Elinchrom Skyport Review
If you are a Pocket Wizard/Skyport fence-sitter, BlewBMX.com has posted a review that should help you choose. Or, maybe plunge you even further into indecision.From what I see, the Skyports will not knock off the PW's, but seem to be a very good gap filler between the Gold Standard PW's and the Ghetto Infinity remotes.
(Thanks to BlewBMX for the timely info.)
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by David, at 2:56 PM.
18 Comments:
I received my Elinchrom set last Wednesday. I'm very pleased with it.
In the manual I read that the receivers are safe to use with strobes that produce current up to 50 volt. That excludes my Vivitar 283 that produces +/- 230 volt (I learned about that the hard way: it previously fried my cheap ebay triggers). If you want to use your old flashes with these receivers, measure their output first.
It's a moot point now as I'm all set-up with Pocket Wizards but, if I wasn't, I still wouldn't consider the Skyport units.
It just strikes me that those little aerials won't last more than a couple of days in a gear bag, unless you're going to pack them securely inside some kind of protective case which of course we all do. Not.
I can happily put my PWs in the front section of my gear bag, along with all the pc cords and batteries etc, and I can be pretty sure that I'll be taking them out again with the aerials still intact.
The Skyport units seem like 95% of a good thing, but someone forgot who will be using them. The vulnerability of the aerial is a design flaw, just waiting to cost you more money in the long run.
Oh man, at first I was really scared, as I just ordered 3 pocket Wizards 3 days ago......but I'm ok wiht it now.
Thanks for posting this.
Debbi
Wait– Where is everyone finding these babies? B&H, Adorama, and Amazon all have yet to list them... or am I missing something?
They are not released in the US yet, they are in Europe... In small amounts
In Canada, Vistek has them, 230$CAD and they ship to Canada for 8.95 and I think to the states for about 25. This is so much cheaper than pocket wizards, which at the same site go for 300 each.
Pavel:
Thanks for the tip!
Even if the aerials are as delicate as others fear, it's not as if we'd be throwing them lose in a toolbox with a set of wrenches.
If you have expensive glass, you don't let it roll around in your bag without a lens cap or filter to protect the front element.
totally agree with you, andre, for the price difference I could buy custom-hand-made-leather-decorative-protective cases and would still have some change for coffee after this hard day of shooting:D.
I just tried picking up a set from Vistek and got:
Unable to continue:
We are unable to ship Mamiya or Elinchrom items to any U.S. address. Please order those items from a local dealer in USA.
Please modify your cart and remove the Mamiya or Elinchrom items to continue your checkout.
Anyone know of a dealer willing to ship to a US address? I'm not even seeing these things on fleabay.
For those downunder, Kayell in Melbourne has just had a large shipment arrive which should pass through customs any day now. Prices are $295 for transmit/receive kit & $165 for additional receivers.
I was trying to decide between PE and Cheap-O for a birthday gift for my vastly-more-talented fiancee. Not only are the PWs 'spensive, but they're also kinda big, no?
I love the low profile of these, and the BMX review totally decided it.
Thank you for this post!
I really like these - they're small and out of the way on the camera end.
One problem that needs addressing though: 5th frame into my first the beach shoot and the transmitter popped off and into the saltwater. There's no locking mechanism, just friction, so tape or velcro or a leash will be on the replacement for sure.
I think I will wait until Gen II. My big problem with the PW's is WIFI!!! Every time I go into a location (hotels, etc) the wifi screws them up. I have been told that the Elinchroms are not affected by WiFi...True?
We have over half a dozen of Wifi-nets in my apartment and have had no problems with the skyports so far. No misfiring ever.
My biggest concern however isn't the aerial but the delicate buttons and connectors. All is so sweet, charming - and fragile. I wonder how much abuse the push buttons and connectors can take before they break.
Sacha
I love mine.
Super happy i didn't go with the cheapo ebay ones.
I have recently switched over from Cactuses to Elinchrom Skyports and it seems almost as heaven to me! No misfires, nice range, perfect build etc. I have summed up my findings in a mini-review:
http://www.pastel.cz/articles/elinchrom-skyport-flash-triggers-review/
Great review, thanks for posting this.
I have a Q which I hope can be answered before I take the plunge: Does anyone know if there are issues with either the PWs or Skyports when used with the EX508 Mk2?
I seem to remember reading somewhere (and can't find it now...)that the Mk2 had it's own RF signature or something which interfered with PWs, and I wondered if anyone could confirm or refute this claim?
Thanks in advance,
Nick.
Ah, my bad...
I meant the Speedlite EX580 Mk2.
Spellcheck is my friend.
;-)
Nick.
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