Design Glitch with Pocket Wizard Plus II - Remote Camera Setup - Burst Mode

Design Glitch with PW Plus II - Remote Camera Burst Mode
Problem is Solved! Image and Writeup (Jump to workaround)
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This first came to light when a couple of photogs started seeing erratic behavior when using my Lens Mounted Trigger Cable, and noticed erratic behavior of the remote camera not being able to take a burst of images (they could take single images only). After some phone troubleshooting, they sent the unit back to me for some bench testing, and naturally it worked just fine for me in both single image and burst mode (I have the MultiMax model of the PW). Further analysis revealed it was the Plus II model that was causing the erratic behavior.

As it turns out, on the Plus II model, the "Test" button operates differently from the input port #1, which on previous models like the MultiMax, is called "Camera/Port 1". On the previous models, the "Test" button, and this port 1 operate in an identical fashion. This difference is not made clear in the Plus II manual.

Where and when is this even an issue, you ask?

Well, on the MultiMax and transmitter models other than the Plus II, if you plug any kind of manual tripper switch into port 1 (ie: my Lens Mounted Trigger, Stick-On Trigger, Manual Tripper, Foot Switch Trigger, Paramount's manual tripper, or any momentary action push button switch), and depress the switch to make a momentary electrical contact (close the circuit), the PW (transmitter) will transmit a signal for as long as you hold the switch closed. This same action will occur when pressing the "Test" button. On the Plus II model, this doesn't happen because the Plus II will immediately switch to receiver mode and listen for a receive signal.

The following is from a recent FAQ on my site addressing this problem:

Q: I can't get the Lens Mounted Trigger or Stick-On Trigger to fire my remote camera in burst or continuous mode, but only in single shot mode, why?

A: This is because of the auto-transceiver function of the Pocket Wizard Plus II design (and only this model), an attempt by PW to make the relay function of the MultiMax model easier to use. The MultiMax model works correctly in burst mode when a Trigger Switch press is applied to port 1, while in the Plus II model, the port 1 jack auto switches to an "output" immediately after a switch press so the auto-relay function can happen more easily. It is this auto switch to output mode of the port 1 that prevents a continuous firing in burst mode. The solution is to only take one picture at a time, or use a MultiMax for the transmitter!

The following is a quote from Garry Montalbano, of The MAC Group of LPA Design (Pocket Wizard):

"This is a limitation of the Plus II. A button plugged into PORT 1 will not behave like holding down the TEST button. Technical reasons include:

*** The PORTS perform different functions based on auto-transceiver operation. PORT 1 cannot be an input and an output at the same time, so when the unit is triggered, it switches to output so auto-relay can happen more gracefully.

*** When PORT 1 is used as a camera input for remote flash triggering it is very beneficial for it to be "single shot" so you don't get multiple flashes when using a Hasselblad with mechanical lens contacts, for example.

Solutions to this specific problem include:
* Use the TEST button
* Use a MultiMAX or older Transmitter Only as the Transmitter
* Use a MultiMAX as a Receiver and use a long contact time so that every trigger performs 5 shots, for example."

From a section in the Plus II manual, it appears that the unit can be put in "Transmit Mode Only" which should prevent it from performing any RECEIVE or RELAY functions. This has been field tested but still doesn't allow the plugged in trigger to allow a burst mode of the remote camera.

The only real solution to this problem (if it is even a problem for you), is to use the MultiMax model for the transmitter, and then any other model for the receiver to trigger the camera.

With the price of the Plus II models being less than the MultiMax models, the Plus II's seem to be flying off the shelves. It seems people should be made aware of the limitations of this model at some point before they try to use burst mode through a remote setup triggerred through the port #1.


UPDATE 5-27-08: The PW Plus II Burst Mode Design Glitch Workaround is done, and works well. The mod fee is $85 + S/H and like most of my other mods, will take just a day. Naturally, this mod, like all the others, will void your warranty, but if this Design Glitch and lack of a Burst Mode is an issue for you, this is the only work around other than getting the MultiMax unit. Only the transmitter unit of the pair needs to be modded.

UPDATE 1-10-09: I have just heard from the folks at LPA Design, who make the PW's, that they have corrected this "Burst Mode Design Glitch" in the newer units of the PW Plus II model. This was never an issue with the older Plus models, or the higher end MultiMax models. This means the hardwired mod as described in the above link will only be needed in older units having a serial number below 61.xxxxx.

UPDATE 9-5-10: I have just heard from a photog who tried the burst mode using a PW Plus II model with a serial number greater than 61.xxxxx, and the burst didn't work. As soon as the photog switched over to a MultiMax model, the burst mode continued as it should. Now it seems that the only way to tell if a Plus II model will work in burst mode is to try it and see.