Anyone used Cactus AF50 P-TTL flash?

Wrocky · 01-23-2012, 09:20 PM

Originally posted by callmeraymon

I would like to know how fast you can get the HSS to work. I've always been to cheap to pay the 200+ dollars for a P-TTL flash and would love to be able to use the flash above 1/180th, say 1/1600th.

I haven't tested it, however, in the Advanced Freatures, Hight Speed sync section, the manual says: "The flash can be set for cameras with shutter speeds up to 1/8,000 second. This is convenient when you want to use aperature priority for fill-flash portraits."

The manual then goes on to say how to set the flash into this mode..

callmeraymon · 01-23-2012, 10:36 PM

That's what I was asking, thanks!

audiobomber · 01-24-2012, 06:33 AM

Originally posted by callmeraymon

Say I'm outside and want to expose at ISO800, 1/1600, f.6.7 with flash to brighten my subject.

Those are pretty strange settings. I suggest you go down to ISO 100, 1/180, f6.7 and no HSS needed.

HSS is usually used in very bright conditions. Say you're doing a portrait of the bride on a sunny day, but her face is in shade. You meter 1/2000s, f2.8, ISO 100. You can't go any lower on ISO, and you need to isolate her from the background. HSS allows you use fill flash but still keep the widest aperture. If your flash doesn't allow HSS, you either have to shoot with her face shaded, or reduce shutter speed to flash synch and shoot at f9.5, which will include the background features in the photo.

The other common use of HSS is for freezing motion and illuminating shadow, e. g. shooting sports events.

callmeraymon · 01-24-2012, 10:07 AM

I spend a lot of time in the sun, Joshua Tree. So yes, very bright conditions.

mattdm · 01-24-2012, 10:20 AM

Be aware that using HSS significantly impacts the guide number of the flash, and as it emulates a continuous light source, you get even less power as the shutter speed decreases.

callmeraymon · 01-24-2012, 10:36 AM

gee guys, I just asked how fast it would go. You all seem to say that HSS is a bad thing. Sometimes some of us would like to shoot faster than 1/180th.

mattdm · 01-24-2012, 10:41 AM

Originally posted by callmeraymon

gee guys, I just asked how fast it would go. You all seem to say that HSS is a bad thing. Sometimes some of us would like to shoot faster than 1/180th.

I'm just saying it might not do what you want, even though it allows those speeds. With a normal flash pulse, the flash is basically instantaneous and you get more ambient light with longer shutter speeds. With HSS, as you decrease shutter speed, you get the same reduction in light from the flash as light from the sun — so shorter shutters don't help with the balance.

callmeraymon · 01-24-2012, 10:54 AM

and I'm saying is sometimes, that's what someone wants to do. Reduce ambient light with a super fast shutter. Say catching someone falling while rock climbing in Joshua Tree IN THE SUN. So yes it would do exactly what I'm trying to do.
Yes a static figure in the sun would be fine. But say I have someone in free fall that is shaded but the sky is completely blown out, I could light them and reduce ambient while freezing them. sheesh.

mattdm · 01-24-2012, 11:16 AM

Originally posted by callmeraymon

and I'm saying is sometimes, that's what someone wants to do. Reduce ambient light with a super fast shutter. Say catching someone falling while rock climbing in Joshua Tree IN THE SUN. So yes it would do exactly what I'm trying to do.
Yes a static figure in the sun would be fine. But say I have someone in free fall that is shaded but the sky is completely blown out, I could light them and reduce ambient while freezing them. sheesh.

Have you tried this? At ¹⁄ ₁₆₀₀th, the guide number of this flash is probably somewhere around 2.5 meters. If you have it set to a wider angle, half that again. At f/6.7, even at ISO 800, you'll need to be careful that the person doesn't fall right on you.

jeztastic · 01-24-2012, 01:16 PM

Why not strap a flash to them, then trigger it with pocket wizards when they start to fall? :-D

callmeraymon · 01-24-2012, 02:16 PM

Originally posted by jeztastic

Why not strap a flash to them, then trigger it with pocket wizards when they start to fall? :-D

because pocket wizards are disposable. How much money do you make?!

callmeraymon · 01-24-2012, 09:48 PM - **1 Like**

This just happened to be posted today.

You Tube

GerryL · 06-27-2012, 08:03 AM

Any additional info on this?
I haven't bought a Pentax AF360FGZ yet and this item Cactus AF50 for Pentax is just back in stock at Gadget Infinity.
More feedback about this product would be greatly appreciated!

cheeseater · 07-21-2012, 03:08 AM

Hi, I've just received an af50 just yesterday so can give some limited info on how I've found dealing with the company. I'm a complete beginner so have not explored all the functions available but am happy to share my limited experience. In total it took around five days to be delivered from Hong kong to the uk which I thought was pretty good for the $10 delivery charge. The package was marked as a gift with a $60 value and didn't attract the attention of customs. Had it done so it would have added 20% to the cost (in the UK at least), so bear this in mind when working out what it costs.

Onto the flash itself, it looks pretty well made but obviously being a beginner I have nothing to compare it to. The swivel and tilt mechanism seems solid enough and it locks into the horseshoe quite securely. I popped some partly charged batteries into it and fired some test flashes off. In manual mode it seems to take an age to recycle at 1/1 power but this could be down to the crappy batteries I used. In ttl mode on the camera, a k - r however it fires instantly but at a lower power.

The few shots I've taken of the missus have been quite pleasing, bouncing the flash of the ceiling. She hates being photographed and even said what I took didn't look bad at all, nice and natural.

All in all I'm pretty happy, seems to do everything that a more expensive flash would do at a fraction of the price. Time will tell if it lasts the test of time

GerryL · 07-23-2012, 06:16 AM

Cheeseater, thanks for this info.
You have to try the HSS since this is one of the most important features incorporated into this flash apart from the previous models that just do P-TTL.
That is the feature I'm most interested about.
What camera (model) do you use, can you take a photo attached to your camera so we can have a size comparison?
I would like to know if it is larger than the Vivitar DF-283 or the Bower SFD926P which are all the previous models made by Tumax prior to the Cactus AF50.

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01-23-2012, 09:20 PM	#31
Wrocky New Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 3	Originally posted by callmeraymon I would like to know how fast you can get the HSS to work. I've always been to cheap to pay the 200+ dollars for a P-TTL flash and would love to be able to use the flash above 1/180th, say 1/1600th. I haven't tested it, however, in the Advanced Freatures, Hight Speed sync section, the manual says: "The flash can be set for cameras with shutter speeds up to 1/8,000 second. This is convenient when you want to use aperature priority for fill-flash portraits." The manual then goes on to say how to set the flash into this mode..

01-23-2012, 10:36 PM	#32
callmeraymon Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 61	That's what I was asking, thanks!

01-24-2012, 06:33 AM	#33
audiobomber Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Photos: Albums Posts: 6,806	Originally posted by callmeraymon Say I'm outside and want to expose at ISO800, 1/1600, f.6.7 with flash to brighten my subject. Those are pretty strange settings. I suggest you go down to ISO 100, 1/180, f6.7 and no HSS needed. HSS is usually used in very bright conditions. Say you're doing a portrait of the bride on a sunny day, but her face is in shade. You meter 1/2000s, f2.8, ISO 100. You can't go any lower on ISO, and you need to isolate her from the background. HSS allows you use fill flash but still keep the widest aperture. If your flash doesn't allow HSS, you either have to shoot with her face shaded, or reduce shutter speed to flash synch and shoot at f9.5, which will include the background features in the photo. The other common use of HSS is for freezing motion and illuminating shadow, e. g. shooting sports events.

01-24-2012, 10:07 AM	#34
callmeraymon Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 61	I spend a lot of time in the sun, Joshua Tree. So yes, very bright conditions.

01-24-2012, 10:20 AM	#35
mattdm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Boston, MA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,948	Be aware that using HSS significantly impacts the guide number of the flash, and as it emulates a continuous light source, you get even less power as the shutter speed decreases.

01-24-2012, 10:36 AM	#36
callmeraymon Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 61	gee guys, I just asked how fast it would go. You all seem to say that HSS is a bad thing. Sometimes some of us would like to shoot faster than 1/180th.

01-24-2012, 10:41 AM	#37
mattdm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Boston, MA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,948	Originally posted by callmeraymon gee guys, I just asked how fast it would go. You all seem to say that HSS is a bad thing. Sometimes some of us would like to shoot faster than 1/180th. I'm just saying it might not do what you want, even though it allows those speeds. With a normal flash pulse, the flash is basically instantaneous and you get more ambient light with longer shutter speeds. With HSS, as you decrease shutter speed, you get the same reduction in light from the flash as light from the sun — so shorter shutters don't help with the balance.

01-24-2012, 10:54 AM	#38
callmeraymon Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 61	and I'm saying is sometimes, that's what someone wants to do. Reduce ambient light with a super fast shutter. Say catching someone falling while rock climbing in Joshua Tree IN THE SUN. So yes it would do exactly what I'm trying to do. Yes a static figure in the sun would be fine. But say I have someone in free fall that is shaded but the sky is completely blown out, I could light them and reduce ambient while freezing them. sheesh.

01-24-2012, 11:16 AM	#39
mattdm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Boston, MA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,948	Originally posted by callmeraymon and I'm saying is sometimes, that's what someone wants to do. Reduce ambient light with a super fast shutter. Say catching someone falling while rock climbing in Joshua Tree IN THE SUN. So yes it would do exactly what I'm trying to do. Yes a static figure in the sun would be fine. But say I have someone in free fall that is shaded but the sky is completely blown out, I could light them and reduce ambient while freezing them. sheesh. Have you tried this? At ¹⁄ ₁₆₀₀th, the guide number of this flash is probably somewhere around 2.5 meters. If you have it set to a wider angle, half that again. At f/6.7, even at ISO 800, you'll need to be careful that the person doesn't fall right on you.

01-24-2012, 01:16 PM	#40
jeztastic Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Canterbury Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 596	Why not strap a flash to them, then trigger it with pocket wizards when they start to fall? :-D

01-24-2012, 02:16 PM	#41
callmeraymon Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 61	Originally posted by jeztastic Why not strap a flash to them, then trigger it with pocket wizards when they start to fall? :-D because pocket wizards are disposable. How much money do you make?!

06-27-2012, 08:03 AM	#43
GerryL Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CA Posts: 2,731	Any additional info on this? I haven't bought a Pentax AF360FGZ yet and this item Cactus AF50 for Pentax is just back in stock at Gadget Infinity. More feedback about this product would be greatly appreciated!

07-21-2012, 03:08 AM	#44
cheeseater New Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Photos: Albums Posts: 1	Hi, I've just received an af50 just yesterday so can give some limited info on how I've found dealing with the company. I'm a complete beginner so have not explored all the functions available but am happy to share my limited experience. In total it took around five days to be delivered from Hong kong to the uk which I thought was pretty good for the $10 delivery charge. The package was marked as a gift with a $60 value and didn't attract the attention of customs. Had it done so it would have added 20% to the cost (in the UK at least), so bear this in mind when working out what it costs. Onto the flash itself, it looks pretty well made but obviously being a beginner I have nothing to compare it to. The swivel and tilt mechanism seems solid enough and it locks into the horseshoe quite securely. I popped some partly charged batteries into it and fired some test flashes off. In manual mode it seems to take an age to recycle at 1/1 power but this could be down to the crappy batteries I used. In ttl mode on the camera, a k - r however it fires instantly but at a lower power. The few shots I've taken of the missus have been quite pleasing, bouncing the flash of the ceiling. She hates being photographed and even said what I took didn't look bad at all, nice and natural. All in all I'm pretty happy, seems to do everything that a more expensive flash would do at a fraction of the price. Time will tell if it lasts the test of time

07-23-2012, 06:16 AM	#45
GerryL Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CA Posts: 2,731	Cheeseater, thanks for this info. You have to try the HSS since this is one of the most important features incorporated into this flash apart from the previous models that just do P-TTL. That is the feature I'm most interested about. What camera (model) do you use, can you take a photo attached to your camera so we can have a size comparison? I would like to know if it is larger than the Vivitar DF-283 or the Bower SFD926P which are all the previous models made by Tumax prior to the Cactus AF50.