Intro
I recently reviewed the Phottix Cleon wireless remote, which was released by Phottix in February 2008. Since that time, Phottix have not been resting on their laurels, but were busy designing a new and improved version.
A new model, the Phottix Cleon II, was released earlier this year, in January 2009. It provides a number of improvements and enhancements since the Cleon.
Phottix Cleon II
This Review: Differences between Cleon and Cleon II Only
Most of the functionality of the Phottix Cleon II is the same as that of the Phottix Cleon. Having recently reviewed the Cleon, rather than duplicating much of the information from the Cleon review in this Cleon II review, please refer to my earlier review of the Cleon.
Overview of the Cleon II
The size and shape of the Cleon II transmitter and remote are identical to the previous model, the Cleon. However, there are a number of differences in the functionality of the Cleon II.
The back of the Cleon II transmitter indicates the model is "WXD-189", and this review looks at the C8 model of the Phottix Cleon II wireless remote, which comes with a cable that has an N3 connector to suit Canon 20D/30D/40D/50D/5D/1D cameras. I'm testing it on a Canon 50D body.
components: receiver, transmitter, camera cable, battery, wrist strap and clip
One of the immediately obvious differences between the Cleon and the Cleon II is the fact that the Cleon II does not have the receiver cable hard-wired into the receiver. Instead, one end of the receiver has a 3.5mm stereo plug, which goes into a corresponding 3.5mm stereo socket on the receiver.
Cleon II packaging
I'll be taking a closer look at other differences between the Cleon and Cleon II in subsequent parts of this review.
A quick search on eBay indicates the Phottix Cleon II typically retails for about AUD$56 (approx USD$36), which is about AUD$10 more than the previous model Cleon.
Features and Specifications
Specifications (as listed on the packaging):
| Name of Product | Transmitter | Receiver |
| Power | 12V / 23A | 3V / CR2 |
| Life of Battery | up to 3 years | 20,000 Times |
| Smart Code System | 16 000 000 combination codes | |
| Range | 100m (320ft) without obstacles | |
| Monitor Light | Two color LEDs | Two color LEDs |
| Frequency | 433 MHz | |
Differences Between Cleon and Cleon II
To summarise the differences between Cleon and Cleon II, I've listed them in a table. Note that this table does not include functionality that exists in the Cleon and in the Cleon II; it only lists the differences between the two models.
| Name of Product | Cleon | Cleon II |
| release date | February 2008 | January 2009 |
| frequency | 315 MHz | 433 MHz |
| number of channels | 16 (set with DIP switches) | 16,000,000 (preset in transmitter) |
| transmitter-camera cable | hard-wired into transmitter | removable with 2.5mm plug |
| transmitter antenna length | 75 mm | 125 mm |
| 2S switch | configured on receiver | configured on transmitter |
| multiple frames option | none | configured on transmitter |
| receiver power switch | 4-position slide switch | hold down on switch for 3 seconds |
| terminate wireless bulb mode | half-press on transmitter | half-press or full press on transmitter |
Synchronising the Transmitter and Receiver
The Cleon II supports 16,000,000 different channels, and I found that I had to synchronise the receiver and transmitter before they would communicate. Once this synchronisation operation has been completed, it shouldn't be necessary to re-synchronise each time you use the Cleon II.
receiver
transmitter
To check if the transmitter and receiver are synchronised, turn on the receiver. Holding down the "set/power" button on the receiver for approximately three seconds will turn it on, and the red LED on the left hand side of the receiver should turn on.
Move the mode switch on the transmitter to "S/B" and hit the shutter button on the transmitter. If no LEDs light up on the receiver, then you'll need to synchronise them using the procedure described below.
receiver, showing two status LEDs and socket for camera cable
To synchronise the receiver to the transmitter:
- turn receiver on by holding down "set/power" button for ~3 seconds until right hand side LED turns on
- press "set/power" button on receiver 5 times until LED on left hand side flashes red
- press shutter button on transmitter
- LED on left hand side of receiver should turn off
Note that multiple receivers can be programmed to respond to a single transmitter, allowing you to trigger multiple cameras with a single transmitter.
After removing the receiver's battery for several minutes, I re-installed it, and confirmed that the receiver was still synchronised to the transmitter, so it appears that the synchronisation is a once-off exercise that won't need to be repeated (unless you want to synchronise the receiver to a different transmitter).
Using the Cleon II
As with the original Cleon, the receiver can be used as a dumb wired remote, using the shutter button on the receiver. Moving the receiver mode switch to "Hold" allows it to be used for long bulb-mode exposures without having to hold the shutter button down.
Note that there is no need to power on the receiver when using it as a wired remote.
using the receiver as a wired remote
When using the Cleon II in wireless mode, the plastic hotshoe connector can be used to mount the receiver on your camera's hotshoe, either facing forwards or backwards.
receiver mounted on the camera hotshoe
The receiver's mode switch needs to be set to "On", the receiver powered on (by holding the "set/power" switch down for three seconds until the power-on LED lights up), and the transmitter can then be used to trigger the receiver.
using the Cleon II wirelessly
The transmitter's mode switch allows three different modes to be selected:
- S/B - single exposures or bulb mode (hold transmitter button down for 3 seconds to lock the shutter open in bulb mode)
- 2S - single exposures with a 2 second delay
- multiple exposures - when triggered by transmitter, receiver will take 5 exposures
Cleon II is Better Than Cleon Because...
After having reviewed and compared the Cleon and Cleon II, I believe the Cleon II is definitely an improvement over the Cleon, for the following reasons:
- auto code setting with 16,000,000 possibilities, no DIP switches required
- no unnecessary power-off switch on transmitter
- receiver cable is not hard-wired into receiver
- 2S (2 second delay) mode is now selected on transmitter, not receiver
- 5 frame setting on transmitter
- transmitter antenna is longer, and should provide a longer range
- wireless bulb mode can be terminated with half-press or full press on transmitter
transmitter with antenna fully extended
Regarding the last item in the list above, with the Cleon, a half-press on the transmitter button is required to terminate bulb mode. This is not particularly intuitive, and a full press on the transmitter button has no effect.
However, with the Cleon II, either a full-press or a half-press on the transmitter button will terminate bulb mode, and this is a bit user-friendlier.
Verdict
There's still no way to hang the receiver from your tripod if your camera's hotshoe is occupied with a flash or a flash trigger. However, that can be fairly easily rectified by drilling a small hole in the receiver case to attach a small lanyard, or tying something to the hotshoe adaptor on the receiver.
The Phottix Cleon II has numerous improvements over its predecessor, the Cleon, so if you are intending to purchase a Cleon, be sure to order the Cleon II, rather than the superseded Cleon.
