Vello FWIRC-N User manual

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FREEWAVE IR COMMANDER

WIRELESS INFRARED TTL FLASH TRIGGER

FOR NIKON i-TTL (FWIRC-N)

USER MANUAL

THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING VELLO

The Vello FWIRC-N FreeWave IR

Commander is the nexus of your

wireless ﬂash setup, enabling you to

set and control all functions of your

wireless slave ﬂash units. Equipped with

an infrared transmitter, it provides the

freedom of remote IR triggering for

an unlimited number of ﬂashes, and

full compatibility with Nikon’s i-TTL

metering system for total wireless

TTL control. It also oers high-

speed sync with compatible ﬂashes,

allowing you to use shutter speeds

higher than your camera’s top ﬂash

sync speed. Three groups and four

independent channels deliver enhanced

wireless operation, even in busy

environments, and the Commander

itself can be rotated atop your camera

for easy line-of-sight positioning.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Precautions .................................................... 4

Key Features .................................................. 6

Overview ....................................................... 7

Compatible Devices .................................... 8

Installing Batteries ........................................ 8

Setting Up Slave Flash Units ...................... 9

Mounting the FreeWave

IR Commander ........................................... 11

Turning On the FreeWave

IR Commander ........................................... 12

Selecting Channels ..................................... 14

About Flash Groups ..................................15

i-TTL Mode ................................................. 16

Auto Aperture Mode ................................18

Manual Mode ...............................................20

Restoring the Factory Settings ................22

Advanced Features ....................................23

High-Speed Sync Mode ��23

Repeating (Stroboscopic) Mode ��23

The Modeling Light ��25

Autofocus Assist ��25

Flash Exposure Bracketing ��26

Flash Value Lock �� 26

Speciﬁcations .............................................. 27

Troubleshooting .........................................28

PRECAUTIONS

• Please read and follow these

instructions and keep this manual in

a safe place.

• Keep this product away from water,

moisture, and any ﬂammable gases

or liquids.

• Do not attempt to disassemble or

repair this product.

• Use only parts provided by the

manufacturer.

• Make sure that this product is intact

and that there are no missing parts.

• Should this product sustain physical

damage, do not touch any exposed

interior metal parts. If touched, they

may generate an electric shock or

cause a malfunction. Promptly remove

the batteries and contact Vello

Customer Service.

• If you detect excessive heat, smoke,

or a burning smell coming from this

product, immediately cease operation

and remove the batteries to prevent

the product from igniting or melting.

• Do not aim the transmitter directly in

the eyes of any person or animal.

• Always install AA batteries of the

same type and age. Do not combine

dierent types or old and new

batteries.

• Dispose of used or damaged batteries

according to local regulations.

• Install the batteries in the proper

orientation, as indicated by the

markings in the battery carrier.

• Remove all batteries from this

product before long-term storage.

• Keep this product away from children.

• Keep the metal contacts in the

battery compartment clean and free

of corrosion and dirt. Do not touch

them with your ﬁngers. Corrosive

elements on the contacts can damage

this product and prevent it from

functioning properly. Contacts may be

cleaned with isopropyl alcohol on a

cotton swab.

• Handle this product with care.

• To avoid damage to this product,

be careful not to overtighten or

improperly thread any of the threaded

ﬁttings.

• Do not clean this product with agents

containing corrosive or ﬂammable

substances.

• All images are for illustrative purposes

only.

KEY FEATURES

180° rotation: Pivots to

achieve IR line of sight.

Wireless i-TTL (intelligent

through-the-lens): Makes

full use of your ﬂashes’ built-

in i-TTL technology.

TTL exposure compensation:

Enables adjustment of TTL

exposure by ±3 EV with ﬁne-

tuning by 1/3 of a stop.

AA mode: Uses your ﬂash’s built-in

sensor to automatically set the

appropriate power output.

Manual mode: Can manually adjust

power output in 1/3 increments.

Standby mode:

Reduces power consumption.

Internal memory:

Remembers settings when turned o.

High-speed sync:

Allows ﬂash synchronization

up to 1/8000 of a second.

Stroboscopic mode: Fires the ﬂash

multiple times in quick succession

during a single exposure.

Modeling light: Gives the appearance

of a continuous light to simulate

the direction of light.

Flash Exposure Bracketing:

Allows continuous pictures

while automatically changing

ﬂash exposure compensation.

Flash value lock: Locks the ﬂash

output level that’s optimal for

speciﬁc elements of the scene.

OVERVIEW

1. Battery chamber

2. AF-assist light

3. Transmitter

4. Locking wheel

5. Mounting foot

6. LC D

7. Mode button

8. Test button/ﬂash ready light [ ]

9. Navigation buttons [ ]

10. Set button

11. FN button

12. Power switch

Also Included

• Drawstring pouch

• User manual

Front

Back

COMPATIBLE DEVICES INSTALLING BATTERIES

The Vello FWIRC-N FreeWave IR

Commander is compatible with

Nikon’s i-TTL (intelligent through-

the-lens) system. To make full use of

the FreeWave IR Commander, we

recommend using i-TTL-capable hot-

shoe ﬂashes that are fully compatible

with your camera’s i-TTL system.

The FreeWave IR Commander is

install batteries, make sure the device

is turned o and follow these steps:

1. Press and slide the battery

compartment cover in the direction

of the arrow to open.

2. Insert batteries in the orientations

indicated by the illustrations inside

the compartment.

3. Close the battery compartment

cover by pressing and sliding it in the

opposite direction of the arrow on

the cover.

SETTING UP SLAVE FLASH UNITS

You can create a sophisticated lighting

setup by positioning slave ﬂash units

individually or in groups to function

as main, ﬁll, accent, and other lights.

Setting your power outputs to

achieve speciﬁc looks gives you a

professional level of creative control.

Line-of-sight

positioning

Group A Group B

Flash Groups with multiple ﬂashes

To set up your slave ﬂash units:

1. Turn on your slave ﬂash and set it to

i-TTL and IR slave modes, as well as

the same group and channel as the

FreeWave IR Commander.

2. After setting your slave ﬂash, mount

the ﬂash and position it with its IR

sensor facing the Commander by

rotating the ﬂash’s base.

For information on how to perform

these procedures with your particular

ﬂash, refer to your ﬂash’s manual.

Tip: You can combine mult iple slave ﬂashes

within the same group to ﬁre simultaneously.

When positioning wireless slaves to light

a subject, keep in mind the following:

• Make sure the Commander’s

transmitter is facing your ﬂash’s

IR sensor and that there are no

obstructions between the two units

(see Turning On the FreeWave IR

Commander on page 12 for more).

• The eective communication

range between the FreeWave IR

Commander and your slave ﬂash

units may vary, depending on the

ambient light.

• When photographing outdoors or in

bright ambient light, the sensors can

be overwhelmed by ambient light,

which will lower their sensitivity.

MOUNTING THE FREEWAVE IR COMMANDER

To mount the FreeWave IR Commander

on your camera, make sure all devices

are turned o and follow these steps:

1. Looking down at the unit, rotate the

locking wheel counterclockwise to

loosen it.

2. Slide the mounting foot all the way

into your camera’s hot shoe.

3. Rotate the locking wheel clockwise

until secure.

To dismount the FreeWave IR

Commander from your camera,

make sure the Commander is

turned o and follow these steps:

1. Looking down at the unit, rotate the

locking wheel counterclockwise to

release it.

2. Slide the mounting foot out of your

camera’s hot shoe.

TURNING ON THE FREEWAVE IR COMMANDER

To turn on the FreeWave IR

Commander, slide the power

switch to the On position. When

turning o the Commander, it will

remember all your current settings.

Test Button/Ready Light

The ready light indicates the status

of the Commander. When it glows

red, the Commander is ready to

be ﬁred. When the light is o,

the Commander is recycling.

Once mounted on your camera, you

can rotate the Commander for line-

of-sight positioning. The Commander’s

transmitter should be facing the ﬂash’s

IR sensor, and there should be no

obstructions between the two units.

To ﬁre a test ﬂash, press

the Test [ ] button.

Tip: After changing any settings in your

wireless setup, press the test button to ﬁre

a test ﬂash and conﬁrm your new settings.

The slave ﬂashes will ﬁre at a nominal

power setting for ﬁring conﬁrmation.

Automatic Power-saving Function

After a designated period of inactivity,

the Commander will automatically

enter power-saving mode to conserve

battery life, and the LCD will display

the standby mode indicator.

To reactivate the Commander, press

the Set button or press your camera’s

shutter-release button halfway.

Standby Screen

When reactivating via your camera’s

shutter button, standby time will

be controlled by the camera’s

settings. When reactivating via the

Commander’s Set button, standby

will occur after approximately 5

minutes of inactivity. During long

periods of inactivity, use the power

switch to turn o the Commander.

LCD Illumination

When you turn on the FreeWave IR

Commander or press any button, the

LCD will glow blue for up to six seconds.

Lock Mode

To prevent inadvertent operation of

the Commander, you can deactivate its

controls by setting it to lock mode. This

will disable all of the buttons except for

the power switch and the test button.

To lock the device, press and hold the

FN button for ﬁve seconds until the

lock icon [ ] appears on the LCD.

To unlock the device, press and

hold the FN button until the

lock icon [ ] disappears.

SELECTING CHANNELS

On the FreeWave IR Commander,

four channels (1, 2, 3, and 4) are

available. You can use this option

to prevent your ﬂashes from being

Lock IconChannel

triggered by another photographer

working with a similar system nearby.

To select the channel, press the Set

button repeatedly in any mode until the

channel number blinks. Use the Left

and Right [ ] navigation buttons to

cycle through channels 1 through 4.

Note: Make sure your slave ﬂashes are set

to the same channel as the Commander.

ABOUT FLASH GROUPS

On the FreeWave IR Commander,

three ﬂash groups (A, B, and C) are

available, with independent control

over all three groups. For example,

you can set one group to i-TTL

mode and another to manual mode.

You can also combine multiple slave

ﬂashes within the same group.

When setting groups on the

Commander, make sure to set your

slave ﬂashes to the corresponding

groups. To disable a group, choose

the “- - -” setting on the Commander.

Any ﬂashes in this group will not ﬁre.

Note: Be aware of the independent

recycling time of each ﬂash to ensure

all ﬂash units are ready to ﬁre.

Flash Groups Disabled Flash Group

i-TTL MODE

In i-TTL mode, the FreeWave IR

Commander will automatically set

the appropriate ﬂash level via your

camera’s intelligent through-the-

lens (i-TTL) metering system data,

calculating the correct power for all

communicating i-TTL compatible ﬂashes.

On the FreeWave IR Commander,

i-TTL mode and EV are set

independently for each group.

Setting i-TTL mode: To set a group

to i-TTL mode, follow these steps:

1. Press the Set button repeatedly until

the desired group’s mode indicator

blinks.

2. Press the Mode button until the

i-TTL mode indicator appears

onscreen.

i-TTL Mode

Adjusting a Flash Group’s

TTL Power (EV)

Flash output compensation (EV) can be

set in i-TTL and AA modes (for more

information about AA, refer to AA

Mode on page 18). EV is displayed in

decimal form and can be adjusted from

-3.0 to +3.0 in 1/3-stop increments.

EV is set individually for each group.

To adjust EV:

1. Make sure the desired group is in

i-TTL mode.

2. Press the Set button repeatedly until

the EV number blinks, and use the

Left and Right [ ] navigation

buttons to adjust EV.

AUTO APERTURE MODE

In Auto Aperture (AA) mode, your

ﬂash’s built-in sensor will automatically

set the appropriate ﬂash power output

level by measuring the reﬂected

light from the environment. This

is dierent from i-TTL, which uses

your camera’s exposure sensor.

AA mode and EV are set

independently for each group.

Setting AA Mode

To set a group to AA mode,

follow these steps:

1. Press the Set button repeatedly until

the desired group’s mode indicator

blinks.

2. Press the Mode button until the AA

mode indicator appears onscreen.

AA Mode

Adjusting a Flash Group’s

TTL Power (EV)

Flash output compensation (EV) can be

set in i-TTL and AA modes (for more

information about i-TTL, refer to i-TTL

Mode on page 16). EV is displayed in

decimal form and can be adjusted from

-3.0 to +3.0 in 1/3-stop increments.

EV is set individually for each group.

To adjust EV:

1. Make sure the desired group is in

AA mode.

2. Press the Set button repeatedly until

the desired EV number blinks, and use

the Left and Right [ ] navigation

buttons to adjust the EV.

MANUAL MODE

For greater creative control over

your images, you can set the ﬂash

power output level manually.

Manual mode and ﬂash power output

are set independently for each group.

Setting Manual Mode

To set a group to manual

mode, follow these steps:

1. Press the Set button repeatedly until

the desired group’s mode indicator

blinks.

2. Press the Mode button until the

desired mode indicator appears

onscreen.

Manual Mode

Adjusting Power Output

Flash power output is represented as a

fraction. The 1/1 setting is the full-power

ﬂash, and each successive setting halves

the light output, all the way down to

1/128. You can also ﬁne-tune the ﬂash

output in increments of one-third,

indicated by a hyphen next to the

fraction, ﬁrst higher and then lower, e.g.,

1/1, 1/2-, 1/2-, 1/2, 1/4-, 1/4-, 1/4, 1/8-…

To adjust power output:

1. Make sure the desired group is in

manual mode.

2. Press the Set button repeatedly

until the desired power output

blinks, and use the Left and Right

[ ] navigation buttons to adjust

the output.

Power Output

RESTORING THE FACTORY SETTINGS

This restores the FreeWave

IR Commander to the factory

default settings. This will erase

all current settings and replace

them with the default settings.

To restore the factory settings,

press and hold the Set button for

ﬁve seconds until the Commander

reverts to the default screen.

Default Screen

ADVANCED FEATURES

High-Speed Sync Mode

You can use shutter speeds that are

faster than your camera’s maximum

ﬂash sync speed with the FreeWave

IR Commander by enabling high-speed

sync (HSS) in your camera. HSS lets you

use shutter speeds as fast as 1/8000

second. This is helpful when shooting

with large apertures in brightly lit

environments or when freezing motion.

When HSS is enabled, the FP icon

[ ] will appear on the Commander’s

LCD. HSS is set in your camera menu.

For more information on this feature,

refer to your camera’s user manual.

High Speed Sync Icon

Disabled Flash Group Repeating Mode

Repeating (Stroboscopic) Mode

The repeating (stroboscopic) mode

ﬁres the ﬂash multiple times in quick

succession during a single exposure. In

stroboscopic mode, you can adjust ﬂash

output, stroboscopic frequency, and

ﬂash count. Stroboscopic frequency is

measured in hertz (Hz) and indicates

the number of ﬂashes per second.

The ﬂash count (RPT) represents

the number of ﬂashes per frame.

To set the FreeWave IR Commander to

stroboscopic mode, follow these steps:

1. Mount the Commander on your

camera.

2. Press the Mode button to enter

stroboscopic mode.

3. Press the Set button repeatedly until

the desired group indicator blinks,

and press the Mode to enable or

disable the group.

4. Press the Set button repeatedly until

the ﬂash output level blinks, and use

the Left and Right [ ] navigation

buttons to adjust the output from

1/128 to 1/4.

5. Press the Set button to make the

stroboscopic frequency number

blink, and use the Left and Right

[ ] navigation buttons to adjust the

frequency from 1 to 100.

6. Press the Set button to make the

ﬂash count number blink, and use

the Left and Right [ ] navigation

buttons to adjust the count from

1 to 24.

Flash Output Frequency Flash Count

The Modeling Light

The modeling light gives the appearance

of a continuous light so you can

approximate how the ﬂash will illuminate

your subject, and is available on cameras

that have a Depth of Field Preview

button. To activate the modeling light

feature, press your camera’s Depth of

Field Preview button. The ﬂash will pulse

rapidly to simulate the direction of light.

Note: Using the modeling light will greatly

decrease your batteries’ output.

AF Illumination Icon

Autofocus Assist

Camera autofocus (AF) systems can

have diculty locking onto a subject

in dim light or low-contrast scenes.

The FreeWave IR Commander can

emit a red autofocus-assist beam to

help your camera focus automatically

by locking onto the projected light.

Setting Result

Commander’s AF-ILL is on Commander’s AF assist is on

Commander’s AF-ILL is o and

camera’s internal AF-ILL is on

Commander’s AF-ILL is o and

camera’s internal AF-ILL is o

To enable AF assist on the Commander,

press the FN button. The AF-ILL

icon [ ] will appear on the

Commander’s LCD when this feature is

enabled. When your camera’s internal

AF-ILL is on, it will enable the camera’s

AF assist but not the Commander’s. For

further details, see the table below.

Commander’s AF assist is o

and camera’s AF assist is on

Commander’s AF assist is o

and camera’s AF assist is o

Flash Exposure Bracketing

Flash exposure bracketing (FEB) lets

you take three continuous pictures

while automatically changing the ﬂash

exposure compensation between

-3 and +3, once above and once

below the set ﬂash exposure. FEB

is useful for shooting in situations

in which it’s dicult to determine

the appropriate ﬂash exposure.

The FEB function can be activated

via your camera’s menu. For more

information on this feature, refer

to your camera’s user manual.

Flash Value Lock

In i-TTL mode, you can lock the ﬂash

output level that is optimal for speciﬁc

elements of your scene by using the ﬂash

value lock (FV Lock) feature. FV lock

overrides any ﬂash exposure settings.

The FV Lock function can be activated

via your camera’s menu. For more

information on this feature, refer

to your camera’s user manual.

SPECIFICATIONS

Transmission Infrared

Transmission Range Up to 90´ (27.5 m)

Channels 4

Groups 3

Flash Coverage

Display Backlit LCD

Controllable Remote Flash Mode i-TTL, AA, Manual, Stroboscopic

Power Source Two AA batteries

Dimensions 2.5˝ × 2.5˝ × 3.3˝ (6.3 × 6.3 × 8.3 cm)

Weight 4.2 oz. (120 g)

Horizontal: 40°

Vertical: 30°

TROUBLESHOOTING

The Commander is stuck

in the camera hot shoe.

• Make sure that the mounting foot

lock is released.

The Commander is not ﬂashing.

• Make sure that fresh batteries

are installed and in the proper

orientation.

• Make sure the Commander is

securely attached to the camera.

• Make sure that the electrical contacts

on the foot of the Commander are

not dirty. Clean them and try again.

• Make sure the Commander is fully

installed in your camera’s hot shoe.

The slave units are not ﬁring.

• Make sure the hot-shoe light’s locking

switch is set to the lock position.

• Make sure the slave units are turned

on and at the correct settings.

• Remove the batteries from the slave

units and the Commander, wait a

moment, and then replace.

• Make sure that the slave units are

set to IR slave and i-TTL modes,

even when using the Commander to

trigger in manual mode, and that their

channel and group match up with

those of the Commander.

• Make sure that the Commander is

within the transmission range and

the wireless sensor on the slave is

pointing toward the Commander.

Remove any obstructions in the line

of sight between the two.

• Ambient light may aect IR

transmission

• Make sure that the electrical contacts

on the foot of the slave unit are not

dirty. Clean them and try again.

• Change the channel on both the

Commander and the slave ﬂash units.

Make sure all units are set to the

same channel.

Note: After changing any settings in your

wireless setup, press the test button to ﬁre

a test ﬂash and conﬁrm your new settings.

ONE-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY

This VELLO product is warranted to the original purchaser to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal

consumer use for a period of one (1) year from the original purchase date or thirty (30) days after replacement, whichever

occurs later. The warranty provider’s responsibility with respect to this limited warranty shall be limited solely to repair or

replacement, at the provider’s discretion, of any product that fails during normal use of this product in its intended manner and

in its intended environment. Inoperability of the product or part(s) shall be determined by the warranty provider. If the product

has been discontinued, the warranty provider reserves the right to replace it with a model of equivalent quality and function.

This warranty does not cover damage or defect caused by misuse, neglect, accident, alteration, abuse, improper

installation or maintenance. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, THE WARRANTY PROVIDER MAKES NEITHER

ANY EXPRESS WARRANTIES NOR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY

IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. This warranty

provides you with speciﬁc legal rights, and you may also have additional rights that vary from state to state.

To obtain warranty coverage, contact the Vello Customer Service Department to obtain a return merchandise

authorization (“RMA”) number, and return the defective product to Vello along with the RMA number and

proof of purchase. Shipment of the defective product is at the purchaser’s own risk and expense.

For more information or to arrange service, visit www.vellogear.com or call Customer Service at 212-594-2353.

Product warranty provided by the Gradus Group.

www.gradusgroup.com

VELLO is a registered trademark of the Gradus Group.

www.vellogear.com

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

GG1

Vello FWIRC-N User manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual