matt 1 wrote:
Just wondering how they compare to Pocket Wizzards ?
on range , and out of sight use ..

reports anyone ?

I got the AB remotes two weeks ago and I love them. Range is good. I had a set of "poverty wizards" I got off ebay and those things worked when they felt like it. I really never figured out what the issue was I simply just got something better. I saw that AB has new ones out that let you change your light levels from the camera. I figured I would save myself $200 and just walk over to my lights and adjust them.

alteredstate wrote:
I have them and am not a big fan. I used PWs before and thought these would be a reliable/ cheaper alternative.
My gripes:

No on/off switch. They turn off after two hours. If you haven't used one for that period, it turns off. Lousy for wedding photographers who set up reception lighting in the AM and need them to function in the PM. You have to go around to each strobe and press the button a few times.
No lanyard to attach to light stands. The hang on, only by virtue of the synch connector. Sometimes they just let go and commit suicide.
The channel changing switch on the transmitter is lousy. It's the size of a pencil point and you have to put your fingernail into it to turn it. As there are 16 possible positions, you are never sure you have the right channel. I use several lighting solutions at a wedding, and switching is always a crap shoot. Sometimes you're not exactly on the channel (even though it looks and feels like you are) and no flash.
As far as range, I think line of sight is about 100' (or at least that's as far as I've used it), with walls in the way, I've had spotty performance at 50-60'.
I know they're not PWs (hell, they're $100 less). I just expected better from Buff.
They work, I haven't returned them, but I'm no fan.

Bill Sylvester wrote:
I assume you are referring to the battery powered receivers?

I have never experienced any of the things you are referring to with the ac powered units.

You're right, the battery powered receivers. As these are many times firing Q flashes or Canon 580s, I felt the battery powered receivers would be a better alternative. You raise a good point, though. I could add a few of the AC receivers and at least when using the AC strobes, I'd have fixed some issues.

alteredstate wrote:
I have them and am not a big fan. I used PWs before and thought these would be a reliable/ cheaper alternative.
My gripes:

No on/off switch. They turn off after two hours. If you haven't used one for that period, it turns off. Lousy for wedding photographers who set up reception lighting in the AM and need them to function in the PM. You have to go around to each strobe and press the button a few times.
No lanyard to attach to light stands. The hang on, only by virtue of the synch connector. Sometimes they just let go and commit suicide.
The channel changing switch on the transmitter is lousy. It's the size of a pencil point and you have to put your fingernail into it to turn it. As there are 16 possible positions, you are never sure you have the right channel. I use several lighting solutions at a wedding, and switching is always a crap shoot. Sometimes you're not exactly on the channel (even though it looks and feels like you are) and no flash.
As far as range, I think line of sight is about 100' (or at least that's as far as I've used it), with walls in the way, I've had spotty performance at 50-60'.
I know they're not PWs (hell, they're $100 less). I just expected better from Buff.
They work, I haven't returned them, but I'm no fan.

Try using Scotch product like velcor (it is a harder stickier version of velcro and it sticks to itself) (radio shack has it in clear and black) (remembered name it is called Scotch Lock and comes in several stickiness)

Do not use much of it as it really sticks.

Merch Photography wrote:
I plan on getting Cyber Syncs but I am waiting for the Cyber Commander to come out, that thing looks amazing.

I'm losing hope since right now it's just a 3D rendering.

But since they are giving everyone a full refund on the old RT-101's, I'm sending my three receivers and transmitter in for the AC version of these as soon as I can.

Once the Cyber Commander comes out, I'd love to get it, but the price will decide that for me. And you can still use the new basic transmitter with the Cyber Commander if you want to get the control panel off the top of your camera, or if you want to shoot with two cameras at once... the transmitter respects the settings sent by the CC.