This excellent unit has been around for quite a while, and is offered by Steve Yanke of Wood’s Electronics. It is an updated version of the Dalebeam, and has integrated microphone and IR sensors. Requires a remote retroreflector for beam operation, but this retroreflector is very small, and does not need to be connected to anything, so can be placed conveniently and inconspicuously. Setup of this unit is an absolute breeze, as it has an audio feature to help with beam alignment. I cannot exaggerate the benefit of this when in the field at dusk, hurrying to get set up before dark. The controls are simple, the controller has a tripod socket for mounting, and the unit runs on 9V batteries or an AC adapter. It can drive cameras or flash units. You also have the option of a make-beam or break-beam setup. A further feature is the kill-beam-on-break. This switches off the IR beam as soon as it is broken, so does not appear in the frame if you are shooting infrared sensitive film or digital sensors. The unit is not weatherproof, however I have had setups with mine get caught in unexpected showers, and once properly dried, still worked just fine. No external sensors are available for this system, nor is there any precision timing control. Expensive, and with limited application, but proven.
