A radio trigger has been released that can control multiple brands of off-camera flashguns at once. The Cactus V6 is a 2.4GHz transmitter-receiver compatible with Nikon i-TTL, Canon E-TTL and (uniquely) Pentax P-TTL flash protocols.
According to the manufacturer — Hongkongers Harvest One — the system has been tested with “more than 30 popular flash models across a wide range of brands so that the V6 can precisely control their output levels” including units from third-party makers such as Metz and Nissin. It also works with the firm’s own Cactus RF60 flashgun.
Manual flash intensity can be tweaked in increments as small as 0.1 EV, even if the flash’s own menus are less precise than this. You can have up to four flash groups and adjust them independently for complex lighting setups. The system controls for different flashes having different guide numbers (GN) so the output is equal between units at the same setting.
The last products to perform a similar action — adjusting power independently of the camera interface — include the RadioPopper JrX Studio and the Hähnel Viper. Premium accessories from PocketWizard, Yongnuo and Phottix are so far limited to only controlling flashes from cameras of the same brand. By allowing photographers to span multiple brands, the V6 is sure to make buying decisions easier and improve competition in the lighting market.
The V6 also benefits from a bonus built-in optical slave cell and standard sync port, for more old-school flash triggering, and a mini-USB port for future firmware updates. As a remote shutter release there is a delay and relay mode, and if you want to use flash on-camera then there is TTL pass-through for Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus, Panasonic and Fujifilm.
What do you think? Will these shake up the market? Or is remote power control between brands an unnecessary feature? Let us know in the comments below.
The price is US$55 per transceiver (you’ll need at least two) from Hong Kong-based Gadget Infinity or your nearest Cactus dealer. Review coming soon. For more information, visit the Cactus V6 microsite.