[Andrzej Makuch]

Wireless control of PTTL and HSS in Pentax. Acon R930 or Cactus V6ll?
I asked, because I had 3 CactusV6IIs, but I guess they were not good because they did not work as well as they did - the transmitter (TX) once triggered another time and did not trigger lamps mounted on 2 receivers (RX). Even after upload 1.1.009. So I thought about the Acon R930 for my Metz AF1. I also wondered about the Genezis Reporter 360 (Godox?) But I do not know if Acon gives these pentax / nikon translations capabilities like Cactus? And does it allow "power sync" (like HSS) like cactus?
Is Genesis Reporter and Quadralite Reporter the same as Godox? Because they are not in the menu lamp and Godox is and look very similar.
For any comments I will be grateful.I apologize for my writing ... hope you will still understand me.

[mcgregni]

Your Cactus V6II triggers have a promised firmware update coming that offers P-TTL metering plus HSS, so that plus the fact that you already have 3 of them suggests to me it's worth sticking with them and working out what any issues are. In the meantime they offer Manual radio HSS. What flashes are you using (I'm assuming you have 2 ...?)

The Acon does offer P-TTL HSS, and users here report good results with a single flash .... Reports on multiple flash use and automatic metering control and output balancing are frankly mixed and give the impression that it is hit and miss. The Acons are not renowned for an intuitive interface for multi-flash control, however the Cactus products have a generally good reputation in this regard. However the Acobs do 'do it' now (assuming you need P-TTL also).

[fwbigd]

There is a problem with the new Cactus V6ii firmware. Cactus is aware of the issue and have promised to fix it...See the attached link. Cactus V6ii Firmware Update 1.1.07 and 1.1.0.8 Problems-With HSS on Godox AD360 - PentaxForums.com

---------- Post added 05-02-2017 at 12:53 PM ----------

Firmware 1.1.009 is definitely not passing the HSS sync to a trigger mounted in the V6ii. Had to again drop back to firmware 1.1.006 to get the signal to pass through. Have contacted Cactus about the problem.

[W.j.christy]

The acon 930s have the ability to use a transmitter mounted on a pentax camera and translate the signal to something that is readable by a nikon flash. you can read a little more about it here acon-photo - wonderful photography. It also offers a HSS option so long as your flahs is HSS capable. ( I have used this feature on more than one occasion.)

I do use a dual flash set up with 2 Acon 930's and 2 Pentax Af540FGZ flashes with pretty good results for portraiture. They have there quirks and the uses interface is less than intuitive. However, for the price, the capabilities they offer far exceed what else is on the market for Pentax currently.

I have created a manual (translated from the English version of the Acon manual) that i will gladly send you so you can get a better idea of what the ACONs are capable of if you would like to see it.

[Culture]

I was almost going to say go with the Cactus but since you have had 3 of them and they all give the same problem then I guess you have to try other options.

Are you sure there is no user error. I have not done much test either with the cactus. I am going to do this this week.

Culture.


edit. I remember that i was also facing problems initially when I got my cactus. I just chose the flash setup as Pentax. It would fire one, but the next shot was different power level. I had to go into the manual again to see if I had missed a step. It was the flash profile. Once I chose Metz 58 AF-2, it was flashing with the right power levels.

[clackers]

Reports on multiple flash use and automatic metering control and output balancing are frankly mixed and give the impression that it is hit and miss. .

Yeah, I think you're referring to the case of one user, GraySaint, who I'm afraid didn't seem to know what he was doing. It was a while ago, but IIRC he may have had issues with one of the units he was using, and was also trying to do stuff with non-standard batteries.

WJ Christy is someone to me whose posts are always valuable.

[Andrzej Makuch]

It seems to me that the best combination would be the combination of both manufacturers - like one Cactus transmitter and two Acon receivers. Connecting 3 transceivers as it is in cactus is a simple waste of money and a complication of service. Making a separate P / N (R930II) without a flash is not a happy idea. Strange looking at the R930 transmitter.
And most importantly - they all work the same way. Just like with the lamp installed directly on the camera.

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Last edited by Andrzej Makuch; 05-03-2017 at 08:14 AM.

[W.j.christy]

It seems to me that the best combination would be the combination of both manufacturers - like one Cactus transmitter and two Acon receivers. Connecting 3 transceivers as it is in cactus is a simple waste of money and a complication of service. Making a separate P / N (R930II) without a flash is not a happy idea. Strange looking at the R930 transmitter.
And most importantly - they all work the same way. Just like with the lamp installed directly on the camera.

Unfortunately, combining trigger manufacturers is not possible right now. However, I took a quick look back at the ACON manual and you can fire a Nikon flash utilizing HSS (not sure about P-ttl) with the Acon system from a Pentax camera simply by updating the firmware of the receiver to the nikon specific version. Doing this means you loose the ability to control a pentax compatible flash with that specific receiver until you re-flash the receiver with the appropriate pentax firmware version.

I have not toyed around with this as I have no need to but its a place to start if all you are looking for is HSS.

---------- Post added 05-03-17 at 08:27 AM ----------

WJ Christy is someone to me whose posts are always valuable.

Thank you for that.

[mcgregni]

WJ Christy is someone to me whose posts are always valuable.

I agree with that, and his own constructed manual should be the official version IMO! Also his comment above about multi-flash control with the Acons is the first positive one in that respect that I recall here. ....?

[clackers]

! Also his comment above about multi-flash control with the Acons is the first positive one in that respect that I recall here. ....?

Who else owns two or more?

Again, I'm not sure you're being discerning about evaluating sources or testing for yourself, Nigel.

Graysaint chose to use his units with 1.2V batteries and got misfires/complained about draining. The units want 3.3V, apparently.

On the internet you can take everyone seriously and be poorer for the experience, or go by people with credibility like WJ, Rawr, Beholder, etc.

[mcgregni]

We have little to go on that's true. It's encouraging that WJ Christy has been positive about multiflash exposure control. The promised firmware update from Cactus would seem to bring the V6II system much closer to the Acon one in terms of available modes and features ..... That should spice things up for sure! I wonder if it will make the choices more obvious?

[clackers]

We have little to go on that's true. It's encouraging that WJ Christy has been positive about multiflash exposure control. The promised firmware update from Cactus would seem to bring the V6II system much closer to the Acon one in terms of available modes and features ..... That should spice things up for sure! I wonder if it will make the choices more obvious?

I've not tested my Cactus V6 IIs with the Pentax flashes I have, yet. They're a lot bigger than the Acons and I'd rather not put them in the bag, quite frankly.

But I have mucked around using them to drive a Godox AD360 (Nikon version) strobe. An oddity is that 2s delay on a shot will work, 12s won't trigger. Don't know why.

[Andrzej Makuch]

An oddity is that 2s delay on a shot will work...

Delay 2s? I guess 2ms?

---------- Post added 04-05-17 at 14:16 ----------

Graysaint chose to use his units with 1.2V batteries and got misfires/complained about draining. The units want 3.3V, apparently.

I never even thought about it - I've always used Eneloop akku 1.2 V - on all devices and never happened to work that badly. Unfortunately - I just sent all the cactus

---------- Post added 04-05-17 at 14:26 ----------

However, I took a quick look back at the ACON manual and you can fire a Nikon flash utilizing HSS (not sure about P-ttl) with the Acon system from a Pentax camera simply by updating the firmware of the receiver to the nikon specific version.

That's fine, I understand that two receivers and one transmitter will allow simultaneous triggering of Pentax and Nikon in Pentax cameras?

[W.j.christy]

That's fine, I understand that two receivers and one transmitter will allow simultaneous triggering of Pentax and Nikon in Pentax cameras?

As I understand it, yes however it would only work with HSS no P-TTL.... I have not tried this so I can't speak from experience on it. However, the manual states updating the firmware to the PN version would allow the ability to use a trigger programed for pentax to communicate with a receiver programed for Nikon and fire a Nikon flash in HSS mode.


I would contact Acon through their website to verify the capability to be on the safe side.

[clackers]

Delay 2s? I guess 2ms? [...
I never even thought about it - I've always used Eneloop akku 1.2 V - on all devices and never happened to work that badly.

The 2s and 12s shooting modes on the camera.

As for Eneloops, I use them in my Acons and other devices just fine. In fact, I recommend them.

Again, I never got the sense from his posts that Graysaint knew what he was doing ie there was nothing to learn from him.