PocketWizard FlexTT5 Revisited

 Once I set them up I never bother with them again.  When I first got them I updated all the legacy firmware to the latest available.

It works pretty well for what I do.  As far back as I can remember they do allow me to sync up to 1/250s and even higher for my Nikon.  Not high speed sync but hypersync as I don't use the Nikon SB-800 instead I use the Sunpak 120J.  

Today I try that with my Quantum flash, I don't think it syncs up to 1/250s, or even 1/200s.  1/160s seems to be the safest bet.  I was using the Nikon D4s.  I guess if one is not use Nikon Speedlight then there is no guarantee it would actually sync up to the highest speed 1/250s.

I guess it depends on the flash duration or in other words, the power setting of the strobe.  I imagine full power with the longest duration I can actually sync up to 1/250s or even higher for hypersync.

Since the Z9 doesn't accept the TT5 as transmitter if used as a TTL trigger, it needs to be downgraded to Basic Trigger in order to work as a simple trigger.  And it does work when I set up C2 as basic trigger and used as such.

The D4s can also use C2 the basic trigger but then it will lose all the TTL features...One thing kind of unexpected is when I test the C2 setting using the D4s I found even the color balance shift.  If I left the color balance to auto, if I left the TT5 at C1 at TTL then the WB is warmer, if I used C2, basic trigger, the WB is cooler, very noticeable difference.  I don't know how the TT5 behave can actually affect the flash color temperature, perhaps the flash duration used or how the D4s interpret the WB of the flash.  There is clearly a shift in WB on the picture taken using the TT5 as basic trigger.  If I use the TT5 as TTL then the color is warmer like it's always been.  I have never set the C2 as Basic Trigger unitl yesterday just to test out the Z9.  Very interesting.  I set the D4s WB to 5500 then the pictures look the same whether the TT5 set as TTL or Basic Trigger.

The Nikon Refurbished

 Nikon do sell refurbished items, like their flagship items.  But they make no mention of where they come from or imply anything.  They are just under Deals.

I got myself their flagship, a Z9.  I know I won't be happy with anything less.  I took a few blank shots even before I got my CFExpress Type B card.  When I got around and checked the picture, the image number is 69,091 (using Photoshop File info).  So the refurbished camera has more than 69K actuations before getting to me.  The battery certainly looks used as it has quite a bit of rub marks.

So if you buy refurbished from NikonUSA, don't expect you will get "lucky" and got a brand spanking new item with some 1,000s actuations.   Given that it can shoot 120 frames per second, it's not too difficult to rack up big actuation counts.

The Z9 itself looks decent but not new.  Anyway, as NikonUSA makes no explicit or implied newness so I think it's fair or fair enough.  But the 90 days warranty is just bad.  I can't help but think of Apple, its refurbished has the same warranty as brand new.  And in general the Apple refurbished has brand new battery and new casings or so I've heard.  Well camera is a different beast so I can understand.  All my other recent cameras in the last decade were bought used.

From SLR to DSLR to Mirrorless.  I guess it's inevitable.

From CF, SD and XQD and now CFExpress Type B.  I guess it's inevitable.

I can understand why one needs more storage and more computing power.  Things just keep changing and marching on.

I've made no conscious effort to stay or move on to mirrorless.  But my recent drop of the D810 together with the 24-70 f/2.8 kind of gave me the excuse to move forward.  Again you are buying into a system.