Phottix Duo TTL Cable and Phottix AF Extension Tube Set

[aim54x]

Hey all,

I just thought I would share some new products that Poon has been cooking up. As some of you know, I have been importing Phottix gear for the Camera House that I work for, so I have taken the opportunity to pick up a few of their new products to play with.

First of all is the Duo TTL cord, a flash sync cable that allows you to mount a flash on both ends of the cable...which comes in 1m, 1.5m and 2m (all coiled) these cables are all universal, being compatible with Nikon/Fuji iTTL (I have tested), Canon eTTL (I have tested), Olympus and Pentax/Samsung. However, the name of this product is slightly misleading, althought TTL is retained perfectly when one flash is used, when the second flash is added (or turned on) you have to switch BOTH flashes to manual. The usual caveats of using compatible camera and flashes is necessary.

Second up are the new Phottix AF Extension Tube sets - available for both Nikon and Canon (I have tested both). The good news is that they work, although they are still very basic extension tubes, the AF (AF-S, AF-D, USM) and image stabilisation (VR and IS) are retained. However I did find that you have to be pretty careful when mounting them on camera. I have not had any experience with extension tubes, but I can say that stacking all three tubes together appears to hamper the AF ability of lenses on a Canon EOS 1000D (18-55 IS, 50mm f/1.8 and 60mm f/2.8 macro). I have only briefly used them on a Nikon D90 + 18-105VR and 50mm f/1.8 but will hope to play with the Nikon ones more soon.

I have personally purchased one of the Duo TTL cords (1.5m as we only bought these) for myself and have purchased a set of the AF extension tubes (Nikon mount) for a friend.

I would like to have a close look at the Kenko set of extension tubes to compare the two products as the Canon mount Phottix set appear to be very primitive with simple rods passing on the electronic signals to the lenses. The Nikon mount version appear to be more complex as they also pass through the screwdriver signal for AF-D lenses (and you cant see the guts of the extension tubes).

[photomarcs]

Points for the Extension tubes! sold out in about a month haha (canon that is)

I'd also like to compare the Kenko Ext. Tubes.. but knowing how much i'm into third party pieces, i'd have to say that branding isn't always the issue.

P.S. Rediculously the ext. tubes have been placed on the 450D also, with the 18-200 funnily enough.. my mate Garney bought a set and he's in love with it. He ended up macro-ing his girlfriend's eye.

[aim54x]

Funny how this post has not attracted much attention.

i can say that I have been using the Duo TTL cable and have been very happy with it, both as a normal flash cable and as a duo cable.

After using the Nikon AF Extension Tube set for a bit, I have to admit that I prefer my macro lens, and the longest tube 36mm seems to really mess up the AF.

[malificentmuse]

I have a 2m Phottix DUO TTL cord and am really happy with it, my main purpose was to use it to fire off two flashes, one through wireless transmitter, and one off the shoe. (The Nissin Di622 doesn't fire off the center pin). At first I read about having to switch to Manual if you have two flashes attached in TTL, but I have successfully used it with TTL and a transmitter. Just though that might be of interest

[Mr Darcy]

Missed this the firt time round. Contrary to what Pam thinks, I dont spend *all* my time on this forum

and the longest tube 36mm seems to really mess up the AF.

This may just be inherent in the way AF works. The faster the lens is, the better the AF works. Adding tubes slows down the lens, and the longer the tube, the more it slows down the lens. It may be that the longest tube is simply slowing the lens to the point that AF is problematic in anything but REALLY good light.

That said, I thought the received view is that AF and macro don't mix real well.

[petermmc]

Hi Cameron

Thanks for the information you supplied.

With the Phottix Duo TTL cord, I assume that one of the ends actually connects directly to the hot shoe on the camera. I know this may sound like a silly question but I was having cord connection problems yesterday and the problem was my old spirally cord has separate connections on either end.

I am sure, I will get one of these.

Regards

Peter Mc

[aim54x]

Peter, you are correct, one end of the cable connects directly to the camera (but this connection has a TTL hotshoe pass through as well) and the other end has a TTL hotshoe attachment for you flash. You can only use TTL with one flash mounted, if you have two flashes mounted then you will have to use them both in manual.

Alfred (malificentmuse) has had some success using TTL on one shoe and a radio trigger on the other, which is interesting, but since I dont own any radio triggers as yet I cannot verify this.