Pocket Wizards are a type of radio transmitter/receiver that attach to a flash or strobe
PocketWizard® was created by Lab Partner's Associates during the late 1980's in Burlington, Vermont. PocketWizards use progressive remote trigger technology that allows photographers to place flashes or strobes anywhere, even behind objects without needing cables. Because they operate by using radio frequency signals instead of infrared, PocketWizards work through objects and across great distances.
What They Are
There are three types of PocketWizards: transmitters, which dissemble and send the signal; receivers, which receive and reassemble the signal; and transmitter/receivers which receive, reassemble then dissemble the signals, and send them to the next receiver.
How They Work
Radio transmitters turn electric signals into oscillating electromagnetic waves made from electricity and magnetism, also known as a radio frequency wave. The RF wave travels at the speed of light to the receiver which translates the wave back into an electric signal.
PocketWizards have two main settings: manual and automatic. The manual setting allows the photographer to tell the camera and flashes or strobes what to do. The PocketWizard merely translates the signal telling the flash when to trigger. On the automatic, or TTL, camera setting, the flashes or strobes use the PocketWizards to communicate with each other to determine how much light they need to produce.
Issues
In order for the PocketWizards to function correctly the transmitters and receivers must all be set on the same channel. Most PocketWizards feature multiple channels. Other radio signals from transmitters such as cell phones, radios and other PocketWizards can interfere with transmissions and cause the PocketWizard to malfunction or misfire. The closer to the ground a PocketWizard is, the less range it will have due to ground interference.
PocketWizards, which use computer program called firmware, must all be calibrated and updated with the same firmware in order to work together. Because PocketWizards are battery operated, there is always a chance the battery will die, photographers using PocketWizards should always carry extra batteries to avoid malfunction due to power loss.
Tags: flashes strobes, radio frequency, receive reassemble, receivers which, receivers which receive, which receive, which receive reassemble