Cactus RF60 Compatible with Yongnuo 560 III

[shanguli]

Hi,
I was looking for a flash that has High Speed Sync (HSS) capability and can be used as a Master in TTL (for instance be mounted on the hot shoe of Panasonic GH3) with my Yongnuo 560 III in slave mode. So far I have found the Cactus RF60 which seems to be having Master mode with TTL, High Speed Sync capability. (here is the link to Cactus: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1071311-REG/cactus_dicflacacrf60_rf60_wireless_flash.html)

The Yongnuo 560 III has a radio receiver and the Cactus RF60 Wireless flash, but I don't know if this feature is enough for them to communicate.

I am wondering if anyone has experience with these flashes or experience with flashes to advise me on the following: Yongnuo 560 III is obviously a manual only flash and can not be used a s a master. But what I am wondering about is if I can use the Cactus RF60 as Master (when shooting with my Panasonic GH3), and have it command the Yongnuo 560 III in the slave mode?

 

[yakky]

Via radio, not sure, but the optical triggers are great on the 560s.

 

[ThomD]

Nope. YN and Cactus don't speak the same RF language. Metz will do what you want - operate in TTL or HSS and trigger the manual YN.

 

[shanguli]

Hi ThomD, Correct me if wrong but I'm guessing you're speaking from experience when stating Metz capability & working with YN 560 III flash....
I looked at few Metz... is there a speicific model you are referring to?

 

[ThomD]

You do need the fancier Metz flashes to do this. I have the 50 and 54 (I think). If I remember right, with the Metz on the camera and the YN off camera in in S2 mode you can do TTL But it has been a awhile, so let me double check that after work to make sure I'm not mixing things.

I do know for sure that you can do HSS if you leave the YN at full power. Its burn time is long enough that HSS works (when the Metz is on the camera in HSS mode).

 

[ThomD]

Tested. With the Metz on the camera in TTL and the YN in S1 mode, the flashes trigger correctly. However, the Metz does its TTL thing before the YN goes off, so if that YN is going to shine in the same place at the Metz, it will way over expose. YN as a rim light would probably be fine.

 

[inkista]

Hi,
I was looking for a flash that has High Speed Sync (HSS) capability and can be used as a Master in TTL (for instance be mounted on the hot shoe of Panasonic GH3) with my Yongnuo 560 III in slave mode.

The YN-560III is a manual-only flash. It doesn't do TTL. It doesn't do master/slave proprietary communication (i.e., "smart" optical slaving). It only does "dumb" optical slaving ("see flash burst--fire flash" is all it can do).

So far I have found the Cactus RF60 which seems to be having Master mode with TTL, High Speed Sync capability.

AFAIK, the RF60 is a single-pin flash, no TTL. And the HSS requires HSS equipment on both ends, and that equipment has to be Canon/Nikon/Pentax. Also, the Cactus V6 triggering system, which is what the RF60 speaks, is only compatible with Canon, Nikon, and Pentax gear. Not micro four-thirds.

... The Yongnuo 560 III has a radio receiver and the Cactus RF60 Wireless flash, but I don't know if this feature is enough for them to communicate.

The YN-560iii's built-in receiver can only be triggered with the following Yongnuo units: RF-602, RF-603, RF-603II, and YN-560-TX. The Cactus RF60 only "speaks" to the Cactus V6 triggers. Neither of these is compatible with the Olympus/Panasonic "smart" optical RC system for wireless TTL triggering. For that, you'd need an Olympus R flash (e.g., FL-600R) or a Panasonic L flash (e.g., FL-360L).

...what I am wondering about is if I can use the Cactus RF60 as Master (when shooting with my Panasonic GH3), and have it command the Yongnuo 560 III in the slave mode?

If we're talking "dumb" optical slaving, and not radio and not TTL, then yes. The RF60 (or any flash, including your pop-up) in Manual mode could be used to trigger the YN-560III in S1 mode.

Just me, but if you want a flash that has HSS and wireless TTL master capability on a GH3, get an FL-360L or FL-600R.

Or. Get a YN-560-TX for your GH3 if you want radio triggering and to control the power levels on your YN-560III.