Aputure Trigmaster Plus 2.4G review

After getting the new Aputure's Trigmaster Plus 2.4G tranceivers (for Nikon D300, D700, D3, D3X) from manufacturer to be tested I was waiting to put them under real use in studio shoot. During the shoot I took around 300+ photos without single misfire. Based on that one shoot I can say these triggers feel to have solid reliability for studio photography. Triggering can be done trough walls and even when the antennas are not in optimal positions or even partially hidden inside hand. I didn't put the triggers under extreme Finnish weather condition tests but one unit survived and still works after taking a small dive in meat soup plate. Note to self: don't eat & test triggers at the same time...



I also quickly tested the outdoor range by placing the SB-24 & Aputure Trigmaster Plus unit behind window and walked outside about 50+ meters away from home. From that distance again constant triggering. Aputure is not promising ultra long ranges (100m says manual) like Pocketwizard PlusII but you rarely even need to put the light 50+ meters away from camera.




Units were tested with Nikon SB-24, SB-80DX, SB-600, SB-800 and Profoto Compact 600 R flashes. For speedlights hotshoe & sync cable were used to connect flash & tranceivers and they both worked reliably. Using the hotshoe connection is definitely plus for flashes that does not come with built-in sync port, like SB-600. I also liked the possibility to use Trigmaster to wirelessly trigger camera. Half pressing the test button will focus, and full pressing the button will take the photo. Remote operation cable comes with the box, so no additional purchases needed.

Pros:

• Good looking package
• Quality build & switches on the units
• Clearly written manual
• 1/250 sync speed
• Good & reliable performance
• Affordable price
• All the needed cables (3) included in the box to use the unit with both small flashes and studio flashes
• Swiveling antenna, easier to throw in bag than Pocketwizards PlusIIs with always pointed out antennas
• Tranceivers, one unit can work both as triggering & receiving
• AAA batteries

Cons:

• AAA batteries, different than used in flashes (AA) but still better and easier to find everywhere than CR batteries found in some radio triggers.
• Two buttons required for wireless testing of lights. First half press of test button and then pushing the channel button. So two hands needed to test lights and it is somewhat inconsistent as triggering the camera wirelessly can be done just from the test button.
• Lanyard holes in the units but does not come with the lanyard. Holes seems also faulty for adding the lanyard? This is nuisance mainly for people who would like to use the units with studio flashes as you need velcro or other DIY solution to attach the tranceivers to lights they are triggering. Sure, you can just pray and wish that sync cable will keep the unit hanging in flash. But you wouldn't do that, would you? :)
• Tranceivers stays firmly on the camera (D300) but tight when tried to be attached to Nikon D70s.