Cactus 600HS Studio Light - Dedicated Studio Flash with 600WS controllable via Cactus V6 and V6II

patarok

I am pretty sure, that i am not alone, when i think about the possibility to also control a studio flash with my Cactus V6/V6II... and technically it should be possible... easy as cake!

There are so many "base constructions" for studio flashes that multiple companies are modifying and branding with their name, but at their core they are all the same...
Just take a look at:
Quadralite Atlas 600
or
Godox AD600BM
-- pretty much the same.

I cant imagine that it could be that hard, for a company like cactus to pop on their own controller-back on this very modular studioflash-system....
And thinking about the Godox version and its remote control, i wanted to do a call on Cactus Developers/Designers/Engineers to overthink the placement of the LCD on the next Cactus (V7?)... I experienced it would be much better to have the display on front(face side) of the transceiver-unit.

Would be happy if someone would join this suggestion!

Antonio

Hey @patarok

Thanks a lot for your suggestions.

About the LCD placement, do you mean "front", facing straight at the user, just like an eyepiece would?

Others feel free to chime in.

Class A

I like the current display positioning / angle.

Perhaps it could be more angled towards the back of the camera, but in any case I think it must be readable from the top.

A camera's top plate LCD display is also readable from the top and a radio trigger's display should be visible from the same angle. I think there are the following good reasons why permanent displays (camera or trigger) should be visible from the top:

1. A relaxed view at the camera is from the top. Whether or not one uses a neckstrap, it is much easier to look at the top of the camera (where many control labels are printed on) compared to lifting the camera up or tilting it down in order to look at its back.
2. One can hold a camera close to one's body, when looking at its top. When looking at the back of the camera, one either has to hold it away from one's body -- which makes the camera effectively "heavier" = harder to hold -- or one has to tilt it which forces one to perform two movements (up/down & tilt) when changing between looking through the viewfinder and looking at the display, compared to just one up/down movement when the display can be seen from the top. 
   
3. When a camera is on a tripod, it can be very difficult to look at its back because the camera is typically sitting too low. The camera's top LCD display and the V6(II) display can still be easily looked at, even when the camera is mounted to a tripod.
   
4. Most trigger controls are most ergonomically placed at the back of the trigger. If both controls and display had to share the same trigger face then the trigger would become rather big.
   
5. The top face, in particular of a trigger, provides more space for a display (as the trigger is naturally longer than it is high). The V6(II) does not exploit that much, but if a larger display is ever used, it will be easier to place it at the top (whether angled or not) than it is to place it at the front.
   

paulster

I'm kind of partial to the transmitters that have the display at around 45 degrees.  Gives you the option of looking up from the viewfinder or looking down when you're not shooting.

No good for stacking anything on top though, of course.

rbecker

Maybe we should split these two different topics...

The position of the display is fine, maybe the angle to the camera could be more like 45 degree. For me it is important to have the flash display, the transmitter display and the main camera display on the same side!

For the 600 Flash: I made a suggestion some time ago to build a bigger flash like the Godox witstro. Now we have a bunch of new studio flashes on the market with 600Ws, HSS, TTL and sometimes battery/accu power. For "normal" flash use the power of the standard speedlites is mostly ok, but using HSS we need more power! 

So let´s talk about possible specs:

- 600WS would be a good compromise between power and size

- I think the form is not so important, only size. The Witstro looks like a speedlite, but I will never put it into the hotshoe of my Olympus! I powerful flash will mostly be placed on a lighting stand, so form of the body is not so important. It should be small for portability. I big point for discussion will be the mount for the lightformers...

- HSS is a must have, TTL would be good (and not only for Canon and Nikon!) 

What do others think about the flash?

patarok

@Antonio yep i meant exactly like on the Godox X1T Trigger, which menu options and functionality/customizability in manual are a "stub" compared to Cactus V6II transceivers...

BUT, their exterior is very well designed... you dont release anything by accident with their design... AND YES: with FRONT, i meant facing to the user just like an eyepiece would.

despite the ridiculous explanation with several trumpesk arguments, from Class, (who wants to rectify the display facing to the ceiling because he is a great fan and very thankful for the V6II units.)
you only have to take a look at nearly all other pro-triggers... the display defenitely should face more towards the eye of the photographer behind the camera then to the ceiling.
Sry I have to say that ... But good friends tell each other the truth.(Which means I am also very thankful for such a great product. But that doesnt make me blend out its design-drawbacks that cause bad handling)

BTW: When can we expect a stronger studio flash then the RQ250??? I dont see anything below 600Ws making any sense....
That is, because even with TWO 600Ws HSS enabled flash units...
you have difficulties freezing high speed motion, from a point of wanting IQ-desirable ISO 100...

AGAIN: Even with two 600Ws HSS enabled flash units you will have to set your camera to ISO400 to reach good frozen result, when(for example) you want to freeze a runner starting/speeding up, at the beginning of the track.

Antonio

Thanks @patarok for your clarifications. We will definitely take this into consideration when designing the next Cactus V7.

patarok said:

Sry I have to say that ... But good friends tell each other the truth.(Which means I am also very thankful for such a great product. But that doesnt make me blend out its design-drawbacks that cause bad handling)

We appreciate this a lot. Thank you.

patarok said:

BTW: When can we expect a stronger studio flash then the RQ250??? I dont see anything below 600Ws making any sense....

It's already in the works albeit early design phase. Once RQ250 is out we will be able to focus on the V7 and the 600Ws unit.

Please don't hesitate to make other suggestions.

Thank you!

Class A

patarok said:

despite the ridiculous explanation with several trumpesk arguments, from Class, (who wants to rectify the display facing to the ceiling because he is a great fan and very thankful for the V6II units.)

I'd very much prefer if you spoke for yourself and refrained from putting words into my mouth. I do not hold the views you make me appear to hold. There really is no need for you to attempt and recount my position, so I kindly suggest that you focus on your own input without commenting on the input of others.

patarok said:

But good friends tell each other the truth.

I agree.

Please just realise that you have your version of what you believe to be "true" and others have other views. Just because the conclusions of others do not align with your personal ideas, doesn't make them deviate from "the truth".

branitelj91

So.
First of all, good day to all.
As, already, long term user of CACTUS V6II and RF60X sppedlights, I'd like to be allowed some comments, suggestions.

Actually, not much suggestions over RF60X. It is already for the most part in line with others. Small room for improvement exists, though, in regard to batt doors, where it looks gentle, (to the degree), to me.

But, I had some ideas about display size and placement on V6 II, where I have found it is bit to small and not easy readable in such manner.
So, instead to consider possible V7 as successor of V6/V6II, if I may suggest it to be complement to those two as,
- Transmitter only, (where display could be placced all over the top and respectable buttons too)
- Still have all the bells and whistles of V6/V6II but far more accessible through easy accessible buttons set,
- Learning capability, (allow me here, to explain this):
That long while development of more powerful strobe/monolight takes tome to be developped, we can use some other brands. Regarding to it, (despite the fact Cactus would "bite it's own tail"), it could boost selling of possible V7. That option would allow us to teach V7 with commands of any other brand of monolight and use it as commander for this one. Hence, it would complement previous two as it might use both standards, (Cactus protocol, and others too), in same time, expanding variety of lights used.
- Memory slots to have all preset stored and recalled if needed or SD card slot to store all presets, software variants and so.


As for monolight
I would consider complete different approach.
As we already whitnessed crossbrand platform with Godox, why not accept their logic, but with far more quality in product instead of small price.
For example, any Godox or SDMV or simiral brand will have their strobe within +-200 kelvin temperature drift. That is not much of problem when photographer shoots "every now and then" and have long interval to coach his/her model. But..
What if Cactus would relase monolight with such caracteristics:

- 600, 800 or 1000 w/sec
- not more than +- 50 kelvin of temp drift in strobe mode at 60% power minimum
- battery powered and water/rain/splash proof so it could be used outside
- brand agnostic softbox mount
- LED layer for constant/modelling light
- handle for assistant, (sometimes assistant needs to adjust angles and inclination and with others I found this to be bit of messy).
- Accessory rail, (similar things could be found as military equipment, but with such thing as monolight, much could be achieved if something similar would be placed onto this. It could be used to carry color gels before softbox, cables, some other pieces of equipment that I cannot see at the moment).