[stevebrot]

I am a little late to this discussion, but consider the V6ii concept to be pure genius. For the last couple of years, I have thought that a simple emulator would work well to trick the camera into thinking a HSS flash was mounted. Adding cross-brand HSS is frosting on the cake, IMHO. Way to go Cactus.


Steve

[alexfoto]

The firmware update for Mac work for Linux too?

[Class A]

Hi Class A, If i get a V6II and stick in on my K3 and the existing V6 wired to a Godox 600 you think it'll fire HSS?

I understand that the Godox AD600 can be set to HSS mode manually, so you may have a chance.

You may even get away with using the V6 as a receiver, if you use "PowerSync" rather than "HSS" on the V6II transmitter.
A V6 receiver cannot act upon the standard "Normal HSS" signal the V6II sends out, but it can act upon a "PowerSync" signal and the timing of the latter could be suitable (it can be manually adjusted) to let the Godox AD600 fire at the right time.

So it all depends on whether the Godox AD600 will used HSS bursts if you set it to HSS mode manually. I think the timing of the trigger signal should not be a problem.

EDIT: It very much seems that someone else got the Godox AD600 to work with the V6II in conjunction with plain V6 receivers.

[Class A]

The X1N is nothing more than a nikon flash to the acon PN receiver.

So does an Acon PN trigger allow the use of Nikon flashes with Pentax cameras?
Are the P-TTL commands translated into i-TTL commands?
Does automatic exposure control work?

I've tried to find information about the Acon PN, but I only see posts by you.

Any way the cactus's is not "first'

I don't think I ever claimed that.

Is it not very much irrelevant who was "first"?

I understand the Acon system -- while it may now support cross-brand HSS -- still does not support independent power level control over multiple groups from the camera position. It is, as such, still not interesting for so-called strobists. Would be nice if they added manual control in the future. Always good to have more than one option.

[andy888]

So does an Acon PN trigger allow the use of Nikon flashes with Pentax cameras?
Are the P-TTL commands translated into i-TTL commands?
Does automatic exposure control work?

I've tried to find information about the Acon PN, but I only see posts by you.


I don't think I ever claimed that.

Is it not very much irrelevant who was "first"?

I understand the Acon system -- while it may now support cross-brand HSS -- still does not support independent power level control over multiple groups from the camera position. It is, as such, still not interesting for so-called strobists. Would be nice if they added manual control in the future. Always good to have more than one option.

If you type in acon R930PN in the search box of youtube. you can find a short video I migrated from China site. indeed very few people know or use. The person in the video is Mr. Xing. a professional pentax photographer in China. the link I provided in the last post is also a webpage posted by Mr, Xing. Who with many of Chinese photographer are using this PN, several months ago.

[Class A]

If you type in acon R930PN in the search box of youtube. you can find a short video I migrated from China site. indeed very few people know or use.

Thanks for the pointer.

The video shows that what I assumed earlier is true: The Acon 930PN is not a cross-brand trigger, but instead trigger stacking is used. Trigger stacking is a hack that can be a very welcome workaround if the trigger you really want to use does not support HSS for your camera system, but not everyone wants to use such a tower of triggers on their camera.

BTW, I don't understand why he is using two Acon triggers + a Godox trigger on the camera. Ideally, one Acon trigger and a Godox trigger should suffice. Note that you would only need one single V6II on the camera to achieve the same effect.

[andy888]

I would let the cuctus people alone here.

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Last edited by andy888; 02-05-2017 at 04:21 AM.

[Class A]

He said he put the 2 on the Acon sender because he don't want to put them other place, though he can put them any where.

Ah, so he is using a daisy-chaining approach. The on-camera Acon communicate with the off-camera Acon and the latter then communicates with the X1N trigger. Correct?

Does this setup enable automatic exposure control with Nikon flashes?

That seems rather odd, but it works fine. video show 1/500 HSS achieved.

Is that the top speed that is achievable?

A daisy chaining approach always implies a delay and that may prohibit shutters speeds like 1/8000s or lower to work.

I'm sorry, but I have trouble to parse some of your sentences, so I don't know what you want to express with, e.g., "...that it what cactus did not done yet for it would be sold later on.".

I hope that Acon itself will update their product page to provide details about the Acon 930PN. In any event, however, the fact remains that it is not a good choice for strobists who want manual control over multiple groups.

[andy888]

I would let the cuctus people alone here.

[mcgregni]

I do think we all need some clarity about what products are best suited to each particular 'type' of flash photography set-up, and practical applications.

I've looked at the Acon Website and downloaded the minimalist Manual, and really, it seems that the right approach is to treat the Acon as a 'wireless' (literally) solution in place of the tradional 'P-TTL Extension Cord'. It is clear enough that for a single wireless flash unit that these triggers will automatically provide the same full P-TTL functioning as with an extension cord .... that obviously includes P-TTL auto exposures, HSS, 2nd Curtain etc. The manual also indicated that there is a manual power mode available via the triggers (ie manual power control from the transmitter) .... this is in fact an extra feature over and above what the Pentax Optical Wireless system offers.

However, on the negative, there is absolutely no information on using multiple flashes with these triggers. Now, by logic, we might expect them to duplicate in a radio way the 'Contrast Control Sync' type of multiple extension corded flash working that Pentax offer, ie two flashes connected with the cords and hotshoe adaptors with a ratio lighting balance set .... so I might expect that if I set two receivers on the same channel and set the 'contrast control sync' mode with the ratios on the flashes, then I would get that same automatic P-TTL lighting balance as per the corded approach ....... ?? But, theres no information to confirm this ....

Also, there does not appear to be any way to manage manual power settings of more than one flash from the transmitter unit .... ? So I am forced to surmise that this is essentially a single slave P-TTL solution.

There is 'TTL Passthrough' however, which would allow a second Pentax flash on top of the transmitter, and that could be controlled directly from its panel. We might assume that the normal P-TTL pre-flash from this on-camera flash would mix with the slave pre-flash and produce a balanced automatic exposure from the two .... perhaps even the 'lighting ratio' settings would work to create a contrast balance in this configuration ? More questions than answers unfortunately.

Ultimately, any complaints about the restrictions and limitations of the Pentax Dedicated system with regard to multiple slave control would seem to equally apply to the Acon triggers as well. However, clearly, they offer the radio communication advantage for those situations where optical communication is unreliable.

[SyncGuy]

Hmm... Playing around with my V6ii triggers, it seems that it only works for HSS.. The flash fires off in normal sync speed (<1/200) but my photo still turns out dark as if the flash was delayed? Or too soon?

PS: Ok, after blasting around, it seems that anything slower than HSS zone (<1/200), my first 2 frames are always dark as if there are no flash although i can actually see the flash firing off.
And this also requires me to shoot in continuous burst.

If i shoot and pause, for 10 frames, it will all be dark, as if no flash contribution although I see the flash firing off..

Faulty unit? Guess my V6ii is just a HSS only trigger.. WtH....

[mcgregni]

What flash are you using, and does it need to be switched into and out of HSS mode?

[Class A]

Guess my V6ii is just a HSS only trigger.

That's not normal.

Are you using a Pentax camera? Fuiji cameras don't support HSS natively so one must enter and leave "Forced HSS" mode manually when switching between high and low shutter speeds.

On a Pentax that is not necessary. Does the auto-detect of the camera system work (do you see a camera symbol with a "P" in it)? Have you tried manually selecting "Pentax" as the flash system?

Is your flash one of the supported ones? Have you tried setting its profile manually?

Have you updated the V6II firmware yet?

[SyncGuy]

Oh, dumb me.. Forgot to state my flash model.

Sorry! I'm using the Metz 52-af 1.. And yea.. I've upgraded the firmware to 1.1.004.

And yes, I've set everything to Pentax, and flash profile to Pentax Auto.

Guess it don't work as wonderfully with the Metz 52?

[Class A]

Guess it don't work as wonderfully with the Metz 52?

Possibly. This flash model has a dedicated profile on the V6II for other camera systems but not for Pentax.

Either they didn't have a Metz 52 AF-1 for Pentax to test and profile, or there are some known limitations.

Someone on the Cactus community forum, however, posted that the K-1 + Metz 52 AF-1 combo is working with the V6II. I guess posting in the same thread would be your best bet of making progress.