V6 ii doesn't work with my Canon Speedlights on either Canon 6D or Olympus Pen-F

GhoulOfTheEast

Hi,

My recently acquired V6ii's intermittently fire my Speedlights (580EX and 430 EX II). While the units communicate and the test button fires off either flash and they communicate between the units, they won't set the flash at full power (the units read 1/1 but when flash fires, it fires at 1/8-1/16 or thereabouts). Updated the firmware on all 3 units but still no joy. Tested on two different camera bodies and two speed lights with all batteries freshly charged.

Any ideas on what's going wrong?

Class A

Have you tried it with the oldest available firmware?

You can downgrade the firmware version, no problem.

My Metz 58 AF-2 also fires at very low power only with V1.1.002. Going back to V1.1.001 fixed the problem for me. I'll upgrade later, once Cactus fixed the issue. Hope it will work for you as well.

P.S.: Make sure to dowgrade both transmitter and receiver. Downgrading the receiver only did not work for me.

GhoulOfTheEast

I think I figured it out. Since I was in HSS, I tried Power Sync and I think that sorted it out. Will test further and share.

Meanwhile, thank you very much for your feedback - much appreciated!

GhoulOfTheEast

OK - so I tried testing some more and I'm afraid I have had a very disappointing experience thus far. The speed light fires sometimes and doesn't fire most times (waited for recharge cycle) - very very unreliable. Tried both TTL mode and Manual (HSS and non HSS). In TTL, the flash (when it fires) is now firing at full power blowing out the image. In Manual mode (HSS/non-HSS), it sometimes fires the first time and then doesn't fire at all. Turning on-off sometimes fixes the issues, and doesn't other times. The flash indicator in my viewfinder sometimes flashes, sometimes is solid, but flash doesn't fire at all. 

Any and all help will be appreciate - else will be sending these units back.

Canon 6D with 24-105 F4L, Cactus V6ii (on latest firmware) and Canon 580EX speedlight. Have tried with the Olympus Pen-F with similar results. 

Class A

With respect to the Olympus Pen-F it could be a hot-shoe connection issue. For the Olympus E-M1 Cactus have suggested to remove the hot-shoe metal spring to achieve reliable contact with the V6II.

I haven't heard of connections problems with the 6D, but perhaps Cactus have.

Unreliable firing always seems to boil down to hot-shoe connection issues. Try to engage the locking pin when using the 6D and tighten the lock lever securely (without using excessive force). If the auto detection of the camera as a Canon works, the subsequent firing should be reliable as well (unless the hot-shoe connection is for some reason really flaky and you break it by touching the V6II).

GhoulOfTheEast

Thanks for the feedback - I saw the E-M1 video a couple of days ago and hence tried all my testing on the Canon 6D to eliminate that potential complication. The hot-shoe connection works perfectly with the SpeedLight on the flash so it's not the camera or flash - potentially an issue with the trigger, even if its a hot-shoe issue.

Is there a support helpline one can call?

Thank you. 

raychan

OK - so I tried testing some more and I'm afraid I have had a very
disappointing experience thus far. The speed light fires sometimes and
doesn't fire most times (waited for recharge cycle) - very very
unreliable. Tried both TTL mode and Manual (HSS and non HSS). In TTL,
the flash (when it fires) is now firing at full power blowing out the
image. In Manual mode (HSS/non-HSS), it sometimes fires the first time
and then doesn't fire at all. Turning on-off sometimes fixes the issues,
and doesn't other times. The flash indicator in my viewfinder sometimes
flashes, sometimes is solid, but flash doesn't fire at all. 

Any and all help will be appreciate - else will be sending these units back.

Canon
6D with 24-105 F4L, Cactus V6ii (on latest firmware) and Canon 580EX
speedlight. Have tried with the Olympus Pen-F with similar results. 

It looks like the V6 II as TX didn't work as expected. The V6 II is capable to defect Canon camera system automatically. To do that, please turn on the camera first, half-press the camera shutter while switching on the V6II in to TX mode. This sequence is matter because the camera would transmits data during the half-press event. Then the V6 II is able to catch the signal and recognize the camera system.

Alternatively, you can select the camera system manually in the V6 II. Please go to V6 II "Camera and Flash Setup", then "Camera Setup", then select Canon. The setting is saved even after a power cycle.

To check whether the camera system is correctly selected. Press and hold MENU button, then scroll the rotatory dial of the V6 II. A camera icon with a "C" will be shown. The "C" stands for Canon.

After that, the Canon 6D with V6II in TX is capable to shoot in Xsync or HSS shutter speed for Canon 580EX with V6 II in RX. 

I hope that helps.

GhoulOfTheEast

Thank you for your response. Every time I put the trigger back on the camera, it recognises HSS and fires one shot and then doesn't recognise that there is a flash (trigger) mounted on the hotshoe. I have to physically remove and place the trigger back on the hotshot to get another shot. Sometimes a restart for the trigger has the same effect, other times not.

I'm lost - is there a helpline I can call? I will be in HK tomorrow - can I bring these triggers in to test / replace?

(The camera system is set up correctly already - I also tried the half press technique earlier.)

Class A

...so it's not the camera or flash - potentially an issue with the trigger, even if its a hot-shoe issue.

That's what I meant: Sounds like the trigger hot-shoe foot has trouble making proper contact with the hot-shoe of the camera.

I guess a trigger replacement would solve your issue. You could give further credence to this hypothesis by experimenting with the spring removal on the Pen-F (I think the process is reversible); if that leads to reliable firing then you absolutely know that there is no configuration issue and a trigger replacement should fix the 6D issues as well. 

Class A

@GhoulOfTheEast:

Cactus put a phone number on their "About" page.

GhoulOfTheEast

@GhoulOfTheEast:

Cactus put a phone number on their "About" page.

Thank you @ClassA - wasn't sure if that was business enquiries only or support as well but I guess I'll call them and try. In any case, too late to bring the triggers to HK today.

Class A

Thank you @ClassA - wasn't sure if that was business enquiries only or support as well but I guess I'll call them and try.

To be honest, I don't know either what that phone number is for exactly but I think you will be helped in some way.

Good luck with getting your issues sorted.

raychan

@GhoulOfTheEast:

Cactus put a phone number on their "About" page.

Thank you @ClassA - wasn't sure if that was business enquiries only or support as well but I guess I'll call them and try. In any case, too late to bring the triggers to HK today.

Hello Ghoul of The East,
 
The phone number on the contact page is also good for customer service. Please feel free to call us or send us email at info@cactus-image.com .

Cheers!