Cactus V5

Big Mike

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They are a great solution to the £149 Pocket wizards, Cactus V4 are great. I'd be really tempted to buy them if I needed a off camera flash!
 
My concern with these new ones, is that they are getting expensive. I think a set of the V5 is now $60. The V4 and previous versions were only $40 or less.

I personally wouldn't pay extra just for the fact that they are transceivers instead of senders and receivers. It's not hard to know which ones go on the camera and which ones go on the lights.

I have a few old sets (V2 & PT-04) but I haven't tried the V4 (or the V5), but if they are improving the reliability, that is certainly something worthwhile.
 
I think the idea is that if one box goes out, you can use one of the others as a transmitter since they do both. I use the Phottix Stratto, which looks similar but has pass-thru ttl so the flash can meter to do fill while the others remain manual. I use that feature all the time. Twice as expensive, though, as the Cactus but rock solid reliability at longer ranges.
 
I just got the v5's about a week ago. I am just starting to experiment with off-camera and these are the first triggers I have used so I have nothing to compare them with but they seem pretty good for the price compared to the pw's. I haven't had a misfire yet. I read a lot of online stuff about them, even a guy that had 100% reliability at like 300 yards- way more than I will ever need. I am not sure how the other ones were but one thing I don't like about them is that they don't actually use the hot shoe- you have to still have a wire to the sync port, but it may be a good thing in the long run because I plan to use a bracket with a ttl cord then I can mount the cactus somewhere else and not use up the hot shoe because while the cactuses do have pass-through flash capabilities, you lose the ttl.

Also the v5's use the 2.4 ghz frequency and are not compatibile with any other cactuses. I am also not thrilled with the stands that they come with- kinda flimsy, but I just use the stand that came with my 550ex- much more solid.

The combination transmitter/ reciever idea is nice because you can use them as a wireless trigger for your camer just by reversing the switches (though you have to buy another cord). Haven't used it yet but seems like it may be handy sometimes- better then setting the timer and having to run to a group shot and and posing.

Just my take on them so far with the limited experience I have with them and non-existent experience with anything else.
 
Interesting....I am going to have to add those to my list I think. I was looking at the Pixel units also. The only thing I do not like about the pixel is they are not trancievers and you can not have one on the camera with a flash on top of it like the cactus and the pw's. But the sync speed is higher on the pixel kings. I wonder what the range on the new v5 is?
 
I see they have extended the range from 100' on the V4's to 100 meters on the V5's. My tests showed that the V4's were actually good to just over 200'. So, I would suspect the V5's do have a bit more range than the 100 meters claimed.

The price difference between V4 (receiver) and V5 is $11 a unit. If I didn't already have a dozen V4's, I would probably give them a try.
 
Hmmm, I have been looking for some used cybersyncs but this is interesting. But it only means V5 or the Phottix. Gah!
 
Also the v5's use the 2.4 ghz frequency

:raisedbrow: I wonder how many things the FCC can stuff into this frequency range? Cordless home phones are 2.4Ghz, and they are in the process of moving R/C aircraft from 72Mhz to 2.4Ghz transtmitters as well.
 
Also the v5's use the 2.4 ghz frequency

:raisedbrow: I wonder how many things the FCC can stuff into this frequency range? Cordless home phones are 2.4Ghz, and they are in the process of moving R/C aircraft from 72Mhz to 2.4Ghz transtmitters as well.

most corldless phones use 5.8 ghz now so hopefully they will free up some room there, besides a lot of people (myself included) don't even have landlines anymore
 
I guess I was wrong on my first post- they do work with the hotshoe (with a 20d anyway), I'm pretty sure I remember reading that they wouldn't, or maybe it said it wouldn't work with all cameras. I was just using the cable anyway but I guess I don't have to.
 
Also the v5's use the 2.4 ghz frequency

:raisedbrow: I wonder how many things the FCC can stuff into this frequency range? Cordless home phones are 2.4Ghz, and they are in the process of moving R/C aircraft from 72Mhz to 2.4Ghz transtmitters as well.

most corldless phones use 5.8 ghz now so hopefully they will free up some room there, besides a lot of people (myself included) don't even have landlines anymore

That's cool. I guess I haven't looked at new phones in quite some time....
 
I guess I was wrong on my first post- they do work with the hotshoe (with a 20d anyway), I'm pretty sure I remember reading that they wouldn't, or maybe it said it wouldn't work with all cameras. I was just using the cable anyway but I guess I don't have to.
They should all work in the hot shoe...that is their primary position. Attaching them via the sync cord, really only needs to be done if the hot shoe is occupied or inconvenient.
 
really interesting.

My cheap ebay triggers are getting old. they are still working great but they really dont like the cold weather.

I like the fact they are tranceivers.

I will need 6 units LOL
 

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