Difference between revisions of "Nikon Compatibility"

Revision as of 11:11, 26 June 2012

This section contains compatibility information for the Nikon MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 ControlTL radios.

Future Compatiblity

The following is the prioritized list of planned BETA firmware releases for compatibility with newly released photography gear from Sekonic, Canon and Nikon. Prioritization is based on when gear was received, complexity of reverse engineering and majority of users:

1. Sekonic RT-32CTL - Compatibility now available with Nikon beta firmware 3.110.
2. New Nikon Gear: - Compatibility now available with Nikon beta firmware 3.110.
   • Nikon SB-910
   • Nikon D4
   • Nikon D800
   • Nikon D800E*
3. New Canon Gear:
   • Canon 600EX-RT
   • Canon ST-E3-RT*
4. New Canon Gear:
   • Canon 5D Mark III
5. New Canon Gear:
   • Canon 1D X

Note: * The D800E and/or ST-E3-RT may be released in separate beta firmware releases pending the complexity of the reverse engineering.

This page will be updated when beta firmware is released and we will also post on the PocketWizard Facebook page.

The MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 for Nikon beta firmware with D4, D800, D800E and SB-910 compatibility as well as Sekonic RT-32CTL module compatibility is now available. Instructions on how to download Nikon Beta firmware 3.110 can be found here.

Detailed Canon Compatibility is available here.

Camera Compatibility

Compatible Cameras

The MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 for Nikon are compatible with these modern Nikon digital cameras capable of using Nikon's latest i-TTL / CLS protocol:

NOTE: The D40, D40x, D5100, D5000, D3100, and D3000 do not support HSS/FP-Sync operation. These cameras also do not support HyperSync.

Non-Compatible Cameras

BASIC TRIGGER MODE: Almost all cameras and flashes are compatible with the MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 when the radios are configured for Basic Trigger Mode. Basic Trigger Mode disables all flash power control and TTL functions of the radios.

Speedlight Compatibility

The MiniTT1 & FlexTT5 for Nikon are compatible with the following modern Nikon Speedlights as Remote flashes and Nikon On-Camera Master flashes: (Other flashes may work in Basic Trigger Mode without CLS / i-TTL.)

Nikon Speedlights as Remotes

• SB-900
• SB-800
• SB-700
• SB-600
• SB-400 (not capable of HSS)

Nikon Speedlights as On-Camera Master Flashes

• SB-900
• SB-800
• SB-700
• SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander

Note: The "GN" ratio mode of the SB-700 is not supported.

Non-Compatible Flashes

Any older generation Nikon Flashes as Remote Units Such as:

• SB-80DX
• SB-80
• SB-28DX
• SB-28
• SB-50
• any other Speedlight not listed above

BASIC TRIGGER MODE: Almost all cameras and flashes are compatible with the MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 when the radios are configured for Basic Trigger Mode. Basic Trigger Mode disables all flash power control and TTL functions of the radios.

Operational Notes

Flash Exposure Compensation

Flash exposure compensation is controlled as part of the camera’s exposure compensation, set via the exposure compensation button near the shutter release. This compensation works in all shooting modes, including Manual. When in Manual mode, the exposure compensation will only affect the flash exposure, as the camera exposure is controlled by the settings you’ve selected manually. Note that the D2x and D3 series cameras do not have Flash Exposure Compensation on the camera body, as they don’t have a built-in flash.

Note that remote flashes do not have Flash Exposure Compensation on the rear of the flash's LCD - see the Pre-Flash Boost section below.

Vibration Reduction (VR) Mode Auto-Detection

When using VR Lenses, switching the VR Mode on or off results in the transmitting radio taking a calibration shot to adjust for the resulting flash timing shift. This may result in a single missed frame after toggling the VR mode on or off. In rare cases, when shooting above your camera’s x-sync speed (1/250th or faster on most cameras), this calibration shot may fail, and continued dark frames may occur. If this happens, take a test shot at 1/160th or 1/200th of a second, and then move back to your desired shutter speed. In the interest of simplicity, we recommend leaving VR-mode either on or off for the duration of your shooting session.

Pre-Flash Boost controls

Modern TTL (Through The Lens) metering systems are based on a pre-flash fired an instant before the camera’s shutter opens, allowing the camera to calculate the amount of light output required for a proper exposure. Pre-Flash Boost is a feature which increases this metering pre-flash’s light output, which helps to make more accurate TTL exposure calculations at the longer distances our ControlTL radios can achieve. It also helps compensate for light lost when using a light modifier like an umbrella or soft box. By default, this feature adds approximately 2 stops of light output to these metering flashes. This light output can be controlled by the EV controls on the back of the remote flash. The amount of pre-flash boost compensation set on the remote flashes will not affect the final exposure. This allows you to increase the pre-flash boost beyond the default value for subjects farther away, and decrease the pre-flash boost for subjects very close to the flash.

High Speed / FP-Sync Speed Selection

In order to use High Speed/FP-Sync on cameras that support it, your camera must be set to use Auto FP mode via the Custom Settings Menu. On most cameras, this is Custom Setting “e1 – Flash Sync Speed”. All cameras that support HSS/FP-Sync operation have the option for 1/250th (Auto FP), which is the recommended menu setting.

Some cameras such as the D300, D300s and D700 have a 1/320th (Auto FP) menu option, which is not recommended for use, as it can cause sync timing issues specifically at the 1/320th shutter speed.

SB-700/SB-900 Light Pattern

The SB-700 and SB-900 have a special Light Pattern Menu, which allows you to set a slightly different light output pattern. Of the three options in this menu on the SB-900, “STD” for Standard output must be selected. Selecting either “CW” for Center-Weighted or “EVEN” for Even output is not supported and may result in exposure errors.

The SB-700's switch, located on the right side of the flash's LCD, performs the same function. We recommend leaving this switch at the top position for the Standard output pattern.

ControlTL Transmit Priority at X-sync

ControlTL radios transmit on both ControlTL and Standard PocketWizard channels, and have a very small delay between sending these two signals. Standard Channels are used by remote Plus II, MultiMAX or remoteFlexTT5 radios configured to use them. By default, the ControlTL channel is transmitted first, then the Standard Channel. At the camera’s x-sync speed (1/250th on most cameras), there is a very limited time window to send both signals, and in some cases the second signal may be too late to allow sync with the camera’s shutter. This checkbox in the PocketWizard Utility, accessed only by enabling the utility’s “Advanced Mode”, controls which signal is sent first at the camera’s x-sync speed, to prioritize which signal is more important for your shooting scenario. Note that this caveat only applies at the camera’s x-sync speed shutter speed – all other shutter speeds above and below X-sync are unaffected.

This setting is configured under the Channels Tab of the PocketWizard Utility

Rear Curtain Sync

Rear Curtain Sync works for all shutter speeds under x-sync down to 8”. Below 8” (including bulb mode), synchronization errors will occur. Front-curtain (normal) sync is unaffected at these longer speeds, including bulb-mode. Note that Rear-Curtain sync can be left enabled when above your camera’s x-sync speed – it just will not have any effect.

Modes Not Supported

• Mirror Up mode is not fully supported at this time – test with your specific configuration before using.
• Exposure Delay mode (set via in-camera menu) is not currently supported.
• Repeater/RPT mode is not currently supported.
• Using in-camera “Flash Control for Built In Flash” menu to control remote zones is not currently supported.
• ControlTL radios disable ALL infra-red/optical communication pulses used in Nikon’s native i-TTL system, and as such will not trigger remote flashes configured to receive these pulses. A PocketWizard radio is required for each remote flash you want to trigger.
• Triggering an SB-700 or SB-900 in local Manual mode with a FlexTT5 set to receive on a Standard Channel is not currently supported. FlexTT5s must be set to Basic Trigger Mode to work with the SB-700 and SB-900 set to local Manual mode on the back of the Speedlight when receiving on a Standard Channel. See [Basic Trigger] for details.