Pocket Wizard AC3 Zone Controller Thoughts

Okay. This Pocket Wizard AC3 Zone Controller system looks pretty cool. Especially for lazy photographers like me. And the lazier I get (which is by-the-day) the cooler this gadget looks.

But there's one little snag-- it's called my wallet. Let's say I buy an AC3 Zone Controller for $69. Since I don't already have more than one FlexTT5 transceiver -- I have only one of them -- It appears I'll have to buy a few more of those units to make this system work. You see, my other 3 Pocket Wizards are Plus IIs.

Unless I'm missing something here (which happens often enough) it looks like I'll need to buy 3 more Flex TT5s or 2 more TT5s and one TT1. (I don't think Mini TT1s will work as receivers mounted under the Speedlites... but I could be wrong.) Anyway, let's say I buy the three TT5s. That's another $229 x 3 which equals $687. Add to that the $69 AC3 and I'm well over $700. But hey! I'm lazy! So why not? Besides, if I buy them, considering I already have three Plus IIs, I'll have a total of 7 Pocket Wizards of various types! And dontcha know? I shoot with 7 lights all the freakin' time! And who wants to rely on optical triggers for any of them?

(Removing tongue from cheek.)

Let's say I shoot with, as an example, Alien Bees or White Lightnings. I don't but let's just say I do. If I don't already have them, I'll have to buy three AC9 AlienBees Adapters @ $62 each. That's another $186 to the well-past-seven-hundred-bucks I've already invested in my 3-Zone Controller system. Add tax, maybe shipping, and I'm at about a grand for this system, assuming I want to be able to remotely control three light sources with it and I'm using ABs or White Lightnings. (Isn't "white lightning" moonshine? Ya think Mr. Buff was thinking to emulate moonlight instead of sunlight? Nah. That would be dumb.)

I'm looking at the Pocket Wizard AC3 video again and I can't help but think-- Is well over $700 or nearly $1000 worth the three or four steps the photographer, perhaps most any photographer, would have to trudge to manually change the settings on their lights?

Anyway, I'm not down on this device. It's a very cool toy! Especially for gear heads. Personally, though, if I have a spare grand lying around, I'm spending it on glass or maybe my Harley.

The pretty girl at the top is Paris. In spite of my considerable laziness, I manually adjusted my three light sources.

By the way, a little birdie told me you can get 30% off Ed Verosky's ebooks if you buy two. That's two at 30% off. All you have to do is use discount code ANYTWO at checkout. (But you don't have to type it in red.) This discount sale started this morning and, the little bird added, is good for the next 48 hours. All Ed's books are only a click away. You can find those places to click in the right-hand column of this page.