New Flash Advice Needed

[JKeena]

Background Info: I shoot skateboarding and biking, often indoors and at night, and I am working with a Canon camera, PocketWizards, and off camera, wireless flashes.

Situation: I am selling my Speedlite 550ex because it does not work right with my PocketWizards (I also tested a Speedlite 420 and I found the same problem) so I am trying to steer away from the Speedlite family. Any recommendations for what flashes I should look in to for shooting sports (I am trying to stay $300 or under if possible)? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! -Justin

[another view]

Photo John probably knows the Speedlite/PW system better than anyone here. Could you be more specific about the problem you're having with it, then send him a PM to ask him to look at this thread? He doesn't post too often on this board so I'm not sure if he'll see it otherwise. He gets really nice results from it, so I wonder if he will have something you can try to make it work better for you.

I guess we'd also need to know what the problem is so we can make a good reccomendation on another option.

[JKeena]

Photo John probably knows the Speedlite/PW system better than anyone here. Could you be more specific about the problem you're having with it, then send him a PM to ask him to look at this thread? He doesn't post too often on this board so I'm not sure if he'll see it otherwise. He gets really nice results from it, so I wonder if he will have something you can try to make it work better for you.

I guess we'd also need to know what the problem is so we can make a good reccomendation on another option.

Ofcourse I can elaborate...

The problem (which I have posted on here before for help, and I asked Canon, and I asked PocketWizard = no answers), sorry, the problem is that when I have the 550 (or 420) hooked up to the Reciever PW and my camera has the PW transmitter on it, I can take one picture with the whole thing working fine, if I try a second time, the flash won't go off. I have to walk over to it and manually turn it on and off. It is very frustrating.

So after I asked everyone I could think of for answers and found none, and also tested a 420ex and found the same problem, I am left thinking I should get away from the Speddlite family all together. That is where I am now. Hope that helps ya'll help me!

[Photo-John]

I'm using PocketWizards with 550s and they work fine. kafin8ed uses the same setup and my friend Forrest uses it, too. I don't understand what's different about your system that would make it not work. If I remember right, the unknown variable is the connector you're using to connect your flash to the PocketWizard sync cord. What kind of connector did you end up using? I think everyone I know is using the Wein. It looks crappy and feels crappy, but it works.

[JKeena]

I'm using PocketWizards with 550s and they work fine. kafin8ed uses the same setup and my friend Forrest uses it, too. I don't understand what's different about your system that would make it not work. If I remember right, the unknown variable is the connector you're using to connect your flash to the PocketWizard sync cord. What kind of connector did you end up using? I think everyone I know is using the Wein. It looks crappy and feels crappy, but it works.

I use a Wein Optical Slave because it has a sync cord female end on it and it works fine with my Vivitar285. I'm thinking of actually sellign my 550ex and just buying another brand new one, maybe this will clear up whatever problem lies in the setup I am using. I don't know what to do, this is so frustrating!