i-TTL PIXEL TR-331 (Nikon) remote flash release system. May/June 2011 Version

As a favor from the Mega-Pixel.pl internet store, I received the newest version of the PIXEL TR331 release system for testing. The system consists of a transmitter and a receiver. I also received an additional receiver for the system. I have my own version of the same system and therefore for my tests I was able to use one transmitter and three receivers (the two most recent receivers and one December/January version).

The test I conducted was intended to check the equipment’s potential, compare it to what the manufacturer has written about it (as we know, the actual capability of the equipment quite often differs from what the advertising folders say about it). The test will also contain ideas that I came upon while using the equipment for over half a year. Their implementation will definitely increase the transmitter’s functionality.

PIXEL TR-331 Transmitter Specifications according to the manufacturer:

Frequency band of the equipment: 2.4GHz, FSK modulation

Range – 65m

Number of channels – 15

Running time (standby mode): Transmitter 1000h, receiver 500h (battery CR-2)

This device supports the operation of 5 groups, system lamps and studio equipment.

The device supports synchronization with fast snapshot – up to 1/8000s, and also has BL and FP functions.

Equipment used for testing:

Body Nikon D300 + MB-D10,

Lenses: Sigma 70-200 F/2.8 EX APO DG HSM, Sigma 17-50 F/2.8 EX DC OS HSM

Flashes: Nikon SB-800, Nikon SB-900, studio Quantuum T800

GPS Garmin 276C (for measurement of equipment range).

Note:

The focal plane shutter in the D300 works perpendicularly – running on the shorter side of the matrix. Photographs I took with the body in a vertical position include the shutter’s entire range of movement; therefore one can see that a vignette strip is not created when using a short release time and HSS synchronization.

First impressions

Upon opening the cardboard box I found the transmitter and receiver, cables for studio lamp release - one with a 3 mm plug and one with a 6.3 mm plug. The package also contained a User Manual, but unfortunately it is only in two languages – English and Chinese, a set of (CR2) batteries for the device and a self-adhesive clip allowing for installation of the receiver near a studio lamp (it’s nice that the manufacturer thought about this detail). The photo on the right side below shows the box with an additional receiver.

An inspection of the equipment shows that it is made very precisely and carefully, of black matte plastic and in a texture similar to the ones used for making Nikon system lamps. LCD panels are covered with a protective film. I did not remove the film for this photo test.

The transmitter is equipped with an LCD screen that displays the working channel, two buttons (POWER and SET), a signal diode and a metal foot that seems to be very solid.

The receiver is mounted to the body with the help of a rotary ring and a sliding mandrel (same as in the system lamp).

The mandrel makes sure that the receiver will not slide out of the hot shoe. The transmitter is quite small.

The LCD screens on the transmitter and the receiver have a backlight, so there are no problems with using the system in the dark.

What I personally feel is missing – the transmitter should have a hot shoe allowing for a direct lamp mount.

The receiver – 7mm longer than the transmitter, is obviously equipped with a hot shoe for system lamps, and an LCD screen, same as the transmitter. The receiver’s foot is made of plastic. A locking ring prevents the receiver from sliding out from the base. The foot is equipped with a screw thread allowing for installation of the receiver to any tripod with a 3/8" threaded screw. The thread in the foot is shaped like a metal sleeve.

The receiver is rigidly built and the installed lamp is mounted secure and stable. Grab links for the receiver’s foot used with the bases for system lamps or with other similar holders are very rigid and secure. The foot’s screw thread works perfectly as well. The receiver is equipped with a standard release socket for external lamps. Hot shoes for installing the lamp on the receiver are made “ironclad” from a piece of metal that is equally solid as the hot shoe on the camera’s body. The devices are very neatly finished – there are no excess plastic or sharp edges and everything works. The manufacturer did their best to make sure that their product is of the highest quality both in and out.

I believe that the receiver buttons are not positioned too well (ergonomic usage). After installing the lamp, access to the buttons is a bit limited. The PIXEL device is not a Plug&Play piece of equipment, and it activates only after mechanical connection of the receiver to the lamp; that is why I have mentioned this tiny flaw.

Settings:

To turn the transmitter and receiver on – hold the POWER button for three seconds.

Once the LCDs turn on, information regarding the working channel number shows up, additionally the receiver shows the group where the specific receiver is active (A-E, default A).

The system can work on one of 15 channels. To change the channel in the receiver or transmitter, simultaneously press the POWER and SET buttons and hold them for approximately 2s. The device will display SE CH and a blinking number that shows the working channel. Change channels down with the POWER button and use SET to increase the channel. The channel is confirmed automatically three seconds after the channel is set. Remember that all of the devices working within one system have to be set to the same channel.

The transmitter and receiver – by lightly pressing the SET button, the device’s backlight comes on. The backlight turns off automatically after 5 seconds if you do not make any adjustments.

The transmitter – pressing and holding SET for 2 seconds activates the group mode. SET switches between groups, POWER turns on/turns off the flash within the selected group. Selecting OFF i.e. for group “A” will cause the lamp/s working on group “A” receivers not to release a flash; however all of the other parameters will be transmitted continuously. Exit – automatic after a few seconds of inactivity.

Receiver – pressing and holding SET for 2 seconds activates the setting mode for receiver group selection (A-E). Automatic exit upon confirmation of your selection.

Turning off the receiver and transmitter – holding down the POWER button for 3 seconds.

Note! Sometimes if the system is turned on and there is transmission between the devices (the transmitter’s and receiver’s diodes flash blue) the receiver cannot be turned off by the POWER switch. The receiver can be turned off only after the transmitter or the camera is turned off. However – this does matter for the system’s operation.

Settings are memorized, but taking the battery out and re-installation causes the default settings to be restored (transmitter – channel no.1, all groups ON, receivers – channel no. 1, group A).

Tests

Operational test in groups

Initial set-up of the receivers:

SB800 – group “A”.

SB900 – group “B”.

Quantuum T800 – group “C”.

Transmitter settings – all groups – ON.

The system works without any problems only when the group settings are set as default (transmitter – all groups turned on), all lamps are released, system lamps receive all information in real time, and the studio lamp is also released.

Change of settings – I set the transmitter’s group “B” yo OFF. SB900 active in group “B” – does not activate the flash, remaining lamps - activated. Resetting of group “B” at ON – the lamp starts flashing again.

Next change – turning off group “C” that had a receiver operating studio lamp. Whereas turning off was unproblematic, the restart of the group caused the lamp to start flashing again. Only after the receiver was transferred to a different group, confirmed and then transferred to group “C” again, the flash was released again in the studio lamp. This is due to a software error, and it only relates to studio lamp operation.

Of course, the system does not force a situation where each lamp has to be assigned a separate group – all receivers can operate within the same group - I have not noticed problems with group operation, other than the ones described above.

The groups are not able to correct lamp exposure. Their only function is turn on/turn off flash release.

Release operation range test

I have conducted a field operation release test with the assistance of the Pixel TR-331 system. The tests were performed at three distances – 50, 65 and 72m. I measured the distance with a GPS – 1m error. I released one system lamp (SB-900) located on the receiver on a tripod. At 50 meters, for 40 shots taken, the lamp activated each time regardless of the camera’s position (vertical/horizontal)

At 65 meters with horizontal positioning of the camera and the receiver – for 40 shots, the lamp released 40 flashes, but with a vertical camera position (receiver horizontal, transmitter – vertical) – it did not work all that well – out of 40 flashes, 4 were lost.

At 72 meters, the lamp positioned horizontally lost 9 out of 40 releases; when vertical, it lost over one half. But this distance was greater than the one stated by the manufacturer, therefore I believe that the test went really well. Of course, the lamp was active the entire time in i-TTL and all data was transferred between the camera body and the lamp.

The problems associated with release at various aerial polarizations (vertical-transmitter/horizontal-receiver) could be solved by the manufacturer by equipping the receiver or the transmitter with an external antenna that could be set up under any angle (in order to maintain the same polarization of the receiver and transmitter antennas). The lamp was set manually at +3EV for the test photos, so it would be easier for me to count the flashes from a few dozen feet away.

The PIXEL TR-331 system transfers everything between the camera body and the lamp – information about the aperture, exposure time, ISO speed, and modes of lamp operation – front/back curtain, red eye reduction. Flash compensation set up on the body is also transmitted, the TR-331 operates a diode supporting lamp AF, FP and transfers lens zoom information controlling the lamp’s zoom motor. All of the information and settings are displayed on the LCD as if the lamp were located directly on the body. Data is transferred in real time; changing parameters in the camera (ISO, focal, exposure, etc.) is immediately shown on the lamp’s LCD. It does not matter if there is one lamp or more. All lamps receive the same information. Turning off the camera or its automatic transition to the standby mode causes the lamps to go into the standby mode as well.

Unfortunately the PIXEL TR-331 system does not support CLS, which the manufacturer mentioned in the first sentence of the instructions. Even though CLS data is not available on the hot foot and transmissions between lamps is done via infrared communication, it would be nice if another version of the PIXEL TR-331 allowed one lamp to operate on the receiver as a MASTER. The remaining lamps – as REMOTE on the receiver would only transmit a release of the flash. This would also allow for creative use of stage lighting and greater distances between the camera and the stage. The lamp set as a MASTER on the receiver releases the flash independently, but other lamps set as REMOTE do not release the flash – they do not receive the necessary data.

i-TTL

Studio lamp release test

Working in conjunction with other studio lamps does not cause any problems. Outside of turning on a group that was previously turned off, this was described in the section about groups. The photos below show a subject lighted with a studio Quantum T800 lamp with 1/32 of operational power and the light turned off for 1/160 second shaping the exposure time. The PIXEL TR-331 system allows for the use of any studio and system lamp combination.

High Speed Shutter Test (HSS)

This function is only available for system lamps operating HSS – flash synchronization for a working shutter up to 1/8000s is unproblematic with the PIXEL. The frame is exposed uniformly and completely. Not even the slightest darkening of the frame’s edge is visible. Additional exposure of the frame is the same as for the frame with an exposure time of 1/60s, so the manufacturer was able to fix the synchronization parameters and almost ideally hit the correct point of the flash energy.

The series of photos below shows various exposure times. Lamps: SB800 and SB900. The photos have exposure times stated. The photos take up the entire frame.

The series above show the difference between the white balance for high speed shutters (1/2000 and 1/8000s).

i-TTL should correct this, however that’s only in theory. I executed the exact same series with the lamp attached directly to the body. The result was identical – photos with a short exposure time had a "warmer" spectrum. Summarizing – this “warming” is not brought on by the TR-331 transmitter.

Release test with a series of photos

I did not notice differences while taking serial photos with the lamp attached directly to the body or released by the TR-331 system. I took a series of 6 photos in a fast series mode (CH). The device did not lose any flashes and the exposure was identical for all photos. The repeat mode of flash parameters was almost ideal. The photos below show two series of six photos – the first was taken with an exposure time of 1/60 s, and the second with – 1/8000s and two flash lamps (SB800 and SB900).

Exposure time: 1/60s

Exposure time: 1/8000s

Frequency and channels of operation

Even though the device works with a 2.4GHz frequency, the same as BT and WiFi equipment and any type of remote control, I did not notice any connection problems between system elements on any channel. Tow PIXEL systems operating on different channels do not disturb each other’s operation.

Summary:

Advantages:

Transmissions of all i-TTL data between the body and the system lamps.

Operation of system/studio lamps can be done without the need to adjust receiver settings.

At 50m distance, there is a very efficient and strong flash.

Unproblematic operation for synchronization with high speed shutters.

The device’s small size.

Very low energy usage – long operation time with the batteries.

Simple operation.

Meticulously made with sturdy materials.

Drawbacks:

Loosing flashes at the maximum distance – 65m

Operation for studio lamps does not work properly.

What in my opinion is missing from the device:

Support for CLS.

USB ports allowing for firmware updates.

Hot shoes allowing for attachment of the lamp to the transmitter.

Repositioning of receiver buttons.

A mobile antenna on the receiver or the transmitter.

Conclusions:

The PIXEL TR-331 Release (versions for NIKON) gets a very good grade. As of today, it is the only fully operating release system transferring the entire automatics between the body and the lamp. The release works very reliably and efficiently. The set that I have been personally using since January shot a few thousand pictures and it is still using the original batteries that came with the system. The quality of craftsmanship is flawless. The price of the set is unbeatable and affordable. In my opinion - the PIXEL TR-331 set is an ideal solution not only for amateurs, but for professionals as well. The Asian manufacturer proved that they can produce a perfect quality device, unbeatable in each and every aspect – operation, price, “consumption” of power batteries. It is a pity that the devices are not equipped with USB ports to allow for installation of corrected, updated firmware.

Autor: Dariusz Miśniakiewicz, dariusz.misniakiewicz@tlen.pl