Pentax 645z + EL Skyport HS + EL Quadra Hybrid

psenior1 · November 2016

Picked up a V6ii today hoping to be able to take the sync speed of my 645z beyond 1/125th, the V6 does convince the camera that a HSS enabled Pentax flash is mounted so the flash will now fire right upto the max shutter speed. However, I can only get a clean farm at 1/80th or less, beyond 125th and the frame is entirely black.

I've got the V6ii set to camera - Pentax, Flash - Nikon and normal HSS. I've tried a few different settings but no success.

I'm mounting the Skyport HS on top of the V6ii and using the built in receiver in the Quadra. The HSS is working fine with the same Skyport unit mounted to my Nikon bodies...

Any help much appreciated!

psenior1 · November 2016

After much experimenting, I have it working, kind of.

With the V6ii on the 645z, I cant get any sort of HSS to work with the Skyport HS (or the Godox X1n for that matter).

However, using my old Skyport speed transmitter, in 'normal' not speed mode, mounted atop of the V6ii I can fire my quadra's directly using the powersync feature with an adjustment of +10. This works upto around 1/2000th, before the black band appears, but I suspect that may be because of the old Quadra S head I'm using and not the new HS head.

Comparing the exposures to a Nikon with the Skyport HS fitted, they look very similar, so overall I'm pleased, I can still adjust the power of the quadra's remotely, I just don't have the fancy display of what the power levels are.

paulster · November 2016

Are you able to try a Canon version of a Skyport HS, at a dealer perhaps? It's anecdotal, but it does seem that people have had more success with stacked Canon transmitters than Nikon ones in general, and at least one person has got a Skyport HS to work with the V6 II and that was a Canon.

psenior1 · November 2016

Thanks, I don't know anyone local with a Canon HS (I'm in Surrey, UK). The V6ii will fire the quadra's with a HS mounted on top, I'm hoping its just a V6ii firmware tweak to get the sync speed/timing right.

paulster · November 2016

I guess the question is, if a Canon Skyport would solve it, would you be prepared to buy one, or do you want to wait and hope Cactus can resolve it on the Nikon version? If the former then I'd see if you can get a dealer who has the Quadras to let you try the system on the basis that you'd take a Skyport from them if it worked out.

Could be good for them too if they gain a means of selling the system beyond Canon and Nikon as a consequence.

psenior1 · November 2016

I've got so many different types of trigger it seems mad to now go and buy another for a camera system I don't even have! If it comes to it I will, but I'll wait and see if Cactus resolve it first.

Antonio · November 2016

If the strobe has HSS, or the High speed version you guys mentioned, that means the flash fired is long pulsing and would cover the entire frame.

But your current model does not support HSS meaning you can only rely on it's normal flash pulse. If its flash duration is not longer than 1/100s at t0.1 you will have difficulties with banding issues - as you have experienced. This is not something we can do to resolve.

... seems mad to now go and buy another for a camera system I don't even have!

Well, in the world of Cactus, that's a not a problem at all. As long as it is compatible with the V6 / V6 II.

psenior1 · November 2016

Thank you for the information - that makes sense why powersync works and a lack of understanding on my part.

I'm still very happy as I have powersync working, though it would be great To have this with the more modern HS transmitter rather than just the old (dumb) skyport transmitter.

I cant get my Godox AD360ii + X1n transmitter to fire at all either, but I need to look and see what has been said about this problem by others already.

Antonio · November 2016

As for your Godox flash, simply mount the AD360II directly on the the V6 II, it will auto-detect it, and you will be able to control the flash power and do HSS.

twansky · December 2016

After much experimenting, I have it working, kind of.

With the V6ii on the 645z, I cant get any sort of HSS to work with the Skyport HS (or the Godox X1n for that matter).

However, using my old Skyport speed transmitter, in 'normal' not speed mode, mounted atop of the V6ii I can fire my quadra's directly using the powersync feature with an adjustment of +10. This works upto around 1/2000th, before the black band appears, but I suspect that may be because of the old Quadra S head I'm using and not the new HS head.

Comparing the exposures to a Nikon with the Skyport HS fitted, they look very similar, so overall I'm pleased, I can still adjust the power of the quadra's remotely, I just don't have the fancy display of what the power levels are.

Hey mate, great to hear that you made that work. I have a similar set-up but with a fuji X-Pro2 and Elinchrom ELB 400 + HS head.
I can sync up to 1/200s but that's it. On the transceiver the flash won't ever fire if I select "Forced HSS". Do you mind explaining in more detail how you got this to work?
I understand you mounted your skyport HS for Nikon onto the Cactus. But where did you adjust the powersync? on the cactus or skyport?
This is pretty frustrating as I got the cactus V6II's for traveling light and so I could leave my large SLR at home.
Thanks for any help.
Anthony

momofoto · December 2016

I've seen a Youtube video of a guy getting HSS with Cactus V2 / Quadra Hybrid and a Fuji XT-2.

Can anyone tell me if the Quadra Hybrid has anything different about it when compared to the original Quadra and the Quadra RX? I have both and just cannot get this to work

I'm hoping/assuming it's the Quadra Hybrid I need to do this.

Thanks,

Steve

Hellsdroem · August 2017

After much experimenting, I have it working, kind of.

With the V6ii on the 645z, I cant get any sort of HSS to work with the Skyport HS (or the Godox X1n for that matter).

However, using my old Skyport speed transmitter, in 'normal' not speed mode, mounted atop of the V6ii I can fire my quadra's directly using the powersync feature with an adjustment of +10. This works upto around 1/2000th, before the black band appears, but I suspect that may be because of the old Quadra S head I'm using and not the new HS head.

Comparing the exposures to a Nikon with the Skyport HS fitted, they look very similar, so overall I'm pleased, I can still adjust the power of the quadra's remotely, I just don't have the fancy display of what the power levels are.
Hey mate, great to hear that you made that work. I have a similar set-up but with a fuji X-Pro2 and Elinchrom ELB 400 + HS head.
I can sync up to 1/200s but that's it. On the transceiver the flash won't ever fire if I select "Forced HSS". Do you mind explaining in more detail how you got this to work?
I understand you mounted your skyport HS for Nikon onto the Cactus. But where did you adjust the powersync? on the cactus or skyport?
This is pretty frustrating as I got the cactus V6II's for traveling light and so I could leave my large SLR at home.
Thanks for any help.
Anthony

Hello Twansky,

i have the same setup X-Pro2, Cactus V6II and Elinchrom Ranger Quadra, i cant use fast 1/200. Do you fix the Problem and use HSS with X-Pro2 and Ranger Quadra?

Pentax 645z + EL Skyport HS + EL Quadra Hybrid

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