X-TTL firmware on transmitter or transmitter AND receiver?

MecaB

With the new X-TTL firmware, is it necessary to download the firmware to both used transceivers?

Why?   

I am using two V6ii's with a Fuji camera and with a Canon camera. Once Canon support is out, can I then use X-TTL on both camera systems by downloading the fuji firmware on to one Tx (and designate that one as the Fuji transmitter) and the canon firmware to the other Tx (designating that one as the Canon transmitter)? 

Is it possible to publish a feature comparison sheet of the available firmwares (being generic HSS/FP, fuji x-ttl and sigma and sony x-ttl at this time)?

raychan

Hello Meca B,

Please update the firmware on both transceivers.

The X-TTL firmware for Fujifilm is good for Fuji camera, while it is supporting Canon flash. 

I'll attached the compatibility table for your reference. At the same time, check the X-TTL webpage at 

https://www.cactus-image.com/special/X-TTL/

Thank you. 

yydeyy

Hello Meca B,

Please update the firmware on both transceivers.

The X-TTL firmware for Fujifilm is good for Fuji camera, while it is supporting Canon flash. 

I'll attached the compatibility table for your reference. At the same time, check the X-TTL webpage at 

https://www.cactus-image.com/special/X-TTL/

Thank you. 

Thanks for your professional direction.

So, your answer means, if use two or more v6 ii transmitters (of which one as TX, others as RX) for Fujifilm camera (such as xt2), I should update them all to Fujifilm X-TTL firmware? And then, also supporting other-band flashes?

Not to consider cross-band firmware updates?

The options in cactus firmware updater really make me confused.

paulster

The way I read it is the firmware dictates the type of camera it will communicate with on the X-TTL firmwares, whereas all firmwares will work with all flash brands for TTL, so your initial assumption seems to be correct, i.e. you'd put a Fuji firmware on the unit for the Fuji camera and the Canon firmware on the unit for your Canon camera, and then the other unit will always be good with whatever brand of flash.

MecaB

@paulster: the setup you are describing is exactly what I mean!
But RayChan's comment could be understood differently:

That both used transceivers need a dedicated firmware of the same kind, rendering the set less cross system as suggested.

@RayChan: is paulster correct in his assumption or does the new firmware indeed narrow you down in the camerasystem you can use?

raychan

@MecaB @paulster assumption is correct. The new X-TTL firmware is CAMERA system specific and cross brand for flash system. 

MecaB

Trying to be 100% clear on this (sorry):

So can I upgrade  transceiver A with x-ttl fuji firmware and transceiver B with x-ttl canon firmware (when available) and use Tx A (as transmitter) on my fuji camera with my canon flashes controlled by Tx B (as reciever)?
And Use TX B as a transmitter for my Canon camera with my canon flashes on Tx A (as receiver)?

To take the scenario even further:

If I were to add a Sigma camera  and a third V6ii could that third V6ii (Tx C with sigma x-ttl firmware) controll Transceivers A and B in receiver mode with the flashes?

raychan

@MecaB

Sorry, what you say is not totally right. 

Let's say I have Canon flash and a Fufji camera. To use cross brand wireless TTL, You need to install X-TTL firmware for Fuji in those V6 II units that is used on the flash and the camera. 

V6II transceiver A TX on Fujifilm camera : FUJ.1.001

V6II transceiver B RX on Canon flash : FUJ.1.001

I hope that will make it clear. 

MecaB

That is a bit dissapointing! It means that for my flashes to work in TTL mode on both my Canon and my Fuji I need to buy cactus transceivers for camera and each flash dedicated to each camera system. It doubles my costs. Sadly this does not sound so very cross system anymore...
Do cactus flashes need dedicated firmware for the intended camerasystem as well?

Antonio

@MecaB

The "cross-brand" notation refers to how a Fujifilm can TTL a Canon flash, for example. 

I think what you are talking about is the V6 II being "multi-brand".  Which it can be too, when you install the Multi-brand HSS firmware.

FYI we already maxed out the storage space on the V6 II so it is impossible to place more than one TTL system firmware in one V6 II. If we increase the storage, the production cost will go up. We want to keep the V6 II as budget friendly as possible. 

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.

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Do cactus flashes need dedicated firmware for the intended camerasystem as well?

There will only be one (1) firmware version on the RF60X, and future RF60.

Thanks!

paulster

Antonio

Going back to the original question though, can you install Fuji software on one V6 II and - say - Sigma software on the other V6 II, and then use The Fuji V6 II on a Fuji camera as the Tx with the Sigma V6 II on a Canon flash at the Rx, or the Sigma V6 II on a Sigma camera as the Tx with the Fuji V6 II on a Canon flash as the Rx?

Ray seemed to imply that both the Tx and Rx had to be running the same TTL firmware type.

Antonio

... can you install Fuji software on one V6 II and - say - Sigma software on the other V6 II, and then use The Fuji V6 II on a Fuji camera as the Tx with the Sigma V6 II on a Canon flash at the Rx, or the Sigma V6 II on a Sigma camera as the Tx with the Fuji V6 II on a Canon flash as the Rx?

Ray seemed to imply that both the Tx and Rx had to be running the same TTL firmware type.

Yes you can.

So you can switch the V6 II around if you shoot on both a SIGMA and FUJIFILM camera. 

MecaB

@Paulster: Thank you for rephrasing my question in a much clearer way!

@Antonio & RayChan: I am very glad that I misunderstood you. The cactus V6II can do what I hoped for after all.

One more question then:

Since the Canon firmware is not out yet, can I flash both tranceivers with the fuji firmware and later flash the one that I intend to use as transmitter on my Canon with the Canon firmware? Or will that brick my transceiver?

paulster

Before Antonio gets on to answer I think I can answer that you you.  You can cross-flash between firmware types.  I saw a thread the other day where someone said they were doing that.  I've also seen people try an X-TTL firmware and then revert to the Muti-TTL firmware successfully as well.

Cactus has always been good about letting you switch between firmware versions (up and down), so this isn't a surprise.

MecaB

Schematically being like the attached drawing.

MecaB

@Paulster: that is reassuring. I'm going to experiment then!

Antonio

Schematically being like the attached drawing.

Nice sketch, @MecaB

And have fun with the experiment!

pjsokal

Raychan,

Hopefully you can help me.  I am using a Fuji X-Pro2 and Nikon SB-900.  I have two V6II, both upgraded to the fuji firmware.  I have on V6 in the camera hot shoe.  The camera is set to TTL flash. The V6 is in TX mode and correctly indicates Fuji camera and Nikon flash.  The icon for "pass thru TTL" is disabled.  (according the the manual both camera and flash must be same brand for pass thru to work).The speedlight in on second V6 in receiver mode.  It Indicates, Auto, TTL, and Nikon.  Both are on channel 1.  The Speedlight is in TTL mode.  The camera will trigger the flash but there is no TTL.  Help please!

Paul

raychan

Hello @pjsokal

The good news that the V6II X-TTL firmware enables to use cross-brand TTL in TTL pass-through mode. That means you can have your Nikon SB-900 on V6II TX top, while mounting on the Fuji X-Pro2 to use the auto TTL metering.

My second though is your are trying to use remote TTL. Here is the setup for your reference.

1. mount Nikon SB-900 on V6II top, turn on the flash, then switch the V6II into RX mode.
2. mount a V6II on camera top, switch on the camera and switch the V6II into TX mode.

There is no need set the flash or camera system in the above setting as the V6II does it automatically.

Set the flash group on the TX unit to TTL. Then you are ready.

FYI, you may have to remove the hot shoe spring of the camera in case you find connection issue with the V6II. Please click the following link for the tutorial video,


I hope that helps.

pjsokal

Unfortunately it did not.  Did exactly what you said and it still is just doing a manual trigger.  X-Pro2 is in TTL as is SB-900.  V6 in hot shoe is in TTL mode channel 1, Group A.  It correctly identifies camera system as Fuji and Flash system as Nikon.  V6 with SB-900 says Auto  TTL  Nikon Channel.  Both are group A

raychan

@pjsokal

I noted that you are saying V6 , the original version. Unless V6 mark II, V6 is good for remote power control, but no TTL and HSS.

All the best, 

pjsokal

Just lazy.  It is V6II

raychan

I see.

One thing you can check is the flash mode on the Nikon flash. Please make sure it's use TTL FP to use wireless TTL.

FYI, using other modes , like A FP, will not work correctly with V6II.

I hope that helps.

pjsokal

Yes it's in TTL FP.  Do you think reinstalling the firmware would help?  I noticed there were two firmware listed on the updater ap and I only installed the newest.  Was that wrong?

pjsokal

Thanks for your help, btw

pjsokal

Ray,

Any other thoughts?

Paul

pjsokal

Ray,

FYI, reinstalled firmware, starting with the Jun update and then the July update.  From f4-f16 got exactly the same exposure.  Not sure if it was reinstalling the firmware or maybe my original testing procedure was done wrong but I am now a happy camper.  One question: When I hold down the menu button to cancel pass thru TTL (using Fuji camera and Nikon flash) rather than the lower left icon saying ch1 it says m1, which I took to mean manual.  TTL did work though.

raychan

I'm glad to hear everything works as expected.

One question: When I hold down the menu button to cancel pass thru TTL (using Fuji camera and Nikon flash) rather than the lower left icon saying ch1 it says m1, which I took to mean manual.  TTL did work though.

What you did is to activate the on camera top flash TTL through the V6II. There is nothing to do with the remote TTL.

Flexigem

Ok guys. I am still confused. Please clarify :
Can a Tx with Fuj1.002 XTTL Firmware talk to a Rx with Multibrand 1.1.012 ?

I have 5 V6 II here, a Xt2, a 5D III, 4 600Ex
I’d like to use TTL on the XT2 while also being able to use the Canon with HSS until Xttl version becomes available.
So I would flash 2 dedicated Tx with the corresponding firmware and mark them appropriately.

EDIT:
Answered my question myself. Tested cross firmware and it does not work. You either must be fully on Fuji X-TTL firmware or on the multibrand HSS without TTL. Mix and match firmwares wont work, though being TX with Fuji and RX with Multibrand on manual flash settings are transferred correctly to the receiver but fires on full power no matter what is set.

Antonio

Correct, you must match up the firmware versions.

Multi-brand HSS:  1.1.013 (TX) triggers 1.1.013 (RX)

X-TTL:  

FUJ.1.003 (TX) triggers FUJ.1.003 (RX)

FUJ.1.003 (TX) triggers SIG.1.002 (RX)

SON.1.002 (TX) triggers FUJ.1.003 (RX)

SON.1.002 (TX) triggers SON.1.002 (RX)

...are a few examples

While I am on it...

Today we releases Pentax X-TTL, it runs on a new wireless protocol. It cannot mix with the older protocol.

PEN.A.001 (TX) triggers PEN.A.001 (RX)

PEN.A.001 (TX) cannot trigger FUJ.1.003

FUJ, SIG and SON will get an new firmware version soon:

FUJ.1.003 > FUJ.A.001

SIG.1.002 > SIG.A.001

SON.1.002 > SON.A.001

The same applies to RF60 and RF60X Wireless Flash:

RF60: 205 > A01

RF60X: 103 > A01

Hope this clears any confusions that others may also have.

Thank you!