Selective Quad-Triggering, all of which offer solutions to photographic challenges that ...... If the circle is dark or
Congratulations on your purchase of the new PocketWizard MultiMAX digital radio triggering system. T he PocketWizard MultiMAX is a m icrop roces sor-b ased radio slave s ystem that us es advan ced digital sig naling to inc reas e trigg ering rang e, reliability, an d rejec tion of radio noise from other sources. Since it utilizes Transceiver technology, it is both a transmitter and a receiver all in one. It is the most innovative and advanced wireless solution in the photographic industry. As a stand-alone unit, the MultiMA X offers prec ision s pec ial effects fun ctions not available in any wireless triggerin g devic e. It incorporates integrated Trigger Time Control software, True Trigger Confirmation and Selec tive Qu ad-T riggerin g, all of wh ich of fer s olutions to p hotograp hic c hallenges that hind er today’s p hotograp her’s creativity. Un paralleled in featu res an d perf orman ce, the P ocket W izard M ultiMA X is m ore than jus t a radio slave.
Welcome to Digital Wireless Freedom!
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FCC & IC Compliance Information W AR NIN G : Ch anges or mod ifications to this u nit not expres sly app roved by the p arty resp ons ible for c omp liance c ould void the u ser's authority to operate the eq uipm ent. NO TE : This equipm ent has been tested and found to comp ly with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC R ules. These limits are des igned to p rovide reason able protec tion agains t harm ful interf erenc e in a resid ential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. How ever, there is n o guaran tee that interferen ce w ill not occ ur in a p articu lar installation. If th is equ ipm ent does cau se h armf ul interfer enc e to radio or television rec eption , wh ich can be d eterm ined by tur ning the eq uipm ent of f an d on , the u ser is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: • • •
Reor ient or relocate the r eceiving an tenna. Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Th is device comp lies with Part 15 of the FCC rules and also with RS S-210 of Industry & S cien ce C anad a. O perat ion is su bjec t to the f ollowing tw o con dition s: ( 1) T his device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
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Table of Contents Icon s U sed in this Man ual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Featur es . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Communication Technology Bas ic F eatures . . . . . . . . . . Sp ecial Featu res . . . . . . . . .
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Parts Des ignation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 LC D In form ation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 C ontro ls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Power Switch . . . . Keypad . . . . . . . . . PORT 1 / PORT 2 Status LED . . . . . .
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G etting S tarted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Battery Inf ormation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Ins erting B atteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Battery Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Lanyard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 V E LC R O ® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Care and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Quick Setup - Basic Radio Slave Operation
....... Basic Setup for Remote Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T riggerin g M ultiple Flas hes W ith M ultiple R EC EIV E U nits . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connecting MultiMAX (set for TRANS MIT mode) to Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Stan dard R adio O peration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 T rans ceiver C ontrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 C han nels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Com patibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Selective Quad-Triggering (A B C D keys) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 C lass ic C han nels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 L K ey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 T rue C onfirm ation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 R adio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 O ption al Flas h C onf irm ation C able . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
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Men u S ystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LCD C ontrast Adjustment Num eric Entry . . . . . . . . .
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Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . A: Advanced Menu B: Basic Settings . C: Counter Menu . D: G o Ad vanced . . D: G o Nor mal . . . .
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Basic Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A : C on tac t T im e . . . . . . . . . . B: Beep Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . A: Beep on All . . . . . . . B: B eep on T rigger . . . C: B eep on Z ero / Err or D : Be ep D isab le . . . . .
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. 24 . 24 . 24 . 25
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. 27 . 27 . 29 . 29 . 29 . 29 . 29
Counter Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 A: C ount U p + R eset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 B: C ount D own + Res et . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 C: C lear / Res et . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 D : D isab le . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 L: Load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Advanced Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 A: Delay Menu - TRANSMITTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 A : R em otes + P O R T 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 B: R em otes O nly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 C : R ear C urtain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 A: Delay Menu - RECEIVER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 A : P O R T 1 + PO R T 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 B : P O R T 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 C: E qualize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 B: Intervalom eter ( T im e Lap se Photogr aph y) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 C: M ultipop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 D: SpeedCycler - TRANSMITTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 D: Fast Mode - RECEIVER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
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O ther F eatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . Keypad Lock . . . . . . . . . . Hig h V oltage Protec tion . Relay Mode . . . . . . . . . . . Sof tware V ersion D isplay
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Applications of Advanced Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Self-Timer or Cable Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 T T L / A uto flas h H elper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Programmed sequence shooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Recycle Lockout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Cam era Eq ualization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Lag Time Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 O ne U nit Eq ualization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 T wo U nit Eq ualization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Eq ualization Adjus tmen ts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 T ech nical In form ation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rad io Inform ation . . . . . . . . . . . . Maximum and Minimum S ettings Saved Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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. 50 . 50 . 51 . 52 . 52
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W hen in d oubt ! . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reset to Default Factory Settings Radio Performance . . . . . . . . . . .
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. 53 . 53 . 53 . 54
T ime C onversion Ch arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Frac tions to D ecim al . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Seconds to Minutes and Hours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
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Icons Used in this Manual
N N
Read the information following this icon. It shows important notes about the subject being discussed.
L L
Follow this icon for more detailed information on the subject in another section.
ë ë
Find valuable tips and techniques with this icon.
Ref er to h tt p: // ww w .p oc k et wiz ar d. com / for updated information.
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Features Communication Technology • • • • •
Fu ll Digital R adio C omm unic ation Microprocessor controlled 32 digitally coded channels Com plex 16 or 2 4 bit c oded s ignal Selective Quad-Triggering
Basic Features • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Bu ilt-in hot sh oe 1/4-20 female mounting thread B u ilt -in A C ad ap ter jac k (1 .8 m m ) Illum inated LC D pan el Illuminated soft touch keypad Extended battery life Sync sp eeds up to 1 /250 with f ocal plane s hutter,1 /500 with leaf s hutter Fas t Mod e sync s u p to 1/1 000 with c omp atible cam eras an d flas hes A d ju s tab le c on tac t c los u re tim e Compatible with PocketWizard Classic, Plus, and MAX Protects cameras from high sync voltage Customizable audible beep settings W eighs less than 5 .5 oun ces with b atteries
Special Features • •
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Transceiver Technology T rue C onfirm ation • Q uad-T riggerin g C onfirm ation on all four z ones • Flas h C onfirm ation with O ptional C able on all four z ones Trigger T ime Controller Software • Rear Curtain Sync • Prec ision D elays • Intervalometer • Mu ltipop • Lag Time Measurement • Mu ltiple Cam era Eq ualization • Sp eedC ycler • Relay Mode
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Parts Designation
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LCD Information
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Controls Power Switch • T R A N SM IT •
RECEIVE
•
OFF
U nit is pow ered on in TR ANS MITT ER (T X) mode U nit is pow ered on in REC EIVER (R X) mode Unit is powered OFF Power Switch
Keypad • A B C D L Selec ts Q uad-T riggerin g Z ones and Local. Also used in menu navigation and num eric entry • TEST Triggers MultiMAX. Press to test operation or to trigg er rem ote units and/or attac hed c ameras /flash es • (Back Light) Illuminates LCD and keypad. Hold down for key lock • ~ /M E N U En ters or exits men u s ystem . Stores num bers in numeric entry • (U p / D own) Selec ts c hann els. Also used in num eric entry
Keypad
PORT 1 / PORT 2 • CAM ERA / PORT 1 = • Inp ut f rom cam era s ync term inal, external trigger button, Flash Confirmation Cable, or other device • O utpu t to cam era motor d rive, flash, or other device • FLASH / PORT 2 = • O utpu t to flash , cam era motor d rive, or other device PORT 1 / PORT 2 / Status LED Status LED Displays the following information: • Blink ing every few sec onds = pow er on, ready f or trigger • Blinking in sync with trigger = normal triggering • Stead y = • continuously triggered from radio, hot shoe, or PORT 1 • p er for m in g d elay or con tac t tim e • Slow blink every sec ond = perfor min g Intervalom eter or Mu lti-pop fu nc tion • Dar k = p ower off or poor battery c ondition
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Getting Started Battery Information The MultiMAX requires two AA size (IEC: LR6) batteries. T he M ultiMA X will operate norm ally with Nic kel Metal H ydride (N iMH ), Lithium Ion (Li), N ickel Cad ium (N iCad ) and A lkaline batteries. Alkaline batteries are recommended.
Ins erting B atteries 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Set p ower s witch to O FF pos ition O pen b attery door Ins ert fres h batteries noting c orrect orien tation as displayed in battery compartment Clos e battery door U se u nit n orm ally
N Er ratic un it beh avior or m alfu nc tion m ay occ ur if batteries are in serted while the p ower s witch is s et to either RE CE IVE or T RA NS MIT . Always make sure the pow er sw itch is set to O FF before c hang ing or inserting batteries. Battery Compartment Battery Life The MultiMAX displays remaining battery life with a 3 segment battery icon in the u pp er lef t c or ner of th e L C D : 3 2 1 0
s egm ents disp layed = batteries are fres h/new s egm ents disp layed = batteries are good s egm ent dis played = rep lace batteries soon s egm ents dis played = ins tall fres h/n ew b atteries imm ediately
Battery Ic on
W ith on e set of s tand ard A lkaline b atteries the M ultiM AX will oper ate for app roxim ately 150 hours. This time may vary depending on temperature, battery type, and the quality of batteries us ed. E xtensive us e of bac k light, s peaker, or extend ed trigg er con tact tim es w ill cons um e the batteries at a faster r ate.
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The MultiMAX continually regulates the battery power which gives excellent perfor man ce th rough out the life of th e batteries. T he un it will continu e to fun ction normally until the batteries are nearly exhausted.
N T he M ultiM AX voltage reg ulation is very ef fic ient. T here is only a s mall bene fit when using Lithium batteries. Lithium batteries are designed for the quick burst high current draw found in cameras and portable flash devices. Expect only a 10 - 20% longer battery life (approximate) over Alkaline batteries when using Lithium batteries.
ë Examine batteries frequently to prevent damage from leaking battery acid. Remove batteries from MultiMAX units in the following circumstances to avoid damage from leaking: • • •
If unit will not be used for a period longer than 2 weeks Du ring s hipp ing or air travel In high heat environm ents
Lany ard A lanyard is inc luded f or hang ing eac h un it convenien tly on a light stan d, tripod , belt, or other location. If desired, attach the included lanyard to the lanyard loop.
V E LC R O ® Brand Fas teners V E LC R O ® adhes ive hook and loop f astener s are inc luded w ith the M ultiMA X to provide a c onvenient m eans of m ounting the un it in a variety of places . Attac h as des ired being caref ul to not obs cu re con trols or f unc tion. R ecom men ded mounting locations: • • •
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R ight sid e of th e un it Lef t sid e of u nit Below 1/4-20 tripod mount The battery door is not a recommended mounting location.
Care and M aintenance To ensure continued reliability, please follow these guidelines: •
D o n ot s u bjec t u nit s to h ig h m ec h an ic al s h oc k (d o n ot d rop ! )
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Kee p u nit d ry. D o not im mers e in an y liquid
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Set power switch to OFF when not in use
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R em ove us ed b atteries prom ptly
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Remove batteries for travel or extended storage
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Clean with s oft dry c loth
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Operating temperature: above -15/ (5/ F) and below 50/ C (120/ F)
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Storag e temp erature withou t batteries: • above -30/ C (-22/ F) • below +85/ C (185/F).
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Quick Setup - Basic Radio Slave Operation Basic Setup for Remote Flash
N Turn off all equipment before installing batteries or making connections! 1.
Install 2 AA batteries in each MultiMAX
2.
Connect camera to first MultiMAX: a. Slide u nit into cam era hot s hoe - orb. Us e sync cab le (inclu ded) to c onnec t cam era’s P C ter min al to C A M ER A / P O R T 1
3.
Connect flash to second MultiMAX a. Use flash cable to connect flash unit’s sync terminal to FLASH / PORT 2
4.
T urn both M ultiMA X un its on a. Set power switch on MultiMAX attached to camera to TRAN SMIT m ode b. Set power switch on MultiMAX attached to flash to REC EIVE mode
5.
Set both MultiMAX units to same channel and Quad-Triggering zone a. Us e to set channel (default is CH: 17) b. Us e A B C D L to select Quad-Triggering zones (default is TRA NSMIT = A B C D L, RECEIVE = A
6.
T urn cam era and f lash on
7.
Press TEST button on M ultiMA X (s et for T RA NS MIT mod e) and releas e. Confirm remote flash triggers.
You ’re all s et! U se the camera n orm ally.
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Trig gering M ultiple Flashe s W ith M ultiple RE CE IVE U nits Multiple remote flash units m ay be triggered in sync w ith each other. 1. 2. 3. 4.
Ins tall batter ies in each add itional M ultiM AX un it Us e flash cab le to conn ect eac h add itional flash u nit’s s ync term inal to F LA S H / P O R T 2 Set power switch on each additional MultiMAX unit to RECE IVE mode Set all Mu ltiMA X un its to s am e ch ann el as T R AN SM IT un it
You ’re all s et! U se the camera n orm ally.
Connecting M ultiM AX (set for TRANSM IT mode) to Flash A flash c an be connected to a MultiMA X (set for T RANSMIT mode). It will trigger in sync with th e remote f lash u nits. T his f lash is called the loc al flash and is us ually moun ted on a cam era brac ket. 1. 2.
Us e a flash cab le to conn ect the f lash u nit’s s ync term inal to FLA SH / PO RT 2 of the M ultiMA X (s et for T RA NS MIT mod e) Us e the L key to enable or disable the Local flash
You ’re all s et! U se the camera n orm ally.
L
Using a local flash this way protects the camera from high voltages. See the Specifications section, Page 50, for more information.
17
Standard Radio Operation Transceiver Control T he M ultiMA X operates as either a tran sm itter or a receiver. T o us e the M ultiMA X as a Transmitter (sending device) set the power switch to TRAN SMIT. To use the MultiMAX as a Receiver set the power switch to RECEIVE.
L T here is a s pec ial mode th at enables a Mu ltiMA X to autom atically switc h fr om RE CE IVE to TR AN SM IT then b ack to R EC EIV E w hile triggering a remote c amera. Read the Relay M ode section, Page 40, for more information.
Ch an ne ls T he M ultiMA X is a 3 2 c hann el digital radio slave. Eac h M ultiMA X c hann el repres ents a digital cod e trans mitted on sp ecific Poc ketW izard rad io frequ enc ies. T his en ables man y photographers to work in th e sam e area. It also enables a photogr apher to control multiple remote devices (c ameras, flash units, etc). A M ultiMA X (s et for T RA NS MIT mod e) will trigger an y num ber of M ultiMA X un its (s et for R EC EIV E m ode) s et to the sam e ch annel. U nits s et to differen t ch annels will not interfere with each other. From the m ain sc reen pr ess the keys to change channels. Som e M ultiM AX featu res are only availab le on h igher c han nels . R efer t o the tab le below f or f eatu res / chan nels availab ility: Features
18
Channels 1 - 16
Channels 17 - 32
Dig ital Radio S ignal
X
X
Delay including Rear Curtain Sync
X
X
Intervalometer
X
X
Mu ltipop
X
X
Relay Mode
X
X
Selective Quad-Triggering
X
Confirmation (Radio and Flash)
X
Fast Mode
X
Sp eedC ycler
X
Co mp atibility MultiMAX channels are compatible with all PocketW izard radio slave products per the table below: Digital Radio Mo del
M ultiM AX Co m pa tible Ch an ne ls
Poc ketW izard 10 C han nel C lass ic
1-10
Poc ketW izard 16 C han nel C lass ic
1-16
PocketW izard Plus
1-4
PocketWizard MAX
1-16 17-32 Quad-Triggering or Fast Mode
Sekon ic D igital Rad io Tran sm itter Module RT-32 (L358, L608, L608 CINE)
1-16 17-32 Quad-Triggering
Sekonic Digital Radio Receiver RR-4
1-4
Sekonic Digital Radio Receiver RR-32
1-16 17-32 Quad-Triggering or Fast Mode
Calu met R adio Eq uipp ed T urb o Filter
1-9
Th e digital radio design of the MultiMA X will enable it to be fully compatible with future PocketW izard products.
19
Selective Quad-Triggering (A B C D keys) This powerful feature is used to individually control up to 4 sets of M ultiMA X un its (s et for R EC EIV E m ode) on the s ame c hann el. Eac h keypad letter, A B C D refers to an individual zone. Each zone can be independently selected or deselected from a MultiMAX (set for TR AN SM IT m ode). Follow the steps below to test Quad-Triggering: 1.
Set one MultiMAX to TR ANS MIT mode
2.
Set up to 4 MultiMAX units to RECE IVE mode (sam e ch annel as T RA NS MIT unit)
3.
Us ing the A B C D L keys set each RECEIVE unit to a different zone
4.
O n the T RA NS MIT unit us e the A B C D L keys to select w hic h zon es w ill trigg er. T he zon e is selected when the letter is displayed on the LCD sc reen. T he zone is des elected w hen a d ot appears where the letter would be displayed.
5.
R EC EIVE un it Ch annel: 17 , Zone: A
Pres s th e T ES T key on the M ultiMA X (s et for T RA NS MIT mod e) unit to trigg er the s elected zones
Any number of MultiMAX units (set for RECEIVE mode) may be set to the same channel and zone, and will trigger simultaneously. Selective Quad-Triggering is only available on channels 17 and higher.
20
T R AN SM IT un it Channel: 17 Zones : A, B , and L ocal
R EC EIVE un it Ch annel: 17 , Zone: B
C lass ic C han nels C lass ic c han nels are c om patib le with early Poc ketW izard m odels an d the P ocketW izard P lus. Selec tive Q uad -T rigg ering is on ly available in channels 17 through 32. In channels 1 through 16 the display will show CLASSIC CHANNEL and zones A B C D do not app ear. T he A key simply toggles the remote receivers on or off and is displayed on the main screen as R. It is not possible to toggle both the remote ( A key) and the local flash (L key) off at the sam e time wh en us ing a C LA SS IC C HA NN EL . Operation on these channels is identical to the function of the LOCAL / BOTH / REMOT E switch found on PocketW izard Plus and Classic Transmitters.
T RA NS MIT unit s et to CLAS SIC CH ANN EL 4 Rem ote and Loc al selected
L Key O n any c hann el the L key toggles the local flas h on or of f in a M ultiMA X (s et for TR AN SM IT m ode ).
L See th e Connecting M ultiM AX (set for TRANSM IT mode) to Flash section, Page 17, for more information.
L T he L key toggles Relay M ode when us ing a M ultiMA X (s et for R EC EIV E m ode). See th e Relay M ode section, Page 40, for more information.
21
True Confirmation Bec aus e the M ultiMA X is a tru e trans ceiver it autom atically conf irms triggerin g. It can perform this on two levels: it confirms the round trip radio signal and can c onfirm actual flash sync with an optional flash confirmation cable. It does this for all QuadT rigg ering zones on every tr igge r. C onf irm ation is indic ated vis ually on th e m ain screen and audibly using beep modes.
L
For aud ible conf irmation s ettings see the Beep Menu section, Page 29.
R adio Rad io conf irmation is disp layed on T RA NS MIT units in the A B C D area of the L CD . An inverted letter shows an error. A normal letter shows confirmation. Du ring n ormal op eration the dis play will show selec ted and active A B C D zones not inverted . C onf irm ation w ill occ ur on every trigg er and only in th e event of an err or will the zone letters invert.
O ption al Flas h C onf irm ation C able Using the flash confirmation cable the MultiMAX can confirm flash sync for all four zones on every trigger. 1. 2. 3.
Attach flash confirmation cable to PORT 1 for each MultiMAX (set for RECEIVE mod e) Loc ate the s ens or s o that it c an on ly see th e flas h f rom the c orrec t flas h u nit Press the TEST button on a MultiMAX (set for TRANS MIT mode) to test flash confirmation. Correct flash confirmation is displayed on the main screen with a flash icon to th e right of each z one perf ormin g flas h c onfirm ation. In the event of an error (either no flash was detected or the radio link was incomplete) the zone letter and the flash icon will invert
A MultiMAX (set for TRA NSM IT mode) will look for REC EIVE units and confirm the radio link after each of these operations: • • • • •
22
Every trigg er Pow er on or s witch from RE CE IVE to TR AN SM IT Channel change Zone change (including L) Exiting th e men u s ystem
N
Confirmation can only be performed using MultiMAX units on channels 17 and higher. PocketW izard Plus, Classic, and the original MAX do not perform confirmation.
N
True Confirmation is designed to work with one MultiMAX (set for RECEIVE mod e) per zon e. Mu ltiple RE CE IVE units set to the s ame c hann el and zon e will not individually confirm and may cause incorrect confirmation errors. If multiple MultiMAX units (set for RECE IVE mode) on the same channel and zone are a mix of flash and non-flash confirmation units then accurate flash confirmation will not be reported. The following table shows how confirmation works in different modes: M ultiMAX M ode
Radio and Flash Confirmation
A R EC EIV E un it us ing Selec tive Quad-Triggering
Provides normal radio and / or flash con firm ation
A RE CEIVE unit set to a Delay mode
W ill not provide con firm ation
A R E C EIV E un it s et to F A ST M O D E
Con firm s on zone A only
A R EC EIV E u nit set to In tervalometer or Mu ltipop
Provides radio confirmation before the f irs t interval on ly
23
Menu System Navigation Man y functions of the M ultiMA X are acc ess ed throu gh eas y-to-navigate m enus . Press ~ /M E N U to enter the menu system. Menu items are selected by using the A B C D L keys. W hile within th e men us the ~ /M E N U key performs two functions: • •
If a menu is displayed, pressing ~ /M E N U return s you to th e main s creen If a numeric entry is displayed, pressing ~ /M E N U stores the dis played nu mb er in m emory an d proc eeds to either the next inp ut s creen or the m ain sc reen depending on mode
ë
In th e next ch apters many of the head ing s w ill be f ollow ed b y ~ /M E N U an d s om e letter com binations . T hes e are quic k referen ces for the k eys to pres s to get to th at fun ction f ast.
LCD C ontrast Adjustment W hile in any m enu, u se th e keys to adju st th e disp lay contras t.
24
Num eric Entry Several menu items require a number or value to be entered. Numeric entry is performed with A B C D and keys. T he A B C D keys each select and add 1 to a specific digit as follows: A– B– C– D–
selec ts an d add s 1 selec ts an d add s 1 selec ts an d add s 1 selec ts an d add s 1
to the 4 th digit from the righ t to the 3 rd digit from the righ t to the 2 nd digit from the righ t to the rightm ost d igit
O nc e a digit has been s elected, u se th e keys to adjust the number. Press and hold for fas ter entry.
EXAMPLE 1 Num eric Entry
Numbers entered in this fashion are saved when the ~ /M E N U key is pres sed and w ill remain s aved even after power is turned off. If the unit is powered off while a numeric entry screen is displayed, the displayed number will not be saved.
L
T he L key is n ot us ed f or nu meric entry. It is us ed f or Lag T ime M easu rem ent an d is only available in certain D elay modes . See the s ection on Lag Time Measurement, Page 44, for more information.
ë
To quickly get to the lowest setting press and release the A key once ( selec ts th e highes t digit) then p ress and h old the key.
EXAMPLE 2 Num eric Entry
25
Main Menu From the main screen press ~ /M E N U to enter the Main Men u. P ress a letter to either proceed to another menu or perform a function per the list below.
A: Advanced M enu – ~ /M E N U A Press A to enter the A dvanc ed M enu. T he A dvanc ed Menu con tains D elay mod es ( inc ludin g R ear C urtain Sync), Intervalometer, Multipop, and SpeedCycler modes.
Main Menu G o Ad vanced
B: Basic Settings – ~ /M E N U B Press B to enter the Basic Settings menu. It contains Contact time and Beep menu.
C: Counter Menu – ~ /M E N U C Press C to enter the Trigger Counter Menu which contains Counter direction, and other counter functions: Reset / Clear, Disable, and Load.
D: Go Adv anced – ~ /M E N U D D: Go Norm al – ~ /M E N U D Press D to toggle between the last Advanced mode us ed and Nor mal m ode. T his f unc tion enables a quic k return to stand ard or normal operation from an advanced function. The settings of the advanced function are saved.
Main Menu G o Nor mal
ë Go Normal is a quick way to get to standard radio slave operation after using advanced functions and menus. Use this function to “turn off” an advanced mode and us e the M ultiM AX as a rad io slave on ly.
26
Basic Settings Press ~ /M E N U B to enter the Basic Settings menu. Press the corresponding letter for the setting you wish to adjus t.
A : C o nt ac t T im e – ~ /MENU B A
Basic Settings Menu
Con tact tim e is the leng th of tim e that C AM ER A / P O RT 1 or F LA SH /PO RT 2 outp uts remain contacted. The default Contact Time of 0.12 is enough to trigger most cam era motor drives and flashes. Many photographers will never need to adjust this num ber.
N C ontac t tim e is h ow lon g th e intern al sw itch is h eld clos ed. For exam ple, if the c ontact tim e is s et to 3 sec onds and a c amera m otor drive is attac hed to a MultiM AX , wh en th e M ultiM AX trigg ers the c am era it will hold the c ontact f or 3 s econ ds . T his is identic al to pressing and holding the camera’s trigger button for 3 seconds. The contact time starts as soon as any input is complete. Input can be from any of the following sou rces : TEST bu tton is pres sed , hot s hoe is triggered, or radio trigger is received.
Set C ontact T ime S creen
N
C ontac t tim e is N O T the len gth of tim e a M ultiM AX (s et for T R AN SM IT mo de) w ill send a radio triggering signal. Contact time affects POR T 1 and POR T 2 only and does not affect radio trigger transmission. Pressing and holding TEST on a MultiMAX (set for TRAN SMIT m ode) will continuously send the radio trigger signal and hold the contact on a MultiMAX (set for RECE IVE) as well as the TR ANS MIT unit. W hen the TEST button is released each unit’s contact time will then begin.
N
Additional triggers occurring during contact time are ignored. The default contact t im e is 0 .1 2 s ec on ds w hic h tr ig ger s all c am er as an d f las h un it s. A s hor ter con tac t tim e allows f or mor e triggers per s econ d bu t may not trig ger s ome m otor driven c ameras because it’s too fast. The default setting of 0.12 allows for 8 triggers per second. The maximum of 30 triggers per second can be obtained by setting contact time to 0.01 seconds.
27
For trigg ering rem ote cam eras , a long er c ontac t tim e allows for c ontin uou s r epeatab le motor d rive triggering (examp le: 5 fram e burs ts every trigger ). It also allows for con trolled bulb exposu re. •
Example of Burst Shooting: If a rem ote cam era is c apable of f iring 3 f rames per s econ d in c ontin uou s m otor drive, then a con tact time of 1 sec ond will always res ult in this remote c amera trig gering for 3 exp osu res
•
Example of Bulb / Shutter Held Open : Set the c ontact tim e for the d esired bulb exposure time and set the camera to bulb or B mode. W hen triggered the s h ut ter will r em ain op en for th e c on tac t tim e
For trig gering a remote f lash c ontact tim e can ac t as a flas h rec ycle lockou t. •
Example of Flash Recycle Lockout: To guarantee that a flash cannot be triggered fas ter then its recyc le time, set th e contac t time to be jus t longer than t he r ec yc le tim e
L
T h is m et hod of flas h rec yc le loc k ou t d oes n ot w or k w it h all f las h sys tem s as s om e will not recyc le while the s ync c ontact is held. S ee Recycle Lockout in the Applications of Advanced Functions section, Page 42, for another recycle lockout method.
L
If you are using Intervalometer or M ultipop modes, read these sections, Page 36 and P age 37 , for inf ormation on thes e mod es and how th ey interact w ith C ontact T ime.
28
B: Beep Menu – ~ /MENU B B T his m enu c ontrols th e beep f unc tions of a Mu ltiMA X. Pres s th e corres pond ing letter to set th e desired func tion of the built-in speaker. A: Beep on All – ~ /MENU B B A Mu ltiMA X will beep on all triggering, c onfirm ation errors , and zer o coun ts as indic ated below as well as on any key pressed.
Beep Menu
B: B eep on T rigger – ~ /MENU B B B U nit w ill beep w hen trig ger ed b y TEST button , PO RT 1, a R adio T rigger, or th e Hot Shoe in the following manner: Bee p C ha rac teris tic
Indicates
Sin gle Sh ort Beep
Indic ates P roper C onfirm ation
Sin gle Long Beep
Indic ates T rigger E rror
Sin gle Ver y Shor t Beep
W hen an y Key is p ress ed
C: B eep on Z ero / Err or – ~ /MENU B B C T he M ultiM AX un it will not b eep on norm al trigg ering . T he M ultiM AX will beep only when the cou nter reac hes zero and on c onfirm ation errors in the followin g m anner: Bee p C ha rac teris tic
Indicates
Sin gle Long Beep
Indicates Trigger Confirmation error or remote MultiMAX (unit set for RECEIVE m ode) has reached zero count
Dou ble Long Beep
Indicates MultiMAX has reached zero count
Sin gle Sh ort Beep
An y Key is p ress ed excep t TEST
L
A M ultiMA X (s et for R EC EIV E m ode) s et to Beep on Zer o / Error or set to Beep on All will indicate a c onfirm ation error if the u nit is als o set to c ount d own an d the c ounter reach es zero. S ee the Counter section, Page 30, for more information. D : Be ep D isab le – ~ /MENU B B Turns off all beep functions. Unit will not beep.
29
Counter Menu Press ~ /M E N U C enter the Counter Menu. This menu controls the counter functions of the MultiMAX. The cou nter c an s how th e total num ber of trig gers . It can also c oun t up or dow n f rom a set valu e. C oun t is incr emen ted on every trigger from any sou rce: PO RT 1, TEST button , Hot S hoe, or R adio T rigger.
Counter Menu
A: C ount U p + R eset – ~ /M E N U C A Count is set to COU NT UP (example: 0,1,2,3,...) and the c ounter is reset to 0. T he m ain sc reen will dis play COUNT
m: 0.
B: C ount D own + Res et – ~ /M E N U C B Cou nt direc tion is s et to DO W N ( example: 1 0,9,8 ,7,...) and the counter is reset to the load counter value. The main s cr een will d isp lay C O U N T (XXXX = load value)
ë
T RA NS MIT unit s et to C ou nt U p
o: XXXX
The count down function could be used to indicate the number of remaining fram es f or a remote c amera.
30
C: C lear / Res et – ~ /M E N U C C Cou nt direc tion is not c hang ed. C ounter is reset to 0 if cou nt direc tion is s et to up, or the c oun ter is res et to the load value if c oun t direc tion is set to dow n. If the c oun ter is disab led, then th is fu nc tion will enable the c ounter u sing the last c ount d irection s et. The Counter is cleared and reset in this fashion when the unit is powered down.
ë Us e ~ C C as an eas y to remem ber qu ick key c omb ination for f ast c ounter res et. D : D isab le – ~ /M E N U C D Counter is disabled and is not displayed on the main screen. W hile disabled the cou nter does not cou nt. L: Load – ~ /M E N U C L Enables custom setting of the load count value (des ired nu mb er to start th e coun t from , whic h is th en loaded into the MultiMAX computer memory). The def ault value is 3 6. M aximu m value for the c oun ter is 9999. Loading a coun ter value while the c ounter is enabled will set the main screen count to that value and cou nting will contin ue in the las t direction set (UP or DO W N).
Load C ounter S creen
N
T he load c ounter value is sh ared with the Intervalometer and M ultipop functions. Setting a count in either of these functions also sets the load count value for nor mal c ounter op eration.
31
Advanced Menu Press ~ /M E N U A to enter the A dvanced Me nu . T his menu contains the advanced functions of the MultiMAX. Precision timing and sequencing operations are available in this menu.
L
Press ~ /M E N U D to cancel advanced functions and return to normal mode. See the section on D:Go Adv anced and D:Go Norm al, Pag e 26..
R EC EIVE un it Advanced Menu
A: Delay Menu - TRANSMITTER – ~ /M E N U A A En ters th e delay menu for M ultiMA X un its (s et for T RA NS MIT mod e).
L
Delay menus, with the exception of Rear Curtain, require n um eric entr y. See the Num eric Entry section, Page 25.
T R AN SM IT un it Advanced Menu
ë
All delay screens (numeric entry or rear curtain) are ins tantly ac tive and trigg ering can occ ur w hile thes e sc reens are disp layed. A value dis played on thes e sc reens will be us ed im med iately on trigger. T his is us eful f or fine tu ning a delay or adjus ting rear curtain sync.
L
T he m aximum delay is 6.4 sec onds . For long er delays s ee the Intervalometer section, Page 36. A : R em otes + P O R T 2 – ~ /M E N U A A A En ters th e num eric entr y sc reen. D elays the rem ote units and PO RT 2. Remote units and PO RT 2 will fire at the same time after the displayed delay. PORT 2 will remain contacted for the set contact time. On the main display a sm all letter D will appear over the right of the large L to show that the Local output (PORT 2) will be delayed. Pressing L will toggle the Loc al outp ut (P O R T 2) on and off , bu t the s mall D will remain.
32
T R AN SM IT un it Delay Menu
T R AN SM IT un it Rem otes + PO RT 2 delayed
B: R em otes O nly – ~ /M E N U A A B En ters the n um eric entry s cr een. D elays th e R adio rem ote un its on ly. PO R T 2 w ill trigger immediately. Remote units will trigger after the displayed delay. If the contact time for the M ultiM AX (s et for T R AN SM IT mo de) is longer than th e delay, P O R T 2 w ill remain con tacted f or the delay time rath er than th e contac t time. C : R ear C urtain – ~ /M E N U A A C En ters th e Rear C urtain s creen . Us e this m ode to trigger th e flash at the end of an expos ure rather than at the begin ning . In this mod e both th e Rad io remote trigger and PORT 2 are delayed. Us e the k eys to s et t he r ear cu rt ain s yn c tim e equal to the c amera’s sh utter s peed. C omm on rear curtain sync times are available per the table below:
Rear Cu rtain S creen
Re ar C urt ain S y n c T im e
Decimal Equivalent
Actual Delay Used
1/1
1 second
0.98 seconds
½
0.5 seconds
0.49 seconds
¼
0.25 seconds
0.24 seconds
1/8
0.125 seconds
0.119 seconds
1/15
0.0667 seconds
0.062 seconds
1/30
0.0333 seconds
0.029 seconds
1/60
0.0167 seconds
0.014 seconds
L
For rear curtain sync times other than the ones displayed above, or for fine tuning rear curtain times for your specific equipment, press ~ /M E N U to retu rn to the m ain screen. Press ~ /M E N U A A A (see the section A :D elay R em otes + P O R T 2, Page 32) and adjust the delay number as needed.
33
A: Delay Menu - RECEIVER – ~ /M E N U A A En ters th e delay menu for a M ultiMA X (s et for RE CE IVE mod e). Eac h R EC EIV E u nit can have its own d elay for seq uenc es or f or sync hronization . T o easily delay all RECEIVE units the same amount, use the T ran sm itter’s d elay.
N RE CE IVE un its set to delay do not perform confirmation.
R EC EIVE un it Delay Menu
A : P O R T 1 + PO R T 2 – ~ /M E N U A A A Enters the numeric entry screen. POR T 1 and PO RT 2 are delayed the s ame am ount an d trigg er sim ultaneous ly after the set d elay time. Both ports remain contacted for the set contact time. Triggers can com e from either the TEST key or a radio trigger from any P ock etW izard T rans mitter. O n th e m ain display a sm all letter D will appear to den ote that PO RT 2 will be delayed.
R EC EIVE un it PO RT 1 + P O RT 2 delayed
L
Pressing L will toggle Relay M ode on and off but POR T 2 will still trigger after the set d elay. See the Relay M ode section, Page 40, for more information.
B : P O R T 2 – ~ /M E N U A A B Enters the numeric entry screen. POR T 1 triggers immediately upon pressing TEST key or Radio Trigger. PO RT 1 contact is held for the set delay time. POR T 2 triggers after the s et delay time and con tact is held for the set c ontact tim e.
34
C: E qualize – ~ /M E N U A A C Equalize Mode is a specialized delay mode for synchronizing multiple cameras to one f las h . T h is m od e is d es ig ned to w or k w it h s h ut ter sp eed s up to 1 /1 25 on s om e cameras, but there are many factors that could affect operation.
L
Read the Camera Equalization section, Page 43 , before continuing.
Equalize mode is designed to be used with at least 3 MultiMAX units (set in RECEIVE mode). Two or more MultiMAX units will be attached to cameras and one MultiMAX w ill b e attac hed to a f las h u nit. A M ultiM A X or oth er Poc ketW iz ar d T R A N S M IT T E R w ill b e u s ed to tr ig ger th e s ys tem . 1. 2. 3.
4.
5.
6. 7. 8.
9.
Place a MultiMAX (set to RECEIVE mode) on the camera hot shoe or attach c ab le f rom c am er a’s P C ter min al to P O R T 1 Attac h c able from PO RT 2 to cam era’s m otor drive. If available, use a Pre- T rigger c able (m ore inform ation in the Camera Equalization section). If the E qualize S creen is not d isplayed th en press ~ /M E N U A A A from the m ain sc reen to enter Eq ualize M ode. T his enters th e nu meric entry sc reen and 0.15 00 s econ ds are disp layed Pres s th e L key. The camera should trigger and a lag time (camera triggering delay) will be measured and displayed. Press L every few seconds for 5 to 15 exposures until you see the fas test lag tim e (lowest n um ber dis played) for Eq ualize Sc reen the camera Pres s th e ~ /M E N U key to retu rn to the m ain sc reen. A delay value will be disp layed. Th is nu mb er is a c alculated n um ber and w ill differ fr om th e lag time you s aw on th e previous sc reen Repeat steps 1 through 5 for each camera to be equalized. Use one MultiMAX (set f or R EC EIV E m ode) per c amera. Attac h a M ultiMA X (s et for R EC EIV E m ode) to a flas h un it. From the main screen press ~ /M E N U A A C. W hen th e num eric entr y sc reen appears with 0.1500 displayed, simply press ~ /M E N U to retu rn to the m ain screen. Do not adjust the number and do NOT press L. T he m ain s cr een w ill show a delay of 0.1500 Press TEST on any P ocketW izard T rans mitter to trigg er this eq ualized s ystem
35
B : In te rv a lo m e te r ( T im e L ap s e P ho to g ra p hy ) – ~ /M E N U A B En ters th e Intervalometer interval s etting s creen . Intervalometer can be used to trigger a flash or a cam era at a set interval (time g ap betw een trigg ers) f or a set nu mber of trigg ers . T he interval tim e is s et in one second increments up to 64000 seconds for a maxim um of 99 99 trig gers . 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6.
From the main screen press ~ /M E N U A B to enter the n um eric entr y sc reen Enter the interval or time gap between triggers Press ~ /M E N U to proc eed to the next s creen Enter the count or number of triggers Press ~ /M E N U to return to th e main s creen . T he interval will b e dis played, and the c oun t will show the number of triggers to be executed. Press TEST or trigger M ultiMA X via Rad io to begin in tervalometer fu nc tion
Intervalometer Mode Set In terval Sc reen
Intervalometer has two modes of operation depending on which PO RT is used: • •
P O R T 1 = f ir st tr ig ger tak es plac e A F T ER firs t interval PORT 2 = first trigger takes place BEFORE firs t interval
T R AN SM IT un it 120 sec ond In terval 36 trigger Count
N
A MultiMAX (set for TRANS MIT mode) does not send interval radio triggers. T he M ultiMA X (s et for T RA NS MIT mod e) will sen d out a s ingle radio trigg er puls e at the beg inning of the f irst interval only. It will con tinue to trigg er devices attached to its PO RT s, b ut it will not sen d a radio trigg er for any m ore intervals. F or rem ote interval operation, use interval mode on a RECEIVE unit. Each MultiMAX (set for RECEIVE mode) may have a unique interval setting or can be used with equal settings. Interval an d c oun t entry s cr eens are in st antly active
T he S et Interval and A djus t Cou nter s creen s are ins tantly active. W hile the S et Interval sc reen is d isplayed a c hang e of interval will be imm ediately executed u pon trig ger either from the TEST key or Rad io trigger. T he c ount u sed will be the last c ount s et. If th e Ad jus t C oun ter s cr een is dis played a ch ang e of c oun t will be im mediately executed upon trigger u sing the last interval s et.
ë Intervalometer c an be interr upted by pres sing and h olding th e ~ /M E N U key.
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ë
For delays longer than the 6.4 seconds (maximum available in delay modes) use Intervalometer or Multipop mode. Set the interval to the desired delay. Set the count to 1. A ttac h your cam era to P O R T 1 an d trig ger th e M ultiM AX . T he c am era will trigg er aft er the set in terval.
N
Contact time affects Intervalometer mode. If the contact time is less than one second then Intervalometer will function normally. If the contact time is longer than 1 sec ond th en the s et interval increas es p er this f ormu la: Con tact T ime P LU S In terval time MINUS 1 second. Example: If the Contact Time is set to 3 seconds and the Interval is set to 5 seconds , the actual interval will be 7 seconds (3+5-1=7 ).
L
W hen u sing Intervalometer an d R elay Mode togeth er, a Mu ltiMA X (s et for RECEIVE mode) will switch to Transmit mode and send a Radio trigger after the last interval. See the Relay M ode sec tion, Pag e 40, f or mor e inform ation C: Multipop – ~ /M E N U A C Enters the Multipop interval setting screen. This mode is for triggerin g a flas h m ultiple times from one trigg er. It can be used during one long exposure to increase depth of field or for special effect sequencing. The interval setting is normally used to set a safe flash recyc ling tim e, while the c ount is set to the n um ber of flashes or “pops” desired. Mu ltipop is iden tical in fu nc tion to Intervalometer w ith one excep tion: the m ultipop inter val range has finer resolution; from 0.01 to 640.00 seconds in 0.01 (1/100) sec ond inc remen ts. T his allows for fin er con trol when setting flash recyc le time. T his m ode can be us ed for cam eras or f lash u nits. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6.
From the main screen press ~ /M E N U A C to enter the numeric entry screen Enter the interval or time gap between triggers Press ~ /M E N U to proc eed to the next s creen Enter the count or number of triggers Press ~ /M E N U to return to th e main s creen . T he interval will b e dis played, and the c oun t will sh ow the n um ber of trig gers to be executed Pres s th e TEST key or trig ger th e M ultiM AX via Rad io to begin M ultipop f unc tion
Multi-pop Mode Set In terval Sc reen
T R AN SM IT U nit 5.00 sec ond M ulti-pop In terval 10 trigger Count
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The following chart is a starting point for calculating how the number of flashes or pops affec ts F -stop s. S ince every flas h un it is diff erent, us e a light m eter or other m ethod for more precise calculations. Number of Pops
Stops
Number of Pops
Stops
1
Add 0 stops
6
Add 2.5 stops
2
Ad d 1 s top
8
Add 3 stops
3
Add 1.5 stops
12
Add 3.5 stops
4
Add 2 stops
16
Add 4 stops
N
Con tact tim e is aff ected b y Mu ltipop m ode. If the c ontact tim e is s et greater than the M ultipop inter val, the contac t time w ill automatically be s et to interval time MIN US 0.01 sec onds . T his m eans that a rem ote cam era or flash will remain tr iggered with only a 1/100 second release between contacts. This short released time may not be long enough to re-trigger some cameras or flash units. If this is the case, set the contact time lower.
D: SpeedCycler - TRANSMITTER – ~ /M E N U A D En ables Sp eedC ycler m ode. U se th is m ode to r apid ly cyc le throug h rem ote flash units and trig ger fas ter than a sing le flash can recyc le by usin g m ultiple flash units . It can als o be us ed for trig gering remote c ameras sequ entially. T his mo de on ly work s w ith Q uad T rigg ering ch ann els (17 and higher) and two or more MAX or MultiMAX units (set for RE CE IVE m ode). 1. 2. 3. 4.
N
T R AN SM IT un it SpeedCycler Mode A = triggered with flash con firm ation B = next zone to be trig gered
From the main screen press ~ /M E N U A D to enable S peedC ycler m ode on a M ultiMA X (s et for T RA NS MIT mod e) En able two or m ore rem ote zones Set each MultiMAX (set for RECEIVE m ode) to a different zone Trigger the MultiMAX (set for TRA NSM IT mode). The first trigger will fire the first zone selected, the second trigger will fire the next zone selected. The display indicates the next zone to trigger with an arrow. Only the zone just triggered will display proper confirmation
If L is s elected th en P O R T 2 on the M ultiM AX (s et for T R AN SM IT mo de) w ill trigger every tim e and is not cyc led. It will be in s ync w ith each cyc led zone.
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D: Fast Mode - RECEIVER – ~ /M E N U A D The MultiMAX is designed to sync cameras and flash units at shu tters s peeds up to 1 /250 th for m ost f ocal plane s hutters (35m m) and 1 /500 th for m ost leaf shutters. Some c amera and flash combinations are capable of fast sync speeds up to 1/1000th. The Mu ltiMA X (s et for R EC EIV E m ode) is c apable of operation at these speeds in Fast M ode. Check your camera’s and flash unit’s manuals for the maximum sync sp eeds allowed by your eq uipm ent.
R EC EIVE un it Fast Mode
A MultiMAX (set for RECE IVE mode) in fast mode will show FAST M OD E on the display. W hile in this mode Quad-Triggering and Relay Mode are not available and the A B C D L keys perform no fu nc tion on a R EC EIV E u nit. A M ultiMA X (s et for TR ANS MIT mode) will trigger REC EIVE units in FAST MO DE with any remote zone selec ted, bu t will perform con firm ation only on zone A .
Other Features Keyp ad Lock – Hold T his f unc tion prevents inadvertent key p ress es. P ress and h old the seconds to toggle keypad lock on or off. All keys are locked except
key for 3
and TEST.
W hile the keypad is locked pres sing any of the keys , A B C D L or ~ /M E N U will disp lay the mes sag e “KE YP AD LO CK ED .”
High Voltage Protection Many electronic cameras can be damaged by high flash sync voltage. Refer to your camera’s manual for more information. The MultiMAX protects the camera from high flash sync voltage. The MultiMAX can accept up to 250 volts, but there is only a safe 3.3 volts p resen t at the hot s hoe or P O RT 1. A cam era triggerin g a M ultiMA X (s et for TR ANS MIT mode) via the hot shoe or POR T 1 only encounters 3.3 volts. This voltage is not M ultiMA X battery dep enden t and w ill not vary over the life of th e batteries.
L
See the H ot sh oe notes in the Specifications sec tion, Pag e 50 an d P age 51 , for more in form ation
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R e la y M o d e ( R E C EI VE M o d e O nl y) – L In th is m ode a remote cam era’s mo tor dr ive is triggered by a MultiMAX (set for RECE IVE mode). The MultiMAX then switches to TRAN SMIT m ode and waits for a sync pulse from the camera. Upon getting the sync pulse from the cam era the unit then triggers remote flash units via radio and returns to RECEIVE mode, ready to trigge r the c am era aga in. U sin g th is mode it is possible, using only 3 PocketW izard units, to have complete wireless triggering. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
REC EIVE unit in Relay Mode Rec eives C hann el 22, Z one A Transmits Channel 20
Set a MultiMAX to TRAN SMIT m ode and select the channel and zones for the remote f lash u nits Set th e sam e Mu ltiMA X to R EC EIV E m ode and selec t the ch annel and zone for the remote camera. Use a different channel then the remote flash units. Press L to togg le R elay Mod e on. T he s cr een w ill disp lay RL Y XX (wh ere XX is the T R AN SMIT ch ann el to b e us ed f or relay) Connect the camera’s PC terminal to PORT 1 or attach the MultiMAX to the cam era’s hot s hoe Connect the camera’s motor drive to PORT 2 Trigger the MultiMAX via radio trigger. The camera’s motor drive will trigger and the M ultiM AX dis play will c han ge to T R AN SM IT mo de. T he M ultiM AX will wait 1.5 sec ond s f or a trig ger f rom the c am era. If it gets a trigg er in th at tim e it will trigger th e remote f lash u nits an d retur n to R EC EIV E m ode. If it does not get a trigger in that time it w ill return to R EC EIV E m ode withou t triggerin g the rem ote units.
Software Version Display – Hold A on power up To c heck the software version of the MultiMA X without resetting the unit to factory defaults, perform the following 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
L
Set power switch to OFF Press and hold A key Continue to hold A and s et the pow er sw itch to either R EC EIV E or T RA NS MIT Releas e A key when software version appears U se u nit n orm ally
See the Reset to Default Factory Settings section, Page 53, for more information.
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Applications of Advanced Functions The applications below are unique ways to use the advanced functions of the MultiMAX. Many of them require fine-tuning or adjustment to work with different cam era equip men t. Alw ays perf orm tes t exposu res to ins ure reliable res ults.
Self-Timer or Cable Release Delays, or Intervalometer and Multipop with a count of 1, can be used as a cam era timer for self portraits or as a trigger delay to reduce camera shake. Review Delay, Intervalometer and M ultipop sections for more information.
TT L / Auto flash Helper W hen using an on-camera TTL flash or Automatic exposure flash with a remote flash there m ay be situations wher e you do not w ant the rem ote flash to affec t the T T L or Auto flash sensor. The on-camera flash can underexpose by quenching early (turning off too so on) b ecau se it m easu red th e light from the rem ote flas h. T he rever se of this can also be u ndes irable. If the rem ote flash is in A utom atic m ode, it may qu enc h too early because it sensed the light from the on camera flash. Us ing D elay mode c an help s olve this prob lem. F ollow the step s b elow if us ing a T T L or Au tomatic flash attached direc tly to the cam era: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Attac h the c amera’s PC termin al to PO RT 1 on a M ultiMA X (s et for T RA NS MIT mod e) Attac h m anual or A utom atic flas h to M ultiMA X (s et for R EC EIV E m ode) On the MultiMAX (set for TRANS MIT mode) press ~ /M E N U A A B to enter the set d elay scr een Enter in a delay of 0.0020 (1/500) T rigg er the cam era nor mally
T he on -c am era flas h w ill trigg er im mediately an d h ave enou gh time to com plete its fu ll expos ure. A fter the s et delay tim e the re mote flas h w ill trigg er. T his operat ion is dependent on camera sync speed and flash duration. The delay time of 0.0020 (1/500) will work with a focal plane shutter (35mm camera) at 1/125 shutter speed and a flash duration not longer than 1/400.
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Us e the form ula below to help calc ulate your m aximum saf e sh utter s peed b ased on your flash durations.
L
Ref er to the Tim e Co nv ersion C harts sec tion, Pag e 55, to c onvert frac tions in to dec imals for the f ormu la. 1. 2. 3.
4.
Add your maximum (longest) flash durations together (decimals, not fractions) Ad d anoth er 0.00 2 (f ocal plane) or 0.00 1 (leaf s hutter) to com pens ate for s hutter travel time O n the Shutter Speed Conversion ch art find the next high est d ecim al num ber in the c hart. T he c orresp onding sh utter s peed is the fas test s peed you c an safely use for this procedure S et t he d elay tim e on th e M u lt iM A X (s et f or T R A N S MI T m od e) to th e s am e num ber as your on-c amera f lash u nit’s long est f lash d uration
Programmed sequence shooting T raveling str obos cop ic eff ects can be ach ieved by us ing m ultiple Mu ltiMA X un its (s et for RECEIVE m ode) in delay mode. Set each RECE IVE unit to a different delay and trigger f rom a P ocketW izard. T he s equen ce is identic al on repeat trigg ers.
Recycle Lockout Some flash un its can be damaged if they are triggered too quickly or before they are fully recharged. This may cause the flash to overheat. Use Multipop Mode to protect the flash by setting a safe recycle lockout time. Follow the steps below: 1. 2. 3. 4.
On a MultiMAX (set for RECEIVE mode) press ~ /M E N U A C Enter the desired recycle lockout time and press ~ /M E N U Enter a count of 1 and press ~ /M E N U A ttac h r em ote f las h to P O R T 2
Exam ple: If the loc kout time you entered was 3 s econ ds , then the rem ote flas h c ould not be triggered more than once every 3 seconds.
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Camera Equalization Eq ualization, or syn ch ronizing mu ltiple cam eras to th e sam e flash , requires prec ision timing . Even th ough we perc eive camer a triggering activity as ins tantaneous , it is not. Even th e flash , whic h app ears to p rovide light only for an instan t, has a tim e duration (flash duration) that needs to be factored into synchronization calculations. Every c amera h as a delay from the time it is triggered until the s hutter is fully open. T he trigger can or igin ate f rom either th e cam era’s trig ger bu tton or via th e m otor d rive port. This delay is called lag time and it can be different from camera to camera and may even vary between two cameras of the exact same model. If two cameras are triggered at exactly the sam e time their s hutters will be open at d ifferen t mom ents . If one cam era is attac hed to a flas h, the other cam era’s s hutter w ill probably not be op en at the right moment to capture the flash. Some cameras are not suitable for equalization. For best equalization a camera must have a con sis tent lag tim e. If a cam era’s lag tim e varies widely or un predic tably from sh ot to shot th en it may n ot be pos sible to s ynch ronize that c amera. T his is not a flaw of either the c amera or th e Mu ltiMA X. A varying lag time in a cam era is c ons idered acc eptab le operat ion f or the ma jority of p hotog raph ic s ituation s. C am eras are us ually des igne d to res pon d p redic tably s hot to s hot, b ut are not n eces sar ily or sp ecif ically designed to do so with the precision needed for equalization. Many factors can affect a cam era’s lag tim e: •
Camera Pre-Trigger status – c am eras that h ave a two s tage tr igge r bu tton ( half press “ wak es up ” th e cam era, f ull p res s trigger s the c am era) will p rob ably h ave widely diff erent lag tim es if trig gered w hile awake vers us asleep. C ameras us ually have more c ons istent lag tim es if th ey are kept “awak e” or Pr eT r ig ger ed . T h e c am er a w ill als o r es p on d m or e q uic k ly, b ut w ill c on s um e batteries at a faster rate. Pre-Trigger cables are available from P ocketW izard for m any cam eras
•
Cam era batteries – lag t imes ma y begin to drif t or s low d own as th e cam era’s batteries fade, especially in primarily mechanical cameras. Fresh batteries are recom men ded f or equalization
•
T emp erature and hum idity – as these factors change, the mechanical parts of a camera may move differently thus affecting lag time. A temperature increase may dec rease lag tim e as the c amera’s internal lub rican ts are w armed and f low more freely or vice versa
•
Hor izontal vs vertical orientation – as a camera is moved through these orientations various me ch anis ms, es pec ially shutter s in foc al plane cam eras , will be aff ected b y gravity making them move dif ferently thu s af fec ting lag tim e. In general, do n ot ch ange a c amera’s orientation du ring eq ualization
43
•
M u lt ip le m ec h an ic al s ys tem s – c am eras that h ave ma ny c han geab le mech anic ally interac ting parts (film bac ks , motor drives, lens sh utter s) are likely to have diff erent lag tim es w ith diff erent hard ware c omb inations. A leaf sh utter is in th e lens s o ch anging lenses on a leaf s hutter c amera w ill chang e lag time. In s ome m edium form at cam eras h aving the f ilm bac k loaded vers us unloaded c an m ak e a s ig nif ic an t d if fer en c e. F or con s is ten t r es u lt s alw ays u se th e s am e c om p on en ts (len s , b od y, an d f ilm b ac k com b in at ion for exam p le) eac h tim e
•
Auto-focus and exposure computers – s om e au to- foc u s an d exp os u re s ys tem s will introduce widely varying lag times as lens travel and exposure calculations can take unp redic table amou nts of time. A n electron ic c amera s et to full m anual generally provides the m ost c ons istent lag tim es
Lag Time Measurement – ~ /M E N U A A A L or ~ /MENU A A B L or ~ /M E N U A A C L (R EC EIV E un its only) T he firs t step to c amera s ynch ronization or eq ualization is m easu ring a c amera’s lag time (trig gering delay). Th e Mu ltiMA X c an m easu re a cam era’s lag tim e in mos t delay mod es. K nowin g your c amera’s lag time is critic al for cam era equalization, bu t can also be u sef ul in s pec ial effects , indus trial, com merc ial, or other photog raphy th at requires critical trigger timing. Us ing the in form ation above set u p your c amera f or bes t equalization per form anc e. Attach a MultiMAX (set for RECEIVE mode) to the camera as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4.
5.
6.
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Plac e a M ultiM AX in the cam era’s hot s hoe or attac h a c able f rom the c am era’s P C term in al to P O R T 1 Attac h the c able from PO RT 2 to the c amera’s motor d rive. If available, use a Pr e-R elease c able Press ~ /M E N U A A A for a standard delay mode where lag times can be meas ured The screen should display “Set Delay Using A B C D L “ and show a numeric value. Press L. T he u nit w ill trigg er the cam era and time the d elay unt il a sync pulse is sensed from the hot shoe or lens Press L every few seconds to find the fastest and slowest lag times for the camera. Usually the first press of L will yield a very diff erent nu mb er from later meas urem ents . Ignore th e firs t reading . 5 to 15 lag time m easu remen ts af ter the first one should yield consistent results and give a gauge of the fastest and slowes t times Us ing s teps 1 throu gh 5 , meas ure and record the fas test and slowes t lag times for each camera you wish to equalize. Subtract the fastest from the slowest and record this n um ber as the cam era’s lag tim e variation
ë
Speed is not the most important factor in camera equalization, consistency is. If a slow c amera h as extrem ely cons istent lag tim es it will be a better eq ualization can didate than a faster but inc ons istent c amera. T he reas on wh y it is imp ortant to know the ap proxim ate fas test lag tim e for a c am era, es pec ially an inc ons isten t one, is to calculate margin of error (discus sed later in this section). T he am ount of drift or lag tim e incon sis tenc y determ ines th e highes t sh utter s peed at which a camera will reliably equalize. The following table should be used as a starting point for testing purp oses only. Th e num bers in this table are bas ed on a 1/1 000 th or fas ter flash duration . Sh utter S peed
Probable maximum safe lag time variation for average focal plane ( 35 m m ) camera
Probable maximum safe lag time variation for average leaf shutter cam era, F:8.0
1/300
