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ChooseAName · 12-14-2013, 02:27 PM

Has anyone noticed this? My Cactus v5's are VERY unreliable when one unit is above the other, i.e. when I have a flash on a flash bracket. When I first turn them on, they'll be in sync for a bit. Then the receiver will stop receiving, or the receiver will display a constant orange test LED. But when you bring them closer to the same plane, they're nearly flawless. I suppose it's possible that the antennas in these put out a dipole pattern like the one on the bottom half of this image (I'm not an antenna engineer but I wish I were):

I was hoping not to have to order a flash sync cable because my photography budget is tight, but I had no choice with this problem.

**jatrax** · 12-14-2013, 02:34 PM

I don't think just being above is an issue. I use mine with one attached to a studio strobe on a light stand well above the one on the camera. How do you have them located? By flash bracket do you mean attached to the camera? Maybe they are too close and interfering?

ChooseAName · 12-14-2013, 02:42 PM

One unit on camera hotshoe, the other on the bracket arm. It could be that they are too close, but when I'm "in the field" and doing a quick check before I put them on, I usually hold them right next to each other (albeit side by side and not one on top).

kenyee · 12-14-2013, 07:34 PM

The Cactus V2s' had that same issue...was mildly annoying.
FWIW, Radiopopper JrX and Cybersync don't have that issue...

12-14-2013, 02:27 PM	#1
ChooseAName Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Southeast USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 390	Wireless trigger unreliable when one above the other Has anyone noticed this? My Cactus v5's are VERY unreliable when one unit is above the other, i.e. when I have a flash on a flash bracket. When I first turn them on, they'll be in sync for a bit. Then the receiver will stop receiving, or the receiver will display a constant orange test LED. But when you bring them closer to the same plane, they're nearly flawless. I suppose it's possible that the antennas in these put out a dipole pattern like the one on the bottom half of this image (I'm not an antenna engineer but I wish I were): I was hoping not to have to order a flash sync cable because my photography budget is tight, but I had no choice with this problem.

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12-14-2013, 02:34 PM	#2
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,992	I don't think just being above is an issue. I use mine with one attached to a studio strobe on a light stand well above the one on the camera. How do you have them located? By flash bracket do you mean attached to the camera? Maybe they are too close and interfering?

12-14-2013, 02:42 PM	#3
ChooseAName Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Southeast USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 390 Original Poster	One unit on camera hotshoe, the other on the bracket arm. It could be that they are too close, but when I'm "in the field" and doing a quick check before I put them on, I usually hold them right next to each other (albeit side by side and not one on top).

12-14-2013, 07:34 PM	#4
kenyee Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Boston, PRofMA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,026	The Cactus V2s' had that same issue...was mildly annoying. FWIW, Radiopopper JrX and Cybersync don't have that issue...

Wireless trigger unreliable when one above the other

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