Canon MiniTT1 User manual

Owner’s Manual
MiniTT1™/FlexTT5™for Canon
340 – 354 MHz, US FCC/Canada IC

Please pay attention to the following safety warnings:
• Operating temperature: above -15° C (5° F) and below 50° C (120° F)
• Storage temperature, without batteries: above -30° C (-22° F) and below 85° C (185° F)
-- Remove batteries during storage.
• Battery Requirements: Qty. 2 AA (IEC:LR6) for FlexTT5
CR2450 or CR2354 for MiniTT1
• Do not remove instrument covers during operation.
• Do not operate the device in the presence of ammable gases or fumes. Operation of any
electrical instrument in such an environment constitutes a denite safety hazard.
• There are no user serviceable parts inside the MiniTT1 or FlexTT5. Do not install substitute parts
or perform any unauthorized modication of the instrument. Refer servicing only to qualied and
authorized personnel.
• Red LED’s are used for dim light application and do not indicate a hazardous status.
• The MiniTT1 or FlexTT5 are accessory devices for cameras and ashes. Do not use this product
in a manner not specied in documentation.
WARNING – To avoid battery leakage, follow these guidelines:
• Always remove the batteries when the unit is not in use for extended periods of time, or
during shipping or long distance travel.
• Never mix old and new batteries. Always use a fresh pair of matched batteries.
• Always change batteries promptly at the rst indication of low battery operation.
• Do not use or leave the unit in extreme temperature or humid environments.
Safety Warnings
2

Congratulations on your purchase of the PocketWizard MiniTT1™/ FlexTT5™System for
Canon DSLR E-TTL II cameras and flashes. Canon owners can use the MiniTT1 Transmitter and
FlexTT5 Transceiver to control single or multiple off-camera Canon E-TTL II ashes at speeds up to
8fps. The PocketWizard ControlTL™ System takes the complex E-TTL II data being sent through
the camera’s hot shoe and digitally interprets and transmits it as a reliable radio signal. You can now
place E-TTL II (or manual) ash units anywhere to illuminate the scene: Around corners, out-of-sight
and in bright sunlight. The MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 are compatible with any PocketWizard for triggering
manual ash or remote cameras.
This US FCC/Canada IC frequency PocketWizard radio slave is compatible with all US frequency
PocketWizard products. It is not frequency compatible with CE or JAPAN PocketWizard products. Verify
frequency compatibility before purchasing. The MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 are protected by various patents
and other patents pending.
Congratulations
3

Table of Contents
4
Safety Warnings 2
Congratulations 3
Batteries 6
MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 Key Features 7
MiniTT1 Feature Call-outs 8
FlexTT5 Feature Call-outs 9
READ ME FIRST 10
Powering On 11
Basic Wireless E-TTL II: MiniTT1 OO FlexTT5 12
No Flash on Camera 12
Flash on Camera 13
Ratio Wireless E-TTL II: MiniTT1 OO FlexTT5 14
Flash on Camera 14
General E-TTL II Considerations 15
Manual Flash 16
Remote Speedlites 16
Other Manual Flashes 17

Table of Contents (cont’d)
5
HyperSync®& High Speed Sync (FP Flash) 18
Advanced Features via PocketWizard Utility 20
Channels 22
Channel Tables 23
LEARN Mode 24
Remote Camera Triggering 26
Auto-Relay Mode 27
Reset 28
Status LED 29
Mounting 30
Long Range Performance 31
Troubleshooting 32
Canon Compatibility 35
Specifications 36
FCC Warning 39

FlexTT5 Battery Polarity
MiniTT1 Battery Polarity
CR2450 & CR2354 batteries
Batteries
CAUTION
Turn OFF your equipment (PocketWizard units, electronic
flash units, cameras, etc.) before making connections or
changing batteries.
FlexTT5:
Install 2 fresh AA (IEC:LR6) batteries into the FlexTT5
Transceiver. Make sure to note proper polarity. Alkaline batteries
are recommended. Rechargeable or other chemistry batteries
will also work, though life expectancy may vary.
Life expectancy = ~60 hours with alkaline batteries
MiniTT1:
Install a fresh CR2450 or CR2354 coin cell battery into the
MiniTT1 Transmitter. Make sure to note proper polarity.
The CR2450 is recommended for longer battery life. The MiniTT1
saves batteries by automatically entering an extremely low power
state when the camera enters sleep mode, or if not on a camera
and TEST is not pressed for 10 seconds.
Life expectancy = 100’s of hours/thousands of triggers and varies
based on usage prole
MiniTT1 and FlexTT5:
Look at the normal LED blink to determine battery level,
or use the PocketWizard Utility.
LED Blink:
Green Good battery
Amber Warning – battery low
Red Very low battery – change immediately
6

What’s in the Box?
- MiniTT1 or FlexTT5
- Batteries
- USB Cord
- QuickGuide
MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 Key Features
ControlTL: PocketWizard’s newest rmware platform taps into the camera’s digital communications
to enable an entirely new level of remote ash capabilities through our proven radio system, beginning
with remote TTL for Canon E-TTL II ash systems with Slide-n-Shoot Simplicity.
HyperSync - Achieve better than X-sync with many
cameras and ashes – up to 1/500th second.
FP/High-Speed Sync: Need more speed? Push
beyond 1/500th and go into FP/High-Speed sync mode
automatically. No buttons to press or settings to change
other than your shutter speed will give you ash sync
all the way to 1/8000th.
Power Tracking: When working in E-TTL II, you can
change any of your control settings on your ash or
camera and the system adjusts for those changes.
Eight Frames per second: Never before have you
been able to shoot remote E-TTL II at this speed.
Nothing else comes close.
Low Profile Design: The FlexTT5 lies at to stay out of
the way and uses a ip-up antenna for additional range
when needed. The MiniTT1, with an internal antenna,
weighs in at 2.3 oz. and is the smallest PocketWizard
ever.
7

Locking Ring
(on bottom foot)
page 12
Configuration/Channel 1
Configuration/Channel 2
Power Off
page 11, 22
Internal Antenna
page 31
TEST/LEARN Button
page 24
Battery Compartment
(on bottom)
page 6
USB Connector
(under rubber cover)
page 20
Status LED
page 29
Canon-style Hot Shoe
with Pass Through
page 12
MiniTT1™
8

Adjustable Antenna
page 31
USB Connector (behind antenna)
page 20
Locking Ring
(on bottom foot)
page 30
Configuration/Channel 1
Configuration/Channel 2
Power Off
page 11, 22
TEST/LEARN Button
page 24
Zone Selector
page 14
Lanyard Loop
page 30
1/4-20 mount
(on bottom)
page 30
Battery Compartment
(2 AA [IEC:LR6])
page 6
Canon-style
Hot Shoe with
Pass Through
page 12
Remote Studio or other
flash Triggering Port
page 17
Remote Camera Triggering Port
page 26
Status LED
page 29
FlexTT5™
9

READ ME FIRST
If this is the first time you are using a remote E-TTL II flash system, we recommend you
consult your camera and flash manuals for your camera for the basics of positioning your
flash units.
Review the owner’s manuals for your camera and flash system. For most basic functions
when using Canon’s system or PocketWizard’s, operation is identical. Important exceptions
will be noted in this manual.
All equipment should be turned OFF when making connections, otherwise unwanted
triggering may occur when inserting or removing a flash or camera cable.
The first exposure after making initial connections or powering on may not be properly
exposed. The first shot is a camera calibration shot. Always test fire at least twice!
You may use a FlexTT5 as a transmitter instead of a MiniTT1 in all scenarios.
Make sure all PocketWizard radios are set to the same PocketWizard channel. The
PocketWizard channel is used instead of Canon’s E-TTL II communication channel.
See the LEARN Modeand channels sectionfor more information.
IMPORTANT: Canon flashes set to <SLAVE> and connected to FlexTT5 radios will have
slave mode automatically turned off, but will still function as slaves correctly. Set the
Canon slave group via the FlexTT5 Zone Switch.
Only compatible Canon Speedlites can be used in the MiniTT1 or FlexTT5 hot shoe.
Other brands of hot shoe flashes, E-TTL compatible or manual, will not trigger.
10

Power switch OFF
Power switch ON and set to C.1
1. Turn OFF all your equipment (PocketWizard radios,
electronic flashes, cameras, etc.) before making connections.
2. When all equipment is connected, turn ON your MiniTT1
or FlexTT5 first by setting the power switch to C.1 or C.2
(see Channels for more information on C.1 and C.2). Verify
radio blinks normally (short blink every 2 seconds)
3. Turn on your connected camera and flash equipment last.
The first exposure after making initial connections and
powering on may not be properly exposed. The first shot is a
camera calibration shot. Always test at least twice.
Connecting a MiniTT1 or FlexTT5 to your camera when the
camera is already turned on may cause erratic behavior. Either
follow the sequence above or let your camera “sleep”, then
try again.
NOTE: A few flash adjustments may not be available when the
flash is in the shoe of a powered on MiniTT1 or FlexTT5 and
sitting on an active camera. For example, you cannot take a
580EX II out of <MASTER> mode if the flash is in the hot shoe of
a powered on remote FlexTT5. Turn the MiniTT1 or FlexTT5 off,
wait for the camera to sleep, or remove the flash from the shoe to
access these special mode changes.
Powering On
11

MiniTT1 on camera shoe
Speedlite on FlexTT5 mounted on
flash stand
Basic Wireless E-TTL II: MiniTT1 OO FlexTT5
No Flash on Camera
This simple mode of operation allows you to use one or more
remote E-TTL II ashes as one zone of light. All remote E-TTL II
ashes will re at the same power level which is chosen
automatically by the camera.
1. Slide the MiniTT1 Transmitter onto the camera
and tighten the locking ring.
2. Slide the remote Speedlite onto a FlexTT5
Transceiver, tighten the locking ring, and secure
the FlexTT5. Repeat for each remote Speedlite.
The remote Speedlites should be set to normal
mode, not <MASTER> or <SLAVE>.
3. Trigger normally.
O
Please read your Canon manuals on Fully
Automatic Wireless Flash (also called E-TTL II
Wireless Autoash).
This mode of operation is the same as using Canon’s
wireless system with one of the following directly in
the shoe of the camera:
• A Canon ST-E2 in non-ratio mode
• A 580EX (I or II) Speedlite in <MASTER> mode,
main ash off, in non-ratio mode.
12

Speedlite on MiniTT1 in camera shoe
in <MASTER> mode
Flash on Camera
This mode is identical to the previous page, adding a ash
to the top hot shoe of the MiniTT1. All remote E-TTL II
ashes and the master ash will be treated as one zone of
light and will re at the same power level which is chosen
automatically by the camera.
IMPORTANT: The Speedlite in the MiniTT1’s top shoe
must be in <MASTER> mode, otherwise the remote ashes
will not trigger. Wait for the camera to sleep, turn OFF the
MiniTT1, or remove the ash from the shoe before
engaging <MASTER> mode.
O
Please read your Canon manuals for the steps to enter
<MASTER> mode.
1. Slide the MiniTT1 Transmitter onto the camera and tighten
the locking ring.
2. Slide a Canon Speedlite set for <MASTER> onto the MiniTT1 and secure its locking shoe.
3. Slide the remote Speedlite onto a FlexTT5 Transceiver, tighten the locking ring, and secure the
FlexTT5. Repeat for each remote Speedlite. The remote Speedlites should be set to normal
ETTL mode, not <MASTER> or <SLAVE>.
4. Trigger normally.
NOTE: You can use a 430EX (I or II) as a single zone master! These ashes do not have a master
mode, and cannot usually trigger remote E-TTL II ashes. Enable Force TTL Master Mode in the
PocketWizard Utility and they can.
This mode also benets the 580EX (I or II) by reducing the “ickering pre-ash” normally
associated with master mode. On that ash, set the wireless selector to <OFF> and enable
Force TTL Master Mode. See the PocketWizard Utility help for more information.
13
Basic Wireless E-TTL II: MiniTT1 OO FlexTT5 (cont’d)

Ratio Mode
FlexTT5 Zone A
FlexTT5 Zone B
Ratio Wireless E-TTL II: MiniTT1 OO FlexTT5
Flash on Camera
This mode uses Canon’s Wireless Flash Ratio with E-TTL II
system. Place remote ashes into different slave groups and
control the balance of light among the groups or zones.
O
Please read your Canon manuals for more information
on Flash Ratio with E-TTL II and how to control groups from
the master ash.
1. Slide the MiniTT1 Transmitter onto the camera and
tighten the locking ring.
2. Slide a Canon Speedlite (set for <MASTER>) onto the
MiniTT1 and secure its locking shoe. Enable slave groups
in the master Speedlite per ash manual instructions.
3. Set the remote FlexTT5 radios to the desired slave
group (A, B, C) by using the Zone Switch on the side.
Note that PocketWizard Zones are used instead of
Canon slave groups.
4. Slide the remote Speedlite onto a FlexTT5, tighten the
locking ring, and secure the FlexTT5. Repeat for each
remote Speedlite. The remote Speedlites should be set
to normal ETTL mode, not <MASTER> or <SLAVE>.
The slave group is set by the Zone Switch and not in the
remote ash. All remote E-TTL II ashes on the same Zone
will be treated as one zone of light.
5. Adjust ratios using the master Speedlite’s ash controls.
6. Trigger normally
You may use Canon’s Speedlite Transmitter, the ST-E2, instead
of a 580EX to control ratios.
14

Canon ST-E2
Ratio Wireless E-TTL II: MiniTT1 OO FlexTT5 (cont’d)
General E-TTL II Considerations
There are several important factors to keep in mind when
using the ControlTL system to extend Canon’s wireless
functionality:
• Operate the camera normally by pressing the shutter
release button halfway to establish focus or metering
before shooting. On some Canon cameras, pressing
the shutter release button too quickly before camera
wakeup may cause the pre-ash to miss or cause an
over/under-expose.
• The range of Canon’s E-TTL II ability to measure
light may be exceeded by the range of the ControlTL
system. In other words, it is possible to place Speedlites so far away that the camera cannot
accurately measure their light in the frame. Adjust your remote ashes to light the subject better
so the camera can make a proper exposure calculation.
• Angle of operation is extended. You can place ashes in more places, including behind you,
than allowed by Canon’s light pulse system.
• Consider your metering mode carefully: center-weighted, evaluative, spot, etc. When pushing the
envelope of ash distances, you need to be sure you craft your remote lighting in a way that works
with your metering mode.
• Review the Troubleshooting section for more information.
15

Manual Flash
There are many ways to use PocketWizard radios to trigger manual ashes. Any PocketWizard Transmitter
can be used for triggering remote manual ashes. You may have as many remote PocketWizard radios on
the same channel as you would like.
The FlexTT5 used as a receiver can trigger a compatible Canon Speedlite set to manual mode in its shoe,
or trigger a manual ash (studio pack, monolight, non-Speedlite hotshoe ash) connected to .
The MiniTT1 or FlexTT5 used as a Transmitter can trigger and provide HyperSync for any PocketWizard
radio including the Plus II, MultiMAX, or OEM ash packs with a built-in PocketWizard. See HyperSync for
more information.
NOTE: You can use manual ashes while using E-TTL II ashes. Manual ashes will not be calculated as
part of the E-TTL II exposure, so compensate accordingly. The manual ashes will re in sync with the
main ash burst, and not in sync with the E-TTL II pre-ash.
Remote Speedlites
O
Please read your Canon manuals for the steps to enter manual mode. Usually it is engaged by
pressing MODE on the Speedlite until M appears.
If you are transmitting on a Standard channel, and wish to trigger a remote Speedlite, the Speedlite must
be set to manual mode. If the Speedlite in the shoe of the remote FlexTT5 is set to E-TTL, the LED on the
FlexTT5 will blink red indicating an error. Set the ash to manual.
NOTE: Only compatible Canon Speedlites can be used as a manual ash in the FlexTT5 hot shoe. Other
brands of hot shoe ashes, E-TTL compatible or manual, may not trigger.
16

Use for remote manual flash
FlexTT5 mounted with Velcro®
& connected to studio flash
17
Manual Flash (cont’d)
Other Manual Flashes
Connect the remote FlexTT5’s port to your ash’s
sync terminal using:
a) the correct PocketWizard ash sync cable for best results.
- or -
b) your ash’s original sync cable and a PocketWizard PC
female adapter, part number MPCF (804-605).
Visit the PocketWizard.com Cable Finder for help selecting
the correct ash sync cable. Using a PocketWizard direct cable
is always preferred over an adapter for ultimate reliability.
DO NOT connect a ash to port. You could damage
your FlexTT5. This port is only for triggering a Canon motor drive
and is not designed for the voltages or current found on ashes.
Attempting to connect 2 ashes to the port, or 1
ash to this port while there is another in the FlexTT5’s shoe,
can be dangerous. Different ashes can have very different
sync voltages. Connecting them together could cause
damage to the ashes, and they may not trigger. 2 identical
ashes with known identical sync voltages may work when
connected together, but operation is not guaranteed to be
risk free.
For guaranteed safety and secure triggering, one PocketWizard
per remote ash is recommended. If you need to trigger more
than 1 ash from a single remote FlexTT5, consider setting the
additional ash to use its optical slave.

Setting the HyperSync Offset in the PocketWizard Utility
HyperSync®& High Speed Sync (FP Flash)
HyperSync allows for a PocketWizard
connected ash to begin ring just
*before* the camera triggers a sync
pulse. Since you are triggering “faster
than a wire” with HyperSync, you can
sync at shutter speeds faster than
X-sync for many cameras and get more usable ash energy before Auto FP (High Speed Sync) is activated.
Adjusting HyperSync is done in the PocketWizard Utility (see next page for adjustment suggestions). Proper
adjustment is dependent on on your equipment’s abilities. Try the default setting and look for clipping
(black lines in your images). Adjust up or down as needed to eliminate the black lines. It is not always
possible to eliminate the black lines as the shutter speed increases.
HyperSync is used with shutter speeds as follows:
1/200 and slower HyperSync not used
1/250 through 1/350 Auto-calculated HyperSync offset used
1/400 Full HyperSync offset used
1/500 Auto-calculated HyperSync offset used
1/640 and faster FP Flash / High Speed Sync engaged
NOTE: If you have a ash in the shoe of the MiniTT1 or FlexTT5 on your camera, it must be set to
High Speed Sync (FP Flash). If not, the camera will be limited to a 1/200 shutter speed and will not use
HyperSync timings. If there is no ash in the shoe of MiniTT1 or FlexTT5 on your camera, HyperSync
and High Speed Sync will be used automatically with your remote ashes.
18

Front Curtain Clipping = move HyperSync
slider towards 0
Rear Curtain Clipping = move HyperSync
slider away from 0
19
HyperSync®& High Speed Sync (FP Flash) (cont’d)
HyperSync is set in a transmitting radio only. It is not
used in a remote FlexTT5. All receiving PocketWizard
radios, including the Plus II, etc., will trigger in sync with
HyperSync. At 1/640 and above, Standard triggers
are not sent.
NOTE: HyperSync requires a MiniTT1 or FlexTT5 as a
transmitter. A Standard transmitter like a Plus II cannot
trigger a remote FlexTT5 and achieve HyperSync.
If you are seeing Front Curtain clipping (top of frame
is dark), then your HyperSync offset should be moved
towards 0 (zero). If you are seeing Rear Curtain clipping
(bottom of frame is dark), then your HyperSync offset
should be moved away from 0 (zero).
When making adjustments, try adjusting in 30 micro-
second steps until you see some changes, then try
smaller steps to ne tune your setting. Remember to
press Set Both Configs in the Utility after every
adjustment.
For some camera and ash combinations it is not possible
to eliminate clipping, especially at the faster HyperSync
shutter speeds like 1/400 and 1/500. Use a slower
shutter speed or use 1/640 or higher and engage
FP Flash/High Speed Sync. FP Flash/High Speed Sync
is not available on shutter speeds between 1/250 and
1/640 when using ControlTL radios.

MiniTT1 USB port
FlexTT5 USB port
PocketWizard Utility
Advanced Features via PocketWizard Utility
Advanced features in the MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 are
available when using the PocketWizard Utility and
connecting your radio to your PC or Mac via a USB
cable. Be sure to install the Utility before connecting!
Download the latest version of the Utility at
PocketWizard.com here. Be sure to read the help
within the Utility for more information on how to
use it.
Turn your radio on before connecting to your computer
and you will see battery level in addition to detailed
status information.
Review the Reset section in this manual to understand
more about the features set in the Utility and how you
can revert them to their factory defaults in the eld.
Firmware: The Maintenance section of the Utility is your
portal to rmware updates via the internet.
Channels: Within the Utility you can set the channels that
will be used for C.1 and C.2. See the Channels and Learn
Mode sections in this manual for more information on how
setting channels works in the eld and via the Utility.
HyperSync: This powerful feature is set within the Utility.
See the HyperSync section of this manual for more
information.
20