Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

Okay, I am a newbie. I am going to order the 2 light kit and I want to fire my strobes wirelessly. I do not want to rely on the flash because I will be in situations where other people may trigger my strobe with a flash. Unfortounately the site really doesn't show a newbie how all this stuff hooks up.

it would be nice if there was a diagram showing how all this stuff hooks up!

I have a Canon Xti,Canon 50D and a 5DMII, I would like to use all of them but mainl the 50D and the 5D. I wish there was an Alien Bees for Dummites (hmmmm. someone could make some money)

1. If I buy a Cyber-Commander (CC) do I still need a transmitter or is it a transmitter itself? If you don't need a transmitter, but can use one in conjunction with the CC what is the benefit (of having a transmitter and CC)

2. Is it better to buy a AC receiver or a battery receiver? Does the AC receiver simply plug into the back of the Strobe? I am assuming there is an AC outlet on the strobe?

3. What else would you suggest a newbie buy all at once? I am thinking I want Soft boxes instead of the umbrellas!

SaturdayEve.com

http://www.alienbees.com/cybersync.html#csrb

the above link shows photos of the CST installed on a camera's hotshoe. The second photo shows how an AC powered receiver is connected to a light. If you go with the CC and + recievers, we reccomend also having a CST. You will get a longer range, but primarily, since the CyberCommander is also a light meter, and keeping a CST on camera provides an easier work flow, reducing the need to remove and replace the CC in the hotshoe.

The modifiers you should get will be based on the look you want out of your pictures. There is no law saying you can't have umbrellas and softboxes. Customer service can assist you in your selection of modifiers.

TS

Buy the CST along with the CC. It is cheap, has longer range with it's stub antenna, and it's tiny. I bought mine after I bought the rest of the package (it arrived about a week ago), and it really completes the system. Now, I can keep the CC in my pocket, control all my lights, test fire any light/combination of lights, take meter readings at the subject, etc. without having to go back to the camera and mount the CC in the hotshoe to take a shot. It's a photographers dream setup.

Also, I would buy the AC powered + receivers for use with your AB/WL lights. No batteries to fuss with, and the power cord arrangement dangles the receiver at the right distance from the flash unit for the data cable reach, and for a clear antenna view. You need a power cord for the flash unit anyway, so why complicate things with another battery to go dead at the wrong time? I would reserve the battery powered models for use as slave triggers for non PCB flash gear.

Voyager