PocketWizards and the X1D

[MGuard]

I have successfully used my PocketWizard AC3 on a Flex-TT5-Canon to fire my Canon 550EX speedlites attached to FlexTT5-Canons.

You have to use the latest Pocketwizard firmware for all of their equipment and set them to manual but the X1D does trigger the speedlltes.

PocketWizard Support was great and got me detailed instructions on how to make this work. I had hoped to buy a Nikon PocketWizard to allow me to control my Canon Flashes and while I do not have the flexible control I had with my Canon DSLRs, this does work and I did not have to buy anything.

I am providing the relevant portion of the email from PocketWizard Support that provided the directions:


You will not be able to adjust your Canon flashes with a Nikon radio, as the Hasselbad is not compatible with our radios. (even though it takes the Nikon flashes, we have to reverse engineer it and create firmware to make products compatible. The timings and protocol of each manufacturer as well as each model are different)

However, you can use your existing Canon radios for power control. Here are all the details:

For the most mirrorless cameras and other non-compatible cameras like Hasselblads, Mamiya Leaf cameras, and others, using manual power control with your ControlTL radios and remote speedlights is simple. You will need a MiniTT1 or FlexTT5 with an AC3 ZoneController on your camera. You will need FlexTT5s attached to your remote speedlights. The basic procedure on how to set your radios up is below:

1.) Put a MiniTT1 (or FlexTT5) in the hot shoe of your non-Canon or non-Nikon camera.

2.) Slide your AC3 ZoneController into the top shoe of the radio on your camera. Make sure all Zones are set to M or 0. A mode is not supported for non-compatible cameras.

3.) Place your remote speedlights into the top shoes of the receiving FlexTT5s.

4.) Set remote speedlights to TTL mode on the back of the flashes.

5.) Turn on your remote speedlights, and then the receiving FlexTT5s

6.) Turn on your transmitting radio, and then the camera.

7.) Use the camera to fire the flashes! You can adjust the AC3 dials for remote manual power.

Some of these notes may also be helpful:

* Update your firmware! The ability to use an AC3 and ControlTL radio on a non-compatible camera was added in a recent firmware update, and this feature will not work using old radio firmware.

* Make sure your camera has flash usage enabled. Some cameras (like the Fuji X-10 and X100 cameras) cannot use flash when Silent Mode is enabled.

* If the smaller TTL pins in the hot shoe of your camera line up with the radios' TTL pins, the radios try to communicate with the camera, which can result in bad exposures. Use tape to cover all but the large center pin in your camera's hot shoe if you see problems with your radios or flashes.

* The MiniTT1 has an auto-standby feature that is enabled after 180 seconds when an AC3 is mounted in the top shoe. You may need to press the "TEST" button on the side of your MiniTT1 if you experience missed exposures after this time period.

* You may notice a lower overall maximum sync speed when using manual power control on your non-compatible camera. If you want faster flash firing, use Basic Trigger mode. Basic Trigger Mode disables manual power control. To enable Basic Trigger Mode, connect the radio to your computer with a USB cable. In PocketWizard Utility, navigate to the "Misc" tab, and then check "Basic Trigger Mode." Navigate back to the "Channel" tab, and select your desired Channels. When you are satisfied, click "Apply Changes."

* Power control with non-compatible cameras is only possible if the radio brand matches the speedlight brand. For example, you need to use Canon radios if you have Canon Speedlights. This feature will not work with flashes that are not compatible with the ControlTL system.