RadioPopper JRx Units for your Studio Strobes - Impressive first look

[MyKey]

First and foremost I need to start off by saying I MAKE NO MONEY FROM RADIOPOPPER OR THEIR PRODUCTS. I AM NOT AN OWNER OR IN ANY WAY HAVE STOCK IN THEIR COMPANY. I know many feel I do since I push their products so much but honestly having light - wireless light as my greatest passion in photography I study this stuff all the time. I am such a nerd on it, I mean like Lord of the Rings nerd on it, so when new products come out which I feel can change the way people shoot for the better, making them more money in less time I get excited. That is why RadioPopper has been in the forefront of our work since they truly created something that had never been done before. On that same level of thinking the Non-TTL RadioPopper JRx units are about to be released and we got our hands on a few this past week.

Back in March we tested the beta RadioPopper JRx for our upcoming and soon to be released TTL Wireless Flash DVD and was amazed and excited and simply could not wait till we got our hands on these little guys.

Well finally the wait is over, we received 5 receivers and 2 transmitters late last week and been using them in REAL shooting situations all weekend long. Quick review, they are amazing – do I have a few issues with them, of course, I simply never have known a new product to come out where my “wish list” was completed 100%. However with that said these guys are truly going to take the photography world by storm I think, an inexpensive and reliable radiowave triggering device all for less than the price of one of one PocketWizard.

Here is what we received with a very basic labeling of the image showing you each side of the units and the basic functions and items on each one.



As I said we used these in REAL shooting situations this weekend including shooting our local High School Cheerleaders in and out of the studio, sessions inside our studio and outside in the backyard of our studio. Needless to say the image you see above I safely feel will be the VERY LAST image ever taken by TriCoast using our old PocketWizard Plus II triggering systems. Since the JRx units do everything it can do and much more

* More channels
* Just as good or better range (I got over 100 yards without any issues)
* Adjustments in power using Alien Bee and other Paul Buff Products all wireless from transmitter
* Smaller units - easier to pack and move if needed
* Much less expensive - seriously I can get two sets (4 units) for the price of one PocketWizard Plus II

Just to name a few of the positives from these guys. The people at RadioPopper while taking longer than expected on this product to hit the market, truly perfected it while we waited and well for that I really can not fault them. A new company releasing two products in the matter of 3 years which has changed the face of the entire professional photography business, to me is amazing. So Two Thumbs Up for RadioPopper JRx Units, I simply can not wait to get the rest of the 30 units I am going to order for our business. (24 receivers and 6 transmitters)



So if you have any questions please ask away I will help out anyway I can to educate anyone who asks. As professional photographers / parents / etc. we simply do not have time to read up on every aspects of this art form so I hope I can help speed up the educational learning process by threads of this nature. While I do not know everything about these units yet I am learning and hopefully can help answer any questions you might have, if I can not I will find them for you.

[CaptainTom]

I will miss my PW module in my Sekonic Flash Meter.....

Any idea when and where we could purchase these ?

[MyKey]

Captain - these guys will still work the same way using light meters - and they WILL Trigger Camera Bodies as well I have been told. I have not had time to test it out but it is in the manual.

While more than the cheop-o triggers from China but nothing near the price of a PW, these babies will soon be selling like crazy I think for all studio shooters, especially those who shoot Paul Buff products or those like me who love to mix TTL and Manual together, being that the PX Transmitter will trigger a JRx receiver.

[CaptainTom]

Originally Posted by MyKey

Captain - these guys will still work the same way using light meters - and they WILL Trigger Camera Bodies as well I have been told. I have not had time to test it out but it is in the manual.

While more than the cheop-o triggers from China but nothing near the price of a PW, these babies will soon be selling like crazy I think for all studio shooters, especially those who shoot Paul Buff products or those like me who love to mix TTL and Manual together, being that the PX Transmitter will trigger a JRx receiver.

I was just about ready to pull the trigger on a couple more PW's but will definitely wait it out.
If you guys like them, that's endorsement enough for me.

[MyKey]

They are a lot cheaper, have just as good or better range and control my Alien Bee's which the PW wont do.

I also can mix in TTL when adding a PX unit to the mix something no one else can do.

Its just more options in lighting to create your art and for a better price so if they work which this weekend I found they do, I am all for them.

I am sure there are some issues with them but as of right now I have not found any.


And thanks Tom for the nice words we try and educate where we can, I know I sound like a commercial sometimes but honestly RP products open up so many doors which were simply closed before it is hard not to get excited.

[Kalrog]

3 questions for you...

1) How good are the adjustment knobs? How precise/repeatable?

2) Can I see pictures of them in use? As in attached to the camera and flashes/strobes?

3) Do the receivers have hot shoe mounts or just what?

Okay, I lied... 5 questions. What is that RJ11 (telephone) jack for? And where can you purchase them?

And now for the relatively obvious comment... Competition is good for the consumer.

[MyKey]

1) How good are the adjustment knobs? How precise/repeatable?

They are solid - easy to turn and seem to be built very good. No set positions on them, just smooth from start (low setting) to end (high setting)

2) Can I see pictures of them in use? As in attached to the camera and flashes/strobes?

Crappy snapshot but here is a zoomed in crop from my G10 taken yesterday shooting outside with them. You can see the receiver using the telephone cord which is supplied with the receiver plugged into the back of the Alien Bee.

3) Do the receivers have hot shoe mounts or just what?

The receiver do not have any mount they have a flash bottom which you can velcro or tape to your light if needed or just hang from the supplied phone cord as we have so far done. Either way we have not had any issues yet. Now that I know we will be using these in our studio I will mount them more permanent to our lights somehow just not gotten that far yet.

What is that RJ11 (telephone) jack for?

Kinda answered above but this allows you to get directly to the "brain" of any Paul Buff product (Alien Bee, White Lighting, etc) strobe unit. By doing this you not only trigger the light but you also CONTROL the light wireless by the transmitter. In other words you are in complete control over this light via radiowaves.

And where can you purchase them?

Only one place that I know of starting on the 24th - www.RadioPopper.com

Competition is good for the consumer.

YES! RadioPopper has already pushed PocketWizard into releasing their version of TTL "Control TL" on the market with lots of issues, so having others out there only means the photographer wins in the long run!

[danchez]

ok, so far they look awesome, how many lights can you control with one transmitter unit? and when will they become available?

[David Whatley]

Are you saying of you "dont" use the telephone cord connector then you dont have full control of your Bee's?
Not a deal breaker at all, just want to make sure I dont misunderstand
david

[MyKey]

Originally Posted by danchez

ok, so far they look awesome, how many lights can you control with one transmitter unit? and when will they become available?

There are three different groups then there is a setting for no group, just for secure triggering instead of random slave setting. One transmitter will set off as many receivers as you have set up.

[MyKey]

Originally Posted by David Whatley

Are you saying of you "dont" use the telephone cord connector then you dont have full control of your Bee's?
Not a deal breaker at all, just want to make sure I dont misunderstand
david

Correct David the supplied cord is to get into the Brain of the AlienBee otherwise the mini port is just a way to trigger any strobe. So if you want control you need the phone type supplied cord.

Why would this be an issue David? Just curious since I had not heard that worry before.

[brad]

These are on my buy list the next time I need to replace my existing wireless sets...

[The Loft Studios]

Hey Mike,
Do they only control Alien Bee/White Lightning Lights or will they control any Mono Light that uses a phone jack for communication such as a Photogenic?
Also, I've been trying to contact you regarding the Lighting Seminar in October, I know you guys are busy, but would you mind contacting me..... sending PM

Thanks!

[MyKey]

Mark at this time only the Paul Buff products work, but others are in the works with Photogenics on the TOP of the list.

I sent you a PM as well :)

[MyKey]

David over at Strobist just released his review if you would like to read it, really good information on it I think.

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2009/08...u-fat-and.html