Cactus flash and triggers

I'm thinking of getting a pair of Cactus V6 triggers and a Cactus flash, anyone used these with a K-3. These will mainly be used in a "home studio". Any views on these items welcome.

Thanks for the quick response. I will look at both options. Will probably be a little later in the year, (birthday due soon so will start dropping hints)

Wow Nigel, that's saved me a lot of head scratching as regards giving subtle hints.

I was looking for a cactus thread I could hijack.
If I got it right the cactus doesn't allow automatic flash output, although it transmits the ttl information, I have still to test the light output and correct it manually right?

I also start to think that maybe it's not a good idea to buy two units, as the godox x1c and the godox tt600 together cost the same and the godox flash gun costs way less than the cactus flash gun. In future i will consider to sell the second cactus receiver and setup a godox system while using the first cactus as bridge

Hi Seb, yes for now the V6II is a Manual flash system. A promised firmware update in future will bring automatic metering, when Cactus Tx and Rx units are used with TTL capable flashes..... There will be cross brand aspects to this as well.

A Godox system that depends on it's own radio triggers, or flashes that cannot have a V6Ii attached. can not provide TTL on a Pentax camera. The main use for a V6II on a Pentax DSLR combined with a Godox system is to enable the trigger signal for HSS. This is then passed through to a Godox transmitter stacked on top of the V6II ... The Godox system then carries on as it can, depending on it's particular capabilities.

For example, HSS in this manner requires a Godox strobe that can be set to HSS mode manually. Power control may be remote or not, again depending on the capabilities of the particular Godox equipment you're using.

If I buy the one V6ii unit, can I then control both my Pentax flashes (360 and 540, both V1) using it? I'm not expecting P-TTL but in terms of HSS, is it worth it?

If I stack a godox trigger on top the v6ii, shouldn't I get off camera ttl when paired with a godox flash tt600 which is compatible with the godox trigger?

You need 3 V6II units to do what you have described there. One on the camera hotshoe in Tx mode, and one on each flash in Rx mode.



Seb, I don't see any reason to expect that ..... you can't get TTL on a Pentax camera from a flash system that is not designed for that. If you wait for the Cactus V6II firmware upgrade, called 'TTL Without Boundaries', then automatic metering across brands will be possible .... but the system depends on communications between a V6II transmitter on the camera and a V6II receiver on the flash ....you would need to use a flash that allows the V6II to be fitted to the shoe, and also it needs to have a profile for the V6II.

A Godox TTL strobe that is designed for Nikon or Canon may well fit the bill, but probably best to wait until the firmware is released and a profile is confirmed as working before committing.

The TT600 is a Manual-Only flash .... no TTL, so it will not be compatible with any Cactus 'TTL Without Boundaries' in the future. The only Manual flash that will be magically transformed into a P-TTL unit by the V6II trigger is Cactus's own RF60x. That is TTL capable when combined with a V6II trigger with the new firmware.

hmm not sure what you mean, isn't the point of the cactus to give me the ability to use other systems, like the godox for canon? I think I made some confusion, the metering for the output and the godox example were two separate and unrelated questions. I asked for the godox because the godox has the manual HSS therefore I can have HSS for less money.




Although the stacked triggers are monstrous to see

Of course if the TTL metering becomes reality, then there is no comparison and I would go for an extra cactus flash

You asked about 'off camera ttl' ..... but the Manual HSS should work, so long as the Godox Trigger / Flash supports it, which it seems that your equipment does. Then you are just using the V6II to enable a trigger signal from the camera beyond the max sync speed. So yes, that should work for Manual mode HSS. You would be controlling the power from the Godox trigger stacked on the Cactus of course.

But if you are planning a move to TTL in future and also need another flash or two, then the RF60x is a good option .....

The photo is not mine but just a setup a guy told me about, I just was wondering what you think about it as alternative to the cactus flash since it costs half of it. Again the godox setup makes sense until they won't deliver the ttl firmware I guess. At that point I would go for a proper ttl setup . The real ttl would justify the price of the cactus triggers

The thing about the Cactus RF60x is that the transceiver is built in, so you don't need any receiving trigger.... You only need the transmitting V6II on the camera. You won't have the expense of the Godox triggers. If you need a flash or two anyway, then I'd go for the RF60x (or two). They'll work straight out of the box for manual HSS, and they're 'futureproof' with a free TTL upgrade coming!

So no, I can't see any sense in an intermediate step with the Godox equipment ..... It doesn't seem to give you anything other than extra expense.