1. Manuals
  2. Brands
  3. Bolt Manuals
  4. Camera Accessories
  5. VX-760N
  6. User manual

Bolt VX-760N User Manual

Wireless ttl flash
Hide thumbs
Table of Contents

Advertisement

Quick Links

Inspiration strikes.
Inspiration strikes.
VX-760N
WIRELESS TTL FLASH
User's Manual

Advertisement

Table of Contents
loading

Related Manuals for Bolt VX-760N

Summary of Contents for Bolt VX-760N

  • Page 1 Inspiration strikes. Inspiration strikes. VX-760N WIRELESS 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-760N 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 master or 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 ........................
  • Page 5 Bouncing Your Flash..........................30-32 Red-Eye Reduction ............................33 Using Rear- or Second-Curtain Synchronization ..................33-34 Using the Multi (Stroboscopic) Mode ......................35-36 Using Your VX-760N as a Wireless Master or Slave ..................37-41 Positioning Slave Flash Units........................41-42 Troubleshooting ............................43-44 Specifications / Customer Service ........................45 Stroboscopic Reference Chart ........................
  • 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) / 24. Manual zoom mode Manual flash 1/3-stop increment / 25. Zoom position Stroboscopic count / Slave 26. Flash exposure compensation group / Stroboscopic frequency / 27. Manual mode Master channel 28. Multi (stroboscopic) mode 39.

  • Page 10: Warnings

    Warnings Before using your VX-760N, 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-760N, 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-760N 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 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-760N 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 Flash

    Mounting the VX-760N on the included stand: You can mount the VX-760N 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-760N 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-760N, 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 ) button until the lock icon ( ) disappears. Important! Make sure that slave mode is turned off when mounting the VX-760N 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-760N 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-760N 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 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-760N 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 Value In automatic TTL mode, you can lock the flash output level that is optimal for specific elements of your scene by using the flash value lock (FV Lock) on your camera. To lock flash value, follow these steps: Set your camera to P, S, or A mode.

  • Page 23: Using Flash Exposure Compensation

    In automatic TTL mode, you can use flash exposure compensation to adjust the VX-760N’s flash output incrementally, just as you would adjust exposure with the exposure compensation function on your camera.

  • Page 24: Using Flash Exposure Bracketing

    -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 VX-760N supports FEB on cameras that offer the setting. To find out how to enable FEB, consult your camera’s instruction manual.

  • Page 25: Using The Manual Flash Mode

    Using the Manual Flash Mode You can set the VX-760N’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 26 Note: When decreasing the flash output in increments of one-third from one setting to a lower setting + 0.3 or 0.7, you will need to decrease it to the next lowest setting, and then fine-tune it up. For example, when decreasing from 1/4 to 1/8 + 0.7, you will need to decrease to 1/8, and then increase to 1/8 + 0.7.

  • Page 27: Controlling Flash Coverage (Zoom)

    Controlling Flash Coverage (Zoom) The VX-760N’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. 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.
  • Page 28 Note: Older cameras that do not offer digital data transmission Zoom with the flash do not support the automatic flash zoom control. The manual zoom control must then be used. Manual zoom control: To manually select a setting that 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.

  • Page 29: Controlling Flash Coverage (Zoom)

    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 30: Using The Autofocus-Assist Light

    It is not available when AF-C is selected. Bouncing Your Flash The VX-760N flash head can tilt down to -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 31 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 32: Bouncing Your Flash

    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 33: Red-Eye Reduction

    Red-Eye Reduction The VX-760N 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 34: Using Rear- Or Second-Curtain Synchronization

    ( ) appears on the LCD. The VX-760N supports rear-curtain sync modes on cameras that offer the setting. Consult your camera’s instruction manual to find out how to activate it. Use your camera’s shutter-priority or manual mode to control the amount of blurring and light trails you capture by varying the shutter speed.

  • Page 35: Using The Multi (Stroboscopic) Mode

    Using the Multi (Stroboscopic) Mode The multi (stroboscopic) mode fires the flash multiple times in quick succession during a single exposure. Stroboscopic lighting is often used to illustrate motion—when shooting in a dark environment, this can create a unique effect in which moving objects appear multiple times in the frame. It is also useful when capturing extremely fast objects, because the flash can pulsate faster than the camera lens can open and close.

  • Page 36: Using The Multi (Stroboscopic) Mode

    maximum number of flashes. When the desired stroboscopic count number appears on the LCD, press the MODE button to select it. Set the firing frequency by pressing the SUB button repeatedly until the stroboscopic frequency number blinks. The frequency, measured in hertz (Hz), indicates the number of flashes per second. Use the left and right navigation buttons to adjust the frequency, or the up and down navigation buttons for the minimum and maximum frequencies.

  • Page 37: Using Your Vx-760N As A Wireless Master Or Slave

    Using Your VX-760N as a Wireless Master or Slave The VX-760N is equipped with advanced wireless flash functions, allowing you to fire the flash remotely while maintaining full TTL or manual control. In addition, the flash can be set to multiple channels and groups, giving you a host of creative lighting possibilities.
  • Page 38 Groups: With the VX-760N’s wireless system, you can assign slave flash units to any one of three groups (A, B, or C) and set the mode and power for each group. Channels: Master and slave flash units exchange data through channels. On the VX-760N, four channels (1, 2, 3, and 4) are available.
  • Page 39 Use the left and right navigation buttons to cycle through channel numbers 1–4. When the desired channel number appears on the LCD, press the MODE button to select it. Using Your VX-760N as a Wireless Master or Slave...
  • Page 40 Setting the slave mode: To set the VX-760N flash unit to Zoom function as an automatic slave, follow these steps: Make sure the master flash or controller on your camera is on and set to automatic TTL or wireless manual mode.

  • Page 41: Positioning Slave Flash Units

    When using multiple flash units, select the same group and channel for all units being used in a particular light position. For example, if you are using three VX-760N units, you might want to set one as a main light on 1A, set the second as a fill light on 1B, and set the third as a hair light on 1C.

  • Page 42: Positioning Slave Flash Units

    • The flash head should not be aimed directly into the camera lens. • The wireless TTL sensor is located on the front of the VX-760N. Make sure that the sensor is facing the 33’ master flash and that there are no obstructions between the two units.

  • Page 43: 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 • M ake sure that fresh batteries are installed and in the proper fire. orientation. (Page 12) • M ake sure the flash is securely attached to the camera. (Page 14) • M ake sure that the electrical contacts on the foot of the flash are not dirty.

  • Page 44: Troubleshooting

    Problem Solution The flash is set up as a wireless • M ake 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. flash. Remove any obstructions in the line of sight between the two. (Page 42) • T he ambient light may be too high. (Page 42) The edges of the images look...

  • Page 45: Specifications / Customer Service

    Specifications Type: On-camera and wireless TTL automatic and manual flash Compatible cameras: Nikon cameras with i-TTL 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 Wireless transmission method: Optical pulse...

  • Page 46: Stroboscopic Reference Chart

    Stroboscopic Reference Chart This chart shows the maximum number of flashes possible for any given frequency/flash output combination. Frequency (Hz) Flash output level 1/16 1/32 1/64 1/128 1, 2, 3 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 Stroboscopic Reference Chart...

  • Page 47: 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 48: 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.

Table of Contents