CYBER COMMANDER Launched; Flash Remotes Gain Consciousness, Plot Extermination of Humans

Paul C. Buff, maker of AlienBees, White Lightning and various other studio flashes, has just announced the "CYBER COMMANDER™."

This marks the first mass-market radio remote for flashes that actually lets you both control the output of the flashes from the camera via radio signals, and provide additional features to boot.

I, for one, would like to take this opportunity to welcome our new Sentient Remotes Overlords...


From the release:

"Suppose you could control and display virtually every parameter of a complex studio flash setup of up to sixteen light units, right from your camera. Not just the basics – everything. All without wires, from up to 400’ away.

In a single glance you could see and control the relative flashpower and model lamp brightness of all sixteen lights, from 1.56 to 6400WS per light.

But what if you could also see the actual camera f-stop of each light, or of all lights, or of any particular group of lights – from a built-in high accuracy flashmeter that allows setting ISO and exposure time and exact calibration from your lights to your camera?

Say you could then bracket all lights, or any group of lights, in precise 1/10f digital steps, while automatically updating the camera f-stops and power levels without re-metering."

And he is apparently not talking just about Bees and White Lightnings, either:

UPDATE: The CC apparently controls the power levels on Paul Buff brand flashes, but no so other brands.

Release continues:

Say you were using CYBER COMMANDER™ with a combination of AlienBees, White Lightning, Zeus, our upcoming all-digital Einstein lights, other brands and a speedlight or two.

Oh! What if the display told you exactly what light version and head is on each channel and you don’t have to remember what channel number is which light. The naming menu allows you to use names like “Left Main”, etc.

Power is standard AAA batts, expected battery life is six months to two years. They've also lopped off the delay inherent in the electronics, meaning that some of the special DSLRs that can sync at higher-than-posted speeds reportedly wil be able to sync at up to a 1/2500 of a second via these remotes.

Holy crap. I think we have just moved into the next technological era of remotes. Fortunately, they are not actually here yet. Projected T-Virus date is late Nov to early Dec. We still have time to find Sarah Connor.

There's a lot of info to go through on the CYBER COMMANDER page. I am still sifting through it myself.

So, what's your take? Does this change the dynamic in the PW/eBay/Skyport/etc. landscape? Is it a game breaker? Is flash control worth the 400' range limit? Will Ahnold play the CYBER COMMANDER in the movie version?

Step up to the mic in the comments.