Originally posted by Obin Robinson None of that indicates that it would not be compatible with the Metz flashes or learning the flashes and simply triggering them.
It would be incorrect for Cactus to suggest that the Cactus V6 is not compatible with Metz flashes.
The Cactus V6 is compatible with quite a number of Metz flash models and has been compatible with even more Metz flash models before Metz decided to cripple some of their flash models through respective firmware releases.
Also, regarding Cactus' notes on compatibility:
Originally posted by Obin Robinson "If a flash model is not listed, the V6 may even learn its flash profile and then be able to control the power output of the flash. (See note on compatibility)"
I highlighted the word "
may" in the quote you provided. Do you understand what the sentence means?
Cactus never said that any flash model that is not on the list of supported flash models can be made to work with the Cactus V6. They said there is a chance that this will work. Now that's obviously not as good as knowing outright which flash models work and which don't but I for one prefer to be given a chance compared to only have a few flashes models supported period. As you know,
many Cactus users were kind enough to share their experiences with trying to create V6 profiles with their flash models in order to make it easier for other users to make a decision about whether the Cactus V6 will be useful for them.
Given the presence of such information, it has been pretty easy to make a buying decision for or against a V6: Just check whether the flash models you own are natively supported and if they are not then try to find them in a list of flash models that have been tested by others. If no one has ever tested your flash models then you simply cannot be disappointed when they happen to not work.
If you are intent on being disappointed then be disappointed in the manufacturer of the flash models for either never implementing the analogue Pentax TTL protocol correctly in the first place, or removing the (working!) feature through a firmware update. It is beyond me how you fail to see the role Metz played regarding your frustrating experience.
Originally posted by Obin Robinson If it works as described then why are there people out there who have problems with the system right out of the box?
The Cactus V6 works as described for a lot of people. As with any technical product potentially some users have to take a couple of hurdles before they see success, but just think about this for a minute: If every Cactus V6 user experienced your problems (and failed to understand that the problems stem from trying to use incompatible flash models with the V6) would Cactus ever been able to design and sell a Cactus V6II? Logic dictates that your negative view must be pretty rare, otherwise how would Cactus be able to continue to exist as a company?
Originally posted by Obin Robinson With the Cactus V6 on six different cameras I had problems getting them to work as advertised.
The problem wasn't caused by any of the six cameras, nor was it caused by the Cactus V6.
It was caused by you expecting the Cactus V6 to fully support any flash model despite the fact that Cactus already provides a list of flash models that are incompatible for remote power control and users only reported successfully creating profiles for other flash models, but not for any of the ones you own.
Originally posted by Obin Robinson How come I didn't have this problem with any other photographic equipment?
Apparently you are not trying to make your other photographic equipment do things it wasn't designed to do.
If your radio popper nanos can remote control the power of your flash models then that's because they support the flashes you own. The Cactus V6 supports some flash models that the radio poppers don't support. Does this mean the radio poppers are bad or that the company has been misleading anyone? Of course it doesn't mean that.
Originally posted by Obin Robinson Cactus' claims are misleading.
I don't see how you can seriously claim that.
Cactus explicitly lists flash models that have been tested and are supported out of the box. For these, the Cactus V6 works very nicely; I know that from first hand experience. The only other "promise" Cactus are making is that you
may be able to create profiles for flash models that are not supported out of the box. They offer a community forum which you can use to try and find out whether your particular flash models can be profiled by asking Cactus and/or Cactus users.