V6 Sync Problems

jeffreymo

I have been unable to get either my Nikon SB-800 or my YN560-II to fire before the shutter closes using numerous different settings with the V6 transmitter fired by either a Nikon D800 or a D90. Camera flash sync set to 1/250 (also tried 1/125 and 1/100), camera flash shutter speed (min) set to 1/60 (also tried slower). Have tried in TTL and manual modes (for the SB-800; the YN560 is manual only). I have tried firing with the camera in manual mode, Shutter-Priority, and Program modes. I have tried setting the the V6's to 1/2 power. I checked V6's to insure that Relay and Delay are off (and that channels and groups are set correctly). I have tried with both flashes on simultaneously, and have tried with one flash only.

With nothing having worked (and having checked both the manual and this forum), I updated my D800's firmware (no luck). I saw that there have been several firmware updates to the V6, but cannot find them on your website (found only the update notes) and also could not find an updater for Mac OS10 (only Windows, which does me no good). I also could not figure out (and could not find instructions) on how to check the firmware version of my V6's.

Please help, before I return these.

Class A

You'll find the "Cactus Firmware Updater" in the "DOWNLOADS" tab of the V6 product page (<- click on the link).

Make sure to have a recent firmware and use the "MANUAL" profile for the YN560-II, or use the "Nikon SB-24" profile when you have an older firmware and cannot update for some reason.

For the Nikon SB-800 it appears you need at least firmware version V1.0.184.

I believe with the above tips, you'll be successful. If not, let us know where you get stuck, i.e., try to fire the flash by pressing the test button on the receiver (on which the flash is mounted on), then try to fire the flash by pressing the test button on the sender, etc.

P.S.: Just to make sure that it isn't the camera settings: Set the camera to manual mode with a lowish shutter speed, say 1/125s. Make sure the flash head is in the frame so that you can see whether it is illuminated.

jeffreymo

EXCEPT, that apparently Mac OS is not supported (just found the tiny small print in the manual). So, the does not do me a lot of good. Oh, well... looks like I will have to return what may be a fine product.

CACTUS: you NEED to add to your specifications list and your notes on compatibility that WINDOWS is required and/or that MAC O/S is not supported. I would have never have bought equipment that is not compatible with my working system. And a LOT of photographers (in the US at least) are in all Mac environments, so you are likely losing a large customer base.

jeffreymo

Also, now that I think about it, how would a firmware update change the behavior of the V6 in MANUAL (non-TTL) mode with wither the SB-800 or the Yongnuo YN560-II (both of which are being triggered too late)? There has to be something else (a dumb setting or something).

Dyeless

I believe mac issue is not really an issue and they will make application for it. It's not a problem to get windows device unless you live far away from civilization.

It's easy to complain about small things like that meanwhile forgetting the price point at which cactus deliver us way more then some x2 expensive devices. I don't believe they will lose "large" if any customer base because of miner issues which is not a big problem to fix or improve.

Best regard

jeffreymo

I might be tempted to agree with you Dyeless if could get it to work with ANY of my equipment. The V6's are not working in MANUAL mode with either of 2 flashes. That is NOT a minor issue. Perhaps if I could get it to work with ANY flash I wouldn't complain too much about the updater. But right now they work with NONE of my equipment.

Class A

EXCEPT, that apparently Mac OS is not supported (just found the tiny small print in the manual).

You can use a Windows emulator on a Mac. There are a least two emulators that support USB pass-through and I think you can use evaluation copies to perform the update.

Failing that, you may be able to use a friend's Windows machine. You may only ever need to update once.

Class A

Also, now that I think about it, how would a firmware update change the behavior of the V6 in MANUAL (non-TTL) mode with wither the SB-800 or the Yongnuo YN560-II (both of which are being triggered too late)?

If we are talking about "triggered" (as opposed to "triggered too late") then there indeed was a bug with the "MANUAL" flash profile in older versions of the firmware.

It did not manifest itself with all flash models -- e.g., my Canon 540EZ worked just fine -- but a few models could not be fired at all. Unfortunately, the YN560-II was one of them. Have you tried using the Nikon SB-24 profile for it?

Regarding "triggered too late", I have never heard of this problem before. Have you tried manual mode on the camera with a shutter speed not higher than 1/180s (in principle you can go up to 1/250 on your camera, I just want to make sure that you aren't too fast)?

Can you describe your setup in detail, i.e., what is connected to what?

If you include further information, e.g., whether pressing the test button on the V6 sender causes the flash(es) on the V6(s) to fire, we should be able to get this working.

jeffreymo

Yea... as I mentioned in my original message, I tried flash sync speeds of 1/125 and 1/60 as well as 1/250, and using shutter exposure times of 1/100, 1/125 and several others. No go. Consistently firing after the shutter closes.

I have tried this transmitting from my D800 to a single S800 in TTL mode and in manual mode, and at various flash power levels. I have also tried from D800 and D90 to the YN-560. No differences on any camera.

BTW... for diagnostic purposes only, I tried in optical slave mode and they triggered normally. But, besides from optical being undesired, the sensitivity of the optical trigger is way less than either the SB-800's or the YN560's built-in sensor (very narrow line of sight).

I will try updating the firmware on a friends machine but, like I said before, that is a significant omission from the system requirements or compatibility listings.

jeffreymo

Happy to say that the firmware update did resolve all problems--even when using as a simple manual trigger (which surprised me). For comparison, I temporarily left one of the three V6's in original state. Indeed, it consistently triggered well after the shutter closed while the updated versions synced flawlessly (in manual both manual and TTL modes). 

QUESTION: when used remotely (off camera) with the V6's set to the SB-800 profile, is it best to set the SB-800 to TTL or Manual? 

Class A

Great to hear that you could resolve the issue.

QUESTION: when used remotely (off camera) with the V6's set to the SB-800 profile, is it best to set the SB-800 to TTL or Manual? 

For just triggering the flash, either choice should be fine.

If you want to remote control the power level of the SB-800 from the V6 transmitter, the SB-800 needs to be in TTL mode. The V6 receiver cannot affect the power level of the SB-800 if the latter is in any mode other than TTL.