Cactus V2s Wireless Flash Trigger Review 1 of 4

[h2oreactor]

Are you really looking at the flash? it flashed at 70 ft?

[blickblocks]

I ordered a generic version of the same triggers. My plan is to mount the flash directly to the bracket and just use the PC cord. From all the reviews I hear these work well but aren't very strong. Why use the hotshoe then if you don't have to?

[motleypixel]

Yes they will. Good news for you too...the V4's are available and far superior to the V2s and the V5s (which I'm beta testing for the manufacture right now) will be out hopefully early next year. The V4's are available at Gadget Infinity.

[davidg1024]

I am sure you have recieved this type of question, but I will ask anyway. Will this system allow me to use my SB-600, my old school Minolta Auto 25, and my other old school flash together? When I say old school, I mean dinosaurs.

[kevbomb]

Hello, Great video. I have a Minolta 360PX flashgun, it is good but old. Does the receiver trigger the flash? I'm just wondering if older flashes lack something which may cause them to not work with the cactus

[dexjapitan]

that a nice demo.

by the way,where did you purchased this item?

[motleypixel]

@dexjapitan Gadget Infinity (great place and service) and today the newer version are much better. Thanks for asking!

[chexmixBMX101]

@motleypixel I'm Getting into some more action night photography mainly skateboarding and snowboarding And one vivitar flash isn't enough anymore. So how does the V4 connect to the flash itself. And what flashes do you recommend me getting?

[Fr4gg3r2]

Damn you are professional. I totally will upgrade my flash trigger using your videos as a guide. Thank you very much for making these. :--)

Greetings from Finland.

[docrw]

Thanks for posting! Good job

[Shain7]

can they work with vivitar sf 4000



[elijahdomingo]

good review, thanks man

[cgouais]

your wife looke nice!! thx for the test by the way!! :-)

[nickliotta1]

it flashed at 70 ft dumbass

[CrashMaster44]

Thanks. Good review. 30% seems like a really high failure rate to me. I need a set with 2 receivers for sports photography. I would hate to miss an important shot because of a failure.

Thanks again.

[drzoomo]

good information

[lfcrule2]

Im fairly new to photography and I wanted a set of wireless triggers, so would these be good for the 430ez speedlite? I'm using the eos 500 which has a crap flash sync of 1/90. (Hopefully when I get more money I will upgrade to 500d)

[anmpir]

lol @ the ordering about of wifey.

[shrimpinpat]

im pretty sure 90% of the time they didnt fire.

[McKIllaG5]

The flashes fire faster faster than the video camera could pick up.

[GianpaoloLaPaglia]

thank you!!

[TheRoundedSquare]

my only problem is if you tighten down the bolt too tight, it'll break the plastic. But then it has to be tight because my canon speedlite 580ex II is so heavy. and i can't do what you did at 2:20, because that's how i put it on a flash stand.

[shrimpinpat]

get some epoxy or mighty putty thatyll take care of the broken plastic.

[andrewwright99999]

great thanks

[punkdude1668]

do you of any for sony?

[Tastemystyl3]

Don'T Waste money, CACTUS Wireless Flash Trigger V2s u cant get the SYNC speed needed to do anything creative. Box says 1000/ but canon only 200 fail!

wtf

Ts = shutter speed

Tf = flash speed

Tr = transmission time from V2 transmitter to receiver

Tfv2 = responding time of the flash after V2 is in use

Tfv2 = Tf - Tr, Therefore, Tr = 1/500s Tfv2 = Tf - Tr = 1/500s Therefore Ts = 2 x Tfv2 = 1/125s only.

So don't waste your money, buy the pocket wizard

[ProfetaParanoia]

that would be great, but I can't afford pocket wizards.

we're not rich, man.

[shrimpinpat]

buying the pocket wizard hmm yes spend like 400 bucks when this kit cost 34

[silmusashi]

@shrimpinpat: well...what if your shutter speed is 1/500? I think you will need pocketwizard instead of cactus for this situation.

[limpciano]

@silmusashi but u can't use flash over 1/320s

[silmusashi]

@limpciano : actually I can. With some set up with the computer for the high speed sync, my pocket wizard can communicate to my flash and let me shoot at over 1/1000 with F2.8. It only works if your flash support high speed sync.

[ginoseverini]

Thank you very much, this is very interestig. Isn't a good idea modify also the receiver?

[Capture1776]

dont appear to be worth any amount of money. buy real once & buy right

[shrimpinpat]

true if u have the money but 34 bucks dude thats not bad.

[mrmindstorms]

Will it work with a off brand flash, like a Sunpak pz42x for nikon?? please tell me!

[JacquesPorneaux]

Sure it will. As long as it has a flash shoe or PC jack.

[sasktank]

it works with any brand of flash

[StrumminBob]

BTW the little mount on the trigger will be flimsy no matter what. mount the flash directly to your stand- use a scrungie to hold the receiver to your flash- and use the sync chord- its a lot more sturdier.

btw ive never replaced my lil cr2 batter the kit came with- but ill be doing the battery pack mod soon.

[StrumminBob]

had my cactus triggers for...oh i wanna say over 5 months and use them atleast 4-5 times a week *not how many time they flash* and i take about over 50 shots with them each day. thats a good 250+ shots a week, thats a good 1000 fire a month, so ive taken roughly over 4000 shots using flash *i do a lot of live band stuff so what haha*

They have never once mis fired and if they did it was my fault for having the trigger on the wrong channel- or the sync chord messing up.

[mikeyorange]

I found the triggers to not fire about 40% of the time. Two days later would not fire at all. Very flimbsy and cover keeps falling off

[Orcinus24x5]

Dead receiver battery. :P

[mikeyorange]

wife didn't seem very excited

[motleypixel]

Works with most flashes...just read the info when you purchase them. Remember these simply trigger the flash so the center pin is only used.

-Roy

[mattyreps]

better yet would they work with a vivitar df-22, its a digital ttl flash, i cant find information on if these will work, i want to know before i buy the flashes and the triggers.

[mattyreps]

very very good review, one question. do these work with certin flashes only. or do they work with most flashes.

[comatosed]

Nice review, I'm thinking of ordering a set right now.