COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
We'd like all of our potential customer to have the opportunity to review ours and our competitors products. We believe that you'll agree with us that the Lightning Bug™ is by far the best value, and the best product on the market today. All of the data below is current as of December 2013. If you find any errors or corrections, please let us know, we'll be happy to update our charts.
We've taken the liberty to highlight what we consider critical differences in our products. We believe that these items in particular are worthy of review prior to investing in a lightning activated trigger. Typical costs listed are based on the unit, a cable to fit a typical Nikon camera, and shipping.
Lightning Bug™ vs STEPPING STONES Lightning Trigger
| Model | Lightning Bug™ | LT3 | LT-IV |
| Retail Price | $179.00 | $329.00 | $369.00 |
| First Camera Cable Cost | FREE | up to $150.00 | up to $150.00 |
| Extra Cable Cost | $16.50 | up to $150.00 | up to $150.00 |
| Standard Shipping Cost (to USA) | $9.50 | $17.75 | $17.75 |
| Standard US Shipping Method | USPS Priority Mail | USPS Priority Mail | USPS Priority Mail |
| Typical Cost | $188.50 | $413.75 | $453.75 |
| Lead Time After Order | 1-2 DAYS | 4-5 weeks | 4-5 weeks |
| Battery Type | 9V Cell | 9V Cell | 9V Cell |
| Camera Interface* | 2.5mm Female Socket | 2.5mm Female Socket | 2.5mm Female Socket |
| On/Off Switch Type | Soft-Touch Switch | Slide Switch | Slide Switch |
| Sealed Switches | YES | No | No |
| Size (w/o Hotshoe) | 4.25"x2.6"x1.3" | 4.95"x2.75"x1.38" | 4.95"x2.75"x1.38" |
| Battery Compartment | Rear | Top | Top |
| Hotshoe Location | Rear | Middle | Middle |
| Hotshoe Material | Metal and Plastic | Metal and Plastic | Metal and Plastic |
| Overhangs Viewfinder | NO | Yes | Yes |
| Analog/Digital Circuit | Digital | Analog | Analog |
| FCC Certified** | Yes | No | No |
| Firmware Updateable*** | YES | No | No |
| Response Time | 0.04 milliseconds | 1 millisecond | 1 millisecond |
| Sensitivity Control | Soft-Touch Switches | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
| Sensitivity Display | 10 LED Bargraph | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
| Self-Test Function | YES | No | No |
| Meter Control | USER CONTROLLED | Always Off | Always Off |
| Shutter Hammering**** | No | No | No |
| Adjustable Frames per Second | YES - 1 to 10 | No | No |
| Warranty | 3 Years / Lifetime***** | 15 Years | 15 Years |
| Return Policy | 30 Days | None | None |
| Water Resistant | YES | No | No |
| Manufacuring Location | USA | USA | USA |
| Ships From | USA | USA | USA |
Lightning Bug™ vs AEO Lightning Strike
| Model | Lightning Bug™ | Micro | Micro Pro | Micro MT Pro |
| Retail Price | $179.00 | $137.00 | $237.00 | $365.00 |
| First Camera Cable Cost | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Extra Cable Cost | $16.50 | $22.50 | $22.50 | $22.50 |
| Standard Shipping Cost (to USA) | $9.50 | Free | Free | Free |
| Standard US Shipping Method | USPS Priority Mail | Not Specified | Not Specified | Not Specified |
| Typical Cost | $188.50 | $159.50 | $259.50 | $387.5 |
| Lead Time After Order | 1-2 days | 7-10 days | 7-10 days | 7-10 days |
| Battery Type | 9V CELL | (2) 1/2 Size AA | (2) 1/2 Size AA | (2) 1/2 Size AA |
| Camera Interface* | 2.5mm Female Socket | 2.5mm Female Socket | 2.5mm Female Socket | 2.5mm Female Socket |
| On/Off Switch Type | Soft-Touch Switch | Slide Switch | Slide Switch | Slide Switch |
| Sealed Switches | YES | No | No | No |
| Size (w/o Hotshoe) | 4.25"x2.6"x1.3" | 2.25"x2.75"x.75" | 2.25"x2.75"x.75" | 2.25"x2.75"x.75" |
| Battery Compartment | Rear | Bottom | Bottom | Bottom |
| Hotshoe Location | Rear | Middle | Middle | Middle |
| Hotshoe Material | Metal and Plastic | Plastic | Metal and Plastic | Metal and Plastic |
| Overhangs Viewfinder | NO | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Analog/Digital Circuit | Digital | Analog | Analog | Analog |
| FCC Certified** | Yes | No | No | No |
| Firmware Updateable*** | YES | No | No | No |
| Response Time | 0.04 milliseconds | 0.1 milliseconds | 0.1 milliseconds | 0.1 milliseconds |
| Sensitivity Control | Soft-Touch Switches | None | Thumbwheel | Thumbwheel |
| Sensitivity Display | 10 LED Bargraph | None | None | None |
| Self-Test Function | YES | No | No | No |
| Meter Control | USER CONTROLLED | Always Off | Always Off | Always Off |
| Shutter Hammering**** | NO | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Adjustable Frames per Second | YES - 1 to 10 | No | No | No |
| Warranty | 3 Years / Lifetime***** | 5 Years | 5 Years | 5 Years |
| Return Policy | 30 Days | None | None | None |
| Water Resistant | YES | No | No | No |
| Manufacuring Location | USA | USA | USA | USA |
| Ships From | USA | USA | USA | USA |
Lightning Bug™ vs NERO Trigger
| Model | Lightning Bug™ | Nero Trigger |
| Retail Price | $179.00 | $199.00 |
| First Camera Cable Cost | Free | Free |
| Extra Cable Cost | $16.50 | $20.00 |
| Standard Shipping Cost (to USA) | $9.50 | Free |
| Standard US Shipping Method | USPS Priority Mail | DHL |
| Typical Cost | $188.50 | $219.00 |
| Lead Time After Order | 1-2 days | 2 days |
| Battery Compartment | 9V Cell | (2) AAA |
| Camera Interface* | 2.5mm Female Socket | 2.5mm Female Socket |
| On/Off Switch Type | Soft-Touch Switch | Soft-Touch Switch |
| Sealed Switches | Yes | Yes |
| Size (w/o Hotshoe) | 4.25"x2.6"x1.3" | 3.34"x2.36"x1.18" |
| Battery Compartment | Rear | Bottom |
| Hotshoe Location | Rear | Middle |
| Hotshoe Material | Metal and Plastic | Unknown |
| Overhangs Viewfinder | NO | Yes |
| Analog/Digital Circuit | Digital | Digital |
| FCC Certified** | YES | No |
| Firmware Updateable*** | YES | Unknown |
| Response Time | 0.04 milliseconds | Not Specified |
| Sensitivity Control | Soft-Touch Switches | Soft-Touch Switches |
| Sensitivity Display | 10 LED Bargraph | LCD Display |
| Self-Test Function | YES | No |
| Meter Control | USER CONTROLLED | Always Off |
| Shutter Hammering**** | NO | Yes |
| Adjustable Frames per Second | YES - 1 to 10 | No |
| Warranty | 3 Years / Lifetime***** | Unknown |
| Return Policy | 30 Days | None |
| Water Resistant | YES | No |
| Manufacuring Location | USA | Turkey |
| Ships From | USA | USA and Turkey |
Lightning Bug™ vs UBERTRONIX Strike Finder
| Model | Lightning Bug™ | Standard | Pro | Pro II | Elite |
| Retail Price | $179.00 | $109.00 | $169.00 | $219.00 | $299.00 |
| First Camera Cable Cost | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Extra Cable Cost | $16.50 | $17.99 | $17.99 | $17.99 | $17.99 |
| Standard Shipping Cost (to USA) | $9.50 | $25.00 | $25.00 | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| Standard US Shipping Method | USPS Priority Mail | USPS Priority Mail | USPS Priority Mail | USPS Priority Mail | USPS Priority Mail |
| Typical Cost | $188.50 | $134.00 | $194.00 | $244.00 | $324.00 |
| Lead Time After Order | 1-2 days | 11-15 days | 11-15 days | 11-15 days | 11-15 days |
| Battery Type | 9V Cell | 9V Cell | 9V Cell | 9V Cell | 9V Cell |
| Camera Interface* | 2.5mm Female Socket | 2.5mm Female Socket | 2.5mm Female Socket | 2.5mm Female Socket | 2.5mm Female Socket |
| On/Off Switch Type | Soft-Touch Switch | Slide Switch | Slide Switch | Slide Switch | Slide Switch |
| Sealed Switches | YES | No | No | No | No |
| Size (w/o Hotshoe) | 4.25"x2.6"x1.3" | 4.8"x2.6"x1.0" | 4.8"x2.6"x1.0" | 4.8"x2.6"x1.0" | 4.8"x2.6"x1.0" |
| Battery Compartment | Rear | Bottom | Bottom | Bottom | Bottom |
| Hotshoe Location | Rear | Middle | Middle | Middle | Middle |
| Hotshoe Material | Metal and Plastic | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Overhangs Viewfinder | NO | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Analog/Digital Circuit | Digital | Digital | Digital | Digital | Digital |
| FCC Certified** | YES | No | No | No | No |
| Firmware Updateable*** | YES | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Response Time | 0.04 milliseconds | 1.0 milliseconds | 1.0 milliseconds | 1.0 milliseconds | 1.0 milliseconds |
| Sensitivity Control | Soft-Touch Switches | Thumbwheel | Thumbwheel | Thumbwheel | Thumbwheel |
| Sensitivity Display | 10 LED Bargraph | None | None | None | None |
| Self-Test Function | YES | No | No | No | No |
| Meter Control | USER CONTROLLED | Always Off | Always Off | Always Off | Always Off |
| Shutter Hammering**** | NO | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Adjustable Frames per Second | YES - 1 to 10 | No | No | No | No |
| Firmware Updateable | YES | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Warranty | 3 Years / Lifetime***** | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Return Policy | 30 Days | 90 Days | 90 Days | 90 Days | 90 Days |
| Water Resistant | YES | No | No | No | No |
| Manufacuring Location | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA |
| Ships From | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA |
* Camera Interface: While all units shown use a 2.5mm stereo female connector, not all meet the de facto industry standard pinouts (tip = shutter, ring = meter, barrel = common). Our cables are compatible with all such industry standard cables (for example, cables for the Pocket Wizard).
** FCC Certified: US laws requires that ALL electronic devices using digital circuitry to be tested and comply with FCC Part 15, Subpart B, Class B to insure that government guidelines are met, and to help insure that unwanted interference with other electronics is reduced or eliminated. Digital devices that have not been tested and certified are illegal to sell, distribute, and operate in the US. Analog devices are not required by law to be certified, however we feel that any device attached to your digital camera should meet this criteria to reduce the potential for electrical noise that could adversely impact your camera circuitry. The Lightning Bug™ is the ONLY product on the market today that has been certified to meet this standard.
*** Firmware Updateable: Digital units, such as the Lightning Bug™, incorporate a microprocessor that is programmed at the factory. A distinct advantage is that changes and updates can be made to previously purchased units at little or no cost to the consumer, protecting your initial investment. MK Controls, Inc. offers free updates whenever firmware releases are available simply by returning your unit to our factory. Your only expense is the initial shipping cost to return the unit.
**** Shutter Hammering: Shutter hammering occurs when a triggering device attempts to trigger the electronic shutter release in excess of your camera capabilities. This has not been proven to cause harm or wear in any DSLR, however it can easily lead to missed shots.
***** Warranty: MK Controls, Inc. is proud to offer the ONLY Lifetime Replacement Policy amongst our competition - see our warranty information for full details.
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