Pocket Wizard Radio Remotes

Selecting Pocket Wizard Radio Slaves

Photographers use Pocket Wizard radio slaves in studios and other locations where they need to trigger cameras, flashlights, and studio lights remotely. This type of radio triggering avoids the need to rely upon short-range line-of-sight infrared systems or awkward trailing synchronization cables to trigger remote photographic equipment and lights.

What Are Radio Slaves?

Radio slave systems are one or more radio transmitters that send activation signals to remote radio receivers to trigger flashes, lights, or cameras. Pocket Wizard radio transceivers automatically switch between transmitting and receiving, avoiding the need for separate transmitters and receivers. In North America, Pocket Wizard transceivers use radio frequencies between 340 and 354 MHz, a spectrum that's relatively free from outside interference, ensuring reliable operation.

Camera and Flash Compatibility

Cameras use different forms of through-the-lens (TTL) metering systems to calculate exposure and control flash duration. Pocket Wizard is compatible with the TTL system used by most Canon, Nikon, and Panasonic cameras. Pocket Wizard also works in manual mode with Sony cameras. Current generation flashguns for these cameras work, as do many older generation models.

Triggering, Camera, and Flash Cables

Connecting a transceiver to a camera is straightforward; you simply slot it into the camera's hot shoe and switch it on. Connecting a transceiver to a remote flash or strobe light is a little more complicated in that you need certain Pocket Wizard electronic flash cables. These transmit the signal from the transceiver to the flash, to fire it at the correct time, as well as to set the duration of the flash based on exposure. You can also remotely trigger cameras using transceivers as handheld transceivers. Simply connect the output from the camera's remote trigger to the transceiver, and use Pocket Wizard camera sync cables to connect the transceiver on the camera to the camera's remote shutter release socket.

Studio and Outdoor Applications

Using Pocket Wizards in the studio is easy because these transceivers are compatible with many types of studio lights, including those from Bowens, Dyna-Lite, and Photogenic. Additionally, you can use zone controllers and other Pocket Wizard slave accessories to balance and control studio lighting.

Outdoors, Pocket Wizard radio transceivers have excellent range, and it's possible to daisy chain transceivers to increase flexibility and range. You can also control cameras in places where it's impossible to stand, such as in sports stadiums or near wildlife. If you need to wait a long time for your shot, you should use Pocket Wizard pre-trigger cables to keep your cameras awake.

Extend your photographic capabilities with Pocket Wizard transmitters, receivers, and accessories from B&H Photo and Video.