Ok, that's more convincing .... Don't worry, the shoot-through umbrella was binned a couple of weeks ago, as it blew over and hit the tarmac with half the struts broken! Fortunately just as it hit the ground it turned itself into an instant dual flash protector, saving my 2 RF60's from damage! Such are the hazards of using a fairly budget and lightweight setup outdoors. The softbox is more solid and can withstand the breeze better. I think I'll have to spend much more money on Pro grade stands and diffusers to get things that will be guaranteed to stay up in the wind.

I use flash mainly outdoors, and mainly around home at fairly small working distances, so I have found the Cactus flashes to be plenty powerful enough ..... the only times I end up using full power is for close-up macro stuff with one flash in the softbox close in at the side, but shooting at ISO100 / F16. Then it can be a struggle. Sure, HSS can be a challenge when the brightness and sky demands exposure times less than 1/1000th ... then a single flash struggles in HSS mode. There would be advantageous for to using a strobe system then for sure.

I would keep an eye out for the Cactus RQ250 .... I know that it won't be a cheap option, but you will only need a single V6II trigger to control four independent strobes if you want. Choosing Godox still requires trigger stacking even for Manual mode HSS, and there seems to be endless questions over compatibilities to contend with, and every Pentax shooter using it seems to have a different set up and ways to configure it all.

Regarding the support for P-TTL, this is exactly what the V6II does ..... 'TTL' is just a generic reference to digital automatic flash metering. With the Pentax firmware version you are getting P-TTL. As I reported earlier I have been very impressed with the accuracy and independence of control over 2 separate flashes in TTL mode, even when one light is only a thin beam of hairlight. I don't think we could possibly ask for a better third party implementation and transmission of the P-TTL protocol. Another bonus is 2nd curtain sync in manual flash mode, something we don't have with the Pentax proprietary system.

That doesn't sound entirely convincing .

I know you've been wary of the Cactus TTL option, and you've been wishing for "professional" grade strobe TTL support for a long time. Have you looked at the Photix or Cononmark products? Or ir may be worth waiting for Cactus to release their new "250" model lithium strobe, which will offer TTL/HSS with the V6II , plus built in receiver.

It's all going to be more expensive than the RF60x route, but for someone like me, working in small spaces, the hotshoe type flashes are enough. I've moved recently to NiMh rechargeable, and the improvement in performance and number of recycles had been very good ....I took around 100 shots with my recent tests and am still a long way away from having to recharge any batteries

Thanks, there's been very little reporting about it on Cactus Forum.... But then there's little evidence that people have been using it successfully either. I'm on the A02 firmware version, there may be later one for the flashes now, so that's worth trying also.

Thanks ! I'm glad you saw them Derek.

I carried out some tests today trying out a hair light with TTL, and I was very impressed. I popped a teddy bear up on a sofa back and placed a flash behind, about 3 ft back, aiming at the head. The settings were ISO 400, F8, 1/180th, and in Manual mode I needed 1/16th power to light up the rim of the head nicely, with highlights about 60% along the histogram. Switching to TTL mode, the exact same brightness was achieved with a setting of -0.5 stop.

Considering that the hairlight was only a rim around a teddies head, and that the majority of the frame was darkness, I though the metering was quite extraordinary. Adjustments of half stops up and down produced perfectly reliable and consistent steps of brightness changes, again quite amazing for automatic flash metering I think!

Introducing a main light from the softbox in front had no impact of the independence of the rim light at all .... both groups were completely controllable independently. It was just like working in manual mode, but in 'stops'. Very impressed.

Yes Seb, I also am very impressed with the automated exposure accuracy of the P-TTL metering using the Cactus system. As you say it is often no longer necessary to use manual mode as the consistency and fine control of TTL mode is so good.

We can probably thank both Cactus and Pentax for this, as the metering is still carried out by the camera itself, but its great that the two devices seem to play so well together, as I'm not aware there was any co-operation between Cactus and Ricoh.

I have never had a Metz flash, but it has been disappointing to read so many posts (in particular at Pentax Forums) from people who have had compatibility and exposure problems with the V6II and Metz flashes ..... this has created a negative impression and distracts from the positive aspects of just being able to take flash photos with ease, which is what we all want.

Hi Seb, it has been quiet recently, you're right .... it seems to come and go a bit, and members disappear for longer.

The two features with the V6II / RF60x and the X-TTL firmware that I have not been able to get working are the 'Flash Compensate' and the 'Flash power lock'. I have tried a few times and it just doesn't happen as I read that it should. It is not helped by the fact that there is no full Instruction Manual for the X-TTL firmware version, only a Quick Guide. However I seem to be experiencing a bug, unless I am doing things totally wrongly.

As I read it, the Flash Power Lock applies to TTL mode, and is supposed to hold a fixed flash output level while the function is active, even when the framing might be changing. So its meant to be like a temporary switch to manual power. ...... But I can't get it to work ....

The 'Flash Compensate' is supposed to apply to Manual HSS mode, and should automatically adjust flash power to compensate for changes shutter speeds ....so you should be able to adjust your ambient exposure without affecting the flash exposure ...... but, I can't get it to work

Great! It would be good to know if TTL metering can cope with a main light and a hair light, while offering good firm control. It's the sort of thing I've thought of as needing Manual power control, but if TTL with Cactus was abie to cope and remain consistent it may be the ideal solution to these sort of quasi static /mobile scenarios ... It would be the remote control over compensation settings that would elevate it over optical Wireless P-TTL.

Thanks Stuart .... I've only used gels a little, like indoors with a tungsten WB setting and a 1/2 CTO to balance. Also I usually put a 1/4 CTO on outdoors when using daylight WB, just to give a little warmth to the flash lit skin tones. Still plenty to learn about gels!

Yes, there's very little ambient light recorded here, so I used the flash WB, with adjustment leftwards towards cool (my processing seems to bring out reds and yellow so I tend to cool the WB).

Thanks also Peter .... yes, there was some blow out on the rim light, something I didn't pick up during all the action! I did dial it down later such as for the last one.

I worked in Manual mode, but actually there is quite a lot going on to consider and keep an eye on in Manual mode, and its easy to overlook small adjustments when the subjects are changing and their positioning changes also (little kids, like dogs, will not always be still ) I wonder how the TTL mode would cope with this scenario .... ? I wasn't sure about the hair light, but if TTL worked well for it then it could be worth a try ...... what do you think?

Same garden, same fence as these ones from earlier in the week … (link) …,but the sun was not playing ball yesterday so I tried some with a second flash as hairlight from behind, with the mainlight in a 60cmx60cm softbox …. More 'flashy' looking for sure. This time I used Manual mode for the flash exposures (easily switched to with a press on the V6II group buttons).


K7; D FA 28-105mm; Cactus V6II / RF60x Flashes; ISO100; F8; 1/180th























Thanks for viewing and for your thoughts!

That first one in particular is superb, a great viewpoint and the the side light is perfect! A very mysterious place. No doubt the macro rig could find plenty of subject matter there also Derek, but I'm sure it was refreshing to photograph something differently!