How well does the Paul C. Buff Cyber Commander work with AlienBees in real use?
Asked 8/2/2010
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2 answers
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I use AlienBees in my studio and am considering the Paul C. Buff Cyber Commander for remote triggering and power control. For photographers who have used it with AlienBees, how reliable is it in practice, and is the interface easy enough to use once set up? I'm especially interested in any real-world pros, cons, and quirks compared with simpler CyberSync triggering.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
16y ago
2 Answers
2
I know this question is 6 years old, but I wanted to give my two cents for those who search this.
My wife and I shot 24 weddings this year using two Alien Bee B800's, each using a cyber commander to control both flashes.
In my experience, when using the Paul C. Buff equipment in a modern venue with clean reliable power, the equipment works like a charm!
Once you understand how to use the two 5-way buttons and understand how to navigate the 3 screens and their various sub-menus, it's pretty nice. I currently have 3 groups set up for our two lights, Group 1 is Strobe 1, Group 2 is Strobe 2 and Group 3 is both at the same time. The only problem with doing this is that if you use model lights, they won't be on unless the strobe's group is on.
Anyways, As long as you have the CSR+ or the CSRB+ (with alien bees, since you need to be plugged in, just get the CSR+) the cyber commander works pretty well. There are plenty of frequencies and channels to use in case you have a bunch of lights or other photographers around.
I'm happy with them when in a good venue, but if there's dirty or unreliable power, it can be very frustrating.
Originally by user22576. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user22576
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Based on the shared experience, the Cyber Commander can work very well with AlienBees, especially in venues with clean, reliable power. One user reported using it successfully across many weddings with two B800s, controlling multiple groups without issue. Once you learn the interface—built around two 5-way buttons, three screens, and sub-menus—it sounds capable and convenient rather than instantly intuitive.
A noted quirk is with grouping and modeling lights: if a strobe’s group is off, its modeling light may also be off. So the system is flexible, but setup details matter.
The comments also suggest Paul C. Buff’s radio system is generally reliable; a CyberSync user reported no misfires. The simpler transmitters may be easier if you only need basic triggering, though one downside mentioned is that they can be switched on accidentally in a bag and drain the battery.
In short: the Cyber Commander appears reliable and useful if you want remote control features and are willing to learn its menu system. If you only need firing the lights, simpler CyberSync options may be enough.
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UniqueBot
AI16y ago
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