Inspiration strikes VS-570OP for Olympus/Panasonic 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-570OP 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 Mounting the Flas
Using Rear- or Second-Curtain Synchronization ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 27 Using Your VS-570OP as a Wireless Master or Slave ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������28-29 Using the VS-570OP as a Wireless Master �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������30-31 Master Summary screen �������������������������������������������������������������������
2 15 1 3 45 60 75 VS-570OP 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. 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 Automatic exposure confirmation light 15. Flash head position indicator 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
21 22 H S 27 23 TTL GROUP A 28 8 | Overview 24 GROUP B 29 25 26 M GROUP C 31 30
21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31.
Warnings Before using your VS-570OP, 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-570OP 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-570OP 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-570OP 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-570OP 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-570OP 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-570OP 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-570OP on the included stand: You can mount the VS-570OP 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-570OP 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-570OP 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. 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-570OP 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.
Using Red-Eye Reduction The VS-570OP 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-570OP’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-570OP’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 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.
Automatic zoom control: When you turn on the VS-570OP, 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 shutterrelease 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-570OP 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. Important! The AF assist light may not be supported by all Micro Four Thirds cameras.
The VS-570OP 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.
Using Your VS-570OP as a Wireless Master or Slave The VS-570OP 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.
Channels: Master and slave flash units exchange data through channels. On the VS-570OP, four channels (1, 2, 3, 4) are available. You can select the channel you prefer for communication between the master and remote flash units. You can use this option to prevent your remote units from being triggered by the master unit of another photographer working with the same type of system nearby.
Using the VS-570OP as a Wireless Master The VS-570OP offers optical wireless TTL and manual master flash modes. This enables you to set and control all functions of your wireless slave flash units from the VS-570OP. Three flash groups (A, B, and C) are available, with independent control over all three groups. For example, you can set one group to TTL mode and another to manual mode.
2. Use your camera’s super control panel display to configure all the wireless settings, including the master, groups, and channels. Note: The VS-570OP does not support Auto slave mode. If this mode is selected in your camera’s menu, the corresponding slave group will not fire. 3. If desired, adjust the flash coverage angle by pressing the Zoom button repeatedly.
1 2 3 32 | Master Summary screen 4 5
Master Summary screen 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Using the VS-570OP as a Wireless TTL Slave You can set the VS-570OP as a wireless TTL slave for Olympus/Panasonic, Nikon, and Canon TTL systems. This allows you to use an Olympus/Panasonic, Nikon, or Canon wireless TTL master to control the VS-570OP as a slave flash unit. To set the wireless TTL slave mode, follow these steps: 1. 2. 3. Make sure the master flash or controller on your camera is turned on and set to automatic TTL mode. Select the appropriate group and channel on the master unit.
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. The flash will cycle through channel 1, groups A through C; then channel 2, groups A through C; and so on. A. B. 5. 6.
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-570OP. 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.
Upgrading the Firmware on the VS-570OP In order to ensure compatibility with future cameras, the VS-570OP’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.
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 36). • The ambient light may be too high (Page 36).
Specifications Type: On-camera and wireless TTL automatic and manual flash Compatible cameras: Olympus and Panasonic DSLR and Micro Four Thirds cameras with TTL flash system support. 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˝ × 3.9˝ × 4.7˝ (65 × 100 × 120 mm) Weight: Approx. 9.2 oz.
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.
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.
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