Help setup two flashes to work off camera

acarpov · 02-12-2011, 06:42 PM

I'm trying to put two flashes off camera using cactusV5.
One is 540 other one 360.

I'm definetely doing something wrong. I have put 540 as a master mode and put it on cactus receiver (channel 1 ) and put 360 in slave mode ( using channel one for both flashes), cactus transmitter is in channel one and put in camera shoe.
So 540 works and 360 doesnt.

I'm missing something?

Really appreciate your help
thank you

Mike Cash · 02-12-2011, 07:14 PM

Don't the master/slave modes only apply when you're using the camera's native wireless function to fire the flashes? Or perhaps just in P-TTL? (Which you can't use with the Cactus triggers, by the way).

If your camera body supports it, try firing the flashes remotely with the built-in wireless. Otherwise, try putting the flashes in manual mode for use with your Cactus triggers. Auto mode would be nice if using a single flash, but it seldom if ever works out well when trying to use two flashes both on auto mode.

philbaum · 02-12-2011, 08:48 PM

acarpov,
if i understand your situation, you are trying to activate the 540 off the cactus v5's, which is working. And then you are trying to get the flash from the 540 to wirelessly trigger the 360 flash in manual mode. I've been thinking of using that setup as well to avoid the immediate purchase of two sets of V5's

I think there may be two ways to do this (but i'm not sure since i have yet to do either :-)
a. use an optical trigger device that slides on the bottom of the 360 hotshoe and triggers it in manual mode

b. use a cable to connect your cactus transmitter to the x-sync socket on the side of the camera (k20 has one). Then one could use the onboard flash to trigger the 360 in pttl slave mode. This means that the 360 would have to be within 12 feet or so to sense the flash from the camera onboard flash.

anyway, i'll watch to see what the experts recommend

Phil

SOldBear · 02-12-2011, 11:59 PM

The master/control/slave mode setting works only for Pentax wireless flash. In this mode, the camera body has to be in full communication with the flash (control or master) attached to the hotshoe. The master/control flash communicates with slave units via light pulses.

If you use RF remote flash, you have to put the flash in units "normal" (NOT wireless) mode. The flashes are triggered by the RF receivers. The camera and the flashes do not know anything about the RF transmitters and receivers.

Also, in RF remote flash, at least for Pentax currently, the camera does not perform flash metering. None of the current RF units supports p-TTL.

The 540 (I don't know about the 360) does have a "dumb" built-in optical slave that can be trigger optically by any strobe. But I don't think it's your intention to use it here.

philbaum · 02-13-2011, 07:29 PM

Originally posted by acarpov

I'm trying to put two flashes off camera using cactusV5.
One is 540 other one 360.

I'm definetely doing something wrong. I have put 540 as a master mode and put it on cactus receiver (channel 1 ) and put 360 in slave mode ( using channel one for both flashes), cactus transmitter is in channel one and put in camera shoe.
So 540 works and 360 doesnt.

I'm missing something?

Really appreciate your help
thank you

You can't fire the flashes as you have specified but you can do this:

A. Use your Cactus v5 to fire your most powerful flash, the 540

B. Use the flash from the 540 and a flash slave device slid on the 360 foot to fire the 360 from the flash of the 540.

Neither the 540 or 360 would be metered and would have to be manual flash mode.

the batteries of my cactus v2's were dead, so i used my my popup flash to fire my Metz 48 from 30 feet away in wireless slave mode, then used that flash to fire an old Pentax 280T using one of those flash slave devices. So both flashes could be fired with one set of Cactus v5's. The limitation would be the second flash would have to be somewhere near the first flash.

So one can do what you ask, but just not using the 540 as a master.

best wishes,

acarpov · 02-13-2011, 09:17 PM

thanks everyone

I used my build in flash to trigger both flashes.
I think the best way will be to buy another set of cactuses and mount each flash on a reciever

slip · 02-16-2011, 06:52 AM

I have been pondering the same setup. I am thinking triggering the one flash wireless from the camera, then having an optical slave on the other flash. wireless doesn't have to be pttl? It would work with a manual flash setup I assume if possible

good luck

randy

newarts · 02-16-2011, 07:17 AM

Let me get this straight.

Page 162 of my K-x manual clearly says (note 5) that multiple wireless flash using the built-in plus Pentax 540 and/or 360 units is possible.

Is is possible to do wireless p-ttl with more than one off-camera flash using a wire from the camera to one of the flashes? (the camera likely doesn't know if there is a wire or not.) The manual implies it is possible.

Do the Sigma wireless P-TTL flashes work in these modes as well?

Dave

SOldBear · 02-16-2011, 01:04 PM

I use the built-in flash to trigger two 540 units remotely. I don't have the equipment here with me, but the setup is pretty simple.

If you're OK with optical wireless, there's no need to buy anything else.

philbaum · 02-17-2011, 02:24 PM

Originally posted by slipchuck

I have been pondering the same setup. I am thinking triggering the one flash wireless from the camera, then having an optical slave on the other flash. wireless doesn't have to be pttl? It would work with a manual flash setup I assume if possible

good luck

randy

One can probably trigger 6 flashes off the optical commander of the camera's onboard flash. But the problem is distance. I think the longest i've been able to use optical wireless is about 10 or 12feet. Also the optical sensor on the flash can't be covered up or pointing in the wrong direction if you're at its limits. My Metz 48 has the window on the right side, one old Pentax flash has it on the front, etc. If you want
to hide flash bodies around a house, out of sight of the camera, optical control becomes difficult.

See Class A's report on the new Gadget Infinity V5 RF units which can be switched to act as RX or TX. They are good up to 100 meters or 300 feet. I just got 4 of them today (2 duos equal 4 units). I set 3 of them up with a flash each with one acting as a transmitter on the camera. No misfires at all in my tests from 2" from the transmitter to 18 feet (the limit of my room) All work on 2 triple A batteries. wonderful design and pretty cheap. see my post on Class A's thread, but he has much more detail in his initial report.

Sure you can use optical wireless for portraits, but if you want to do much larger areas much farther away or hidden out of sight, the RF is the way to do that IMO. As slipchuck mentioned above, one wireless set can be used to achieve some distance away from the camera, that wireless set can then be used to optically trigger a second flash nearby to the RF unit. Gadget Infinity can't be used for PTTL on any camera, so its all manual.

Fun stuff.

02-12-2011, 06:42 PM	#1
acarpov Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: brooklyn Posts: 74	Help setup two flashes to work off camera I'm trying to put two flashes off camera using cactusV5. One is 540 other one 360. I'm definetely doing something wrong. I have put 540 as a master mode and put it on cactus receiver (channel 1 ) and put 360 in slave mode ( using channel one for both flashes), cactus transmitter is in channel one and put in camera shoe. So 540 works and 360 doesnt. I'm missing something? Really appreciate your help thank you

02-12-2011, 08:48 PM	#3
philbaum Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Port Townsend, Washington State, USA Posts: 3,659	acarpov, if i understand your situation, you are trying to activate the 540 off the cactus v5's, which is working. And then you are trying to get the flash from the 540 to wirelessly trigger the 360 flash in manual mode. I've been thinking of using that setup as well to avoid the immediate purchase of two sets of V5's I think there may be two ways to do this (but i'm not sure since i have yet to do either :-) a. use an optical trigger device that slides on the bottom of the 360 hotshoe and triggers it in manual mode b. use a cable to connect your cactus transmitter to the x-sync socket on the side of the camera (k20 has one). Then one could use the onboard flash to trigger the 360 in pttl slave mode. This means that the 360 would have to be within 12 feet or so to sense the flash from the camera onboard flash. anyway, i'll watch to see what the experts recommend Phil Last edited by philbaum; 02-12-2011 at 09:05 PM.

02-16-2011, 07:17 AM	#8
newarts Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Ames, Iowa, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 2,965	Let me get this straight. Page 162 of my K-x manual clearly says (note 5) that multiple wireless flash using the built-in plus Pentax 540 and/or 360 units is possible. Is is possible to do wireless p-ttl with more than one off-camera flash using a wire from the camera to one of the flashes? (the camera likely doesn't know if there is a wire or not.) The manual implies it is possible. Do the Sigma wireless P-TTL flashes work in these modes as well? Dave Last edited by newarts; 02-16-2011 at 11:20 AM.

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02-12-2011, 07:14 PM	#2
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	Don't the master/slave modes only apply when you're using the camera's native wireless function to fire the flashes? Or perhaps just in P-TTL? (Which you can't use with the Cactus triggers, by the way). If your camera body supports it, try firing the flashes remotely with the built-in wireless. Otherwise, try putting the flashes in manual mode for use with your Cactus triggers. Auto mode would be nice if using a single flash, but it seldom if ever works out well when trying to use two flashes both on auto mode.

02-12-2011, 11:59 PM	#4
SOldBear Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Alameda, CA Posts: 3,206	The master/control/slave mode setting works only for Pentax wireless flash. In this mode, the camera body has to be in full communication with the flash (control or master) attached to the hotshoe. The master/control flash communicates with slave units via light pulses. If you use RF remote flash, you have to put the flash in units "normal" (NOT wireless) mode. The flashes are triggered by the RF receivers. The camera and the flashes do not know anything about the RF transmitters and receivers. Also, in RF remote flash, at least for Pentax currently, the camera does not perform flash metering. None of the current RF units supports p-TTL. The 540 (I don't know about the 360) does have a "dumb" built-in optical slave that can be trigger optically by any strobe. But I don't think it's your intention to use it here.

02-13-2011, 07:29 PM	#5
philbaum Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Port Townsend, Washington State, USA Posts: 3,659	Originally posted by acarpov I'm trying to put two flashes off camera using cactusV5. One is 540 other one 360. I'm definetely doing something wrong. I have put 540 as a master mode and put it on cactus receiver (channel 1 ) and put 360 in slave mode ( using channel one for both flashes), cactus transmitter is in channel one and put in camera shoe. So 540 works and 360 doesnt. I'm missing something? Really appreciate your help thank you You can't fire the flashes as you have specified but you can do this: A. Use your Cactus v5 to fire your most powerful flash, the 540 B. Use the flash from the 540 and a flash slave device slid on the 360 foot to fire the 360 from the flash of the 540. Neither the 540 or 360 would be metered and would have to be manual flash mode. the batteries of my cactus v2's were dead, so i used my my popup flash to fire my Metz 48 from 30 feet away in wireless slave mode, then used that flash to fire an old Pentax 280T using one of those flash slave devices. So both flashes could be fired with one set of Cactus v5's. The limitation would be the second flash would have to be somewhere near the first flash. So one can do what you ask, but just not using the 540 as a master. best wishes,

02-13-2011, 09:17 PM	#6
acarpov Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: brooklyn Posts: 74 Original Poster	thanks everyone I used my build in flash to trigger both flashes. I think the best way will be to buy another set of cactuses and mount each flash on a reciever

02-16-2011, 06:52 AM	#7
slip Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 2 hours north of toronto ontario canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,535	I have been pondering the same setup. I am thinking triggering the one flash wireless from the camera, then having an optical slave on the other flash. wireless doesn't have to be pttl? It would work with a manual flash setup I assume if possible good luck randy

02-16-2011, 01:04 PM	#9
SOldBear Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Alameda, CA Posts: 3,206	I use the built-in flash to trigger two 540 units remotely. I don't have the equipment here with me, but the setup is pretty simple. If you're OK with optical wireless, there's no need to buy anything else.

02-17-2011, 02:24 PM	#10
philbaum Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Port Townsend, Washington State, USA Posts: 3,659	Originally posted by slipchuck I have been pondering the same setup. I am thinking triggering the one flash wireless from the camera, then having an optical slave on the other flash. wireless doesn't have to be pttl? It would work with a manual flash setup I assume if possible good luck randy One can probably trigger 6 flashes off the optical commander of the camera's onboard flash. But the problem is distance. I think the longest i've been able to use optical wireless is about 10 or 12feet. Also the optical sensor on the flash can't be covered up or pointing in the wrong direction if you're at its limits. My Metz 48 has the window on the right side, one old Pentax flash has it on the front, etc. If you want to hide flash bodies around a house, out of sight of the camera, optical control becomes difficult. See Class A's report on the new Gadget Infinity V5 RF units which can be switched to act as RX or TX. They are good up to 100 meters or 300 feet. I just got 4 of them today (2 duos equal 4 units). I set 3 of them up with a flash each with one acting as a transmitter on the camera. No misfires at all in my tests from 2" from the transmitter to 18 feet (the limit of my room) All work on 2 triple A batteries. wonderful design and pretty cheap. see my post on Class A's thread, but he has much more detail in his initial report. Sure you can use optical wireless for portraits, but if you want to do much larger areas much farther away or hidden out of sight, the RF is the way to do that IMO. As slipchuck mentioned above, one wireless set can be used to achieve some distance away from the camera, that wireless set can then be used to optically trigger a second flash nearby to the RF unit. Gadget Infinity can't be used for PTTL on any camera, so its all manual. Fun stuff.