This week has seen the announcement of several new 2.4GHz triggers to challenge the dominance of Yongnuo’s RF-602 system. The main complaints about the RF-602 are its low maximum triggering voltage of 12V, and the proprietary 3-pin port. In the manual speedlight world, the Yongnuo YN-46X range have been criticised for lacking sync ports in any of their models. Will the following new offerings knock Yongnuo off its podium? Phottix have officially revealed details of their upcoming Strato and Atlas flash triggers, and Foton speedlight:
March will see two new products added to Phottix’s extensive line up of accessories. The Phottix Atlas wireless flash trigger will be released. The Atlas is a transceiver and eliminates the need for dedicated transmitter and receiver units – it automatically switches to transmitter or receiver mode depending on how it is being used. With a hot shoe and PC sync ports it can trigger speedlight-type flashes as well as studio strobes. The Phottix Foton UB-88 Flash will also be released in March. The powerful flash, with a guide number of 55 (ISO 100), can be triggered via its hot shoe, by PC sync cable or built-in optical slave.
Read more about the Atlas and Foton in the full Phottix Journal post.
The new Phottix Strato is a 2.4 GHz wireless flash trigger for speedlight-type flashes and studio strobes. What makes the Phottix Strato different is a hot shoe attachment on the transmitter. Photographers can mount a flash on the transmitter (on camera) and use TTL flash functions and auto-focus assist lights. The transmitter will also trigger a remote flash using a Strato receiver (in manual mode).
Read more about the Strato in the full Phottix Journal post.
Pixel‘s TF-361, TF-362 and TF-363 “Pawn” 2.4GHz triggers (for Canon, Nikon and Sony, respectively) have also surfaced for the first time on eBay. Optimistically self-described as “RF-602 upgrade”, they are available here from seller cam.plus.
Thanks to elv000 and to-mas for the eBay links.
More info and links:
- Phottix Journal:
- Phottix’s new flash triggers and flash at PMA
- Phottix big live view displays and flash trigger at PMA 2010
- Phottix product catalogue (PDF format)
- Related post: Phottix to announce “amazing new products” at PMA 2010
- Flickr discussion on the Phottix Strato/Foton/Atlas
- Cam.plus eBay shop
- Pixel TF-361/2/3 product pages
- Flash triggering guide