Inspiration strikes VS-570P for Pentax/Samsung WIRELESS TTL FLASH User’s Manual
Copyright © 2016 Gradus Group. Bolt and other names of Bolt products are trademarks of Gradus Group. Other product and corporate names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective holders.
Introduction Thank you for choosing the Bolt VS-570P Wireless TTL Flash. This advanced digital flash unit puts creative control in your hands with a broad range of automatic and manual features. It can be used as both an oncamera flash and a wireless slave flash.
Contents Overview ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6–9 Warnings ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 10–11 Installing Batteries ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 12 Mounting the Flas
Using Rear- or Second-Curtain Synchronization ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 27 Using Your VS-570P as a Wireless Master or Slave ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������28-29 Using the VS-570P as a Wireless Master ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������30-31 Wireless Master Summary screen �������������������������������������������������������
2 15 1 3 45 60 75 VS-570P 9 16 18 11 10 17 14 19 20 8 13 12 4 5 7 6 6 | Overview
Overview 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. Flash head Reflector panel Diffuser panel Battery compartment cover Wireless sensor (optical) Mounting foot Mounting foot lock Mode button Up button Down button Zoom position button Ready light / Test button Power switch TTL OK Flash head position indicator LCD 17. 18. 19. 20.
21 22 23 H S 28 24 25 GROUP B 27 M TTL GROUP A 26 GROUP C 33 EV+ EV- 29 8 | Overview 30 31 32
Wireless TTL Master Settings 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33.
Warnings Before using your VS-570P, please read the following safety notices carefully and thoroughly to ensure safe use, and to help prevent damage to your flash or injury to yourself or others. • Do not fire the flash at close range directly into the eyes of people or animals. This can cause damage to the retina and may even lead to blindness. • To avoid overheating and damaging your flash unit, please wait for at least 10 minutes after 20 continuous flashes at full power.
• Do not clean the VS-570P with agents containing corrosive or flammable substances such as paint thinner, benzene, or nail polish remover. • This product is not water resistant. Keep it away from rain, snow, humidity, and general moisture. • Should the VS-570P get damaged, do not touch any exposed interior metal parts. If touched, they may generate an electric shock or cause a malfunction. Promptly remove the batteries and take the product to an authorized service center for repair.
Installing Batteries The VS-570P can be powered by four AA batteries of several types: • Lithium (1.5V) • Nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) (1.2V) • Alkaline (1.5V) Note: For the fastest recycle times and longest battery life, lithium or Ni-MH batteries are recommended. To install batteries, make sure the VS-570P is turned off and follow these steps: 1. 2. 3. Press on the battery compartment cover and slide it in the direction of the arrow to remove it.
Mounting the Flash To mount the flash on your camera, make sure the VS-570P is turned off and follow these steps: 1. 2. 3. 1 Turn the mounting foot lock counterclockwise to loosen it. Slide the mounting foot all the way into your camera’s hot shoe. Turn the mounting foot lock clockwise until snug. Do not overtighten.
To dismount the flash from your camera, make sure the VS-570P is turned off and follow these steps: 1. 2. Turn the mounting foot lock counter-clockwise to loosen it. Slide the mounting foot out of your camera’s hot shoe. Mounting the VS-570P on the included stand: You can mount the VS-570P on the included stand in the same way you would mount it on your camera.
Turning on the Flash and Firing a Test To turn the flash on, simply slide the power switch to the On position. When the flash is ready to fire, the Ready light will glow red. If the flash is mounted on your camera, a flash icon will also appear in the camera’s viewfinder. To fire a test flash, press the Ready light / Test button. Automatic power-saving function: After 3 minutes of inactivity, the flash will automatically enter powersaving mode to conserve battery life.
Extended Interface You can connect your VS-570P to an external power source or PC sync via the extended interface on the side of the flash. External power source: An external power source, such as the Bolt Cyclone Battery Pack, can greatly increase the battery life of your flash and reduce the recycle time in between flashes. Note: When using an external power source, the AA batteries must still be in the flash in order to operate.
Using the Automatic TTL Flash Mode When the VS-570P is mounted on a compatible camera, it can set the appropriate flash level automatically, in conjunction with the camera’s through-the-lens (TTL) metering system. To use the automatic mode, mount the flash on the camera and follow these steps: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Each time you turn the flash on, it will be in automatic mode. This will be confirmed by the TTL mode indicator on the LCD.
Using High-Speed Sync You can use shutter speeds higher than your camera’s top flash sync speed with the VS-570P by activating high-speed sync in automatic TTL mode. High-speed sync lets you use shutter speeds as fast as 1/8000 second. This is especially useful when using large apertures in bright situations or when freezing motion. To activate high-speed sync mode on the VS-570P, press the Mode button repeatedly to cycle through the flash modes until the high-speed sync mode indicator appears on the LCD.
Using Red-Eye Reduction The VS-570P supports red-eye reduction mode, which is set automatically by your camera. Consult your camera’s manual for more information about this feature. Using Flash Exposure Compensation In automatic TTL mode, you can use flash exposure compensation to adjust the VS-570P’s flash output incrementally, just as you would adjust exposure with the exposure compensation function on your camera.
Using the Manual Flash Mode You can also set the VS-570P’s flash output level manually for greater creative control over your images. Seven manual settings are available: 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, and 1/64. The 1/1 setting is the full-power flash, and each successive setting halves the light output. To use the manual mode, turn the flash and camera on and follow these steps: 1. 2. 3. 4.
5. Press your camera’s shutter-release button to take the picture. Note: For best results, a handheld light meter is recommended when using the manual flash mode. Important! To access most camera-controlled flash features when the VS-570P is in manual mode, the Silent Shooting option on cameras that offer Live View must be disabled. To avoid overheating and damaging your flash unit, please wait for at least 10 minutes after 20 continuous flashes at full power.
Automatic zoom control: When you turn on the VS-570P, the zoom mode indicator on the LCD will show an A to indicate that it is in automatic mode and at the default 35mm position. When you press the shutter-release button on your camera halfway to initiate communication between the camera and the flash, the flash zoom will adjust to match the lens focal length and the closest zoom setting will be displayed on the LCD. If you zoom your lens, the flash zoom setting will change automatically.
To use the diffuser: 1. 2. Pull the diffuser and reflector panels out of their slot in the flash head. Push the reflector back in, and let the diffuser lay flat against the flash lens. 1 2 The diffuser also softens the light, providing an alternative when no surface is available for bouncing the flash (see Bouncing Your Flash on page 24).
Using the Autofocus-Assist Light Camera autofocus systems can have difficulty locking onto a subject in dim light. When the ambient light level is low, the VS-570P will emit a red autofocus-assist beam when you press your camera’s shutter-release button halfway to autofocus. The camera will then be able to autofocus by locking onto the projected light. Note that the autofocus-assist light is available only when your camera’s autofocus system is set to center or multi-point autofocus.
The VS-570P flash head can be tilted up at 45-, 60-, 75-, and 90-degree angles to the lens. It can also be swiveled horizontally 180 degrees to the left and 120 degrees to the right. 45 60 75 When bouncing your flash, you may need to adjust your exposure settings, since the level of light falling on your subject will be reduced. The farther away the bounce surface and your subject are, the more illumination will be reduced.
Creating catchlights: Catchlights are the reflections that appear in people’s eyes in photographs. Without catchlights, eyes can have a dull, lifeless look. To create catchlights in your subjects’ eyes when bouncing your flash, follow these steps: 1. 2. Position the flash head at the 90-degree angle (pointing straight up) to bounce your flash off the ceiling or an overhead reflector. Pull the built-in reflector and diffuser panels all the way out of their slot in the flash head.
Using Rear- or Second-Curtain Synchronization When you photograph a moving subject with a slow (1/30 second or longer) shutter speed and a flash, the flash will freeze the moving subject and the long exposure will cause motion blur and light trails to appear in the image, especially in low light.
2. To turn rear-curtain sync on or off, press the up or down buttons. “ON” will appear in the top right corner of the LCD when high-speed sync mode is activated, and “--” will appear when front-curtain sync mode is deactivated. Using Your VS-570P as a Wireless Master or Slave The VS-570P is equipped with advanced wireless TTL flash functions, allowing you to fire the flash remotely while still maintaining full TTL control.
Slave or remote flash: Flash units that are not directly connected to the camera and are controlled via the master flash or a controller are called “slave” or “remote” units. There is no limitation on the number of remote flash units that can be used at once. Channels: Master and slave flash units exchange data through channels. On the VS-570P, four channels (1, 2, 3, 4) are available. You can select the channel you prefer for communication between the master and remote flash units.
Using the VS-570P as a Wireless Master The VS-570P is equipped with an optical wireless TTL master mode. This enables you to remotely set and control your wireless slave flash units from the VS-570P while maintaining automatic TTL functionality. Configuring the VS-570P as a wireless master involves pressing the Mode button to advance from one setting to the next, as well as using the up and down navigation buttons to adjust or enable the settings.
5. 6. 7. 5 Select the wireless channel. Press the Mode button and use the up or down navigation buttons to cycle through channels 1–4. Turn high-speed sync mode on or off. Press the Mode button and use the up or down navigation buttons to select on or off. For more information on high-speed sync, refer to page 18. 6 H Confirm your settings. Press the Mode button to return to the wireless master summary screen.
1 2 H EV+ EV- 3 32 | Wireless Master Summary screen 4 5
Wireless Master Summary screen 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Using the VS-570P as a Wireless TTL Slave The VS-570P can be used as an optical wireless TTL slave in Pentax, Nikon, and Canon TTL systems. This enables you to use a Pentax, Nikon, or Canon wireless TTL master to control the VS-570P as a slave flash unit. In Pentax TTL slave mode, you can select from four channels. In Nikon and Canon TTL slave modes, you can set the group (A, B, and C) and channel (1–4). To set the wireless TTL slave mode, follow these steps: 1. 2. 3.
B. 4. For Nikon TTL slave mode, the N-TTL indicator will appear onscreen. Press the Mode button to confirm, and the LCD will display i-TTL. C. For Canon TTL slave mode, the C-TTL indicator will appear onscreen. Press the Mode button to confirm, and the LCD will display E-TTL. Use the up or down navigation buttons to select the channel and group. TTL TTL GROUP A TTL TTL GROUP A 4 TTL A. 5. 6. In Pentax TTL slave mode, the flash will cycle through channels 1–4.
Using Your VS-570P as a Wireless Manual Flash For even greater creative control, you can set the output levels of your remote flash units manually. Using the optical slave feature, the VS-570P can be set to fire whenever it detects a signal from the master flash. This works optically—when the VS-570P “sees” another flash firing, it will instantaneously fire along with it.
Setting the slave mode: Depending on your camera and flash settings, the master flash may emit more than one burst of light in quick succession (called a “pre-flash”). Pre-flash is used to help the camera meter and/or focus, and is done automatically by the camera. If the slave flash is not set correctly, it may be triggered by the pre-flash and fire before the camera’s shutter opens.
Positioning Remote Flash Units You can create a professional lighting setup by positioning remote units singly or in groups to function as main, fill, accent, and other lights. Metering your scene with a handheld light meter and setting your light ratios to achieve specific looks will give you a professional level of creative control.
• The wireless sensors are located on the front of the VS-570P. Make sure that sensor is facing the master flash and that there is no obstruction between the two units. • When photographing outdoors or in bright ambient light, the sensors can be overwhelmed by ambient light, which will lower their sensitivity. • To avoid creating interference between flash units, using more than three in a single group is not recommended.
Troubleshooting Problem Solution The flash is stuck in the camera hot shoe. Make sure that the mounting foot lock is released (Page 13). The flash is turned on but won’t fire. Make sure that fresh batteries are installed and in the proper orientation (Page 12). The flash is set up as a wireless TTL slave but won’t fire. • Make sure that the master flash is within the transmission range and the wireless sensor on the slave is pointing toward the master flash.
Problem There’s a whining sound coming from the flash. Solution This is normal and does not indicate a malfunction. When the flash becomes warm from continuous use, vibrations inside the unit may cause this sound. It will dissipate as the unit cools. FCC Compliance This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: 1. 2. This device may not cause harmful interference.
Specifications Type: On-camera and wireless TTL automatic and manual flash Compatible cameras: Pentax and Samsung cameras with TTL flash system support. Not compatible with Samsung NX-series cameras. Guide number (at 50mm focal length, ISO 100): 141 feet / 43 meters Flash coverage: 24mm–105mm (18mm with diffuser panel) Flash duration: 1/1,000–1/20,000 second High-speed synchronization: Yes Flash recycle time: 0.
Dimensions: Approx. 2.5˝ × 3.9˝ × 4.7˝ (65 × 100 × 120 mm) Weight: Approx. 9.2 oz.
One-Year Limited Warranty This BOLT product is warranted to the original purchaser to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal consumer use for a period of one (1) year from the original purchase date or thirty (30) days after replacement, whichever occurs later.
