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Welcome to the new episode of the Inventory of PlayerDue Lighting
this is a video series somewhere in between video-reviews
and photographic apparel glossary.
Todays's topic are the Cactus LV5
laser triggers that allow taking pictures
when the laser beam between two sensors is disrupted.
They are manufactured by Cactus, the same company behind the Cactus V5
that are the radio triggers usually used by when I'm taking pictures remotely with my flashes.
Unboxing our Cactus LV5s
we'll find emitter and sensor
of the LV5s
we'll also find a hood that we can use
on the sensor when doing photography outside
while it's very sunny. This can be used in order to
make our sensor truly able to see and
give signal when the laser beam is stopped.
We'll also find the User Manual
with a table summarizing
the settings that we shall see in a bit
and we'll also find four AAA batteries
such batteries
are able to make both units work.
Let's start with the Cactus V5 emitter
and let's see how we initialize it.
While opening the battery compartment, we can note four slots
in which we can put the batteries
but for making these units work
even two batteries are enough.
The only requirement is inserting both batteries
either on a side or on the other one.
Thus we could put both batteries on the right side
and after that, we can close the lid
and we are ready to use our unit,
which is an emitter in this case.
The power button is placed on the top
and it's quit big.
If we press it, we can see the laser dot
and in the front there is a small lid
that we can open or close.
If we close the lid, we can notice how the red dot
which is a simpler laser pointer
harmless to the skin, but of course
you're not supposed to point it towards eyes
and above all... Not above all, but also
don't point it towards digital cameras
as this kind of laser pointer
can damage the sensor of camera.
If we open this little lid
we can see how the red dot becomes stronger.
We can use it in this mode
especially outside
but inside there is no need
for a laser this strong, so we can half the power
and it should work inside in the same way
with the sensor.
On this side there is
the hertz setting
that is used
for emitting laser
it can almost always be left at 500Hz.
Beneath we can
set the direction angle
for our emitter / sensor
and under here we have a threaded hole that can be used
both for the usual
tripod mount, so we can join it with a tripod
or we also have
a cold-shoe that we can use
e.g. with adapaters...
... for umbrella swivels
that we may use together with light stands.
So we have these two options
for choosing how
to set up our LV5s.
Let's see now our sensor
which is the one that actually has the most settings.
On the top we have the power button and
if we press it, we can see it starting
a green LED.
If the LED keeps on blinking, it means that it has yet to
receive the laser beam for the first time
so it is practically not yet working
with the laser beam disruption.
We have a test button on the side
with which we can
test our setup.
Also, we have here
the delay setting, the freeze setting
both single and multi shot
and beneath we have
a mini jack plug for
linking it to other receivers or
to the camera.
And for those in possession
of Cactus V5s
which are radio trigger manufactured by
Cactus,
the good news is that since
they are made by the same company
they put inside the sensor
a radio trigger compatible
with the Cactus V5 signal.
So we can basically take picture
with the Cactus LV5
having only a V5 receiver
without having to link cables, without linking anything.
So we can link our V5 sensor
either to the camera or to the flashes
and we're ready to take pictures.
And indeed, if I put both
the emitter
or in this case the sensor
that will be acting as a trigger, and my radio transceiver
at the same frequency
I set this as a receiver
so it will be waiting for a signal
and if I use the test button
on the LV5
I can notice that that the receiver
is answering.
In this case it means that
I'm already triggering my flashes
or my camera.
For those who don't
have as a receiver
a Cactus V5 transceiver
they can use
a 3.5mm cable and connect
the sensor
of the LV5 with any brand and model
of radio triggers.
In this case I am using as a trigger
my V5, so now
it's not waiting for a signal, but sending it
I connect is as usual
and now if I press
the test button on my LV5
I am sending
signals with this trigger that could be
a Cactus V4
a Phottix Strato, a Pocket Wizard
or even a Yongnuo
any kind of radio trigger
can be used
for taking a picture.
So in this case I can see that I'm actually snapping
a picture.
Or I could use dedicated cables
that are produced by Cactus
for connecting directly
my camera
to the sensor
LV5
or I could always connect a cable
for linking it to the flashes, directly overcoming
the need for
a radio receiver.
Here we have a selection dial
when our
LV5 is off
we can select a frequency
which will be used
for sending a message to the V5
and once it's on
this dial will be used for setting the Delay and Freeze settings.
The delay setting is used for
adding a delay after the laser beam
is stopped,
so we can set a delay of
a set number of milliseconds,
hundredths of a second
after that the signal is sent
and this is very useful, as we shall see
for controlling,
e.g. during the fall of an object, for setting the laser
higher of our composition
in order to chose in which moment
the picture will be taken.
The Delay setting can be used at the same time with
the Freeze setting.
The Freeze setting is basically allows us
to set a specific
time after the first signal
after the first laser interruption
and after that the sensor stays off
and this is quite useful
if we have for instance some water splashing that can
interrupt many times
the laser beam, in this way
we can set that after
the first interruption, for instance
for two seconds no pictures will be taken.
So we have the time to close the shutter
and to have our picture
properly exposed and
all right.
Here we have instead the single shot
and the multiple shot. With the single shot option, we can set
"single shot" also on the camera
and it will work as intended if we have connected it to the camera.
Instead with multiple shot
we can use
in BULB mode our camera
so the shutter will stay open
till it gets interrupted
and it will stop when the laser
becomes again stable,
by setting "Continuous Shutter" on our
camera, we can take
more pictures at the same time.
So we can shoot when the laser is interrupted
for instance if there is an animal
passing across our lasers,
this will make it take more pictures
in order to have more options,
rising the possibility to have
a very good
picture.
In order to see the LV5s working
I made this small contraption that will allow us
to take pictures at some water
while splashing out of a glass.
The mechanics behind this are pretty straightforward
it's basically a plane running
over two wooden tracks
at which end
it gets stopped by two little
wooden blocks.
So the plane gets blocked
by those brakes
and at that precise moment that small plastic cap
stops the laser beam, thus allowing us
to take a picture
and since the laser is out of our composition
there is no way that
the laser could be in the picture.
The plane gets towed by
this small weight attached to a string
and for prepping the shot I just
have to pull the plane to the end
I couple it with this little hook
and so the plane is in tension
so I just have to touch the little hook
and the plane moves, gaining speed
getting stopped by the brakes and causing the splash.
The lighting is composed by
two flashes
connected to the LV5s
with a diffusion panel in front of them
and since we're photographing glass
and since the plane is
slightly reflecting
and white-ish
by cast the light only on the background
with the flashes, we'll have
some white also in the plane
since I'm taking a picture with an angle so that
the reflection takes the background,
while in the glass the central part
is light while the edges that
don't get any light become darker.
For getting a sharper edge on
the farthest side
I used this black panel which is used
for absorbing a bit of light.
As I said, the LV5s are directly linked
to the flashes and not to the camera.
I'm doing this since
for this kind of setup in High Speed Photography
we need to use the flashes to freeze the motion
because the time that a camera would need
for starting a shot once the signal
is received by the sensors
wouldn't really allow
to have a shot in the precise moment
of the event,
that is, the laser interruption.
In this setup I instead used
a shutter speed approximately of two seconds
mmmh... actually exactly of two seconds,
ISO 100 and F/4.5.
That's what I'll do: I'll start the shutter
with my remote, the photograph will start
in the camera,
with all the lights off,
so without any flash the picture would be completely black
once the button is pressed
I unhook this hook
on the plane, which will flow
on the racks, bumping, splashing water
and thanks to the Delay setting
that I set on the LV5s,
after some trial runs, I set up
a delay to the actual
signal to the flashes
by a fraction of a second that will allow us
to have a picture not in the actual moment
of the plane bumping, but just a bit after,
so that the water will
more or less reach this height, giving us a magnificent picture.
So the lights are off
we're going to run the first trial
for this shots, so
the only thing that I still have to do is taking the remote
at the moment in which I will activate
the camera I will unhook the hook
that is placed under here
and we will see if the picture
is how we wanted.
So I put my finger here
near the hook...
3... 2... 1... * click *
* CRASH *
Let's see how the picture turned out.
And the picture is quite beautiful
and we can also see that it froze on the moment on which
the water on the top was already opening.
Ok, now second run
this time I didn't refill the glass
so the splashing should be just a little bit smaller
or at least different from the last one.
So again light's
off.
Ready to go
with my remote...
3... 2... 1... * click *
* CRASH *
And let's see also this picture if it went fine.
It's similar to the one before
let's see if there's any difference.
The water is a bit lower
so if we keep in not adding water
the splashing will get lower and lower.
Ok, for the last shot, Grand Finale.
We filled the glass almost to the top.
And this could also turn
catastrophic since the glass could detach itself and fly away.
Let's try this immediately...
Again, with the remote.
Ready to take the shot...
3... 2... 1... * click *
* SCRAASH *
Ah! Nothing flew away.
Let's see our picture...
The fluid was very thick, but
the splashing was not very different from
the one before. It just looks more solid.
And also this time, we're at the end
of the Inventory of PlayerDue Lighting
I hope you enjoyed
these examples of High Speed Photography
and if you too started practicing
with this kind of photography
join the forum of PlayerDue Lighting
www.playerdue.com/forum
show us your works
and you can also write me by email
carlo@playerdue.com
and above all: visit the PlayerDue Lighting website
www.playerdue.com
Thanks for following me yet again in this episode
See you next time!
Subbing and translation by Giuseppe Provenzano - www.giuseppeprovenzano.com