Cactus V6 User Manual
Contents
1. If you wish to quickly change the power level using a larger interval use the quick power adjustment mode In the main screen of the V6 in TX mode press once to enter the quick power adjustment mode In this mode each click of the dial will increase or decrease the power level for 1EV to and from the original value respectively For example if the power level of a group was 1 16 3 one click of the selection dial will increase the power level to 1 8 3 or decrease it to 1 32 3 Once you have finished the quick change press once again to leave the quick power adjustment mode Each click of the dial thereafter will increase or decrease the power level in accordance with the setting you have made in the lt EV STEP gt menu 12 2 Absolute Power If you want to coordinate the light output of multiple flashes with different maximum power outputs the regular power ratios such 41 as 1 4 or 1 8 may not be as helpful The output of one powerful flash model at 1 8 can be higher than that of another weaker flash model at 1 4 For this reason the V6 offers an absolute power mode in which EV numbers can be used to specify an absolute light intensity independent of the maximum power output of a flash model The power levels in guide number have been rescaled to the absolute power scheme in EV as below ABSOLUTE LIGHT GUIDE NUMBERS IN MET2. activated groups Note that the small single digit indicates the increment between major power levels 1211 Single Group Power Adjustment There are two ways to adjust the power level 1 Press and hold the group button until the power level of the chosen group is highlighted on the LCD Turn the selection dial to the desired power level Press shortly the group button to leave the group selection 2 Short cut Press and hold the group button and turn the selection dial simultaneously Once the adjustment is finished release the group button 39 You may also adjust the power level of the that you have mounted on the V6 TX multi system shoe female 1 Make sure that the TTL pass through mode has not been activated see Section 8 2 Press and turn the selection dial simultaneously to change the power level of the master flash 12 1 2 Multi Group Power Adjustment To adjust the power level of ALL active groups simply turn the selection dial left or right to the desired power level The power level of the master flash is not affected by the multi group adjustment 12 1 3 Quick Power Adjustment Mode By turning the dial left or right one click the power level of the chosen groups will increase or decrease by one step The EV step in the V6 factory setting is 1 3 EV The EV step can be configured to 1 2 1 3 or 1 10 in the lt EV STEP gt menu see 10 Section 12 3
3. Pressing the group button s of activated groups again on the V6 TX will turn off the group s The V6 RX units that have been set to the off group s will not fire The V6 will memorize the group selection in both TX and RX when it is switched Next time you switch on the V6 it will start up with the saved setting 9 7 Navigating the Menu There are a number of configurable menu options in the V6 To change a menu option 1 Press to bring up the first menu item 2 Dial right or left to scroll through each menu item 3 Press or push in button once to access a menu item 4 Dial right or left to scroll through each option of a menu item 5 Press or push in button once to select the option The configuration of the menu item will change immediately 6 Press to leave and go back to the main screen or dial right or left to the next item in the sequence 26 Option Applicab le modes RX CHANNEL 1 16 OPTICAL SLAVE OFF 51 FIRST FLASH 52 MAIN FLASH TX OFF ON DELAY OFF SET Lo POWER OFF ON POWER MODE RELATIVE ABSOLUTE EV STEP 1 10 1 3 1 2 lt lt lt lt FLASH SETUP SKIP COPY PROFILE START LEARNING COPY FLASH SETUP SKIP START CHOOSE PROFILE MANUAL CANON NIKON PENTAX LEARNED SUB MENU LCD BACKLIGHT
4. V2 Cactus V2s and Cactus V4 17 8 TTL Pass through The V6 transceiver comes with a multi system shoe that supports TTL pass through 59 020 While the V6 does not transmit TTL signal wirelessly it is designed to pass TTL signal from camera to flash via the transmitter TX and vice versa The multi system shoe supports TTL pass through of Canon Fujifilm Nikon Olympus Panasonic and Pentax systems Make sure that camera and flash unit belong to the same TTL system With TTL pass through the TTL flashes behave as they would when directly connected to the camera hot shoe The V6 will work as a wireless flash commander while supporting all the automatic features e g automatic flash output via TTL metering 18 AF assist light second curtain sync high speed shutter provided by the TTL flash system press and hold for 2 seconds The LCD will show the TTL pass through indicator at the left bottom corner where the channel indicator used to be In TTL pass through mode the V6 TX cannot control the power level of the flash attached To disable the TTL pass through mode press and hold for 2 seconds The TTL pass through indicator will be replaced by the channel indicator on the LCD 19 9 Getting Started 91 Installing the Batteries Open the battery door by pushing it backward Flip open the latch and insert two AA batteri
5. WAITING FOR TX gt 4 On the V6 source unit press to confirm lt GO gt 5 The V6 units will start copying the flash profiles 6 When the flash profiles are all copied to the V6 destination units the source V6 unit will show lt FINISHED SENDING gt 34 while the destination V6 units will show lt FINISHED COPYING gt on the LCD screen You may then leave the menu No If identical flash profiles are found in both the source V6 and destination V6 they will not be copied For non identical profiles that come with the same profile name they will still be copied but the last letter of the newly added profile names will be modified 35 11 Flash Triggering To command the flash units in different groups to fire 1 Set the V6 transceivers to the correct mode transmitter to TX receiver to RX This will automatically power the transceivers see Section 9 4 2 Set both TX and RX to the same channel see Section 9 5 3 Assign RX unit s to A B C or D group and activate the group s on the TX see Section 9 6 4 Connect the V6 RX to portable flashes or studio strobes 5 On the TX press ompletely The status LED of bot and RX should blink in green simultaneously The portable flashes or studio strobes will fire at the same time 6 Test fire a particular group by pressing the group button and ompletely and simultaneously 7 Attach the TX to the camera s hot
6. come with an analogue i e the TTL operated analogue quench signals If your flashes come with a TTL mode that does not have an initial before TTL e g E TTL or E TTL from 15 Canon i TTL or i TTL BL from Nikon or P TTL from Pentax their flash profiles may be learned and remotely controlled by the Cactus V6 71 4 Other Flash Models and Studio Strobes The Cactus V6 triggers all other flash models via the hot shoe and studio strobes with the PC syne male port 3 5mm or 6 35mm port via optional cables see Section 19 This includes high trigger voltage portable flash models and all strobe models with a trigger voltage of 300V or under The Cactus V6 does not provide remote power control of these flashes and strobes Flashes or strobes with reversed polarity connectors DO NOT WORK with the Cactus V6 7 2 Cameras The Cactus V6 works with practically all cameras that come with either 1 a standard ISO hot shoe or 2 a female syne port connection 16 use the V6 as wireless shutter release specific shutter cables are required For the list of optional accessories see Section 19 7 3 Flash Triggers 7 3 1 Cactus V5 and LV5 The Cactus V6 is compatible with the Wireless Flash Transceiver V5 and Laser Trigger LV5 See Section 16 2 for details 7 3 2 Other Flash Triggers The Cactus V6 is NOT compatible with any other flash trigger model including the Cactus
7. control the power level of the flashes with your V6 TX To exit the Relay mode in both TX and RX units press and turn the selection dial to lt RELAY gt Press and turn the selection dial to lt OFF gt Press and then press to return to the main screen 52 14 Advanced Operations 141 Trigger The optical trigger can act as an alternative trigger mechanism than the radio signal For instance it is very useful to capture pre flash signals that are being emitted earlier than the flash sync Setting the pre flash triggered optical trigger with the delay timer see Section 14 2 can set the exact time for the flash to start firing Two optical trigger modes 51 and 52 are available for selection 51 Triggering on the first pre flash or on the main flash if there is no pre flash 82 Ignoring pre flashes and triggering on the main flash 1 Switch on the V6 in TX or RX mode press and turn the selection dial to lt OPTICAL SLAVE gt Press ox 2 Turn the selection dial to 51 or 52 and press 3 The main screen in the V6 RX will show the status of the optical trigger see Section 6 2 53 14 2 Delay Timer ear Every V6 is equipped with a delay timer that is configurable in either the TX or RX mode delay timer delays the trigger response 195152821539 lf you wish to fire the flash a bit later than the first curtain syne to crea
8. controlling the zoom level of the Cactus RF60 see Section 16 1 1 This can be configured in lt SWAP CONTROL gt 15 3 The LCD backlight of the V6 will turn on LCD whenever the selection dial or Backlight of the group buttons has been pressed Timer or turned In order to conserve energy there is a timer setting that automatically turns off the backlight In lt LCD BACKLIGHT gt choose from lt OFF gt lt 5 SECS gt lt 15 SECS gt or lt STAY ON gt 154 conserve energy when you forget to switch Sleep off the V6 after use the sleep timer will Timer switch the V6 to the sleep mode after a specified period In lt SLEEP gt choose from lt OFF gt lt 15 MINS gt or lt 60 MINS gt To wake up the V6 from the sleep mode press any button or turn the selection dial once Local triggering via a hot shoe or x syne port also awakens the V6 56 Wireless triggering will not wake up the V6 RX units remotely 15 5 Working Range The working distance of the V6 can be customized to suit your shooting purpose In lt WORKING RANGE gt choose lt SHORT gt when you need to place the V6 TX units very close to the RX units e g when shooting macro or choose lt LONG gt for normal shots While the lt SHORT gt option will reduce the maximum effective distance of the V6 by approximately 70 it will eliminate the interference caused by placing the V6 TX and RX units in close proxim
9. in transceivers the working range are placed too close to each other sub menu 3 Optical Trigger has been switched on and triggered by unexpected ambient light Switched off the optical trigger as it may not work in that environment 69 4 Slow Synchronization Delayed Flash TX Yes 1 Shutter speed Adjust the Green is faster than camera s shutter RX Yes the camera s speed to the Green x syne maximum supported limitation x syne speed 2 Delay timer Turn off the delay has been set timer or adjust the delay timer to a correct sync time TX or RX 3 Insufficient Replace batteries Yes battery power and retry Red every 3 seconds 5 Flash Not Triggered Shutter Not Released LED BLIN SOLUTION TX No RX No Poor battery contact or insufficient battery on TX Replace batteries on TX and retry Poor hot shoe condition Adjust tightness of hot shoe contact Clean the hot shoe contacts of the V6 witha clean cloth 70 RX No Poor battery contact or battery out of power on RX Replace the batteries in the RX and retry Channel and group mismatch Ensure both transceivers are set to the same channel and the group assigned to the RX has been activated on the TX Background radio interference Set both transceivers to another channel C
10. shoe If your camera does not have a hot shoe connect the TX to the camera using an optional PC syne cable CA 200 36 8 Press the camera s shutter release button The flashes on the RXs will fire wirelessly and in syne Tips The V6 transceiver can trigger portable flashes with or without remote power control If you wish to wirelessly trigger the slave flashes without controlling their power levels choose the lt MANUAL gt flash system in the lt CHOOSE PROFILE gt menu 37 12 Remote Manual Power Control Apart from flash triggering the V6 can also command the manual power of your flash On each RX choose the appropriate flash profile for each flash to be connected The V6 TX will then be able to command the flash to fire from 1 128 to 1 1 full power V6 offers two power definitions for users to command the flashes power in the most convenient way To remotely control the power of your flash units 1 Connect the flash units to the V6 2 Switch on the flash units Then switch on the V6 in RX mode for each 12 1 Relative Power Similar to a common flash display the V6 TX indicates the power level of the remote flashes in proportion to full power in relative power mode i e 1 1 for full power 1 2 for half power etc Upon switching on the V6 in TX mode the LCD will 38 show the relative power levels of all
11. to RX by sliding the mode switch to the correct position This will automatically power on the transceivers 9 5 The Cactus V6 transceivers communicate with Setting each other via radio frequency There are 16 the channels available Always make sure that Channel all of your V6 transceivers are set to the same channel 1 To set both TX and RX to the same channel press The LCD will show lt CHANNEL gt and the default channel number Press and turn the selection dial to the preferred channel number Press to set other menu items or press to exit 2 The selected channel number will be displayed on the LCD sereen 24 9 6 Setting and Selecting the Group 7 A BICI D The group function in the V6 can assign RXs into Group A B C or D and allows you to choose which group s to fire from the TX unit 1 All V6 transceivers must be set to the same channel 2 Assign RX units to Groups A B C or D by pressing one of the group buttons Each RX can only be assigned to ONE group The LED of the selected group will turn on 3 Command the TX to fire any combination of groups by pressing the group button s You can fire any combination of A B C and D groups The LED of the activated group s will turn on 4 To change the power level of a specific group press and hold an activated group button Quickly pressing the group button again will de select the group 25 5
12. Cactus User Manual Table of Contents 1 Getting to Know the Cactus V6 4 2 Cautions and Warnings 7 3 Major Specifications 8 4 Package Contents 9 5 Nomenclature 10 6 LCD Panel 12 7 Compatibility 13 8 Pass through 17 9 Getting Started 19 10 Flash Profile 27 Choosing Learning and Copying 11 Flash Triggering 39 12 Remote Manual Power Control 37 13 Camera Shutter Release 47 14 Advanced Operations 52 15 Personalizing the V6 54 16 Working with Cactus Gear 57 17 LED Signal Guide 62 18 USB Connection 63 19 Optional Accessories 65 20 Troubleshooting 66 21 Notices 72 22 Warranty 15 1 Getting to Know the Cactus V6 Thank you for purchasing the Cactus Wireless Flash Transceiver V6 The Cactus V6 is a multifunctional wireless flash transceiver that allows you to command different brands flashes off camera with remote power control You can position your lights at any angle direction and distance the possibilities are endless 11 Special Features 1 Of a list of current and previous Canon Nikon and Pentax flashes 2 for analogue TTL flashes 3 manipulation of power levels to 1 10 1 3 1 2 and 1EV steps fires the flash for extremely short lengths of time benchmarks the power output of different f
13. ERS INTENSITY IN EV 00 0 3 0 5 0 7 17 58 0 64 4 69 0 73 9 16 41 0 45 5 48 8 52 3 15 29 0 32 2 34 5 36 9 14 20 5 22 7 24 4 26 1 13 14 5 16 1 17 2 18 5 12 10 3 11 4 12 2 13 0 11 7 2 8 0 8 6 9 2 10 5 1 5 7 6 1 6 6 9 3 6 4 0 4 3 4 6 8 2 6 2 8 3 0 3 2 7 1 8 2 0 21 2 3 6 13 1 4 1 5 1 6 42 When setting up the absolute power mode the V6 TX will collect the flash profiles being selected by the RX units in the same channel and rescale them to the unified light intensity scale The following example shows how the model specific relative power scales are translated into the absolute power scale ABSOLUTE LIGHT RELATIVE LIGHT INTENSITY SCALE OF 4 FLASHES WITH DIFFERENT FULL INTENSITY POWER GUIDE NUMBERS SCALE IN EV FLASH FLASH FLASH FLASH A B 18 17 GN58 16 1 2 15 GN29 1 4 1 2 14 1 2 1 8 GN21 1 4 13 1 1 16 1 2 1 8 12 1 8 1 32 1 1 16 11 1 16 1 64 1 8 1 32 10 1 32 1 128 1 16 1 64 9 1 64 1 32 1 128 8 1 128 1 64 7 1 128 6 43 When you set all flashes to 11 EV see italicized section in the above table absolute power mode all flashes will the same intensity of light notwithstanding the differences in their own relative power For instance at 11 EV Flash A is firing the amount of light equal to its 1 16 power while Flash C is firing equal to its 1 8 power To c
14. ON OF DATA OR ANY OTHER SPECIAL INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE USE OR MISUSE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE WIRELESS FLASH TRANSCEIVER REGARDLESS OF THE LEGAL THEORY ON WHICH THE CLAIM IS BASED AND EVEN IF HARVEST ONE LIMITED HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES IN NO EVENT SHALL RECOVERY OF ANY KIND AGAINST HARVEST ONE LIMITED GREATER IN AMOUNT THAN THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE CACTUS WIRELESS FLASH TRANSCEIVER SOLD BY HARVEST ONE LIMITED OR ITS AUTHORIZED DEALERS AND CAUSING THE ALLEGED DAMAGE WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING YOU ASSUME ALL RISK AND LIABILITY 78 FOR LOSS DAMAGE OR INJURY TO YOU AND YOUR PROPERTY AND TO OTHERS AND THEIR PROPERTY ARISING OUT OF USE OR MISUSE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE CACTUS WIRELESS FLASH TRANSCEIVER NOT CAUSED DIRECTLY BY THE NEGLIGENCE OF HARVEST ONE LIMITED THIS LIMITED WARRANTY SHALL NOT EXTEND TO ANYONE OTHER THAN THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER OF HARVEST ONE LIMITED OR THE PERSON FOR WHOM IT WAS PURCHASED AS A GIFT AND STATES YOUR EXCLUSIVE REMEDY Corporate Office HARVEST ONE LIMITED 9D ON SHING IND BLDG 2 16 WO LIU HANG ROAD FO TAN HONG KONG PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DEALER FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE HARVEST ONE LTD 2014 37 EDITION 79
15. R ON RX Flash triggering Green Shutter triggering Green Half press auto Orange focusing Power level N A Orange command received deactivation Bulb mode Green for 2 seconds activation Bulb mode Green Low battery Red every 3 seconds Firmware update mode Red every 0 5 second 63 18 USB Connection The V6 transceiver comes with a mini USB port that serves two purposes providing external USB power and for firmware updates 18 1 External USB Power Apart from AA batteries the Cactus V6 can also be powered by a 5V DC 500 1 000 external USB power device Check with the specifications of your USB power device to determine the compatibility with the V6 transceiver External USB Power cannot charge the rechargeable batteries inside the V6 battery compartment 18 2 Firmware updates Cactus will release new firmware for the V6 from time to time Get your V6 updated via the USB connection of the V6 press and hold then switch on the V6 in TX or RX mode at the same time The LCD display will show the firmware version installed in the unit Release the buttons 64 the LCD display will return to the main sereen after 3 seconds when available 1 Switch off the V6 and remove the batteries inside 2 Connect it with a computer via the Cactus mini USB cable MU 1 optional 3 Press and hold then switch on the V6 in TX or RX
16. RELESS GROUP INCREMENT SENSITIVITY CHANNEL DELAY TIMER RELAY MODE SLAVE MODE INDICATOR INDICATOR 13 7 Compatibility The Cactus V6 is both a wireless flash trigger and wireless remote control While it triggers both portable flashes and studio strobe lights it also supports remote control features with selected flash models 7A Flash amp Studio Strobes 711 Cactus RF60 With the built in Cactus V6 module the Cactus RF60 can be remotely commanded and triggered by V6 TX see Section 16 1 1 71 2 Flash Models with a Pre installed Profile in the Cactus V6 The Cactus V6 can remotely control the following portable flash models 14 FLASH SYSTEM FLASH MODEL CANON CACTUS AF45C AF500 CANON 320EX 430EX 540EZ 580EX 600EX RT GODOX V860C METZ 36AF 5 44AF 1 50 1 52AF 1 58AF 1 58AF 2 NISSIN Di866 MARK II MG8000 PHOTTIX STRATO SIGMA EF 500 DG SUPER YONGNUO YN568EX NIKON CACTUS AFH5N AF50N METZ 36AF 5 44AF 1 58AF 2 NIKON SB 24 SB 28 SB 600 SB 700 5 800 SB 900 5 910 NISSIN 1700 01866 SIGMA EF 530 DG SUPER PENTAX CACTUS AF45P AF50P METZ 36AF 5 44AF 1 50AF 1 58AF 2 PENTAX AF 360FGZ AF 540FG2 profiles working with different versions of the model e g 580EX II and 580EX 71 3 Flash Models with Analogue TTL Mode The Cactus V6 can learn the profiles of other flash models that
17. SLEEP DIAL DIRECTION SWAP CONTROL WORKING RANGE FACTORY RESET 27 10 Flash Profile Choosing Learning and Copying The V6 transceiver commands flashes to fire at a particular output via flash profiles There are three ways to obtain the correct flash profiles 1 Choose from the pre installed flash profiles in the V6 2 Learn a custom flash profile using the V6 3 Copy the learned profiles from another 101 Choosing the Flash Profile from the Choose the appropriate flash profile from the pre installed profile list for each V6 RX you will use with your flash 1 Switch on the V6 in RX mode 2 Press then turn the selection dial to lt CHOOSE PROFILE gt Press ok 3 Turn the selection dial until the LCD shows your flash system e g lt gt Press 28 4 Turn the selection dial until the LCD shows your flash model e g lt 580EX gt Press 5 Connect the flash unit to the V6 Switch your flash to TTL mode and your flash will be ready for remote control The chosen flash profile will be applied until you choose another flash profile In case you wish to fire and control an on camera master flash via the V6 TX follow steps 2 4 above in TX mode to choose the appropriate flash profile for the master flash 10 2 Learning aCustom Flash Profile If your flash models are not included in the pre installed profile list but supp
18. This limited warranty covers all defects encountered in normal use of the Wireless Flash Transceiver and does not apply in any of the following cases a Loss of or damage to the Wireless Flash Transceiver due to abuse mishandling improper packaging by you alteration accident electrical current fluctuations b Failure to follow operating maintenance or environmental instructions prescribed in Cactus user s manual Receive services performed by someone other than Harvest One Limited or authorized dealers d Without limiting the foregoing water damage sand corrosion damage battery leakage dropping the transceiver scratches abrasions or damage to the body or damage to the hot shoe or PC cables will be presumed to have resulted from misuse abuse or failure to operate the Wireless Flash Transceiver as set forth in the operating instructions 77 IMPLIED WARRANTY INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE APPLIES TO THE WIRELESS FLASH TRANSCEIVER AFTER THE APPLICABLE PERIOD OF THE EXPRESS LIMITED WARRANTY STATED ABOVE AND NO OTHER EXPRESS WARRANTY OR GUARANTY EXCEPT AS MENTIONED ABOVE GIVEN BY ANY PERSON OR ENTITY WITH RESPECT TO THE WIRELESS FLASH TRANSCEIVER SHALL BIND HARVEST ONE LIMITED HARVEST ONE LIMITED SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR LOSS OF REVENUES OR PROFITS INCONVENIENCE EXPENSE FOR SUBSTITUTE EQUIPMENT OR SERVICE STORAGE CHARGES LOSS OR CORRUPTI
19. de press and hold 3 while simultaneously turning the selection dial to change the power level of the master flash on the V6 TX see Section 12 1 1 In TX mode with absolute power mode press any group button together with simultaneously to configure the EV offset of the group see Section 12 2 The OK button has two features 1 To enter a menu item and to confirm option in the configuration menu To enter the swap control quick adjustment mode zoom Cactus mode from and exit to the TX main screen see Section 15 2 22 The selection dial is two way dial that scrolls easily through different options by turning left or right Use the dial to 1 Access menu items and menu options in the configuration menu 2 Adjust the power levels in the TX main screen The direction of the selection dial is configurable in the sub menu see Section 15 1 You may configure it to operate in either a clockwise or anti counter clockwise direction When confirming an option in the configuration menu or entering leaving the swap control you may either press or the push in selection dial 23 9 4 TX OFF Choosing the Operating 5 Mode The Cactus V6 is a wireless transceiver that is capable of transmitting and receiving radio signals Set the V6 transceivers to the correct mode transmitter to TX receiver
20. es using the correct polarities Then close the battery door by pushing it to the front 9 2 Attaching toand Detaching fromthe Camera UNLOCK To mount the V6 on a camera s hot shoe mount 1 Turn the lock lever of the V6 to the left to unlock the multi system shoe male 2 Slide the V6 into the camera s hot shoe 20 3 Turn the lock lever of the V6 to the right to lock the multi system shoe male 4 When detaching the V6 from the camera s hot shoe turn the lock lever to the left to unlock the multi system shoe male Otherwise the multi system shoe male may be damaged Attach your flash to the V6 as you would to the camera s hot shoe If your flash is not locked securely on the Multi System Shoe female try half locking the flash and retracting it slightly from the Multi System Shoe until the locking pin hits the pinhole Then lock your flash fully to the V6 9 3 Buttons and Dial The V6 control panel is equipped with a Menu button an OK button and a selection dial for quick access to different functions and the configuration menu The Menu button accesses the configuration menu In the main screen pressing will 21 display the configuration menu In part of the menu press to exit the configuration menu There are also other uses for the Menu button In TX mode press and hold to enter or exit the TTL pass through mode see Section 8 TX mo
21. hange setup location as interference may come from other equipment in the surrounding area Beyond 100m Make sure TX and effective RX transceivers range are placed within 100m 328 ft of each other TX and RX Choose lt SHORT gt in transceivers the working range are placed too close to each other sub menu LED BLIN 71 TX Yes Green RX Yes Green Poor hot shoe contact Adjust tightness of hot shoe contact Clean the hot shoe contacts of the V6 witha clean cloth Flash used is not compatible Check that the flash used is with the V6 compatible with the V6 see Section 7 1 Poor cable Check the cable connection connection Change the cable Wrong cable is used only when the V6 is used as a Wireless Shut ter Release Ensure that an appropriate shutter release cable is used 72 21 Notices Notices for Customers inthe U S A Federal Communications Commission FCC Radio Frequency Interference Statements This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions may cause har
22. hange the V6 system to the absolute power mode 1 Switch on the remote V6 in RX mode Choose the correct flash profiles for each of the V6 RXs 2 Switch on the V6 that you would like to be the commander in TX mode Make sure that it is on the same channel as the RX units Press Turn the selection dial to lt POWER MODE gt and press Turn the selection dial to lt ABSOLUTE SETUP gt and press to confirm 3 The V6 TX will then collect the flash profiles from the V6 RX units and set up the absolute power level scheme Once the set up is finished the LCD display will return to the main screen again and show the absolute light intensity of the four groups Adjust the power level as you do in relative power mode see Section 12 1 Each figure before decimal place represents 1 EV and the smaller figure thereafter 1 10 EV Set all the activated groups to the same power level Test fire the slaves and determine whether they produce the same flash output If the initial set up is not accurate enough you may offset the absolute power scale of each group Press any group button and simultaneously to get into the offset mode for that group For example if the flash output of group A is slightly stronger than the other groups at the same absolute power levels press A and simultaneously The LCD screen will show lt GROUP A OFFSET gt Turn the selection dial left or 45 right to adjust the power sca
23. he EV step Extremely short firing time In Lo Power mode the V6 can fire flashes for very short lengths of time at extremely low power levels roughly equal to 1 256 which is beyond the standard flash power range see Section 12 4 for enabling the Lo Power output Unified power level scale for different flash models The V6 benchmarks the light intensity output of different flash models in your set up and commands them to fire at the same power scale see Section 12 2 for adjusting absolute power Ready to go Let s get on board and see what the V6 can do 2 Cautions and Warnings Before using your V6 read the following safety precautions to ensure correct and safe use 1 Turn OFF all your equipment e g Cactus units flash units cameras etc before changing batteries or making connections Observe the correct polarity when changing batteries There is a danger of explosion if the batteries are installed incorrectly 2 Switch off the transceiver and remove batteries during storage 3 Do not permanently store the product in a high temperature environment 1 under strong direct sunlight near cooking stoves oven 4 The Cactus V6 should never be submerged in liquid or exposed to heavy rain unless it is properly protected 5 Do not operate the device in the presence of flammable gases or fumes 6 Do not dissemble 7 Do not crush and do not expose the V6 to any shock or force such as hammering dro
24. he green status LED on both the TX and RX will blink simultaneously 19 13 3 Shutter Flash The relay mode in the V6 is an economic solution for coordinating the wireless shutter release with flash trigger systems With relay capability you need only 3 transceivers to wirelessly control both the camera and a flash unit at one time 1 Make sure that all the V6 units are set to the same channel 2 Set the V6 that you would like to use as the handheld remote as TX then all others as RX 50 3 Mount one of the V6 RXs onto the camera s hot shoe and also connect the V6 RX to the camera s shutter release port with an appropriate shutter release cable optional Connect the other V6 RXs to the flash units On the on camera V6 RX press Turn the selection dial to lt RELAY gt Press Turn the selection dial to lt ON gt Press to confirm and then press to return to the main screen The relay mode indicator lt REL C gt will appear on the main screen In the handheld V6 TX unit press Turn the selection dial to lt RELAY gt Press and turn the dial to lt ON gt Press ox then press to return to the main screen The relay mode indicator REL will replace the channel indicator 51 pressing the TX both the camera fl units will be triggered and syne with each other In addition you will also be able to
25. ity 15 6 Factory Reset To retrieve to the original manufacturing setting of the V6 and erase all the custom flash profiles use Factory Reset In the lt FACTORY RESET gt sub menu press and turn the dial to lt YES gt The screen will show lt CONFIRM gt Press to confirm Factory Reset will erase ALL custom flash profiles you have saved in the V6 57 16 Working with Cactus Gear The V6 transceiver is compatible with the Cactus Wireless Flash RF60 Wireless Flash Trigger V5 and Laser Trigger LV5 CAMERA 60 LV5 SENSOR LV5 EMITTER 58 161 RF60 1611 60 as Slave v6 CAMERA With the built in Cactus V6 module the Cactus RF60 can be remotely commanded and triggered by the V6 TX The Cactus V6 can specify up to 1 10 EV step and communicate it with the RF60 however the RF60 will only display the nearest 1 3 EV step To control the power level of the RF60 Slave 1 Set the V6 and the RF60 to the same channel 2 Activate the group assigned to the RF60 Slave on the V6 TX 59 3 Adjust the power level of each group as you would with the V6 RX To control the zoom level of the RF60 Slave 1 Configure the swap control to Zoom Cactus mode see Section 15 2 2 In the main screen of the V6 TX press once The zoom levels of the activated groups will be shown on the screen 3 Adjust the zoom level of each group as you would to adjust the po
26. lash models to the same light intensity 6 with Canon Nikon Olympus Panasonic Pentax and Fujifilm via one single unit 7 Built in optical trig enables pre flash triggering 101090 allows you to control up to four groups 9 5 triggers the camera shutter and flash in syne 10 is configurable from 1 millisecond to 10 seconds 11 Webs port for optional power supply and firmware updates 1 2 Cactus V6 Core Each flash model has its individual power level characteristics We have profiled more than 30 popular flash models across a wide range of brands so that the V6 can precisely control their output levels With this unique feature photographers can remotely control the flash power of various flash models even of different brands For flash models that have not been included in the profile list the V6 can still work with it by learning its flash profile Check Section 7 1 3 for details of which flashes are eligible for the flash profile learning program Whether built in or obtained from the learning program the flash profile stored in the V6 can virtually command the flash to produce ANY power level within the maximum output and even exceeds what the flash menu allows you to do 1 Finer increment scales V6 adjust the power level of flash to 1 10 EV step a much finer increment level than the flash menu itself allows see Section 12 3 for setting up t
27. le from 1EV to 1EV Press to return to the main screen The absolute power set up will not be saved upon switching off the V6 TX The V6 TX will restart in relative power mode 12 3 EV Step The control panel of the V6 TX offers three EV step options 1 10 EV 1 3 EV and 1 2 EV The configuration applies to both relative and absolute power modes To adjust the EV step switch on the V6 in TX mode and press Turn the selection dial to lt EV STEP gt Press and turn the dial to the desired increment level 1 10 1 3 or 1 2 Press to confirm 1 The selected EV step will be memorized upon switching off and will be applied when switching on again 2 In the quick power adjustment mode see Section 12 1 3 the configured EV step will be replaced by the 1EV step changes 46 12 4 Lo Power At the Lo Power level the relative power output of a flash triggered by the V6 is roughly equal to 1 256 The difference between 1 128 and 1 256 power outputs may be hardly detected by flash meter but the extremely short firing duration helps freeze faster than lightning moments and is ideal for high speed photography To enable Lo Power 1 Switch on the V6 in TX mode and press Turn the selection dial to lt Lo POWER gt and press rn the selection dial to Once the Lo Power is enabled the Lo Power will be shown as lt Lo gt at one step below 1 128 power in the relative power mode or o
28. mful interference to radio communications However there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures 73 Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver Connect the equipment into an outlet ona circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help HARVEST ONE LIMITED AND THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS WIRELESS FLASH TRANSCEIVER IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY RADIO OR TV INTERFERENCE CAUSED BY UNAUTHORIZED MODIFICATIONS TO THIS EQUIPMENT SUCH MODIFICATIONS COULD VOID THE USER AUTHORITY TO OPERATE THE EQUIPMENT FCC ID VAAWFTV6 MADE IN CHINA This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules Operation is subject to the following two conditions 1 this device may not cause harmful interference and 2 this device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation 74 R amp TTE Declaration of Conformity DOC We Harvest One Limited 9D On Shing Industrial Building 2 16 Wo Liu Hang Road Fo Tan Hong Kong declare under our own responsibility that the pr
29. mode at the same time 4 The V6 is now in firmware update mode The status LED blinks in red rapidly The firmware update program will then recognize the connected V6 and start the upgrade Please visit www cactus image com v6 html for more information Firmware updates only work on Microsoft Windows platform Mac OS is not supported 65 19 Optional Accessories Wireless Flash RF60 Laser Trigger LV5 Shutter Release Cables Cactus Shutter Cables are available for most camera models by Canon Leica Minolta Nikon Olympus Panasonic Pentax Samsung and Sony Please visit our website for compatible models Syne Cables and Adapters PC Syne Cable CA 200 3 5mm Plug Cable w 6 35mm Plug adapter CA 360 USB to mini USB cable MU 1 Lanyard CL 1 66 20 Troubleshooting Before reading this section ensure that the Cactus V6 transceiver have been set up correctly following the instruction in Section 8 14 of this manual If the problem persists after conducting the troubleshooting steps contact your seller directly for further assistance 1 Wrong Flash Power Fired RX displays wrong power levels More than one TXs are controlling the flash power of the RXs Always use ONE TX only ina set up Set all transceivers to another channel RX displays correct power levels 1 The chosen flash profile does not match the flash model Choose the correct flash profile o
30. ne step below the lowest power of each group in the absolute power mode To disable the Lo Power output follow step 1 to enter the Lo Power menu Turn the selection dial to lt OFF gt and press ox 47 13 Camera Shutter Release No This function requires the use of a separately purchased shutter release cable for connection between the transceiver and camera This cable is NOT included in the V6 transceiver package 131 Setup A minimum of two Cactus V6 transceivers is required to operate Cactus V6 as a wireless shutter release 48 Connect the V6 RX to your camera using an appropriate shutter release cable Set both the V6 TX and RX to the same channel On the V6 TX activate the group assigned to the V6 RX Half press on the TX to test the auto focus e status LED on both the TX and RX will turn ORANGE to indicate auto focus Press completely on the TX for shutter release The status LED on both transceivers will turn GREEN to indicate shutter release 13 2 Bulb Mode Set the camera to Bulb Press completely and hold on the V6 TX The status LED on the V6 TX and V6 RX will turn green at first and go off after approximately 2 seconds The LCD display will show lt BULB MODE ON gt Releas on the V6 TX The camera s shutter is now in a continuous open state To close the camera s shutter press completely and release on the V6 TX again T
31. oduct is in conformity with the essential requirements and other relevant requirements of the R amp TTE Directive 1999 5 This product Cactus Wireless Flash Transceiver V6 is in conformity with the provisions of EU Council Directive 1999 5 EC The crossed out wheeled bin means that within the European Union the product must be disposed separately at the end of the product cycle Do Wm 102 dispose thisproduct with other municipal waste 75 22 Warranty The limited warranty set forth below is given by Harvest One Limited in the world with respect to the Cactus brand Wireless Flash Transceiver purchased with this limited warranty Your Cactus Wireless Flash Transceiver or other contents when delivered to you in new condition in its original container is warranted against defects in materials or workmanship as follows for a period of one 1 year from the date of original purchase defective parts or a defective Wireless Flash Transceiver returned to our authorized dealers as applicable and proven to be defective upon inspection will be repaired with new or comparable rebuilt parts or exchanged for a new Wireless Flash Transceiver as determined by Harvest One Limited or the authorized dealers This limited warranty shall only apply if the Wireless Flash Transceiver is used in conjunction with compatible camera and flash equipment as to which items Harvest One Limited shall have no responsibility
32. ort Analogue TTL use the V6 to learn the flash profiles Make sure that your flashes are eligible for the V6 flash profile learning program see Section 7 1 3 1 Switch one of your in RX mode 2 Set up your flash on the V6 multi system shoe female Position the V6 together with your flash facing a white matte surface at a distance of 1 meter in a dark environment 29 1 FLASH 1 V6 RX WHITE SURFACE Press and then turn the selection dial to lt FLASH SETUP gt Press Turn the selection dial to lt START LEARNING gt Press again Choose the correct flash system Press The LCD screen will show lt SET FLASH TO TTL MODE gt with the option lt GO gt being selected Set your flash to the and the Press 30 8 V6 will test fire the flash twice determine whether the flash is eligible for the flash learning program If the flash is not eligible the LCD screen will show lt FLASH LEARNING NOT SUPPORTED gt Tips There is a chance that the distance between the flash and the reflective surface is too short or too long Relocate the flash as specified in step 2 Also make sure that you have chosen the correct flash system in step 7 If the flash is eligible for the learning program the LCD screen will show lt SET MAX GN gt and the default number 45 Turn the selection dial until the LCD screen shows the maximum guide number in meters of your fla
33. pping or stepping on it 3 Major Specifications Working radio frequency 2 4 GHz Number of channels 16 Number of groups 4 Support syne speed up to 1 1 000 second subject to camera s syne speed limitation Maximum effective distance 100 meters Operating temperature 20 C to 50 C Camera voltage handling up to 6V Flash voltage handling up to 300V Dimensions 72mm L x 72mm W x 42 mm H Weight 68g Power input 2 x AA battery 3V 50mA 0 15W mini USB 2 0 DC input 5V 500mA 1A Estimated battery life Battery life Alkaline AA Rechargeable hours Batteries NiMH AA 1000mAh Batteries 2500mAh RX TX RX LCD Backlight Off 40 21 67 34 LCD Backlight On 25 IT 36 25 4 Package Contents 00 Cactus V6 Transceiver Flash Stand FS 2 Album amp User Manua 10 5 Nomenclature MULTI SYSTEM SHOE FEMALE TEST BUTTON SHUTTER RELEASE BUTTON LCD DISPLAY LANYARD LOOP OPTICAL SENSOR X SYNC PORT MINI USB PORT GROUP BUTTONS MODE SWITCH 11 MULTI SYSTEM SHOE MALE HOT SHOE TRIPOD MOUNT LOCK LEVER BATTERY DOOR OK BUTTON MENU BUTTON LED STATUS INDICATOR 12 6 LCD Panel 61 BATTERY TXmode INDICATOR GROUP ka lat POWER LEVEL en POWER LEVEL INCREMENT 6 2 SELECTED FLASH PROFILE RX mode BATTERY POWER LEVEL INDICATOR POWER LEVEL WI
34. r learn a new one 2 The flash is in a wrong operation mode e g M mode Check and set the flash to the TTL mode 3 A wrong EV offset has been set in the absolute power mode Check and reset the EV offset of the group concerned 67 2 Flash Profile Learning Fails LCD shows 1 The flash error model is not messages supported during flash learning Check Section 7 1 3 for the compatibility of flash models for flash profile learning 2 The flash is powered by depleted batteries and producing unstable output of power Replace the batteries of the flash 3 The distance between the wall and the V6 is too close or too far Position the V6 and the flash facing a white wall ata distance of 1 meter Use a light stand or tripod to fix the position of the V6 4 The ambient light around the scene is too prominent or unstable Try performing the flash learning in an enclosed space with low and stable ambient light 68 3 Flash Misfire Unexpected Flash Firing TX No Poor hot shoe Adjust tightness RX No condition of hot shoe contact Clean the hot shoe contacts of the V6 witha clean cloth TX No 1 Background Set both RX Yes radio transceivers to Green interference another channel Change setup location as interference may come from other equipment in the surrounding area 2 TX and RX Choose lt SHORT gt
35. rofile learning is completed To choose the saved flash profile from the profile list see Section 10 1 All custom profiles will be stored under the flash system lt LEARNED gt in the lt CHOOSE PROFILE gt menu Each V6 can save up to 15 custom flash profiles from the learning ThE deviations of the light output from the theoretical values should be less than 0 2 EV No 1 Not all flash profiles can be learned by the V6 even though they might fulfill the requirements provided in Section 7 1 3 2 Always install fresh batteries to the flash when starting the flash profile learning 33 10 3 Copying Custom Flash Profiles Once you have finished learning a number of flash profiles with one V6 you may copy all the custom flash profiles to other V6 units 1 Set all the V6 units to the same channel 2 Pick out the V6 source unit containing all the learned flash profiles that you wish to copy to other V6 units Switch it on in TX mode Press and turn the selection dial until the LCD shows lt COPY FLASH SETUP gt Press and turn the selection dial to lt START gt Press again The LCD screen will then show lt SET RX TO COPY PROFILE gt with an option lt GO gt 3 Switch on the V6 destination unit s in RX mode Press and turn the selection dial to lt FLASH SETUP gt Press and turn the dial to lt COPY PROFILE gt Press ox The LCD screen will show lt
36. sh Press 10 The LCD screen will then show lt SET MANUAL 1 2 gt with a highlighted option lt GO gt Switch your flash to Manual mode at 1 2 power and press The V6 will trigger your flash a few times as it learns while showing lt LEARNING 1 2 gt on the LCD screen 11 12 13 14 31 Once the program has finished learning 1 2 power the LCD will then show lt SET MANUAL 1 4 gt The procedure will repeat until the program has finished learning to 1 128 power If your flash does not support a particular power level turn the dial to lt SKIP gt and then press The program will skip learning that power level and go to the next level The more power levels that have been learned the more accurate the learned profile will be Once the V6 has finished firing the flash in the step lt SET MANUAL 1 128 gt the LCD screen will show lt BACK TO TTL MODE gt Change the flash mode to TTL and press The V6 will then fine tune different power levels and fire the flash many times for approximately 2 3 minutes When the learning is finished the LCD screen will show lt FLASH PROFILE NAME gt Enter a profile name with 1 6 letters or numbers Please enter a unique profile name that has not been used in other custom profiles Turn the selection dial to choose from A Z and 0 9 and press for every character selected 32 15 Then the LCD screen will show lt PROFILE SAVED gt The flash p
37. te a different light effect e g to achieve a second curtain syne set an appropriate delay time from 1 millisecond to 10 seconds 9 999ms 1 Switch on the V6 in TX or RX mode press and turn the selection dial to lt DELAY gt Press 2 Turn the dial to lt SET gt and press Turn the dial to set each digit and press to confirm and move to another digit 3 The main screen in the V6 RX will show the status of the delay timer see Section 6 2 5 15 Personalizing the V6 You may configure a number of personalized options in the SUB MENU of the V6 to suit your needs Press and turn the selection dial to lt SUB MENU gt then press Turn the selection dial again will scroll through all the personalized options 151 lt DIAL DIRECTION gt the selection dial of Selection the V6 can be configured to operate Dial lt CLOCKWISE gt or lt ANTI CLOCKWISE gt direction Direction To increase the power level in the main screen for example you would have to turn the selection dial to the left in the clockwise setting or turn it to the right in the anti counter clockwise setting 152 the main screen of the V6 TX pressing Swap or the push in selection dial once will Control change it to one of the following modes e Quick Power Adjustment Mode lt QUICK POWER ADJ gt expanding the power adjustment to 1EV step see Section 12 1 3 55 Zoom Cactus Mode lt ZOOM CACTUS gt
38. wer level see Section 12 1 The zoom control supports both single group and multi group adjustments The zoom level set in the V6 TX will NOT control the zoom levels of the flashes on the V6 RX You may also combine the RF60 with other V6 compatible TTL flashes to form a remote flash control system For example assign a RF60 to group A a Canon 580EX II with a V6 RX to group and a Nikon SB 900 with another V6 RX to group C The V6 TX will be able to trigger them all and set their power levels in either relative or absolute power mode 60 16 1 2 RF60 as Master RF60 MASTER RF60 SLAVE v CAMERA You may assign the RF60 as master on the camera s hot shoe and let it trigger and command other RF60 Slave and V6 RX units While the RF60 Master can control the power and zoom levels of the RF60 Slave zoom control is not supported when working with the V6 RX units 61 16 2 V5and LV5 The Cactus V6 transceiver can work in pairs with the Cactus V5 or LV5 for wireless triggering without group control They all share the same 2 4GHz 16 channel platform Since the V5 and LV5 do not support groups and remote power control the V6 TX will trigger all V5s independent of which group it considers active Similarly both V5 and LV5 will trigger any V6 RX independent of which group the V6 RX has been assigned to 62 17 LED Signal Guide STATUS INDICATOR ON TX INDICATO
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