Owner’s Manual www.PocketWizard.com Congratulations on the purchase of your new PocketWizard MultiMAX II digital radio triggering system The PocketWizard MultiMAX II is a microprocessor-based radio slave system that uses advanced digital signaling to increase triggering range, reliability and reject radio noise from other sources. Since is utilizes Transceiver technology, it is both a transmitter and a receiver all in one.
Safety Warnings 13 Battery Information 13 Battery Life 14 Mounting 14 VELCRO¨ 14 1/4-20 Mount 14 Shoe Mount 14 Lanyard 14 Quick Setup - Basic Radio Slave Operation 15 Basic Setup for Remote Flash 15 Triggering Multiple Flashes With Multiple RECEIVE Units 16 Connecting MultiMAX II (set for TRANSMIT mode) to Flash 16 Standard Radio Operation 17 Transceiver Control 17 Channels 17 Compatibility 18 Selective Quad-Triggering (A B C D keys) 19 Classic Channels 20 L Key 20 True Confirmation 21 Radio 21 Optional Fla
A: Count Up + Reset 30 B: Count Down + Reset 30 C: Clear / Reset 30 D: Disable 30 Advanced Menu 31 A: Delay Menu - TRANSMITTER 31 A: Remotes + PORT 2 31 B: Remotes Only 32 C: Rear Curtain 32 A: Delay Menu - RECEIVER 33 A: PORT 1 + PORT 2 33 B: PORT 2 33 C: Equalize 34 B: Intervalometer (Time Lapse Photography) C: Multipop 36 D: SpeedCycler - TRANSMITTER 37 D: Fast Mode - RECEIVER 38 Other Features 38 Keypad Lock 38 High Voltage Protection 38 USB Port 38 Relay Mode 39 Software Version Display 39 Applications
Reset to Default Factory Settings 52 Sustaining High Performance 53 Time Conversion Charts 54 Fractions to Decimal 54 Power Control 55 Radio Information 56 To find the correct PocketWizard brand cables for your flash and cameras, and to experience other products like the Plus II, please visit www.PocketWizard.com or your local photography dealer. This US frequency MultiMAX II is compatible with all US frequency PocketWizard products. It is not frequency compatible with CE or JAPAN PocketWizard products.
occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: 1. Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. 2. Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver. 3. Consult the dealer or an experienced radio or television technician for help.
ICONS USED IN THIS MANUAL Read the information following this icon. It shows important notes about the subject being discussed. Follow this icon for more detailed information on the subject in another section. Find valuable tips and techniques with this icon. Warning or caution. Refer to www.pocketwizard.com for updated information.
Intervalometer Multipop Lag Time Measurement Multiple Camera Equalization SpeedCycler Relay Mode MULTIMAX II PART REFERENCE Status Light PORT 2 Output PORT Input / Output LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) Flexible Antenna Lanyard Loop Battery Door Latch 1/4 - 20 Tripod Mount USB Port See page 49 for AC power information.
TEST Button MENU Key Back Light / Key Lock Hot Shoe Input LCD INFORMATION Battery Level Frequency Locked Beep Mode Channel Transmitter Default Power On Screen Receiver Default Power On Screen Main Menu Default Screen CONTROLS Power Switch - TRANSMIT = Unit is powered on in TRANSMITTER (TX) mode - RECEIVE = Unit is powered on in RECEIVER (RX) mode - OFF = Unit is powered OFF Keypad - A B C D L = Selects Quad-Triggering Zones and Local.
Port 1 / Port 2 - CAMERA / PORT 1 Input from camera sync terminal, external trigger button, Flash Confirmation Cable, or other device Output to camera motor drive, flash, or other device - FLASH / PORT 2 = Output to flash, camera motor drive, or other device Status LED Displays the following information: - Blinking every few seconds = power on, ready for trigger - Blinking in sync with trigger = normal triggering - Steady = continuously triggered from radio, hot shoe, or PORT 1 performing delay or contact t
polarity. Alkaline batteries are recommended. Rechargeable batteries will also work, though operation time may be reduced. WARNING Ð To avoid battery leakage, follow these guidelines: - Always remove the batteries when the unit is not in use for extended periods of time, or during shipping or long distance travel. - Never mix old and new batteries. Always use a fresh pair of matched batteries. - Always change batteries promptly at the first indication of low battery operation.
VELCRO¨ For attaching to flashes, brackets, cameras, etc. 1/4-20 Mount For tripods, mounting arms, isolation bars, brackets, etc. Shoe Mount For mounting on a bracket shoe, cold or dead shoe, etc. Lanyard For hanging from a light stand, flash handle, tripod knob, belt, etc. QUICK SETUP - BASIC RADIO SLAVE OPERATION Basic Setup for Remote Flash Turn off all equipment before installing batteries or making connections! 1. Install 2 AA batteries in each MultiMAX II 2. Connect camera to first MultiMAX II: a.
3. Set power switch on each additional MultiMAX II unit to RECEIVE mode 4. Set all MultiMAX II units to same channel as TRANSMIT unit You’re all set! Use the camera normally. Connecting MultiMAX II (set for TRANSMIT mode) to Flash A flash can be connected to a MultiMAX II (set for TRANSMIT mode). It will trigger in sync with the remote flash units. This flash is called the local flash and is usually mounted on a camera bracket. 1.
Delay including Rear Curtain Sync Intervalometer X X Multipop X X Relay Mode X X Selective Quad-Triggering X Confirmation (Radio and Flash) Fast Mode X SpeedCycler X X X X Compatibility MultiMAX II channels are compatible with all PocketWizard radio slave products per the table below: Digital Radio Model MultiMAX II Compatible Channels Older MultiMAX II units 1-16 17-32 Quad-Triggering or Fast Mode PocketWizard 10 Channel Classic 1-10 PocketWizard 16 Channel Classic 1-16 PocketWizard Plus PocketWizard P
PocketWizard manufactures products for 3 different world frequencies: US, CE, and JAPAN. Not every product is manufactured for every frequency. Products manufactured for one world frequency are NOT compatible with products from another. Make sure to order products that are compatible with the frequency you already own, or are legal for use in your world region.
these channels is identical to the function of the LOCAL / BOTH / REMOTE switch found on PocketWizard Plus and Classic Transmitters. TRANSMIT unit set to CLASSIC CHANNEL 4 Remote and Local selected L Key = On any channel the L key toggles the local flash on or off in a MultiMAX II (set for TRANSMIT mode). See the Connecting MultiMAX II (set for TRANSMIT mode) to Flash section, Page 16, for more information. The L key toggles Relay Mode when using a MultiMAX II (set for RECEIVE mode).
(either no flash was detected or the radio link was incomplete) the zone letter and the flash icon will invert A MultiMAX II (set for TRANSMIT mode) will look for RECEIVE units and confirm the radio link after each of these operations: - Every trigger - Power on or switch from RECEIVE to TRANSMIT - Channel change - Zone change (including L) - Exiting the menu system Confirmation can only be performed using MultiMAX II units on channels 17 and higher.
- If a menu is displayed, pressing */MENU will select the highlighted item. Use the key to exit the menus at any time. - If a numeric entry is displayed, pressing */MENU stores the displayed number in memory and proceeds to either the next input screen or the main screen depending on mode. In the next chapters many of the headings will be followed by /MENU and some letter combinations. These are quick references for the keys to press to get to that function fast.
Press A to enter the Advanced Menu. The Advanced Menu contains Delay modes (including Rear Curtain Sync), Intervalometer, Multipop, and SpeedCycler modes. B: Basic Settings Ð */MENU B Press B to enter the Basic Settings menu. It contains Contact time and Beep menu. Main Menu Go Advanced Main Menu Go Normal C: Counter Menu Ð */MENU C Press C to enter the Trigger Counter Menu which contains Counter direction, and other counter functions: Reset / Clear, Disable, and Load.
Contact time is NOT the length of time a MultiMAX II (set for TRANSMIT mode) will send a radio triggering signal. Contact time affects PORT 1 and PORT 2 only and does not affect radio trigger transmission. Pressing and holding TEST on a MultiMAX II (set for TRANSMIT mode) will continuously send the radio trigger signal and hold the contact on a MultiMAX II (set for RECEIVE) as well as the TRANSMIT unit. When the TEST button is released each unit’s contact time will then begin.
the corresponding letter to set the desired function of the built-in speaker. A: Beep on All Ð */MENU B B A MultiMAX II will beep on all triggering, confirmation errors, and zero counts as indicated below as well as on any key pressed. B: Beep on Trigger Ð */MENU B B B Beep on Trigger performs the same beeps as Beep On All minus the double beep when the Counter hits zero in Count Down, Multipop, or Intervalometer modes.
operation. COUNTER MENU Press */MENU C enter the Counter Menu. This menu controls the counter functions of the MultiMAX II. The counter can show the total number of triggers. Count is incremented on every trigger from any source: PORT 1, TEST button, Hot Shoe, or Radio Trigger. A: Count Up + Reset Ð */MENU C A Count is set to COUNT UP (example: 0,1,2,3,...) and the counter is reset to 0. The main screen will display COUNT ^: 0.
Enters the delay menu for MultiMAX II units (set for TRANSMIT mode). Delay menus, with the exception of Rear Curtain, require numeric entry. See the Numeric Entry section, Page 24. All delay screens (numeric entry or rear curtain) are instantly active and triggering can occur while these screens are displayed. A value displayed on these screens will be used immediately on trigger. This is useful for fine tuning a delay or adjusting rear curtain sync. The maximum delay is 9.9999 seconds.
Rear Curtain Sync Time Decimal Equivalent Actual Delay Used 1/1 1 second 0.98 seconds 1/2 0.5 seconds 0.49 seconds 1/4 0.25 seconds 0.24 seconds 1/8 0.125 seconds 0.119 seconds 1/15 0.0667 seconds 0.062 seconds 1/30 0.0333 seconds 0.029 seconds 1/60 0.0167 seconds 0.014 seconds For rear curtain sync times other than the ones displayed above, or for fine tuning rear curtain times for your specific equipment, press */MENU to return to the main screen.
Equalize Mode is a specialized delay mode for synchronizing multiple cameras to one flash. This mode is designed to work with shutter speeds up to 1/125 on some cameras, but there are many factors that could affect operation. This is the only place where Lag Times can be measured. Read the Camera Equalization section, Page 42, before continuing. Equalize mode is designed to be used with at least 3 MultiMAX II units (set in RECEIVE mode).
Intervalometer Mode Set Interval Screen 1. From the main screen press */MENU A B to enter the numeric entry screen 2. Enter the interval or time gap between triggers 3. Press */MENU to proceed to the next screen 4. Enter the count or number of triggers 5. Press */MENU to return to the main screen. The interval will be displayed, and the count will show the number of triggers to be executed. 6.
entered. When using Intervalometer and Relay Mode together, a MultiMAX II (set for RECEIVE mode) will switch to Transmit mode and send a Radio trigger after the last interval. See the Relay Mode section, Page 39, for more information. When using Intervalometer or Multipop modes exclusively, battery life can be 200-300 hours. See the Reset to Default Factory Settings section, Page 52, for more information. C: Multipop Ð */MENU A C Enters the Multipop interval setting screen.
Number of Pops Stops 6 Add 2.5 stops 7 Add 3 stops 8 Add 3.5 stops 9 Add 4 stops Contact time is affected by Multipop mode. If the contact time is set greater than the Multipop interval, the contact time will automatically be set to interval time MINUS 0.01 seconds. This means that a remote camera or flash will remain triggered with only a 1/100 second release between contacts. This short released time may not be long enough to re-trigger some cameras or flash units.
camera and flash combinations are capable of fast sync speeds up to 1/1000th. The MultiMAX II (set for RECEIVE mode) is capable of operation at these speeds in Fast Mode. Check your camera’s and flash unit’s manuals for the maximum sync speeds allowed by your equipment. A MultiMAX II (set for RECEIVE mode) in fast mode will show FAST MODE on the display. While in this mode Quad-Triggering and Relay Mode are not available and the A B C D L keys perform no function on a RECEIVE unit.
RECEIVE mode). The MultiMAX II then switches to TRANSMIT mode and waits for a sync pulse from the camera. Upon getting the sync pulse from the camera the unit then triggers remote flash units via radio and returns to RECEIVE mode, ready to trigger the camera again. Using this mode it is possible, using only 3 PocketWizard units, to have complete wireless triggering. RECEIVE unit in Relay Mode Receives Channel 22, Zone A Transmits Channel 20 1.
Delays, or Intervalometer and Multipop with a count of 1, can be used as a camera timer for self portraits or as a trigger delay to reduce camera shake. Review Delay Intervalometer and Multipop sections for more information. TTL / Auto flash Helper When using an on-camera TTL flash or Automatic exposure flash with a remote flash there may be situations where you do not want the remote flash to affect the TTL or Auto flash sensor.
Programmed Sequence Shooting Traveling stroboscopic effects can be achieved by using multiple MultiMAX II units (set for RECEIVE mode) in delay mode. Set each RECEIVE unit to a different delay and trigger from a PocketWizard. The sequence is identical on repeat triggers. Recycle Lockout Some flash units can be damaged if they are triggered too quickly or before they are fully recharged. This may cause the flash to overheat. Use Multipop Mode to protect the flash by setting a safe recycle lockout time.
lag times if triggered while awake versus asleep. Cameras usually have more consistent lag times if they are kept awake or Pre- Triggered. The camera will also respond more quickly, but will consume batteries at a faster rate. Pre-Trigger cables are available from PocketWizard for many cameras - Camera batteries Ð lag times may begin to drift or slow down as the camera’s batteries fade, especially in primarily mechanical cameras.
4. The screen should display - Set Delay Using A B C D L ^v" and show a numeric value. Press TEST. The unit will trigger the camera and time the delay until a sync pulse is sensed from the hot shoe or lens 5. Press TEST every few seconds to find the fastest and slowest lag times for the camera. Usually the first press of TEST will yield a very different number from later measurements. Ignore the first reading.
aperture takes longer and reduces the amount of variance allowed. A smaller aperture takes less time thereby increasing the allowable variance. (A leaf shutter set to F:4.0, for example, may reduce the variance to the same as a focal plane camera). If your camera’s maximum sync speed is slower than the number listed then you must use the slower sync speed. Camera equalization does not give a camera faster sync speeds than the camera is designed to handle.
b. If the fast camera is more consistent use this formula: i. Slower Camera’s Fastest Lag Time MINUS Faster Camera’s Fastest Lag Time PLUS 0.0025 {calculated safety margin} 5. Press */MENU A A B then enter the calculated delay time from Step 4 6. Attach the slower camera’s motor drive to PORT 7. Attach the faster camera’s motor drive to PORT 2 8. Attach the flash to the more consistent (smallest lag time variance) camera 9.
MINUS 0.0025 {calculated safety margin} b. If the fast camera is more consistent use this formula: i. Slower Camera’s Fastest Lag Time MINUS Faster Camera’s Fastest Lag Time PLUS 0.0025 {calculated safety margin} 5. Attach the slower camera’s motor drive to either PORT on the first unit 6. Attach the faster camera’s motor drive to either PORT on the second unit 7. On the second unit press */MENU A A A, then enter the calculated delay time from Step 4 8.
offset number (0.0025 for example) may need to be adjusted when attempting to equalize at faster shutter speeds or slower ones with wide lag variation cameras. The offset number tries to move the flash burst to the middle of the exposure to compensate for drifting lag time. Experiment with different offsets to fine tune your shutter speed, flash duration, and camera timing combinations.
HOT SHOE NOTE: Some cameras may exhibit undesirable behavior if the RECEIVE unit is mounted in the camera hot shoe when that camera is being fired remotely. Some cameras’ hot shoe and motor drive contacts may share some connections. This can cause the camera to lock up or stop operating normally. If your camera does not function properly in this mode then remove the unit from the camera’s hot shoe.
Interval (Multipop or Intervalometer) The following settings are saved on power down: Channel Interval Beep Mode Delay Time Zone Contact Time Counter Mode Relay Mode Load Count Advanced Mode Fast Mode TROUBLESHOOTING When in doubt ! Many issues can be resolved by powering the unit off and then back on again or by resetting to factory default settings. Before proceeding to any other troubleshooting procedure follow these steps: 1. Set power to OFF 2. Wait 10 seconds or until display completely blanks 3.
The following indicators may operate erratically during reset, but will return to normal operation when reset completes: Battery Level, Frequency Lock, Beep Mode, and Channel. The CLEAR/RESET message also displays the software version installed in the unit. To view just the software version without losing settings refer to the Software Version Display section, Page 39, for more information.
Fraction Decimal 1/2 0.5 seconds 1/4 0.25 seconds 1/8 0.125 seconds 1/15 0.0667 seconds 1/30 0.0333 seconds 1/60 0.0167 seconds 1/90 0.0111 seconds 1/125 0.008 seconds Fraction Decimal 1/180 0.0056 seconds 1/200 0.005 seconds 1/250 0.004 seconds 1/500 0.002 seconds 1/1000 0.001 seconds 1/2000 0.0005 seconds 1/4000 0.0003 seconds 1/8000 0.0001 seconds Power Control MultiMAX II firmware 1.0 or later allows adjust power on your remote speedlites and studio strobes.
To change power on the CONTROL TL: POWER screen press the ZONE key for the zone you wish to adjust power for (the arrow to the right of the zone will come on) and then you can change the power using the UP/DOWN arrow keys. Power can be adjusted from -6.0 to +3.0 stops. To select a zone, press the associated zone key, A/B/C. Pressing it once selects the zone and the arrow key will appear to the right of the selected zone (and power can be adjusted while the arrow key is present).
DOWN DOWN Model Light Power Pressing the L key switches to the CONTROLTL: MODEL screen which allows you to adjust model light power. The default mode is TRACKING, designated by TRK to the right of the power slider. Pressing the UP/DOWN arrow keys allows you to allows you to set the power to the model light directly. Model light power can be adjusted from +3.0 to -6.0 stops. Pressing UP past +3.0 puts the model light back into tracking mode. Pressing DOWN all the way past -6.
Radio Information - Transmit Output Power: 0.001 watt (1/1000 of a watt or 1 milliwatt) Typical Transmitter Output Duration: 0.0005 seconds (1/2000 second or 50 microseconds) - Bandwidth: Narrowband, 70KHz TRANSMIT, 230KHz RECEIVE PocketWizard Radio Frequencies: Channel Frequency Unit Digital Code 1 through 16 344.04 MHz Classic, Plus, MAX, MultiMAX and MultiMAX II 16 Bit 17 346.50 MHz MultiMAX II and MAX only 24 Bit (20 Bit in FAST MODE) 18 347.00 MHz 19 347.50 MHz 20 348.00 MHz 21 348.50 MHz 22 349.
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 351.0MHz 340.5MHz 341.5MHz 342.0MHz 342.5MHz 343.0MHz 345.5MHz For more information about using your PocketWizard product visit: www.PocketWizard.com MultiMAX II, Manual Change Revision 1.
