Okay, here's my written review summary...short video review is forthcoming. Attached is also a pdf of this review:
CACTUS Wireless Flash Transceiver V5 Duo ReviewI first want extend my gratitude to Gadget Infinity (Harvest One Limited) for including me in their Cactus Wireless Flash Transceiver V5 Duo system beta test. I, along with roughly 10 other beta testers, have thoroughly put the V5’s to test and we all agree that they are a big improvement over prior generations.
So starting off with the packaging we see that the box is very similar to the V4 system (just slightly larger).
What’s Inside:• Qty: 2 Cactus v5 transceivers
• Qty: 2 Flash stands
• Qty: 1 3.5mm to pc cable
• Qty: 1 3.5mm to pc cable
• Qty: 1 6.35mm adapter
• Qty: 4 AAA batteries (2 batteries per transceiver)
• User Manual
• When Light Dances 2 Photo Album (just sample photos)
Features:• Highest QOS (Quality of Service) triggering with the aid of Frequency Self-Tune (FST). I’ve been testing these units for 3 weeks now and have yet to experience a single miss-fire. The FST function uses solid-state circuitry that intelligently adjusts frequency to an optimal state after the first 10 transceiver TX-to-RX trigger-signals. Just think of it as a fail-safe design…IT WORKS!
• MAX SYNC SPEED! Designed to work at camera’s max sync speed. Yes, that means 1/1000s in some cases like the Nikon D40. I personally have tested it at 1/250th sec. with a Canon 40D and 1/200th sec. with a Canon 5D Mark II.
• New versatile unit TRANSCEIVER design meaning each unit can be switched to mode (Transmitter) or (Receiver).
• With optional shutter release cable, the unit can also be used as a wireless shutter release. Receiver connected to camera with this optional cable and Transmitter operated by photographer as wireless shutter release.
• TWO HOT SHOES! Each unit features a male and female hot shoe. This design enables an on-camera flash atop the transmitter unit. Very useful for on-axis lighting.
• Maximum Operating Range of 100m. I personally have not tested this distance, but I can say that many of the other beta testers have tested this range successfully and many have reported a much further range of operation. What’s impressive to me is that I tested inside of my 2-story home where the flash and RX was upstairs on one side of the house and the camera and TX was downstairs on the opposite side of the house and all triggers worked w/o any miss-fires. THAT’S THROUGH SEVERAL VERTICAL WALLS AND ONE FLOOR!
• MULTI-CHANNEL TRIGGERING! Very useful for those how like total control over their multi-strobe studio setups. Want to fire all of your RXs? Easy, so long as your TX is set to CH-1 and your RX’s are set to CH-1 through CH-5 they will all trigger. But say you want to trigger only half of all your strobes in your studio. Well, traditionally you would have to run back and forth between strobes to disable them but now multi-channel triggering enables you to easily do this by changing your TX channel to CH-2 through CH-5 and only trigger those strobes set to that channel.
Specifications:• Working Radio Frequency: 2.4 GHz
• 16 channels selectable
• Support sync speeds up to 1/1000 (subject to cameras native sync speed limitation)
• Maximum effective distance: 100 meters
• Operating temperature: -20ºC (-4ºF) to +50ºC (122ºF)
• Dimensions: 82mm(L)x70mm(W)x37mm(H)
• Weight: 58g
• Power input: 2x AAA 1.5V batteries
• Flash voltage handling: up to 300V
• Camera voltage handling: up to 6V
Field testing results:Pros:It quickly became evident to me that these triggers were going to surpass all previous generation Cactus(V4/V2)/Youngnuo RF-602/CTR-301 triggers that I have used in the one and most important functional area, FIRING THE STROBE! These units are solid and the QOS they deliver in this one fundamental area is TOP NOTCH!
The ability to use a flash atop the camera TX is a major plus for me. I consider myself a very light-weight when it comes to “strobist” techniques. I normally use a portable 2-stobe setup and have often wished I could easily keep my on-camera flash in-use. Well now the V5’s allow the photographer to place a flash unit atop the TX on the camera giving the photographer on-axis flash. I use this feature almost exclusively now.
The use of standard AAA batteries and the very versatile spring-ejected battery compartment gives these units a very nice pro-like polish to the design.
Cons:One very common complaint among the testers of the V5 units is how the units attach to spigots on umbrella swivels. Because of the new design, placement on umbrella swivels can be awkward but not impossible to over-come. I show specifically how this mounting behaves in my video review. There are ways around this with some trade-offs such as adding a cold-shoe but a common trade-off here would be added height and/or increased potential for the unit to become accidentally disconnected.
Do not leave the transceivers mode-switch in the TX or RX position as it will drain the batteries.
Pricing and Availability:These new V5 units, like the V4’s, will be available at
www.gadgetinfinity.com in the very near future, before the end of Q1 2011. Pricing has not been published at this time but expect very similar pricing as the V4 system.
Conclusion:Anyone in the market for some other flash triggers? I will have two sets of Cactus V5’s (4 transceivers total) and happily use them w/o worry in any situation. BUY THEM, YOU WON’T BE DISSAPOINTED!
Tested Flashes (non-inclusive, just some tested by the beta testers):• Canon Speedlite 580EX Mk I/II
• Canon Speedlite 430EX Mk 1/II
• Nikon SB 900/800/600/24
• LumoPro LP160
• Vivitar DF400MZ
• Vivitar 283 (high sync voltatage)
• Sunpak 36FD
• NNK Carven 321M (64V sync)
• Sunpak Autozoom 333 Thyristor for Nikon
• Sunpak Auto 444D Thyristor for Nikon
• Vivitar Auto 36dx
