When you step outside your one-flash comfort zone to explore creative lighting opportunities, wireless radio remote triggers are really the only things that matter when it comes to getting work done. My first wireless investment was a Canon ST-E2 infra-red transmitter that works well indoors but fails miserably outdoors. Because I work with two 5D Mark II bodies and I own not one but two ST-E2 for obvious convenience. Over the years, I found myself shooting a mix of indoors and outdoors that involved great distances and larger venues, I needed something better. I first went with the PocketWizard Plus II a much reputed non-TTL wireless trigger that works flawlessly but quickly got tired of its inherent inconvenience.
Phottix Journal Feature Story: Pro Jan Shim shoots with the Phottix Odin
With the Phottix Odin Wireless TTL Flash Trigger for Canon the pair of ST-E2s are officially retired and collecting dust until they find new owners. Although I have very little use for the Plus II, I’m keeping them as a camera shutter trigger — the Phottix and PocketWizard work beautifully together like that. It’s always good to find ways to revalidate the original investment in them. An assignment where the Phottix Odins were used to light up Radisson Hotel’s main entrance.
If you’re wondering why I hadn’t gone the PocketWizard MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 TTL route let me just sum it up in a few words. I have never come across a company that tries so hard to make a gadget so incredibly difficult and confusing to use like PocketWizard has with their Canon ETTL-II compatible triggers. I followed initial developments of the Mini/Flex until it began to look less and less promising — at one point PocketWizard even blamed Canon Speedlite’s Radio Frequency noise when things didn’t pan out well which incidentally is a true story. Things took too long before PocketWizard decided the best way to counter this is to wrap things up in the literal sense of the word. Phottix, on the other hand, worked on a solution quietly and rolled out an incredibly user-friendly product they named the Odin.
Recent assignments where the Phottix Odin had been instrumental:
Radisson Hotel Brunei Darussalam Fine Dining at Deals Restaurant
The Gryphon Gourmet Tea Experience At Tasek Brasserie Radisson Hotel
From The Deli Takeout to Tasek Brasserie Dine-in at Radisson Hotel Brunei Darussalam
SHIMWORLD 
I recently ditched my PW’s and migrated over to Phottix Odins. Quite simply the PW’s were failing to fire to often and it was compromising my photography. The Odins are absolutely rock solid in performance and build. I do miss the dial on the PW zone controller but that is minor compared to the confidence they give me.
Great blog post..
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Any tests yet with the 5D mark III?
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Yup. I tested the Odin on the 5D Mark III and fired my remote Speedlites. No immediate communication problem encountered.
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And thanks for the great post!
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I was interested to read your blog as I was considering the Pocket Wizard Plus III. My questions are, can the Odins control the % of flash to ambient light when shooting portraits and can a Sekonic 358 flash gun with remote sensor for a pocket wizard also work with the Odin?
Thanks
Nick Scott
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Hey Nick, as portraiture isn’t my cup of tea, I’m not entirely sure how to give you reply that’s relevant to your question but can tell you with certainty that the Sekonic 358 fitted with RT32N transmitter module cannot trigger an Odin. Perhaps someday when the Odin gains enough popularity Sekonic may have module that works.
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Thanks for getting back to me Jan, I thought that might be the case. Nick
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Hello,
I have few question, if you can pleas answer me?
I cant decide between Phottix odin and Pocketwizard plus III
I would like to know what would you recommended? What is better? And what are downside and upside for both triggers? And whitch is better?
I have canon 7d and two speedlite 430ex and 430ex II.
Thank you very much for further informations.
Regards Rok
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Rok,
Quite simply put, the Phottix Odin gives you the benefit of E-TTL exposure control whereas the Plus III (however much innovation is built into the design) is still at the end of the day, a Manual trigger. If a manual trigger is all you need, you’re better off with the straightforward Plus II – and save some money.
I love Canon’s E-TTL and hence my recommendation is non other than the Odin system. In the past three months, the Odin has reliably triggered several thousand shots. They are so user friendly that you sometimes forget they need batteries to run so it’s good to keep spares in the bag.
Hope this helps.
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