The leader in all-around radio frequency remote firing devices, PocketWizard, announces today the new simplified version of the family: the PocketWizard Plus X. In an attempt to continue to assist photographers who need to fire devices that are off camera, PocketWizard has incorporated several concepts into the new Plus X: improved simplicity, continued compatibility, and more affordability.
SIMPLICITY OF THE POCKETWIZARD PLUS X
We were overall impressed at first glance at the obvious simplicity of the new Plus X. The unit is approximately the same size as the Plus III, but with dramatically fewer buttons. PocketWizard now boasts only three buttons on this new version, something that will make newer users of the technology very happy. There is, of course, an on/off switch on the anterior part of the device, but most noticeable is the rotating dial on the main face, with channels marked one through ten.
An improvement from the Plus III is that even though there are fewer channels, a photographer can be back at "1" without arrowing up to "35" and then arrowing all the way back down to "1." We found this was a fairly easy way to select a channel. Finally, a TEST button is large and found under the channel dial. When any Plus X is attached to the camera hotshoe, the PocketWizard recognizes it as being the transmitter in the system (no figuring out if you've got the TT1 or TT5 on the camera or selecting a button to tell the device it is the transmitter). The other Plus X's that are attached to strobes or flashes will know they are such, and the system will function without any further thought on the photographer's part.
COMPATIBILITY OF THE PLUS X
PocketWizard has done an excellent job of continuing the legacy of keeping intact channels so that earlier models of PocketWizards are perfectly compatible to use with others. That means that owners of earlier versions (say, Plus III or a TT5/TT1 combo) can purchase a Plus X and conveniently add it into the system. Simply place the dial to the corresponding channel of a previous version, and the photographer is off and running. The continuation of compatible channels and functionality is definitely a "plus" for the PocketWizard system.
AFFORDABILITY OF THE PLUS X
Each Plus X is an affordable $99. It just keeps getting better with PocketWizard. The Plus III's may have a few extra channels and the benefit of controlling up to four lights with the device, but this is a fairly advanced feature. Each of these run $149, and most photographers have found that these features are not used very often. For $99 a piece, the photographer gets the most important features of the system with the Plus X. The TT1/TT5 system is more expensive, mainly because it is able to transmit TTL (through the lens) information to the lights and adjust for proper exposure. The Plus III system did not offer this function, but many photographers found it unnecessary for their work anyway, as they were manually adjusting output from individual lights. This is the same with the Plus X.
All in all, the Plus X comes as a simplified, refreshing piece of equipment that triggers other Plus X's or previous versions of the PocketWizards (set to the same channel) at a very affordable price of $99 a piece. Get excited, beginner and advanced photographer alike.