A great showcasing of a special location as well as the photographic skills on display! I appreciate the exposure settings info, very handy for those of us not experienced at things that move like this.

It's interesting that considering the often poor light, you still maintain relatively low ISOs .... I'm thinking that this is probably to aid the panning effects ...

It's certainly the case that Cactus make it a bit hard to understand all the different firmware versions, plus when to update. There's a few things I haven't been able to get working with my V6IIs (minor features), but it may be that I should just wait for firmware to be updated.

Hey, Seb, I've just posted a thread a couple of days ago about TTL Radio flash work outdoors and some portrait examples . Exactly your field of interest, but you didn't comment about it! You could make things less desolate by heading there and contributing ... The thread is due a bump, and it might even make it to two pages with your help!

Here's the thread .....link

It's the side lighting and the jagged textures it reveals that makes these. Probably this sort of image is stronger when the "perspective compression" from a farther distance position can be emphasised and the haze and sky cropped out. (Did you notice me get that right, the bit about the perspective ...? ! ....see, I didn't say it was from the longer focal length ...!)

It's good to start seeing photos of the green and pleasant land being shown again, after such a long winter.

Yes KarIo, I will state right here and now that success with TTL flash outdoors may very well be dependant on the ready supply of ice creams in your freezer at the time!

Peter, you make some strong points, and indeed, outdoors it is all about taking firm control over the highlights in the background (in my cases here that gives me a free rim light from the sun) ,....the histogram and Manual camera mode are the tools for this.

Because I cut out the sky with the framing I was able to stay within at the max sync speed (1/180th) , and this has flash power benefits. If I included the sky on such a bright day then I would have had to go into HSS territory to control the sky exposure. The Cactus system makes this seamless however, with automatic switching into and out of HS Sync as you move the shutter speed around.

Thanks also David and Gary for your kind comments and feedback

Yes Mike, well P-TTL is supposed to be the easier and less labour intensive option.... But it's not as simple as that and unfortunately the whole field of Radio TTL is complicated with confusions around compatible equipment and what flashes will do what exactly.

The all-Cactus setup I now use is probably the neatest all-inclusive solution available to us with the widest range of features and choices for flash photography off camera.

Thanks also Gajan, much appreciated!

Thanks all .....Mike, extension cords would probably turn into my worst trip hazard nightmare when out in the garden with the little ones, so Wireless Rules OK!

The Cactus system looks expensive if you're buying multiple triggers to use as receivers on other flashes, but if looking for new flashes also then the V6II plus their own RF60x flashes (built in receivers) makes a very attractive proposition for P-TTL, HSS plus 2nd Curtain and AF assist also.

Stuart, the TTL is surprisingly accurate, in fact independent control of two flashes is extremely fine and precise, just like working in manual but in "stops" (which I prefer mentally). And even with subjects that are still when there is repositioning of gear going on also then the speed of TTL helps.

Thanks also Peter and David, I'm pleased you saw the photos.

Well done Kris on the win with your image... It's still yours and reflects the style and skill of the photographer regardless of the actual capture device. The DSLR still rules for the ultimate in adaptability, controllability, and demanding conditions .... But the phone will more often actually be there and be ready to snap in time.

The flower is beautiful, yes, and the canal ones show us the lush green and tranquility of the location ... Looks all most relaxing!

I'm glad you're back into action again David... Just as well we benefit from that great Pentax feature, Cobweb Resistance ... My K7 also has to rely on that now frequently on and off.

The days when Pentax could be criticised for lacking Radio TTL flash options seem to be well past us now ....

But now that there are a small number of quality flash trigger systems offering TTL to meet the demand, it begs the question of what exactly are they suited for and why would we want to pay extra for the automated flash exposure control, when so many "strobists" so vocally advocate full Manual power control as soon as we take a flash off the camera ?

Here's a few that show how I've been using "Radio P-TTL" recently ......
























Here's a crop of the 2nd one .... hey, who says you can't crop much with only 14.5mp ?!?





The shots were lit with 2 Cactus RF60/x flashes on a a multi adaptor firing into a white reflective umbrella ....




The backlight is kindly provided for free by the sun, and the ambient exposure was dialed down a couple of stops to reduce clutter behind and keep the rim light under control .....

The trigger is the Cactus V6II, set to TTL mode. Both flashes work on the same group and fire together. The light ouput automatically divides evenly between the two..... having two creates a wider spread of light and also allows faster recycling due to halving the power used by each flash to achieve the exposure.

Pentax K7 ; D FA28-105 ; ISO100 ; 1/180th ; F5.6 - F8.0

Why TTL for this, not manual? Of course, you could still be a Real Man Strobist and use Manual, but here's a good use case for automated flash exposures ..... because with these kind of subjects, and with such an informal relaxed situation then I was frequently moving the umbrella around to follow the kids and get the angles right. With distance changes and the mix of ambient light with flash changing also, I benefitted greatly from the instant automated adjustments made by the TTL system to hold the exposures on the faces consistently ...... generally I was using around +0.5 to -0.5 flash compensation settings, fairly normal for portrait work like this.

Thanks for taking a look and I hope you might be encouraged to look at some Radio P-TTL for your outdoor portraits!

Nigel

What will last longer....Pentax or Amateur Photographer? !

I tried on their site but can't find anything .... What does the article say?