[amoringello]

Unless i misread this then this doesn't support the newer Pentax flashes AF540FGZII and AF360FGZII only the older models.

Would there be a difference?
I suspect comms would be identical, as the flashes work fine with older camera bodies.

[UncleVanya]

Would there be a difference?
I suspect comms would be identical, as the flashes work fine with older camera bodies.

Then their website needs to state they are compatible.

[Class A]

But if it is possbile, i don't think they V6 will be able to trigger HSS.

Yes, whereas the RF60 only requires a firmware upgrade to support HSS/PowerSync with the V6II, however, the V6 will only be compatible with the V6II for normal flash photography.

[Class A]

I thought the manual fiddling around with flashes the DIY strobist way was meant to be cheap.

Apparently you are not well-informed as to why professionals use manual power control. Just ask David Hobby or Joe McNally. The latter of course often advertises the Nikon CLS system because he is a Nikon ambassador but when asked whether he always uses the system for his own work, he just answered with a big grin.

It is silly to use a full-blown, very pricey system-dedicated flash just as a commander (in his advertising videos, McNally sometimes has it on its own stand, connected to the camera via a cable).

Manual flash power control has nothing to do with "fiddling" and everything to do with getting consistent results and not becoming dependent on whether the results of auto algorithms align with your artistic vision and/or are not fooled by temporal reflections, etc.

A hefty $100 surcharge per flash doesnt feel like it.

If you have the equipment already, it is a reasonable amount to add in order to get remote control over power and zoom level, plus enabling HSS flash photography.

A pair of Radiopoppers Jr2 does much less than the V6II but costs $260.

The value proposition of the V6II becomes even better when combined with the RF60. Doing HSS photography with system-dedicated flashes is much more expensive.

Non HSS manual triggers usually cost less than $6 per piece.

They are really in now way comparable to the functionality and reach a V6(II) provides.

Limited use case in many ways, but for a niche who tolerates the approach and is willing to pay the hefty price probably okish.

Excuse me, but that's total nonsense.

The approach is not "tolerated" but consciously chosen by many professional and enthusiast photographers.
I don't know why you feel the need to poop on the V6II but your remarks are unrelated to facts.

[Class A]

Yes, you need a full new set of transceivers, the old Cactus v6 offer no HSS. They want to make a little more money:

More misinformation from you.

Hint: The RF60 only requires a firmware update to become fully compatible with the V6II.

Hint: Cactus have been regularly adding features to the V6 since its introduction via firmware upgrades. It would take quite a while to list all the very useful functionality that has been added to the original V6 via free firmware upgrades.

Hint: The V6 hardware is not capable of driving a digital TTL flash in HSS mode. It only provides "TTL pass-through" for its multi-hot-shoe pins, but cannot control them individually. The latter is a necessary prerequisite to talk to digital TTL flashes.

Conclusion: This is not a money-making scheme by Cactus.
Their compatibility record is unparalleled (perhaps with the exception of PockeWizards). Just look at Yongnuo or Godox who struggle to keep their current products compatible with each other, let alone providing proper backward-compatibility.

That is a rather limited list of flashes working out of the box. I wonder how they selected the few. It's not only some older models missing, but also the newer ones from Metz.

Note that you cannot only use the Pentax flashes, but any supported flash from Canon, Nikon, Nissin, Godox, etc.
Overall, the number of supported flashes is very useful.

I expect Cactus to add further support for more Metz flashes, for instance, over time. Note that some Metz models don't even work with the K-1, so Metz has some firmware upgrading to do themselves.

[Class A]

this support not p-ttl, much more inconvenient when setting shutter speed. any way, the acon should launch a new product too. although the R930PN support Nikon's with Pentax!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the R930PN supports Nikon with Pentax directly.

You are talking about a trigger sandwiching approach, are you not?

Also, the Acon triggers support standard P-TTL. That's great for people who like P-TTL with its support for automatic exposure control and all its limitations (no multiple group support from the camera position), but useless for someone who needs manual control over multiple groups plus any of the multiple features of the V6(II), such as delay, group cycling, sports shutter mode, absolute exposure control, multi-system support, etc.

[Class A]

The question is, does the RX unit have to also be a MkII version to receive this HSS trigger signal ?

Unfortunately the RX unit will have to be an MkII version, if you want to use the flash for HSS photography.

As I wrote earlier, the V6 Mk I hardware is not capable to drive system-dedicated flashes with their digital protocol.

I'm assuming that a V6II plus RF60 combo will just work

Yes, it will (after an RF60 firmware update).

I mix my RF60 and Pentax 540 flashes now for HSS, but of course the Pentax requires the P-TTL wireless signal to fire it's HSS burst.

The Pentax does not require an optical signal to fire its HSS burst.
You will have noticed that it will fire an HSS burst when mounted on-camera.

The V6(II) works with both FGZ I and FGZ II models.

In any case, this also requires P-TTL metering, which obviously the Cactus doesn't supply j.

That's not true.

The V6 II can drive a 360/540 FGZ I/II in HSS mode without using P-TTL metering.
There will be a pre-flash and the camera may meter it, but the final output will be manually controlled, just like strobists like it.

So I'm not clear yet exactly which flashes a Cactus radio HSS solution will actually work with, apart from the RF60

All flash models listed as supported will support HSS with a Pentax camera.
That includes flashes from Pentax, Canon, Nikon, Metz, Nissin, Godox, etc.

[Class A]

Hmmm, so considering that an RF60 has an internal V6, does that not sort of imply that the current breed of RF60 flashes will not work in HSS sympathy mode when receiving a radio trigger signal from a V6II ... ?

No, unfortunately it does not.

The V6 receiver is capable of understanding V6II signals and when it is built into the RF60, it can instruct the flash hardware accordingly.

A separate V6 unit, however, has to communicate with flashes via the multi-hot-shoe and unfortunately the V6 lacks the hardware to programmatically control all hot-shoe pins independently from each other.

[mcgregni]

Thanks ClassA ....I'm pleased to hear that a free firmware update will allow the RF60 to recieve the trigger signal beyond the max sync speed from the new V6II model .That means that I can just get one V6II and have an easy one flash, radio remote HSS solution.

I doubt that I would go the whole way and get a second V6II to use with a Pentax 540 .... really, its rare situations where BOTH slaves flashes would be out of range and/or sight of an optical trigger signal from the camera position. I find that generally its only one of the flashes that gets obscured. Having the Cactus radio triggered will give me far more freedom in positioning things as I will not have to try and send the optical signal flying in different directions (like using the Gary Fong Lightsphere as in my HSS demo) .... I can just set the Pentax flash in line of sight, that will make it a lot more easy, and for not much more money.

I didn't want to re-ignite the Manual / P-TTL flash wars ... not at all . My point was very limited to the fact that manual flash exposure control for HSS work requires the additional step of making compensating power adjustments for every exposure time change. If you're juggling ambient exposures due to changing light, or just needing to experiment, then manual flash power is going to be more work in the HSS situation. I have found the P-TTL solution very reliable and the flash exposure will hold very steady while you make aperture, ISO and shutter adjustments to get the balance of things right. There will be times when that extra convenience is great, and other times when the better communication aspects / reliability of signals with the radio solution will be more important.

Really, there are good situations for choosing both automatic flash and manual flash. Professionals will go with what gear they like and what works best for their particular commercial needs, and many professionals work with a lot more support, backup, more money etc than most of us enthusiests, so what the Pros are doing is not always going to right for all of us. I quite like Neil Van Niekerks approach to this question, as he advocates, sensibly, the use of both Manual and TTL working, and he lays out a few scenarios where each makes particular sense. I follow these same principles and will normally use P-TTL on-camera, which I find invariably the best way to go, combined with Manual camera mode (there;s no contradiction there at all )... its just the best way to manage and control the balance of lighting in the scene .... having a firm control of ambient exposure in Manual mode makes sense in fixed lighting scenarios .... but equally having automatic flash exposure in the same situations makes sense because both you and the subjects may be moving around within that fixed environment, so your distances and bounce angles can be frequently changing .... so P-TTL makes perfect sense there.

Likewise when the subjects are more static, and there's more time, then of course I agree that manually set flash power will give better control and remain stable throughout .... that makes sense in that kind of situation.

Thanks for clarifying the questions about how a P-TTL flash will work with the V6II for HSS. I see now that we will have manual power control (via the V6II units) plus zoom control, another plus! For me for now, I do find two new V6II units to be pricey for me, so I'll stick with one for the RF60, and keep using P-TTL HSS with the two AF-540s combined with the RF60 by radio control . I could also use my original V6 on a Pentax flash for manual power control (non HSS) when needed, that is something I'd like to try, having two groups under manual control ..... I might even enjoy that ... a bit ...

[Class A]

Apparently the V6II does support the Metz 52 AF-1 for Pentax via a generic profile.

I furthermore received information from Cactus that they are working on Metz 64 AF-1 support.
Nice!

[Figgystardust]

I have just received 3 V6mkII for my K1 and 2 Metz 52 AF1 and can get them to power zoom and fire with the test button but not at full power with any of the Metz profiles. Also will not fire from the camera with the shutter unless I wiggle the unit in the hotshoe. any suggestions ?

[mcgregni]

Check your flashes are in the P-TTL mode. Also the V6II units on the flashes should be in RX mode. And your profile choice needs to be within the Pentax system section. The locking lever may just need to be turned more tightly.


Channels set to the same one? Groups assigned to each flash (A and B) ? Group lights on the TX unit illuminated?

---------- Post added 07-07-16 at 15:51 ----------

I do vaguely recall a compatibility question over the V6II and Metz 52 flashes ...? Might be worth checking out at the Cactus website community forum.

---------- Post added 07-07-16 at 15:53 ----------

But as Class A reported above, it needs the genetic profile. ...

[UncleVanya]

[/COLOR]But as Class A reported above, it needs the genetic profile. ...

Bio-engineering?

[mcgregni]

The next generation ..... Thought activated HSS for Pentax ! ....(but you need a Pentax flash strapped to your head !!)

[Class A]

I have just received 3 V6mkII for my K1 and 2 Metz 52 AF1 and can get them to power zoom and fire with the test button but not at full power with any of the Metz profiles.

Have you tried the generic "Auto" profile?

According to a Cactus employee, the Metz 52 AF-1 for Pentax should be supported via the generic profile.

I didn't have problems with the V6II on the K-5 or K100D, but haven't been able to test it on the K-1 yet. Mcgregni makes a good point about tightening the lever well, without applying excessive force.