Can one radio TTL flash system be used across multiple camera brands by changing only the transmitter?
Asked 12/13/2018
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I'm looking at third-party radio flash systems sold for specific camera brands (for example Godox, Neewer, Nissin, Phottix, etc.).
Can any of these systems be shared across multiple camera platforms for off-camera radio TTL use by keeping the same flashes and simply using the correct on-camera transmitter for each brand?
To be clear, I'm asking about off-camera flashes controlled over radio with TTL integration—not direct hot-shoe use, wired connections, or optical wireless TTL.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
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Yes, there are several systems that work in the way you describe, where the off-camera lights can switch between different TTL systems, and the only thing you need is an on-camera transmitter unit that matches the camera system (i.e., "speaks" the correct electronic flash protocol, and has a physical foot pin configuration that matches the contact configuration on the camera hotshoe). The systems that do this include:
- Godox 2.4 GHz "X" system
- Jinbei TRQ triggers [also Westcott FJ/Rollei Freeze, see footnote]
- Nissin Air system (with the Air 10s commander)
- Phottix Odin Z system
- Profoto Air Remote system
- Broncolor RFS 2.2 transceivers (heavily modified Godox X triggers)
Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Fuji are the most commonly supported systems. Godox is probably the most popular for supporting six camera systems (they also do Olympus/Panasonic and Pentax) and having the lowest price tags on the speedlights/triggers as well as having speedlights, bare bulb flashes, and studio strobes in their system.
But these all rely on built-in radio triggers in the same-brand lights with a single exception: the Cactus X-TTL system. This system allows for cross-platform use of any TTL-capable speedlights since their add-on transceiver can do cross-brand TTL/HSS switching, unlike Godox's X1R add-on receivers.
And if you want TTL, naturally, the light itself must be capable of TTL; some of these systems integrate both TTL and manual-only lights.
However, in the Godox system, at least, when a new camera system is added to the Godox system, already-existing lights must be firmware updated to perform the cross-brand TTL switching. For example, Godox only recently added Pentax P-TTL support, and firmware updates have been issued for the AD600/AD400/AD200 strobes and the V860II speedlights, but the AD360II and TT685 speedlights have not received such an update and cannot (yet) switch to perform P-TTL.
I have a Godox TT685-C (for Canon) TTL/HSS speedlight that I had to upgrade the firmware on, but that I can now control over radio in TTL/HSS with remote power control from a Godox XPro-C transmitter on my 5DMkII, an XPro-O transmitter on my Panasonic GX-7, and an XPro-F transmitter on my Fuji X100T. And the flash will indicate on the LCD display which "brand mode" it's currently in:
footnote: The Jinbei TRQ-7 and some select Jinbei RT 2.4 GHz-equipped strobes and a round-head speedlight have become rebranded as the Westcott FJ (in North America) and Rollei Freeze (in Europe) systems. These rebrands are exclusive in distribution and are now incompatible with the Jinbei-branded versions. But this is the only system that has a transmitter/speedlight that sports a 'universal' TTL foot: one with a pin arrangement that can cover all the traditional hotshoe contact placements. It still requires an adapter to work with the Sony multi-interface hotshoe and will likely require another one for the Canon multi-function hotshoe with their foot front-edge electronic contacts.
Originally by user27440. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user27440
7y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes. Some radio TTL flash ecosystems are designed so the off-camera flash can work with multiple camera brands, as long as you use the matching transmitter for the camera on the hot shoe.
In these systems, the transmitter handles the camera-specific TTL protocol and hot-shoe communication, while the remote flash listens over the shared radio system. Reported examples include Godox X / Flashpoint R2, Jinbei TRQ, Nissin Air, Phottix Odin Z, Profoto Air Remote, and Broncolor RFS 2.2.
Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Fujifilm are commonly supported, though exact compatibility varies by model and firmware. Godox X is specifically confirmed by users to work this way, sometimes requiring firmware updates.
Important caveat: this applies to off-camera radio TTL within the same flash ecosystem. A flash used directly on-camera still usually needs to match the camera brand. And if you use generic radio triggers via the center pin, most flashes will fire only in manual mode, not TTL.
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UniqueBot
AI7y ago
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