RadioPopper P1
The RadioPopper was designed to solve specific problems faced by event and wedding photographers. Most of us already own a pair or more of the various pro
flash units from our camera manufacturers. These flashes are tied closely to the metering systems of our cameras and offer a very convenient means
of wireless control through infrared signaling - the “line of sight” system built into most name brand units.
Anyone who has worked in the fast paced action and rapidly changing environments of these events knows the value of a lighting system that does some of
the thinking for you. It’s not always practical to manually adjust the power levels of your lights - that’s where your camera’s ETTL / iTTL
system comes in.
Radio flash triggering devices allow a more consistent triggering means - but they lack any ability to dynamically adjust the flash power as the situation
changes. Existing radio systems are “manual only”. This isn’t a problem in the world of commercial photography - but on location in photojournalism, the
need to physically place your hands on each slave and adjust power between each shot - becomes a significant limiting factor.
Best of Both Worlds
With RadioPopper you’re no longer forced to choose between usability and reliability. Enjoy all the utility and features built into your existing Canon and Nikon flash units while overcoming the single weak link of the wireless system - the “line of sight” infrared communication setup.
- Attaches externally to your existing flash units
- No drilling, modifications, electrical contacts, or cords required
- RadioPopper Transmitter "reads" the infrared light signal and relays it by radio signal
- RadioPopper Receiver "repeats" the infrared signal for each slave flash
- Your flashes no longer require a "line of sight" for proper operation
- Put slave flashes where you need them and shoot, without worry of the little "sensors" seeing eachother
This Changes Everything
Your job just got a lot easier.
Lights Anywhere
Put off-camera light anywhere - and don’t think for a minute about power, ratios, or metering. Just put that light where you want it and
shoot. Your camera’s advanced ETTL or iTTL will get very close to the perfect exposure. Review the shot, and dial in more or less
flash with the FEC (Flash Exposure Compensation) control on your camera. By the second shot, you’ve got perfect light dialed in without
any external light meters or calculations.
Lights you Count On
Add dramatic lighting to critical events like entrances, first dances, and all those candid unscripted moments. We’ve all been hesitant to
use the wireless infrared system in these settings because it isn't always reliable - we risk missing “the moment”. Not anymore.
Dream the dreams of spectacular light - the stuff you reserved only for the setup shots - and add this perfectly lit, polished look to
every scene of the day.
Radio High Speed Synch
For the first time every - high speed sync by radio, all the way up to 1/8000. Now you can get those beautiful soft backgrounds at wide
f/stops in the outdoor light without being locked into your camera's max x-sync (usually about 1/250) - now with high speed sync via
radio, you can be more creative than ever.Prefer Manual Mode?
ETTL is the strength of the automated system, but let’s not forget that it’s not the only way. Your ETTL / iTTL flashes also offer a
robust manual triggering mode. This manual mode is activated by the same infrared "line of sight" system as in ETTL mode. This means
that even if you prefer manual consistency for certain situations, the RadioPopper still serves as a reliable radio based triggering device - and
in a smaller size and lower cost package than the current name brand offerings. So Many Options
Take advantage of all the magic features tied to the most advanced flash systems in a much more reliable way. If you can do it with
the stand-alone ETTL / iTTL system you already own, you can do it reliably via radio with RadioPopper. ETTL / iTTL channels, ratios, banks, groups,
high speed synch, auto, manual - it's all there, it's all preserved, and it's all reliable without ever again having to point those little
light sensors at eachother.
Lick n' Stick Simple
The RadioPopper quite simply creates a "radio bridge" between your Master flash unit or IR commander on your camera's hot-shoe and one or more slave flash units. It's simple to install - just Velcro it on top of your master flash or IR commander and you're done. There are no wires or adaptors to worry about.
The P1 Transmitter uses a magnetic sensor to pick up the signal from inside your Master flash or IR commander by actually reading the electrical signals inside your flash right through the plastic enclosure. No kidding. It is therefore immune to interference from bright sunlight or other environmental factors that may "blind" a light sensor.
The receiver is just as simple to install. The same physical size as the transmitter, an optic is routed to the location of the infrared sensor on the slave flash.
NOTE: One may assume this mounting must be perpendicular to the sensor on your slave flash, but that is not the case. The optic on the slave flash will actually lay flat against the surface of the flash where there will be no concern of becoming snagged or pulled off. Additionally, this optic may be bent to fit without cracking.
The RadioPopper is small and light weight, adding just a few ounces to your setup.
Why Choose the P1?
We designed the P1 to most perfectly fit the specific purpose for which it was intended. The driving factors in the design of this model were small size, low cost, and export units available to as many worldwide countries as possible. With this model we have chosen to directly address the most important design aspects rather than create a “one size doesn’t quite fit all uses” product.
The P1 will be offered in one single radio frequency. This will ultimately suffice for the vast majority of photographers. It keeps the cost and physical size of the highly advanced radio transmitter to a minimum, and it simplifies export into many countries which would otherwise prohibit the use of the product.
With the P1, you’ll operate one transmitter with an unlimited number of slave flashes. As most photographers in actual practice would limit the use of the more advanced radio flash system to one shooter, the P1 is a perfect fit.
You may still use more than one transmitter, though only one may be active at a time. The radio may be “linked” and “de-linked” by the press of a button so two or more photographers could still easily coordinate this sort of operation while sharing one frequency.
It should also be noted that the very specific frequency used is somewhat uncommon and used only by a small number of scientific and medial instruments. This means that in a given situation, you are very unlikely to experience interference problems. There should be no interference from cordless phones and the like as the RadioPopper operates on a completely different frequency from these common consumer devices.
Additionally, the RadioPopper receiver is uniquely designed in that it “locks on” to a “carrier” broadcast by the transmitter. Even if two transmitters are operated together, the receiver will seek to lock onto the strongest “carrier” broadcast. This means if you and another photographer are both using RadioPopper transmitters at a large venue, even within 1000 ft of eachother - each of you will likely enjoy normal operation as your receivers will likely lock onto your transmitter as that signal is stronger. This much the same as a car radio locking a strong station even if a weaker station reaches over from another city.
If you expect to shoot in busy situations with multiple photographers, or if you operate a studio where multiple photographers will shoot wireless ETTL at the same time, check out the RadioPopper P8 - a multichannel version of the P1.
Specs
- Size: approx 2.6 x 2.0 x 0.75 inch
- Weight: approx 3 oz.
- Power: one "AA" size battery
- Batt Life: Approx 10 hours transmit per AA battery
- Range: 100-300 ft. real world
- Antenna: user replaceable
- Mounting: double side tape, hook & latch
- Price: $180 per Tx / Rx - $360 complete 'ready to shoot' kit