If you have successfully profiled a TTL flash with the V6, please post about it here.

Information whether remote control of power levels is working is welcome for all flash systems supported (Canon, Nikon, and Pentax) and any flash brand.

If you attempted to profile a flash and it did not work, please post about it here as well. Preferably, elaborate what the hurdle was (e.g., did not test as compatible, did not recycle quickly enough, ...).

I'll updated this first post regularly so that it will stay a summary of the experiences. Hence it will be easy to see which flash models are the awkward ones that refuse to play with the V6. I cannot image there will be many models that won't work, but let's see.

Compatible: (in addition to the predefined profiles; see the review for the original list of predefined profiles)

• Canon 420 EX (cannot be profiled, but works with the 430EX* profile)
• Canon 430 EZ
• Canon 550 EX

• Metz 36 AF-4 (for Pentax)
• Metz 45CL-4 (analogue version, using the SCA 3000 C cable and the 3702 Pentax module); jury is still out w.r.t. accuracy; using the (strictly speaking wrong) predefined Metz 58 AF-2 profile works in any event, with some level of accuracy.
• Metz 45 Digital (with sca 3102m3)
• Metz 48 AF-1 (for Pentax)
• Metz 54mz3 (with sca3402M6 or sca3102M3 or sca3702M; the switch on the sca3402M6 needs to be set to "off")
• Metz 58 AF-1 (for Pentax)

• Nikon SB-25
• Nikon SB-26
• Nikon SB-28DX
• Nikon SB-80DX

• Pentax AF200T
  (the respective profile may also be used for the AF280T which on its own does not support profiling due to the lack of a sufficient number of manual levels.)

• Pixel X-650 GN60 TTL (for Canon)

• Quantum Qflash T & T2 (with QF-13N TTL cord)

• Vivitar DF-383 (for Pentax)

Don't Work:

• Metz 52 AF-1 (for Pentax and for Nikon): The "for Canon" version is supported, probably through digital communication; this may mean that if the Pentax FGZ II series is ever supported, that the Metz 52 AF-1 will be too.
• Nissin Di622 (for Nikon)
• Nissin i40 (for Nikon and Canon)
• Olympus FL600T and Olympus FL300R
• EDIT Pentax FGZ II models: The FGZ II models are supported, starting with firmware V1.1.008.
• Pentax AF-500 FTZ
• Phottix Mitros (for Nikon) [the "for Canon" version is supported]
• Sigma EF-610 DG Super (for Pentax)
• Centon FG105D (for Pentax): This flash features analogue TTL but requires communication with the camera. It cannot even be fired by a simple trigger like the Cactus V5 or on another non-Pentax camera.

[Class A]

Maybe we need to start a new Thread! Cactus V6ii Flash Compatibility -- Profiling Successes and Failures

The V6II does not support profiling, so there is no need to collect success/failure stories with respect to profiling.

That still leaves an opportunity to collect success/failure stories regarding the use of flash models that are not supported with a named profile but that nevertheless work with a V6II and one of the available profiles, potentially aided by the use of the profile editor.

I'm not sure how useful a V6II support thread would be. I believe there was a lot more uncertainty with the V6; modern flashes that do not work with the V6II should be pretty rare, at least that's my guess.

[dme]

This is an old thread, but Cactus V6's and old flash guns still crop up every week on eBay, and given that they cost a fraction of the latest gear, there may still be people interested in what is possible.


The V6 is able to profile an analog TTL flash with a minimum of 3 different power settings. I have owned Centon FH95's since they were new. These have a guide number of 36 and swivel heads. Two have the Pentax non-AF module attached and one the Pentax AF module. Both support TTL. The difficulty is that they only have two manual power settings, full power and 1/16.

The first point to make is that although the V6 fires them, they are rejected out of hand by the V6 profile learner if I describe them as Pentax. However, it is happy for me to describe them as Canon, and it 'tunes' itself for 1/16 power.

In order to get the third setting point, I left the flash on 1/16, moved the flash head back from maximum zoom to minimum, and claimed the power was now 1/64.

This was enough to get the V6 to save the profile.

I tested the settings using a Jessops 'Portaflash' flash meter. It seems consistent at least down to 1/64, so I account it a success.

So how do they work in practice?

Very well, but with one caveat. The FH95's timeout and switch off automatically, and the timeout can neither be adjusted nor disabled. So after any sort of pause in the shooting, I have to go round them all and check they are still switched on.