cactus v5 question: trigger shutter and flash?

I'm new to remote triggering so this may be a noob question but I have 3 cactus v5 transcievers. I set up one on my flash (yongnuo 560) and one with a cord to fire the shutter. I can execute both using the third but they don't sync. the shutter releases after the flash so the image has none of the light in it.

any suggestions? I'm using a Lumix GF1 and my present feeling is that it's just not fast enough (?).

thanks!

Alex C W wrote:

I'm new to remote triggering so this may be a noob question but I have 3 cactus v5 transcievers. I set up one on my flash (yongnuo 560) and one with a cord to fire the shutter. I can execute both using the third but they don't sync. the shutter releases after the flash so the image has none of the light in it.

any suggestions? I'm using a Lumix GF1 and my present feeling is that it's just not fast enough (?).

thanks!

Joseph S Wisniewski is correct--you will need 4 transceivers to fire the shutter and flash remotely--1 in your hand as a remote shutter trigger and 1 connected to your camera's remote terminal port (both sync'd to the same channel), then 1 in your camera's hot shoe, and 1 attached to your YN-560 (both of these sync'd to the same channel, but to a different channel than the first two).

Joseph (and father of Jayden):

thank you!!

this is very simple and makes total sense but I've been unable to find the answer elsewhere. I had assumed that this was an issue either with the Cactus transceivers, the Lumix or a combination -- never thought of it as a universal issue and so was probably googling too specifically...

well, I guess that means I'll have to put another Cactus on order (would have been cheaper to buy a 2 set than 2x 1 set > but that's the cost of learning. well, if I buy a 2 set now I guess I can remote trigger and fire two flashes (if I get a second) so... but it's a lot of gear to carry!

the other thing that's weird -- and I know this is a different issue -- is that when I set a 10 second timer on the camera the flash doesn't fire. it usually does with a 2 second timer... not sure what to make of that, either.

again -- thanks!!

EDIT: I realize that, for now, I can pick up a cheap wifi remote trigger for my camera for $20. less sophisticated than another 2x Cactus v5 but $50USD cheaper... which is a second flash, basically so...

Alex C W wrote:

Joseph (and father of Jayden):

thank you!!

this is very simple and makes total sense but I've been unable to find the answer elsewhere. I had assumed that this was an issue either with the Cactus transceivers, the Lumix or a combination -- never thought of it as a universal issue and so was probably googling too specifically...

well, I guess that means I'll have to put another Cactus on order (would have been cheaper to buy a 2 set than 2x 1 set > but that's the cost of learning. well, if I buy a 2 set now I guess I can remote trigger and fire two flashes (if I get a second) so... but it's a lot of gear to carry!

the other thing that's weird -- and I know this is a different issue -- is that when I set a 10 second timer on the camera the flash doesn't fire. it usually does with a 2 second timer... not sure what to make of that, either.

again -- thanks!!

EDIT: I realize that, for now, I can pick up a cheap wifi remote trigger for my camera for $20. less sophisticated than another 2x Cactus v5 but $50USD cheaper... which is a second flash, basically so...

I have 6 Cactus v5's and after Gadget Infinity worked out a couple of bugs, they do everything as advertised, and at a fraction of the cost of some name brand triggers. Not all of the same features, but they do everything that I want/need them to do.

For future reference, below is Gadget Infinity's video on how to use the v5's for remote shutter release:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=strNXh2LWVE

Personally, I would invest the extra $$$ in another duo set of Cactus v5's, even if you have to wait/save to do it. Then your kit will be more veratile and expandable--they can be used as wireless flash triggers or for wireless shutter release, so if you add more flashes in the future, you will already have the triggers for them. And it's always a good idea to have backups, anyway.

Hi Joseph, i was doing a little research on the Cactus V5 and I came across our reply to this query. I have  never used triggers before, but you have convinced me to give them a try. I will order two sets of the V5's.

Any recommendations of flashes to use the V5.

Thanks for the explanation.

Joseph S Wisniewski wrote:

Alex C W wrote:

I'm new to remote triggering so this may be a noob question but I have 3 cactus v5 transcievers. I set up one on my flash (yongnuo 560) and one with a cord to fire the shutter. I can execute both using the third but they don't sync. the shutter releases after the flash so the image has none of the light in it.

any suggestions? I'm using a Lumix GF1 and my present feeling is that it's just not fast enough (?).

No camera is fast enough. The flash is essentially instant, so it always fires before the camera.

The way you make this work is to put two units on the camera, one in your hand, and one on your flash. That's 4, total.

• Set one as a receiver, pick a random channel, like 1, and connect it to the camera's shutter cable.

• Set one as a transmitter, set it to the same channel as the above receiver. That's your remote trigger. Try it, make sure it fired the camera.

• Set one as a transmitter, set it to a different channel than the units above, say channel 2, and connect it to the camera's flash connecter or stick it in the hot shoe. That's going to transmit when the camera's shutter is open.

• Set the last one as a receiver, set it to the same channel as the above transmitter, and put the flash in the hot shoe.

Now, when you press the button on the one in your hand, it transmits on channel 1. The receiver connected to the shutter cable picks this up, and fires the camera. The camera's flash connector triggers the transmitter set to channel 2, which then fires the flash on the channel 2 receiver.

Simple? No?