I am often asked “Why do you use the oldfashioned Pocketwizard IIs, Michael? Why not the new ones, or a cheaper smaller Korean or Taiwanese version?”
When I use wireless flash transmitters, like Pocketwizards, or when I use any other battery-powered equipment, two things matter.
- Are they reliable? They need to be 100% reliable – I cannot have things malfunction when I am shooting.
- Are they tried and tested? If everyone uses a certain type of equipment, it is likely that this is trustworthy equipment.
- Do they use ordinary batteries? I am not a fan of special batteries.
The latter point is big for me; as big as the former points. Any equipment that uses funny cell batteries – i.e. expensive, hard to find batteries that last for days, not months – is a no-no in my book. Pocketwizard IIs use ordinary AA batteries.
And if there are three things in life that are certain , they are death, taxes, and the availability of AA batteries.