cool.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Displaying reviews 1-20
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