Cactus RF60X User manual

User Manual

Wireless

Flash

RF60X

2

Table of Contents

1. Getting to Know your RF60X 03

2. Caution and Warnings 04

3. Major Specif ications 05

4. Package Contents 06

5. Nomenclature 07

6. LCD Panel 08

7. Getting Started 08

8. On-camera Operation: 19

Local Mode

9. Wireless Flash: 21

Master and Slave Modes

10. Group Aliases 26

11. Advanced Operation 28

12. Personalizing the RF60X 44

13. Working with Cactus 50

Triggers

14. External Power 53

15. Forming the Capacitor 54

16. USB Connection 54

17. Optional Accessories 55

18. Troubleshooting 55

19. Notices 59

20. Warranty 62

3

1. Getting to Know your

RF60X

Thank you for purchasing the Cactus

Wireless Flash RF60X. The RF60X is

u n i q u e a m o n g oth e r  a s h e s

available in the market. With a built-

in transmitter and receiver, it not

only receives wireless signals, but

also functions as a commander to

control other RF60X or RF60. The

possibilities are endless!

This new RF60X features outstanding

improvement from its predecessor:

– Exclusive! Cooling mode to prevent

RF60X from overheat cut-off;

– Quick full-power recharge time at

1.9 s;

– Auto-focus assist light in sync

with other Cactus devices;

– Automatic wireless HSS support in

Slave mode for Canon, Fujif ilm,

Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax

when working with V6 II; and Sony

with V6 IIs transceiver.

Other features include:

– Built-in wireless commander and

receiver

– Remote control of power and zoom

levels

– Group control of up to four groups

wi th conf igurab le Group Alias

– Optical slave with delay feature

– High power up to Guide Number of

56 meters

4

– Compatible with Cactus V6 IIs,

V6 II and V6 Wireless Flash

Transceivers

– Multi-ash feature

2. Caution and Warnings

Before using the product, read the

following instructions to ensure

correct and safe use and to help

prevent damage of the Cactus RF60X.

1. Turn OFF all your equipment

(Cactus units, cameras, etc.)

before changing batteries or

making a connection.

2. Remove batteries and switch off

t h e  a s h w h e n it i s n ot i n u s e.

3. Use only the batteries specif ied

in this instruction manual.

4. Do not permanently store the

product in a high temperature

environment (i.e., under strong

direct sunlight, near cooking

stoves or oven).

5. T h e  a s h s h o u l d n ot b e s u b m er g e d

in liquid or exposed to heavy

rain unless it is properly

protected.

6. Do not operate the device in the

presence of ammable gases or

fu m es.

7. D o n o t f ir e t h e  a s h d ir ectl y

into the eyes of someone at close

ra n ge.

8. D o n o t f ir e th e  a s h d ir e ctl y a t

the driver of a moving car.

5

3. Major Speciﬁcations

– Guide Number (ISO 100):

Zoo m (m m)

24 28 35 50 70 80 105

GN (meter)

33 34 38 45 51 54 56

GN (fe et)

108 112 124 147 168 177 183

– Motor zooms: 24 mm – 28 mm – 35 mm

– 50 mm – 70 mm – 80 mm – 105 mm

– Power levels (22 in total):

1/1 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/16 1/32 1/64 1/128

1/2

+0.3 1/4 +0.3 1/8 +0.3 1/16 +0.3 1/32 +0.3 1/64 +0.3 1/128 +0.3

1/2 +0.7 1/4 +0.7 1/8 +0.7 1/16 +0.7 1/32 +0.7 1/64 +0.7 1/128 +0.7

– Flash durations (t.5):

1/1,000 – 1/45,000 sec

– Modes: Local (L), Master (M), and

Slave (S)

– Working radio frequency: 2.4 GHz

– Number of channels: 16

– Number of groups: 4

– Maximum wireless effective

distance: 100 meters (328 feet)

– Built-in optical slave

– AF-assist light: 1W LED

– Power input: 4 AA-sized batteries

Battery Type

Primary LR6

Alkaline 1.5V

Rechargeable

HR6 Ni-MH 1.2V

Flash Count

at Full Power

110 170

Recycle Time

at Full Power

2.5 s e c 1.9 s e c

– Color temperature at full power:

5600k +/- 200k

– Operating temperature:

-20°C to +50°C

– Dimensions: 205 x 83 x 61 mm

– Net weight: 395 g

6

4. Package Contents

X

Flash RF60X

Carrying Case FC-3

User Manual

Flash Stand FS-2

7

5. Nomenclature

x

WIDE ANGLE DIFFUSER

AND BOUNCE CARD

FRESNEL LENS

OPTICAL SENSOR

TRIPOD MOUNT

EXTERNAL POWER

CONNECTOR

CONNECTOR COVER

MOUNTING FOOT

CONNECTOR COVER

3.5 mm CONNECTOR

HOT SHOE CONTACT

BOUNCE ANGLE

INDICATOR

LCD PANEL

MODE BUTTON

MENU BUTTON

- BUTTON

NEXT BUTTON

+ BUTTON

ON/OFF SW ITCH

TEST BUTTON/

FLASH-READY INDICATOR

BATTERY COMPARTMENT

DOOR

MULTI/HSS BUTTON

GROUP BUTTON

USB PORT

HOT SHOE

LOCKING WHEEL

AF-ASSIST

LIGHT

8

6. LCD Panel

7. Getting Started

Inserting Batteries

1. Using your thumb, press on the

battery compartment door and

slide it open in the direction

shown by the arrow.

7.1

GROUP PANEL

OPERATING

MODES

CHANNEL

BEEP INDICATOR

OPTICAL SLAVE

DELAY INDICATOR

BATTERY LEVEL

HIGH TEMPERATURE

WARNING

POWER LEVEL

INCREMENT

HSS SYMPATHY

MODE

TEXT AREA

SELECTION

INDICATORS

ZOOM

LEVEL

STATUS

BAR

9

2. Install the batteries.

Make sure the positive (+) and

negative (-) battery contacts are

properly oriented as shown in the

compartment.

3. Slide the battery compartment

door in the direction shown by

the arrow to close it.

Caution:

1. Use a new set of AA batteries of

the same brand and type. When

replacing batteries, replace all

four at the same time.

2. AA-sized alkaline, Ni-MH, or

lithium batteries can be used.

Use only one type of batteries at

a time. Do not mix battery types.

3. If you change batteries after

f iring many ashes continuously,

be aware that the batteries may

be hot.

4. For alkaline or lithium

batteries, the battery level

indicator on the LCD will show

10

7.2

when around 50% of the battery

power has been consumed, and

the indicator will blink when

t h e  a s h d o e s n o t h a v e e n o u g h

power to f ire. Replace batteries

immediately when you see the

blinking signal. The

indicator is not applicable to

Ni- M H b att e r y.

5. When the ash is not in use,

remove the batteries to prevent

possible damage from battery

corrosion.

Attaching the Flash to and detaching it

from the Camera

1. T o at t a c h t h e  a s h, slid e t h e

 a s h’s h o t s h o e m o u nti n g fo o t

a l l t he w a y i n t o th e c a m e r a’s h ot

shoe.

2. T o s e c u r e th e  a s h, r ot at e t h e

locking wheel on the mounting

foot to the left until it locks.

11

7.3

3. T o d et a c h th e  a s h, r otat e t h e

locking wheel on the mounting

foot to the right until it is

loosened.

Turning the Flash On

1. Switch the On/Off Switch to ON.

T h e  a s h st a r t s c h a r g i n g.

2. C h e ck t h at th e  a s h i s r ea d y.

- T h e  a s h-r e a d y i n d icator bl i n k s

i n r e d, i n d icati n g t h at t h e  a s h

is r e a d y for q u ic k  a s h (s e e

S e c t i o n 1 2.4).

- O nce f u l l y c h a r g e d, t h e  a s h -

ready indicator stays red and the

 a s h i s r e a d y t o g iv e f u ll p o wer

output.

12

7.4

- Press the button to f ire a

t e s t  a s h.

Caution:

1. W h e n t h e  a s h is s w it c h e d O N b u t

not used, after a certain period

of ti m e, t h e  a s h’s p o w e r t u r n s

off automatically. However, the

 a s h sti l l c o n s u m e s p o w e r a n d

batteries discharge over a long

period of time, which may damage

t h e b att e r y c o nt a cts of t h e  a s h.

Therefore, s hut of f t h e  a s h

p o w e r i f t h e  a s h is n o t i n u se.

2. The overheating protection of the

R F60 X m a y sto p t he  a s h f r o m

f iring after a number of full

power ashes have been f ired in

short intervals. The temperature

warning signal will appear in

the status bar of the LCD

display. If this occur, allow a

rest time of about 15 minutes

a n d t h e  a s h w i l l t h e n r et u r n t o

nor ma l.

3. To pr e ve n t t h e  a s h f r o m o v er -

heating, turn on the Cooling Mode

(se e S ectio n 12.1).

Adjusting the Flash Head

B y p o i nti n g t h e  a s h t o w a r d a w a ll o r

ceiling, the ash will bounce off

the surface before illuminating the

subject. This will soften the shadows

behind the subject for a more

13

natural-looking shot. This is called

a bounce ash.

Tip: W h e n u s i n g b o u n c e  a s h, tr y t o

avoid hitting the subject with

d i r e c t  a s h l i g h t. M a ke s u r e t h e

ash head is suff iciently angled

away from the subject.

T h e  a s h h e a d of t h e R F60 X c a n b e

ti lt e d u p t o a v e r tic a l a n g le of 90˚,

w it h cl ick sto p s at 30˚, 60˚, 7 5˚, a n d

d o w n at 15˚. H o r i z o nt a lly, it c a n b e

r ot at e d u p t o 18 0˚ t o t he r i g ht a n d

90˚ t o t h e lef t, w it h cl ick sto p s at

30˚, 60˚, 90˚, 120˚, 150˚ (r i g ht) a n d

30˚, 60˚ (left).

270˚

90˚

15˚

X

14

7.5

Bounce Card and Wide Angle Diﬀuser

There is a bounce card and wide angle

diffuser set built in the RF60X. The

bounce card and wide angle diffuser

can be used separately or at the same

ti me.

Tip: The bounce card is useful in

bounce ash applications to direct

some of the light toward the

subject in order to create catch

lights and/or soften strong shadows

from the bounced light.

Using the Bounce Card

1. P oi n t t h e  a s h h e a d u pw a r d b y 90°.

2. Pull out the wide angle diffuser.

The bounce card will come out at

the same time.

3. Push the wide angle diffuser back

in. The bounce card will be ready

for use.

15

7.6

Using the Wide Angle Diﬀuser

1. Pull out the wide angle diffuser

and place it over the ash head as

shown. The bounce card will come

out at the same time.

2. Push the bounce card back in.

T h e  a s h w ill illu m i n at e a t 18 m m

coverag e.

Choosing the Operating Mode

There are three operating modes in

the RF60X, namely Local, Master, and

Slave. Upon switching on the RF60X,

press the button to choose the

appropriate mode. The mode indicator

turns in the following sequence:

Local Master Slave

Modes

Where to place

the RF60X?

With wireless

control?

on camera X

on camera √

off camera √

16

7.7

7.8

Setting the Channel and the Radio ID

When the RF60X units are in the

Master or Slave mode, they need to

communicate in the same RF wireless

channel with each other.

To set the channel, press . Then

press the button until <CH>

(short form for channel) is

displayed. Use the or button to

select the RF channel. Press

to go back to the main screen. The

selected channel will be shown on the

LCD pa nel.

To protect your setup from

interferences by other Cactus

devices, assign all your RF60X to a

specif ic radio ID. Press

, then

press the button until <RAD ID>

(short form for radio ID) is

displayed. Use the or button to

set the radio ID from 1 to 999. Set

the same radio ID in all Cactus

devices in your setup.

Navigating the Menu

There are a number of conf igurable

menu options on the RF60X.

17

To change a menu option:

1. Press the

button to access

the f irst menu item.

2. Press the button to change

the menu subject in the sequence.

3. Press the or button to see

each option of a menu item. The

conf iguration of the menu item

will change immediately.

4. Press the button to leave

and go back to the main screen, or

press the button to change

the menu to the next item in the

sequence.

Menu item and

corresponding options

Text shown

on LCD

Applicable

modes

L M S

AF-assist Continuous

Mode

- Off

- On

AF CON

- OFF

- ON

√ √ √

AF-assist Power

- 0-9

AF PWR

- 0-9

√ √ √

Optical Slave

- Off

- S1: Straight

Triggering

- S 2: P r e -  a sh I g n o r e d

OPT SL

- OFF

- S1 (FIRST)

- S2 (MAIN)

√ √ √

Delay Timer

- 0-999 ms

- 1-99 sec

DELAY

- 0-999 ms

- 1-99 sec

√ √ √

Auto HSS

- Off

- On

AU HSS

- OFF

- ON

√

Cooling Mode

- Off

- On

COOL

- OFF

- ON

√ √ √

Quick Flash

- Off

- On

QCK FL

- OFF

- ON

√ √ √

18

Menu item and

corresponding options

Text shown

on LCD

Applicable

modes

L M S

Beep Feedback

- Off

- Fn1: Quick Flash

- Fn2: Full Charge

- Fn3: Insuff icient

Power Warning

BEEP

- OFF

- Fn1 (QCK FL)

- Fn2 (READY)

- Fn3 (WARN)

√ √ √

LCD Backlight

- 15 sec

- 1 min

- 5 min

- Continuous

BK LGT

- 15 sec

- 1 min

- 5 min

- ON

√ √ √

Sleep Timer

- Off

- 3 min

- 5 min

- 15 min

- 30 min

- 60 min

SLEEP

- OFF

- 3 min

- 5 min

- 15 min

- 30 min

- 60 min

√ √ √

RF Channel

- 1-16

CH

- 1-16

√ √

Radio ID

- 0-999

RAD ID

- 0-999

√ √

19

8.1

8. On-camera Operation:

Local Mode

Set up the RF60X in Local mode

w h e n y o u w o r k w it h o n e  a s h o n t h e

c a m er a’s h ot s h o e.

In the main screen, the power level

is shown on the left while the zoom

level is shown on the right. The

selection indicator ► will be shown

at either the power level or zoom

level. Press the

button to

switch the selection indicator in

order to adjust a setting of an item.

Adjusting the Power Level

To adjust the power level, press

until the selection indicator ► is

pointing to the power ratio value

(i.e., the left f igure in the center

row). Press to increase or to

decrease the power level.

20

8.2

The power levels available for

adjustment are:

1/1 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/16 1/32 1/64 1/128

1/2

+0.3 1/4 +0.3 1/8 +0.3 1/16 +0.3 1/32 +0.3 1/64 +0.3 1/128 +0.3

1/2 +0.7 1/4 +0.7 1/8 +0.7 1/16 +0.7 1/32 +0.7 1/64 +0.7 1/128 +0.7

Adjusting the Zoom Level

To adjust the zoom level, press

until the selection indicator ► is

pointing to the zoom value (i.e.,

the right f igure in the center row).

Press to increase or to

decrease the zoom level.

The zoom levels available for

adjustment are:

Zoo m (m m)

24 28 35 50 70 80 105

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Cactus RF60X User manual

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