Bolt VX-710C User Manual
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Bolt VX-710C User Manual

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Inspiration strikes.
Inspiration strikes.
VX-710C
TTL FLASH
User's Manual

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Summary of Contents for Bolt VX-710C

  • Page 1 Inspiration strikes. Inspiration strikes. VX-710C TTL FLASH User’s Manual...
  • Page 2 Copyright © 2012 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...

  • Page 3: Introduction

    Introduction Thank you for choosing the Bolt VX-710C 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 on-camera flash and as a wireless slave flash.

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    Contents Introduction ..............................2-3 Overview ..............................6-9 Warnings ..............................10-12 Installing Batteries ............................12-13 Mounting the Flash ...........................14-15 Turning on the Flash and Firing a Test .......................16-18 Extended Interface ............................19-20 Using the Automatic TTL Flash Mode ......................21 Locking Flash Value ............................22 Using Flash Exposure Compensation ......................23 Using Flash Exposure Bracketing ......................24-25 Using the Manual Flash Mode ........................26-27 Contents...
  • Page 5 Using the Autofocus-Assist Light ........................31 Bouncing Your Flash..........................31-33 Red-Eye Reduction ............................34 Using Rear- or Second-Curtain Synchronization ..................34-35 Using Your VX-710C as a Wireless Manual Slave ..................36-38 Positioning Slave Flash Units........................38-39 Troubleshooting ............................40-41 Specifications ..............................42 Customer Service ............................42 FCC Notices ..............................
  • Page 6 Overview...

  • Page 7: Overview

    Overview Flash head 17. Mode button Reflector panel 18. Navigation buttons Diffuser panel 19. Power switch AF assist light 20. Flash ready light Wireless slave sensor 21. Zoom position button Locking wheel 22. Battery compartment cover Mounting foot Extended interface cover Power source socket 10.
  • Page 8 Zoom Overview...
  • Page 9 23. TTL mode 38. Camera aperture (f-stop) / Manual 24. Manual zoom mode flash 1/3-stop increment 25. Zoom position 39. PC sync cord 26. Flash exposure bracketing 40. Soft case 27. Flash exposure compensation 41. Stand / Tripod mount 28. Manual mode 29.

  • Page 10: Warnings

    Warnings Before using your VX-710C, 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.
  • Page 11 Take the product to an authorized service center for repair. • Do not drop or otherwise cause a strong physical impact to the VX-710C, as this can cause a malfunction that may cause it to explode or ignite.

  • Page 12: Installing Batteries

    Note: For the fastest recycle times and longest battery life, lithium or Ni-MH batteries are recommended. To install batteries, make sure the VX-710C is turned off and follow these steps: Press on the battery compartment cover and slide it in the direction of the arrow to open it.

  • Page 13: Installing Batteries

    Close the battery compartment cover by pressing and sliding it into place, in the opposite direction of the arrow on the cover. When the battery power is low, the low battery indicator ( ) will appear on the LCD, the flash ready light will turn red for twenty seconds or longer, and the flash will continuously beep for approximately ten seconds.

  • Page 14: Mounting The Flash

    Mounting the Flash To mount the flash on your camera, make sure the VX-710C is turned off and follow these steps: Rotate the locking wheel counterclockwise to loosen it. Slide the mounting foot all the way into your camera’s hot shoe.
  • Page 15 Mounting the VX-710C on the included stand: You can mount the VX-710C on the included stand in the same way you would mount it on your camera. This allows you to set the flash up on a flat surface, or to attach it to a tripod head, light stand, or clamp that has a compatible 1/4”-20 screw mount.

  • Page 16: Turning On The Flash And Firing A Test

    Turning on the Flash and Firing a Test To turn the flash on, slide the power switch to the ON position. Flash ready light: The flash ready light indicates the status of your flash: Color of flash ready light Status of VX-710C Operation Flash ready Normal Green...
  • Page 17 Automatic power-saving function: After three minutes of inactivity, the flash will automatically enter power- saving mode to conserve battery life. The LCD and the flash ready light will turn off. To reactivate the VX-710C, press the PILOT button or press your camera’s shutter-release button halfway. During long periods of inactivity, use the power switch to turn the flash off completely.

  • Page 18: Turning On The Flash And Firing A Test

    ) button until the lock icon ( ) disappears. Important! Make sure that slave mode is turned off when mounting the VX-710C on your camera. Turn it on only when using the flash as an off-camera wireless slave. Overheating protection mode: If the operating temperature of the VX-710C is too high, or after 25 continuous flashes at 1/1 (full power), the flash will enter overheating protection mode.

  • Page 19: Extended Interface

    Extended Interface You can connect your VX-710C 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.

  • Page 20: Extended Interface

    To access the extended interface, follow these steps: Pull back the contact cover on the side of the flash. Plug the cable into the corresponding socket or terminal. For an external power source, plug the power cable (Canon CZ-type, not included) into the external power source socket.

  • Page 21: Using The Automatic Ttl Flash Mode

    Using the Automatic TTL Flash Mode When the VX-710C 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 flash mode, mount the flash on the camera and follow these steps: Turn the flash on and press the MODE button repeatedly to cycle through the flash modes until the TTL mode indicator appears on the LCD.

  • Page 22: Locking Flash Value

    Locking Flash Exposure In automatic TTL mode, you can lock the flash output level that is optimal for specific elements of your scene by using the flash exposure lock (FE Lock) on your camera. To lock flash exposure, follow these steps: Set your camera to any Program or Manual mode.

  • Page 23: Using Flash Exposure Compensation

    In automatic TTL mode, you can use flash exposure compensation to adjust the VX-710C’s flash output incrementally, just as you would adjust exposure with the exposure compensation function on your camera.

  • Page 24: Using Flash Exposure Bracketing

    Using Flash Exposure Bracketing Flash exposure bracketing (FEB) lets you take three continuous pictures while automatically changing the flash exposure compensation between -3 and +3, once above and once below the set flash exposure. FEB is useful for shooting in situations in which it is difficult to determine the appropriate flash exposure. The FEB value indicates the interval by which the flash exposure compensation changes, and the flash exposure compensation value indicates the flash output of the first shot.

  • Page 25: Using Flash Exposure Bracketing

    Press the SUB button repeatedly until the FEB icon blinks. Use Zoom the left and right navigation buttons to adjust the FEB value, and the up and down navigation buttons to fine-tune. Press the SUB button again to confirm your selection. Use the left and right navigation buttons to set the flash exposure compensation, and the up and down navigation buttons to fine-tune.

  • Page 26: Using The Manual Flash Mode

    Using the Manual Flash Mode You can set the VX-710C’s flash output level manually, for greater creative control over your images. The 1/1 setting is the full-power flash, and each successive setting halves the light output, all the way down to 1/128.

  • Page 27: Controlling Flash Coverage (Zoom)

    Tip: For best results, use a handheld light meter when shooting in manual flash mode. Controlling Flash Coverage (Zoom) The VX-710C’s angle of coverage can be adjusted, or zoomed, to match the focal length of your lens, so that your image is evenly illuminated from edge to edge.
  • Page 28 When the flash zoom setting is adjusted, the reflectors inside the flash head shift position in order to widen or narrow the angle of coverage. Automatic zoom control: In automatic zoom mode, when you zoom in with your camera lens, the flash will automatically adjust to match the lens focal length, and the LCD will display the closest zoom setting.
  • Page 29 Manual zoom control: To manually select a setting that Zoom corresponds to the focal length of your lens, press the ZOOM button, and then use the left and right navigation buttons to adjust the focal length settings. Press the up navigation button to skip directly to 180mm, or press the down navigation button to return to auto zoom control.
  • Page 30 Using the flash with wide-angle lenses: When you have a lens wider than 24mm mounted on your camera, you can use the built-in diffuser panel to give the flash an angle of coverage equivalent to that of an 18mm lens. To use the diffuser: Pull the diffuser and reflector panels out of their slot in the...

  • Page 31: Using The Autofocus-Assist Light

    AI Focus. It is not available when AI Servo is selected. Bouncing Your Flash The VX-710C flash head can tilt down at -7°, and up at 45°, 60°, 75°, and 90° angles to the lens. It can also swivel horizontally 180° to the right and 90° to the left.

  • Page 32: Bouncing Your Flash

    Using flash to directly illuminate a subject often creates harsh, unnatural, and unattractive shadows. To avoid this, the flash can be tilted or swiveled, allowing you to aim your flash at a large white or neutral-colored surface, such as a ceiling, a wall, or a reflector. The light will bounce off the larger surface before striking your subject, providing softer, more natural illumination.
  • Page 33 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: Pull the built-in reflector and diffuser panels all the way out of their slot in the flash head. Push the diffuser back in while leaving the reflector extended.

  • Page 34: Red-Eye Reduction

    Red-Eye Reduction The VX-710C supports red-eye reduction on cameras that offer the setting. Consult your camera’s instruction manual to find out how to activate it. Using Rear- or Second-Curtain Synchronization When you photograph a moving subject with a flash and a slow shutter speed (1/30 second or longer), 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.
  • Page 35 For more information on rear-curtain sync, consult your camera’s instruction manual. Note: In E-TTL mode, the VX-710C will fire a preflash followed by the primary flash. Using Rear- or Second-Curtain Synchronization...

  • Page 36: Using Your Vx-710C As A Wireless Manual Slave

    The VX-710C is equipped with a wireless (optical) manual slave function, allowing you to fire the flash remotely. Using the optical slave feature, the VX-710C can be set to fire whenever it detects a signal from the master flash. This works optically—when the VX-710C sees another flash firing, it will instantaneously fire along with it.
  • Page 37 If the slave flash is not set correctly, it may be triggered by the pre-flash and fire before the camera’s shutter opens. In order to ensure that the VX-710C fires at the correct time, there are two different slave modes available: modes S1 and S2.

  • Page 38: Positioning Slave Flash Units

    Note: Some cameras, when set to red-eye reduction, will emit a series of quick flashes lasting a second or more. This may not work properly with either slave mode. We suggest you avoid using red-eye reduction when using the VX-710C as a slave. Positioning Slave Flash Units You can create a professional lighting setup by positioning slave units individually or in groups to function as main, fill, accent, and other lights.

  • Page 39: Positioning Slave Flash Units

    When positioning wireless slaves to light a subject, keep in mind the following: • The effective communication range between master and slave flash units is approximately 33 feet (10 m) in the front position, and approximately 16–23 feet (5–7 m) on both sides. These ranges may vary, depending on the ambient light.

  • Page 40: Troubleshooting

    Troubleshooting Problem Solution The flash is stuck in the camera Make sure that the mounting foot lock is released. (Page 15) hot shoe. The flash is turned on but won’t • Make sure that fresh batteries are installed and in the proper fire.
  • Page 41 Problem Solution The flash is set up as a wireless • Make sure that the master flash is within the transmission range, and slave, but the light is not that the wireless sensor on the slave is pointing toward the master noticeable in the picture.

  • Page 42: Specifications

    Specifications Type: On-camera TTL automatic and manual, and wireless manual flash Compatible cameras: Canon cameras with E-TTL and E-TTL II flash system support Guide number (at 50mm focal length, ISO 100): GN 50 Flash coverage: 24–180mm (18–180mm with diffuser panel) Flash duration: 1/800–1/20000 second Flash recycle time: 0.3–3 seconds (AA Ni-MH) Manual mode power output: 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64, 1/128, fine-tuning in increments of 1/3...

  • Page 43: Fcc Notices

    FCC notices for customers in the U.S.A. Tested to comply with FCC Standards for home or office use. FCC Statement This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

  • Page 44: Limited Warranty

    Limited Warranty Bolt provides a limited warranty that this product is free from defects in materials and workmanship to the original purchaser under normal use for a period of one (1) year from the original purchase date or thirty (30) days after replacement whichever occurs later.

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