Cactus V5, V5 DUO User Manual

WIRELESS FLASH TRANSCEIVER V5 DUO

USER MANUAL

2 15

MAIN FEATURES OF CACTUS V5

Thank you for purchasing Cactus Wireless Flash Transceiver V5 Duo.
Cactus V5

is a powerful yet stable device

that allows you to command
your light o camera, with no wires. You can position your lights at
any angle, direction and distance – the possibilities are endless!

NEW! Support for maximum sync speed

Cactus V5 is designed and tested to obtain any sync speed, so
long as it is supported by the camera (e.g. 1/1000s for Nikon,
1/250 for Canon).

Solid performance

Maximum range of 100m (328 ft) and operating temperature of

-20°C to 50°C (-4°F to 122°F).

Transceiver design

Cactus V5 can be used both as a transmitter or receiver. Operating
mode is changed through a convenient Mode Switch.

Multi-functional

Cactus V5 can operate as either a wireless ash transceiver or a
wireless camera shutter release (requires optional shutter release
cable).

Two hot shoe ports

Apart from triggering wireless ashes, an on-camera ash can be
mounted on top of the transmitter for on-axis lls.

NEW! Multi-channel triggering

Trigger up to 4 sets of ashes separately or all at once.

EXCLUSIVE! Frequency Self-Tune (FST)

Cactus V5 intelligently and automatically adjusts its frequency to
ensure reliable operation under extreme conditions.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

CAUTION AND WARNING

Before using your product, read the following safety precautions to
ensure correct and safe use and to help prevent damage of Cactus V5.

Turn OFF all your equipment (e.g. Cactus units, ash units and
cameras, etc.) before changing batteries or making connection.
Observe the correct polarity when changing batteries. There is
danger of explosion if battery is installed incorrectly.

Remove batteries and switch o the transceiver during storage.

Do not permanently store the product in a high temperature
environment (i.e. under strong direct sunlight, near cooking
stoves/oven).

Cactus V5 should never be submerged in liquid or exposed to
heavy rain unless it is properly protected.

Do not operate the device in the presence of ammable gases or
fumes.

Do not re the ash directly into the eyes of someone at close
range.

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2.

3.

4.

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6.

3

MAJOR SPECIFICATIONS

Working radio frequency: 2.4 GHz

Number of channels: 16

Supported sync speed: Up to 1/1000s (subject to camera’s sync
speed limitation)

Eective distance: 0.3m – 100m (1 ft - 328 ft)

Operating temperature: -20°C to +50°C (-4°F to 122°F)

Flash voltage handling: 0V - 300V

Camera voltage handling: 0V - 6V

Power input: 2 x AAA 1.5V batteries

Dimensions: 82mm (L) x 70mm (W) x 37mm (H)

Weight (per transceiver): 58g

4

PACKAGE CONTENTS

V5 Transceiver (x2)

* 3.5mm Plug Cable CA-350 (x1)

* 6.35mm Plug Adapter PA-635 (x1)

"When Light Dances 2" Album (x1) User Manual (x1)

AAA Alkaline Battery (x4)

* PC Sync Cable CA-100 (x1)

Flash Stand FS-5 (x2)

* also available as optional accessories

512

NOMENCLATURE

Test Button

Hot Shoe (Female)

Status LED

Battery Compartment

Hot Shoe (Male)

Channel Dial

Tripod Mount

X-Sync Port

Mode Switch

6

COMPATIBILITY

Portable Flashes and Studio Strobe Lights

Cactus V5 works with all portable ashes and strobes with triggering
voltage between 0V - 300V, and equipped with any of the following
connection interfaces:

Cactus V5 is not compatible with reverse polarity ashes and some
dedicated ash models, as indicated in Notes on Dedicated Flash
below.

Notes on Dedicated Flash:

Cactus V5 does not transmit TTL information.
Connecting Cactus V5 transceiver to a ash with a Sony Alpha

style hot shoe requires an optional hot shoe adapter (i.e. the
“FS-1200 hot shoe adapter”).

Some dedicated ashes (e.g. Nissin Di-622 and Di-466, Sunpak
PZ42x and PZ30, Sigma EF-530/500 DG ST for Canon, etc.) are
triggered via system-specic pins instead of the central hot shoe
contact. Cactus V5 does not work with these ash models. To
check whether your dedicated ash unit is compatible with
Cactus V5, try attaching the ash unit to a camera of another
brand (e.g. attaching a Nikon TTL ash to a Canon DSLR camera).
If the ash can be triggered, it will work with Cactus V5.

!

1.

2.

3.

Cameras
Cactus V5 works with practically all SLR and DSLR cameras. This
includes all cameras that come with (1) a standard ISO hot shoe,
and/or (2) a female sync port connection.

Other Flash Triggers
Each Cactus V5 unit is designed to work exclusively with other Cactus
V5 units. It is NOT compatible with any other ash trigger, including
Cactus V2, V2s and V4.

Hot shoe
PC sync female 6.35mm port

3.5mm port

710

OPERATION

As Wireless Flash Transceiver

Install two AAA batteries into each Cactus V5 transceiver. Ensure
that all plastic battery wrapping is removed and batteries are
installed in the correct polarity.

Note: Alkaline batteries are recommended. Rechargeable
batteries also work but operation time may be reduced.

Set the V5 transceivers to the correct mode (Transmitter to "TX",
Receiver to "RX"). This will automatically power on the
transceivers.

Connect the receiver (RX) to the light source:
Portable Flash

Studio Strobe

Set both TX and RX to the same channel using the Channel Dial.

On TX, press the Test button. The status LED of both TX and RX
should blink in GREEN simultaneously.

Attach TX to the camera’s hot shoe. If your camera does not have
a hot shoe, connect TX to the camera using a PC sync cable
(CA-100).

Press the camera’s shutter release button.

1.

2.

3.

5.

4.

6.

7.

Connect the hot shoe of the external ash to female hot shoe
slot of RX, or use the PC sync cable to connect RX to the ash’s
PC sync port.

Connect RX to your strobe using a 3.5mm plug cable (CA-350) or
with a 6.35mm adapter (PA-635), according to your strobe’s port
size.

8 9

As Wireless Shutter Release

Install two AAA batteries into each Cactus V5 transceiver. Ensure
that all plastic battery wrapping is removed and batteries are
installed in the correct polarity.

Set the V5 transceivers to the correct mode (Transmitter to "TX",
Receiver to "RX"). This will automatically power on the
transceivers.

Connect RX to your camera using an appropriate shutter release
cable.

Set both TX and RX to the same channel using the Channel Dial.
Ensure the channel set on the wireless shutter release transceivers
is dierent from that set on the wireless ash transceivers (if any).

Half press the Test button on TX to auto focus. The status LED on
both TX and RX will turn ORANGE to indicate auto focus.

Full press the Test button on TX for shutter release. The status LED
on both transceivers will turn GREEN to indicate shutter release.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

(requires optional shutter release cable)

Notes:

!

This function requires the use of a separately purchased shutter
release cable for connection between the transceiver and camera. This
cable is NOT included.

A minimum of two Cactus V5 transceivers are required to operate
Cactus V5 as a wireless shutter release.

As Wireless Shutter Release in Bulb Mode

Setup V5 transceivers as Wireless Shutter Release.

Full press and hold the Test button on TX. The status LED on TX
will turn GREEN at rst and go o after approximately 2 seconds.
The camera’s shutter is now in a continually opened state. Note
that the RX transceiver’s status LED remains on in GREEN while the
camera’s shutter is still opened.

Release the Test button on TX.

1.

2.

3.

(requires optional shutter release cable)

4.

LED SIGNAL OUTLINE

Transceiver Status

Indicator on TX Indicator on RX

Flash transceiver mode Green

Green

Green

Green

Red

None

None

Green

(for 2 seconds)

(every 3 seconds)

Red

(every 3 seconds)

(continuously after

activation)

Orange

Shutter release mode

Half-press auto focus

Bulb mode activation

Bulb mode closed

Low battery on TX

Low battery on RX

MULTI-CHANNEL TRIGGERING

Multi-channel triggering is a new feature of Cactus V5. With this new
function, you can now trigger up to four (4) sets of ashes and strobes
separately or all at once.

On the side of each V5 transceiver is a rotary Channel Dial with the
numbers 1 to 16 printed, 1 to 5 in blue color, and 6 to 16 in white. The
Channel Dial is used to change the transceiver channel – either in TX
or RX mode – from one to another.

To make use of the multi-channel triggering
feature, ensure that the TX transceiver is set to
Channel 1, while RX transceivers for ashes and
strobes to be triggered by this TX transceiver is
set to a "channel in blue" (i.e. Channels 1 to 5).

To close the camera shutter, full press and release the Test button
on TX once more. The GREEN status LED on both TX and RX will
blink simultaneously.

FREQUENCY SELF-TUNE (FST)

A common issue with ash triggering systems is the unintentional
frequency shift in relation to temperature change. This results in high
failure rate when exposed to extreme weather conditions. Frequency
Self-Tune (FST) is a new exclusive feature of V5 that minimizes the
likelihood of misres to ensure reliable performance.

The concept behind FST is simple – every V5 transceiver is equipped
with a chipset that records the last functioning frequency (i.e. the
frequency level at which V5 works) at dierent temperature levels.
When the V5 transceiver is exposed to extreme conditions, it will
self-calibrate to this last working frequency after each ring.

To take full advantage of this new feature, it is advised that a “test
ring” be done before taking the actual shot. This will ensure that the
V5 transceiver in either Transmitter or Receiver mode will be
calibrated to a functioning frequency, and that important and
stunning photographs will not be missed!

FST is especially useful when V5 is exposed to the following extreme
conditions:

when operating temperature is <-5°C or

>+3

0°C (<23°F or >86°F);
when there is a sudden temperature change of larger than 20°C
(68°F) or more.

1.

2.

For sudden temperature changes larger than 20°C (68°F), it is highly
advised that a series of test rings be done to ensure that V5 is tuned
to a functioning frequency. It is suggested that a ve-minute interval
or about 5-10 test rings be allowed for V5 to adjust to the new
temperature.

11

TROUBLESHOOTING

Before reading this section, ensure that Cactus V5 transceivers have
been set up correctly (follow the instructions in the Operation section
of this manual).

If the problem persists after conducting the troubleshooting steps,
contact your seller directly for further assistance.

1. Flash Misre (Unexpected Flash Firing)

Poor hot shoe connection

Background radio
interference

Adjust tightness of hot shoe

contact

Remove hot shoe metal plate

Clean hot shoe contact of V5

and ash with clean cloth

LED blinks?

TX: No
RX: No

TX: No
RX: Yes (GREEN)

Possible Cause Solution

Set both transceivers to

another channel

Change setup location as

interference may come from

other equipment in the

surrounding area

Place the TX and RX

transceivers at least one meter

apart and retry

1.

TX and RX transceivers are
placed too close to each
other

2.

2. Slow Synchronization (Delayed Flash)

Insucient battery power

Adjust the camera’s shutter

speed to the maximum

supported x-sync speed

LED blinks?

TX: Yes (GREEN)
RX: Yes (GREEN)

TX or RX: Yes
(RED every 3 secs)

Possible Cause Solution

Ensure ash trigger transceivers

are set to a dierent channel

from that used by wireless

shutter release transceivers

Replace batteries and retry

Radio interference with
wireless shutter release

2.

Shutter speed is faster
than the camera’s x-sync
limitation

1.

3. Flash Not Triggered / Shutter Not Released

Poor battery contact or
battery out of power on TX

Shutter speed is faster than
the camera’s x-sync
limitation

Poor battery contact or
battery out of power on RX

Replace batteries on TX and
retry

Adjust the camera’s shutter
speed to the maximum
supported x-sync speed

LED blinks?

TX: No
RX: No

TX: Yes (GREEN)
RX: No

TX: Yes (GREEN)
RX: Yes (GREEN)

Possible Cause Solution

Replace batteries on RX and
retry

Ensure both transceivers are set
to the same channel

Set both transceivers to another
channel

Change setup location as
interference may come from
other equipment in the
surrounding area

Make sure TX and RX
transceivers are placed within
100m (328 ft) of each other

Note: The eective range of
100m (328 ft) may not be
achieved in the presence of
radio interference

1.

1.

2.

Poor hot shoe contact Adjust tightness of hot shoe

contact

Remove hot shoe metal plate

Clean hot shoe contact of V5 and
ash with clean cloth

1.

Poor cable connection Check cable connection

Change cable

3.

Wrong cable is used (only
when V5 used Wireless
Shutter Release)

Ensure that an appropriate
shutter release cable is used

4.

Channel mismatch2.

Check that the ash used is
compatible with V5 (refer to
Compatibility section of this
user manual)

Flash used is not
compatible with V5

2.

Background radio
interference

3.

Beyond 100m eective
range

4.

13

NOTICES

NOTICES FOR CUSTOMERS IN THE U.S.A.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Radio Frequency
Interference Statements

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits
for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These
limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates,
uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee
that interference will not occur in a particular installation.

If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment o and
on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or
more of the following measures:

HARVEST ONE LIMITED AND THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS WIRELESS
FLASH TRANSCEIVER IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY RADIO OR TV
INTERFERENCE CAUSED BY UNAUTHORIZED MODIFICATIONS TO THIS
EQUIPMENT. SUCH MODIFICATIONS COULD VOID THE USER AUTHORITY
TO OPERATE THE EQUIPMENT

FCC ID: VAAWFTV5
MADE IN CHINA

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2)
this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.

Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit dierent from
that to which the receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Cactus

V5

14

This product Wireless Flash Transceiver V5 is in
conformity with the provisions of EU Council
Directive: 1999/5/EC.

The crossed-out wheeled bin means that within the
European Union the product must be disposed
separately at the end of product cycle. Do not
dispose this product with other municipal waste.

R&TTE DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY (DOC)

We, Harvest One Limited, 9D On Shing Industrial Building, 2-16 Wo Liu
Hang Road, Fo Tan, Hong Kong, declare under our own responsibility
that the product:

CACTUS WIRELESS FLASH TRANSCEIVER V5

is in conformity with the essential requirements and other relevant
requirements of the R&TTE Directive (1999/5/EC).

The products are compliant with the following standards and/or other
normative documents:

SAFETY EN 50371: 2002
EMC

EN301 489-1 V1.8.1
EN301 489-3 V1.4.1

Radio

EN300 440-1 V1.5.1
EN300 440-2 V1.3.1

Supplementary information:
Technical le held by: Harvest One Limited

Place and date of issue:

Centre Testing International
Corporation,
Build C, Hongwei Industrial Zone,
Baoan 70 District, Shenzhen, China
December 24, 2010

Signed by or for the
manufacturer:

Name: Ling Wai Kwan Date of Signature
Title: Director

24 Dec 2010

WARRANTY

The limited warranty set forth below is given by Harvest One Limited in
the world with respect to the Cactus brand Wireless Flash Transceiver
purchased with this limited warranty.

Your Cactus Wireless Flash Transceiver or other contents, when
delivered to you in new condition in its original container, is warranted
against defects in materials or workmanship as follows: for a period of
one (1) year from the date of original purchase, defective parts or a
defective Wireless Flash Transceiver returned to our authorized dealers,
as applicable, and proven to be defective upon inspection, will be
repaired with new or comparable rebuilt parts or exchanged for a new
Wireless Flash Transceiver as determined by Harvest One Limited or the
authorized dealers.

This limited warranty shall only apply if the Wireless Flash Transceiver is
used in conjunction with compatible camera and ash equipment, as
to which items, Harvest One Limited, shall have no responsibility.

This limited warranty covers all defects encountered in normal use of
the Wireless Flash Transceiver, and does not apply in any of the
following cases:

Loss of or damage to the Wireless Flash Transceiver due to abuse,
mishandling, improper packaging by you, alteration, accident,
electrical current uctuations.
Failure to follow operating, maintenance or environmental
instructions prescribed in Cactus user's manual.
Receive services performed by someone other than Harvest One
Limited or authorized dealers.
Without limiting the foregoing, water damage, sand/corrosion
damage, battery leakage, dropping the transceiver, scratches,
abrasions or damage to the body, or damage to the hot shoe or PC
cables, will be presumed to have resulted from misuse, abuse or
failure to operate the Wireless Flash Transceiver as set forth in the
operating instructions.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

NO IMPLIED WARRANTY, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANT­ABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, APPLIES TO THE WIRELESS

FLASH

TRANSCEIVER

AFTER THE APPLICABLE PERIOD OF THE EXPRESS LIMITED

WARRANTY STATED ABOVE, AND NO OTHER EXPRESS WARRANTY OR GUARANTY,

WIRELESS FLASH TRANSCEIVER V5 DUO

CORPORATE OFFICE:

Harvest One Limited
9D On Shing Ind. Bldg.,
2-16 Wo Liu Hang Road,
Fo Tan, Hong Kong

Please contact your local dealer for customer services.

EXCEPT AS MENTIONED ABOVE, GIVEN BY ANY PERSON OR ENTITY WITH
RESPECT TO THE WIRELESS FLASH

TRANSCEIVER

SHALL BIND HARVEST ONE
LIMITED. HARVEST ONE LIMITED SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR LOSS OF REVENUES
OR PROFITS, INCONVENIENCE, EXPENSE FOR SUBSTITUTE EQUIPMENT OR
SERVICE, STORAGE CHARGES, LOSS OR CORRUPTION OF DATA OR ANY OTHER
SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE USE OR

MISUSE OF, OR INABILITY TO USE, THE WIRELESS FLASH

TRANSCEIVER

,
REGARDLESS OF THE LEGAL THEORY ON WHICH THE CLAIM IS BASED, AND EVEN
IF HARVEST ONE LIMITED HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGES. IN NO EVENT SHALL RECOVERY OF ANY KIND AGAINST HARVEST ONE
LIMITED GREATER IN AMOUNT THAN THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE CACTUS

WIRELESS FLASH

TRANSCEIVER

SOLD BY HARVEST ONE LIMITED OR ITS
AUTHORIZED DEALERS AND CAUSING THE ALLEGED DAMAGE. WITHOUT
LIMITING THE FOREGOING, YOU ASSUME ALL RISK AND LIABILITY FOR LOSS,
DAMAGE OR INJURY TO YOU AND YOUR PROPERTY AND TO OTHERS AND THEIR
PROPERTY ARISING OUT OF USE OR MISUSE OF, OR INABILITY TO USE, THE

CACTUS WILRESS FLASH

TRANSCEIVER

NOT CAUSED DIRECTLY BY THE
NEGLIGENCE OF HARVEST ONE LIMITED. THIS LIMITED WARRANTY SHALL NOT
EXTEND TO ANYONE OTHER THAN THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER OF HARVEST ONE
LIMITED, OR THE PERSON FOR WHOM IT WAS PURCHASED AS A GIFT, AND STATES
YOUR EXCLUSIVE REMEDY.

© HARVEST ONE LTD. 2013 2nd edition, June 2013