Fuji GFX50 & V6II - A-protocol (FUJ.A.03 / A.08))
I'm afraid that this whole X-TTL concept still doesn't work flawless with some cameras. Need to dig deeper into this, but with the GFX50 the focal length is NOT transmitted to the V6II (remains on 24mm when I'm using the 63mm). I feel that the TTL and als HSS behaviour is far too inconsistent to use in a studio set up. One moment it seems 'acceptable' (without a clear 'wow' - at other moments it gets completely impossible to create the same moodset (I really don't understand why) and is a manual control the only feasible option. Maybe X-TTL is after all an interesting theoretical exercise, but in the real world inter-company getting so complex that it's hardly manageable? I'm not the only, spoke last week with other professionals - they also abandonned Cactus in favor of Godox - what seems to work for them in a 'dedicated' mode much easier and without worries. Don't misunderstand me, I like(d) the Cactus system very much since I'm using multiple brands in my work.- but when I keep on suffering with all those firmware versions like now - I'll be obliged to look at other solutions too since I'm losing way too much time now.
Comments
If so, these are very hard to meter because they show a constant voltage (which is lower than that of standard batteries) and then suddenly drop very quickly when they are depleted. All gadget battery meters I know of are calibrated for standard batteries and fail for rechargeables.
Note that the focal length you see on the "CAMERA INFO" screen is the zoom setting an on-camera flash would use, so it often does not reflect the focal length of the lens attached. The discrepancy between 24mm and 63mm seems too large, though, perhaps there is a sensor format conversion issue. The displayed number shouldn't matter though. The whole "CAMERA INFO" feature is just a way of testing whether the trigger still maintains good contact with the camera. As long as one has consistently good contact between trigger and camera, that feature is best turned off, AFAIC.
Regarding TTL, I'm used to it being inconsistent even with genuine Pentax flashes. Possibly Fuji TTL suffers from the same quirks that Pentax TTL suffers from. There are also some pitfalls to be aware of, e.g., that one can reach the limits of the flash power range (e.g., the flash can't go lower, even if it would have to in order to create the correct exposure) and not notice.
I'm not saying that the Cactus system is flawless, but I do think it used to be a lot better than anything Godox did until the XPro trigger which finally was a decent attempt by Godox.
BTW, I also wish that the RQ250 would have gone forward. As long as the RF60X, or multiple copies of it, are sufficient, the Cactus system is great but what if one needs more power?