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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 Thank you for choosing the Bolt VS-510C 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 ................................................................................................................................................. 10–12 Installing Batteries ................................................................................................................................... 12–14 Mounting the Flash .
Bouncing Your Flash................................................................................................................................. 27–29 Using Rear- or Second-Curtain Synchronization ....................................................................................... 29–30 Using Your VS-510C as a Wireless TTL Slave ............................................................................................ 31–33 Using Your VS-510C as a Wireless Manual Flash .............................
2 15 1 3 45 60 75 C VS-510 16 ZOOM 9 10 MODE 12 OFF ON S OFF 14 OK 6 18 EST READY/T 13 11 17 6 | Overview 4 5 8 7
Overview 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Flash head Reflector panel Diffuser panel Battery compartment cover Wireless sensor (optical) Wireless sensor (TTL) Mounting foot Mounting foot lock Mode button Zoom position button Ready light / Test button Power switch Slave mode switch Automatic exposure confirmation light 15. Flash head position indicator 16. LCD 17. Firmware upgrade socket 18.
19 20 21 22 23 8 | Overview 24 25 26 27
19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27.
Warnings Before using your VS-510C, 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.
• Install batteries in the proper orientation, according to the indicator in the battery chamber. Installing batteries in the reverse orientation could cause them to leak, overheat, or explode. • Do not use or store the VS-510C in flammable conditions (such as environments containing flammable gases or liquid chemicals). This could damage the flash, start a fire, or cause an electric shock.
• Do not store or use this product at temperatures above 40°C / 104°F. • Keep the metal contacts in the battery compartment clean and free of corrosion and dirt. Do not touch them with your fingers. Corrosive elements on the contacts can damage the VS-510C and prevent it from functioning properly. Contacts may be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab. • Dispose of used batteries properly.
To install batteries, make sure the VS-510C 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. Insert batteries in the orientations indicated by the illustrations inside the compartment. Replace the battery compartment cover by pressing and sliding it into place, in the opposite direction of the arrow on the cover.
Important! Replace all four batteries at the same time. Do not mix battery types or brands, or use old and new batteries together. Mounting the Flash To mount the flash on your camera, make sure the VS-510C is turned off and follow these steps: 1. Turn the mounting foot lock counter-clockwise to loosen it.
2. 3. Slide the mounting foot all the way into your camera’s hot shoe. Turn the mounting foot lock clockwise until snug. Do not overtighten. 2 3 ZOOM ZOOM MODE MODE OFF ON S OFF OFF OFF S OK OK EST READY/T ON EST READY/T LOCK To dismount the flash from your camera, make sure the VS-510C is turned off and follow these steps: ZOOM MODE OFF ON S OFF OK EST READY/T 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-510C on the included stand: You can mount the VS-510C 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 ¼-20 screw mount. 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.
Automatic power-saving function: After 3 minutes of inactivity, the flash will automatically enter powersaving mode to conserve battery life. The LCD will display a single OFF indicator, and the Ready light will turn off. To reactivate the VS-510C, simply press any button on the control panel, or tap your camera’s shutterrelease button. During long periods of inactivity, it is recommended that you use the power switch to turn the flash off completely.
Using the Automatic TTL Flash Mode When the VS-510C 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. When you turn the flash on, it will be in automatic mode. This will be confirmed by the TTL mode indicator on the LCD.
5. Press your camera’s shutter-release button to take the picture. The OK indicator will flash on the VS510C’s LCD, and the OK light below it will glow green momentarily to indicate that the proper exposure was attained. Note: The ISO and aperture indicators on the VS-510C provide readouts up to ISO 800 and f/11, in full-stop increments. The indicator will display the ISO number and f-stop closest to your current camera settings.
To activate high-speed sync mode on the VS-510C, press the Mode and Zoom buttons simultaneously. “H” and “On” will flash three times on the LCD to show that the mode has been activated. To turn high-speed sync off, press the Mode and Zoom buttons again. “H” and “Off” will flash three times on the LCD to show that the mode has been turned off.
2. 3. Press the FEL button on your camera. The flash will fire a test shot and lock its output level. Make sure the FEL indicator is showing in your camera’s viewfinder before you take your photograph. Reframe your image as desired. For more information about the flash exposure lock feature, consult your camera’s manual.
Using the Manual Flash Mode You can also set the VS-510C’s flash output level manually, for greater creative control over your images. Six manual settings are available: 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, and 1/32. 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.
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-510C 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. The flash will automatically shut off if it gets overheated.
When the flash zoom setting is adjusted, the position of the reflectors inside the flash head shift in order to make the angle of coverage wider or narrower. The available zoom positions are 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 70mm, 85mm, and 105mm. Automatic zoom control: When you turn the VS-510C on, 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.
Manual zoom control: To manually select a setting that corresponds to the focal length of your lens, press the Zoom button to make the M indicator for manual mode appear. Then continue to press the button to cycle through the available focal length settings. Note: Manual zoom can also be used to achieve special effects, such as using the 105mm setting with a wideangle lens to produce a vignette.
The diffuser also softens the light, providing an alternative when no surface is available for bouncing the flash (see Bouncing Your Flash on page 27). 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-510C 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.
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 of the larger surface before striking your subject, providing softer, more natural illumination. The VS-510C flash head can be tilted up at 45-, 60-, 75-, and 90-degree angles to the lens.
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. Tip: Bouncing your flash off of colored surfaces can create a color cast in your images. Bouncing off of a white or neutral-colored surface will not alter the color of the light, while bouncing off of a gold-toned surface can give portraits a warmer look.
2. 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. 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.
This “slow-sync” flash technique, also referred to as “dragging the shutter,” can be applied in two different ways: The flash can be synchronized with the camera’s shutter release so that it fires at the beginning of the period when the shutter opens, or it can fire near the end of that period. The former is called “front-curtain” or “first-curtain” flash sync, and the latter is called “rear-curtain” or “second-curtain” sync.
Using Your VS-510C as a Wireless TTL Slave The VS-510C is equipped with advanced wireless TTL flash functions, allowing you to fire the flash remotely while still maintaining full TTL control. In addition, it can be set to multiple channels and groups, giving you unlimited creative lighting possibilities.
Groups: With the VS-510C’s wireless system, you can assign remote flash units to any one of three groups (A, B, or C) and set the mode and power ratio for each group. Channels: Master and slave flash units exchange data through channels. On the VS-510C, four channels (1, 2, 3, 4) are available. You can select the channel you prefer for communication between the master and remote flash units.
5. 6. The numbers represent the channel, while the letters represent the group. A. When using a single flash, set it to the same group and channel as the master. B. 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 VS-510C units, you might want to set two as a main light on 1A, and set the third as a fill light on 1B.
Setting the remote flash units manually: To set a VS-510C flash unit to function as a slave with the output level selected manually, follow these steps: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Make sure that the slave mode switch is set to the Off position. Press the Mode button repeatedly to cycle through the mode options on the LCD. Select manual mode and the desired flash output level (1/1 through 1/32). If desired, adjust the flash coverage angle by pressing the Zoom button repeatedly.
fire before the camera’s shutter opens. In order to ensure that the VS-510C fires at the correct time, there are three different slave modes available: modes 0, 1, and 2. To select the correct slave mode, follow these steps: 1. 2. Make sure the slave mode switch is in the “S” position. Press the Mode button repeatedly to cycle through the slave mode options on the LCD. A. In mode 0, the flash will fire on the first (or only) burst of light. Use this mode when the master flash is set to manual. B.
Important! 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 any slave mode. We suggest you avoid using red-eye reduction when using the VS-510C as a slave. 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.
When positioning wireless slaves to light a subject, keep in mind the following: • The effective communication range between master and remote flash units is approximately 33 feet (10 meters) in the front position, and approximately 16 to 23 feet (5 to 7 meters) at both sides. These ranges may vary, depending on the ambient light. • The flash head should not be aimed directly into the camera lens.
Upgrading the Firmware on the VS-510C In order to ensure compatibility with future cameras, the VS-510C’s firmware may be updated. This can be done to ensure proper communication with new cameras, or to add new features. Visit www.boltflashes.com/firmware to check if a new firmware version has been released. Follow the online instructions to upgrade. Troubleshooting Problem The flash is stuck in the camera hot shoe. Solution Make sure that the mounting foot lock is released.
Problem Solution 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. Remove any obstructions in the line of sight between the two. (Page 37) • The ambient light may be too high.
Specifications Type: On-camera and wireless TTL automatic and manual flash Compatible cameras: Canon EOS and G-series models, with support for E-TTL and E-TTL II flash systems 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.
Tilt positions: 0º, 45º, 60º, 75º, 90º Swivel range: Right 0º–120º, Left 0º–180º Dimensions: Approx. 2.5 x 3.9 x 4.7 inches / 65 x 100 x 120 mm Weight: Approx. 9.
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.
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. Our responsibility with respect to this limited warranty shall be limited solely to repair or replacement, at its option, of any product which fails during normal consumer use.
www.boltflashes.com Copyright © 2012 Gradus Group.
