# Alien Bees and Pocket Wizards



## eddiesimages (May 13, 2011)

Simple question but I couldn't find the answer looking through past threads. Will pocket Wizard Plus IIs work with the Alien Bee lights? I know the Alien Bees sell their own wireless triggers.


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## Village Idiot (May 13, 2011)

Yes. PWs should work with any flash that can be fired by a sync cable.


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## Big Mike (May 13, 2011)

Yes, they would work just fine.


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## eddiesimages (May 13, 2011)

Thanks, guys. I just thought since they sell their own you might have to use them.


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## Village Idiot (May 13, 2011)

eddiesimages said:


> Thanks, guys. I just thought since they sell their own you might have to use them.


 
You don't have to, but there's certain features that you can get with the cyber syncs, like remotely being able to control the flash power. PW's have a module to do the same, but I think the PCB cyber commander controls are a bit more extensive.


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## jeso (Jun 12, 2011)

I'm assuming you need to PWs - one mounted on the hot shoe and one attached with the sync cable on the AB strobe??? Since AB strobes have a slave trigger I assume again that you only need two since one will flash the other(s).


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## kric2schaam626 (Oct 2, 2011)

Village Idiot said:


> Yes. PWs should work with any flash that can be fired by a sync cable.



Does anyone know which sync cable works between the two??


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## cgipson1 (Oct 2, 2011)

kric2schaam626 said:


> Village Idiot said:
> 
> 
> > Yes. PWs should work with any flash that can be fired by a sync cable.
> ...



Pocket Wizard # MM1 and # MM6 depending on need....

MM1
PocketWizard® - Cables and Accessories

or 

MM6
PocketWizard® - Cables and Accessories

right on the Pocket Wizard site....

There is also the AC9 adapter for power control on AB's..
http://www.pocketwizard.com/products/transmitter_receiver/ac9 alienbees adapter/


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## 2WheelPhoto (Oct 2, 2011)

The PW Plus IIs I use, but prefer a TT1 on the "camera itself" to perform as transmitter. Its MUCH more compact and such and about the price of a PW Plus II.


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## cgipson1 (Oct 2, 2011)

2WheelPhoto said:


> The PW Plus IIs I use, but prefer a TT1 on the "camera itself" to perform as transmitter. Its MUCH more compact and such and about the price of a PW Plus II.



I thought about picking up a TT1, but wasn't sure if you could actuate the shutter with it. I usually just use the Flex TT5 with a cable for the camera.. and fire the whole thing with a plus II. Will the TT1 accept the shutter release cable?


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## 2WheelPhoto (Oct 2, 2011)

cgipson1 said:


> 2WheelPhoto said:
> 
> 
> > The PW Plus IIs I use, but prefer a TT1 on the "camera itself" to perform as transmitter. Its MUCH more compact and such and about the price of a PW Plus II.
> ...



I honestly don't know, I use an IR remote to activate my shutter.


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## cgipson1 (Oct 2, 2011)

2WheelPhoto said:


> cgipson1 said:
> 
> 
> > 2WheelPhoto said:
> ...



yea.. I have the IR remote also.. but have had it fail on me outdoors even a yard or two away.... that is why I use the PW's.


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## 2WheelPhoto (Oct 2, 2011)

The TT1 is transmitter only, doubt it would serve to activate your shutter.  I have a TT5 too, never thought about using it to activate, my give that a try. Right now I have the TT1 as transmitter on the cam triggering my 3 flashes, one on TT5 and two on pocketwizard Plus IIs.

The were cheapies from craigslist is how i ended up with my array.


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## Big Mike (Oct 3, 2011)

jeso said:


> I'm assuming you need to PWs - one mounted on the hot shoe and one attached with the sync cable on the AB strobe??? Since AB strobes have a slave trigger I assume again that you only need two since one will flash the other(s).


That's correct.  Typically, you only need to trigger one light, any others will fire via the optical trigger.  The only times that won't be a good idea, is if you are shooting where there might be other flashes going off (wedding etc) as those flashes would trigger your other lights.

One reason I chose the AB Cyber Sync over PW, was price.  The 'Poverty Wizards' are rediculously expensive...the Plus IIs are $180 each, or something like that.  A basic trigger set from AB (transmitter and receiver) is $140.  
There are also the Radio Popper units.  A basic trigger set is $160 but you can add accessories or different units to gain remote power control of AB lights (WL or Zeus as well).
And of course, there are plenty of cheap radio trigger sets.

I think was many of us are really waiting for, is what the Radio Popper JR was supposed to be (when they were first talked about)....a reliable but affordable (<$100), simple flash trigger set.


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## PhotoWrangler (Oct 3, 2011)

Just as an fyi in case it hasn't been mentioned. If you buy the Radio Poppers JRx triggers, you can control the AB lights remotely from your transmitter on your camera.


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## Big Mike (Oct 3, 2011)

ChristopherCoy said:


> Just as an fyi in case it hasn't been mentioned. If you buy the Radio Poppers JRx triggers, you can control the AB lights remotely from your transmitter on your camera.


Note that you have to get the JrX Receiver STUDIO, not the JrX Receiver BASIC, for that to work.


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## Village Idiot (Oct 3, 2011)

FlashZebra.com

You can e-mail the business owner if you need help selecting the right cables. Cheaper than official cables.


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## Big Mike (Oct 3, 2011)

FlashZebra.com

:thumbsup:


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## cgipson1 (Oct 3, 2011)

ChristopherCoy said:


> Just as an fyi in case it hasn't been mentioned. If you buy the Radio Poppers JRx triggers, you can control the AB lights remotely from your transmitter on your camera.



I believe the PW AC-3 has that capability also...


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