cactus v2 sync speeds?

Yes, this slows things down ~ I can get 1/250 with my RF-04/PT-04 [Read Cactus] but for consistency I need to bring it down to 1/200 sec.

When I did the experiment you describe I had to go down to 1/60 sec.

e r y k wrote in post #4670442
could it be because, im only using the cactus on the 580, and still using canons wireless to trigger the 430? is this causing maybe a slight delay?

after some more experimentation, if i go to shutter speeds at 1/200, only one umbrella is lit, and the one with the 430 is dark.

ok, thanks for the info guys

looks like i need to order a few more triggers!

im going to have to stick with poverty wizards for a while... i simply cannot justify nor have the funds to spend on pocketwizards.

e r y k wrote in post #4675052
looks like i need to order a few more triggers!

im going to have to stick with poverty wizards for a while... i simply cannot justify nor have the funds to spend on pocketwizards.

A set of skyports (2 receivers and a transmitter) run you just under $300. That is an alternative to pocketwizards and doesnt break the bank too much, since the V2's run you about $30 for a transmitter and receiver, plus $25 in batteries...and it seems everyone needs to buy more than one set of them since there's so many bad ones. Given you'll probably end up buying around $60-75 worth of V2's (don't forget shipping!) and then the $25 of batteries, you already paid more than a third of the cost of reliable skyports. One day you'll probably get fed up with the V2's (like me) and bite the bullet and purchase something better (i.e. pocket wizards or skyports) and you'll have wished you didn't waste money on the V2's anymore since no one wants to buy unreliable triggers, let alone used.

I for one am not spending any more money on V2's or any of those cheap ebay triggers.

Please excuse my dear aunt Sally...and my run-on sentences.

thanks vermin, i will keep that in mind, however at this point and time, i havent had too much of a problem with the cactus'.

i have a shoot this weekend, and i will have to use the cactus'... if im limited to a sync speed of 1/100, will i have problems shooting outdoors?

like i said its not an issue of the v2s, its canons weird IR system. I use mine reliably without the 430 ex. 100%. but i do have the antenna mod.

eventually i plan on picking up two vivitar 285's and 3 more receivers so i can have a full flash setup :P

but at least one more receiver for now for the 430 so i can have them trigger at the same time.

i will try the distance thing you mentioned, since i will be shooting outdoors this weekend.

thanks again turbodude :0

turbodude wrote in post #4675474
like i said its not an issue of the v2s, its canons weird IR system. I use mine reliably without the 430 ex. 100%. but i do have the antenna mod.

You think its canon's IR system interfering with the V2's? The IR shouldnt be a concern if the 430ex is in manual mode, correct? No IR signal is being generated...or shouldn't be when in Manual.

e r y k wrote in post #4675393
i have a shoot this weekend, and i will have to use the cactus'... if im limited to a sync speed of 1/100, will i have problems shooting outdoors?

keep you ISO low and your aperture high and you should be fine. If it's sunny and you wanna use a large aperture, you might have trouble.

Vermin87 wrote in post #4678025
You think its canon's IR system interfering with the V2's? The IR shouldnt be a concern if the 430ex is in manual mode, correct? No IR signal is being generated...or shouldn't be when in Manual.

Vermin, I currently have 1 transmitter and 1 reciever.

My 430ex does not have a transmitter on it as I am relying on the 580ex with the cactus receiver to trigger my 430ex using canons IR system.

So right now when I press the shutter, the cactus sends a signal to the reciever on my 580, which fires it, then the 580 sends out an IR signal which triggers the 430, which delays its firing. That is giving me the sync issues I believe.

Hopefully after the antenna mod / battery mod I can achieve a higher sync speed

e r y k wrote in post #4678098
Vermin, I currently have 1 transmitter and 1 reciever.

My 430ex does not have a transmitter on it as I am relying on the 580ex with the cactus receiver to trigger my 430ex using canons IR system.

So right now when I press the shutter, the cactus sends a signal to the reciever on my 580, which fires it, then the 580 sends out an IR signal which triggers the 430, which delays its firing. That is giving me the sync issues I believe.

Hopefully after the antenna mod / battery mod I can achieve a higher sync speed

Ahh, I see. I thought that turbodude was referring to my low sync speeds as well, which are sometimes seconds after I press the trigger, even when each flash has its own receiver.

In the setup you are doing the sync speed is unlikely to improve, doing the mods will increase the sync speed potential of the Catcus triggers.

As mentioned the free standing 430EX must be in manual mode and it should sync at a slowish speed ~ when I had it in ETTL the flash fired more like a whole 1 or 2 seconds later.

e r y k wrote in post #4678098
Hopefully after the antenna mod / battery mod I can achieve a higher sync speed

1/200th I get

Did you do the antenna mod? did it increase sync speed? I just got a set of Cactus V2s and am considering it.

Better read these....

http://www.flickr.com …2119/?search=ca​ctus+430EX

http://www.flickr.com …1542/?search=ca​ctus+430EX

Some people swear the antenna mod improves performance...
juries out with me - (I did see a bit of an increase in distance/reliable falshes)