FREEWAVE CAPTAIN TTL TRIGGER USER MANUAL
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction.............................................................3 Connecting to a studio flash............................. 16 Features.....................................................................4 Flash trigger functions......................................... 17 Compatible devices................................................5 Canon-specific functions.............................. 18-19 Precautions...........................................................
THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING VELLO. The Vello FreeWave Captain wireless triggering system is a multi-purpose 2.4 GHz 4-channel digital radio TTL system that empowers users to remotely trigger flash and camera devices. You can enjoy the freedom of triggering from a distance up to 300 feet (100 meters). The Vello FreeWave Captain is designed to give photographers an easy-to-use, high-quality TTL radio slave system.
FEATURES TTL functionality for Nikon (VCTTL-N) or Canon (VCTTL-C) units: Designed to work seamlessly with your camera’s i-TTL or E-TTL system. Adjustable TTL: Fine-tune your TTL settings. 4 separate radio channels: Digitally coded 2.4 GHz signal, perfect for operating multiple devices wirelessly without having to worry about radio or flash interference. Multiple trigger options: Wireless hot shoe, studio flash, and shutter release triggering.
COMPATIBLE DEVICES The Vello FreeWave Captain receiver is available in models for both Nikon i-TTL and Canon E-TTL cameras. The Nikon and Canon models are each compatible with the respective company’s TTL (through-the-lens) technology. To make full use of the FreeWave Captain system, we recommend using TTL-capable hot-shoe speedlights from your cameras manufacturer.
PRECAUTIONS • Please read and follow these instructions and keep this manual in a safe place. • There are no user-serviceable parts inside the devices. Do not attempt to disassemble or perform any unauthorized modification. • • 6 Do not operate the transmitter or receiver in the presence of flammable gas or vapors. Do not handle with wet hands or immerse in or expose to water or rain. Failure to observe this precaution could result in fire or electric shock. • Keep out of reach of children.
• Handle the units with care. • Make sure the item is intact and that there are no missing parts. • Do not use or leave the devices in conditions of extreme heat, severe cold, or high humidity. • All photos are for illustrative purposes only. • Turn off the power of the camera and studio flash before inserting or removing the remote. • Dispose of used batteries, packaging, and old devices in accordance with appropriate local environmental regulations. • Clean the unit with a soft, dry cloth.
BOX CONTENTS Transmitter and Receiver Set (VCTTL-C and VCTTL-N) Receiver Only (VCTTL-CR and VCTTL-NR) • Transmitter • Receiver • Receiver • 2× AA batteries • 4× AA batteries • 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm studio flash cable • 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm studio flash cable • 3.5 mm to 1/4″ monoplug adapter • 3.
Also Included with Canon Set (VCTTL-C) VCTTL-C/N • Shutter Remote 2.5 mm to Canon 2.5 mm Shutter Release Cable (RCC-C1) • Shutter Remote 2.5 mm to Canon 3-Pin Camera Shutter Release Cable (RCC-C2) VCTTL-CR/NR Also Included With Nikon Set (VCTTL-N) • Shutter Remote 2.5 mm to Nikon 10-Pin Camera Shutter Release Cable (RCC-N1) • Shutter Remote 2.5 mm to Nikon DC2 Camera Shutter Release Cable (RCC-N2) • Shutter Remote 2.
OVERVIEW Transmitter 2 1 3 11 12 4 13 10 5 9 8 7 6 10 1. Shutter release test button 6. EV compensation buttons 11. Battery compartment door 2. LED indicator 7. Channel selector button 12. Hot-shoe foot 3. Lanyard loop 8. Function button 13. Tightening screw 4. Flash test button 9. LCD screen 5. Mini-USB port 10.
Receiver 2 1 3 12 13 4 14 10 5 11 15 6 8 9 7 1. Shutter release test button 6. Mini-USB port 11. On/off switch 2. LED indicator 7. 3.5 mm flash-trigger output 12. Battery compartment door 3. Lanyard loop 8. 2.5 mm shutter-release output 13. Cold-shoe foot 4. Channel selector switch 9. DC5V power port 14. 1/4″-20 light-stand thread 5. Flash test button 10. Hot-shoe mount 15.
INSTALLING THE BATTERIES & TURNING ON THE DEVICE The Vello FreeWave Captain transmitter and receiver each take two AA batteries. To install the batteries, simply remove the battery compartment door on the back of the unit. With the door removed, insert the batteries with the correct polarity as displayed within the compartment. Once secured, reinstall the battery compartment door. To turn on the Vello FreeWave Captain transmitter or receiver, simply slide the on/ off switch to the ‘on’ position.
SETTING THE CHANNELS The Vello FreeWave Captain transmitter and receiver can communicate with your choice of four separate channels, thereby allowing the photographer to shoot without interference from other shooters. To change the channel on the transmitter, turn on the device and press the channel selector [ ] button until the desired channel appears on the LCD screen. To change the channel on the receiver, use the channel selector switch on the left side of the unit.
MOUNTING THE TRANSMITTER To wirelessly trigger your flash device using the Vello FreeWave Captain, the transmitter must be mounted on the camera’s hot shoe. With both devices turned off, slide the transmitter’s hot-shoe foot into the camera’s hot-shoe mount. Turn the transmitter’s tightening ring to secure the device to the camera.
MOUNTING THE RECEIVER Note: Make sure your flash and FreeWave Captain are turned off before mounting. Mount the receiver to your tripod or stand via one of the two provided mounting options: 1. Threaded socket for a standard 1/4″ screw mount. 2. Accessory shoe (cold shoe) foot. Mounting a Hot-Shoe Flash To mount your hot-shoe flash to the receiver, slide the foot of the hot-shoe flash into the receiver’s hot-shoe mount. Secure the flash to the hot-shoe mount.
CONNECTING TO A STUDIO FLASH With all devices turned off, plug the 3.5 mm studio flash cable into the receiver’s flash [ ] port. Plug the other end into your studio flash. If your flash does not accept a 3.5 mm cable, attach the 1/4″ monoplug adapter to the cable and insert that into the studio flash’s input. Note: For studio flashes with household plugs, a 3.5 mm to household adapter is available separately.
FLASH TRIGGER FUNCTIONS TTL EV Control The Vello FreeWave Captain’s transmitter provides the user with the ability to manually adjust the TTL reading of a TTL-capable flash. This function can adjust the TTL reading in 1/3 stops between -3 and +3. To use this function, simply push the + or - EV buttons on the bottom of the transmitter. Tip: Each photographer has their own vision of proper image exposure. The EV settings allow the photographer to adjust the TTL exposure to reflect their own specific vision.
CANON-SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS High-Speed Sync (HSS) Control Second-Curtain Sync (SCS) Control High-speed sync (HSS) allows your camera to set the shutter speed faster than what flash would normally be able to fire in sync with. HSS mode instructs the flash to fire multiple short pulses of light to match the shutter’s speed. To the camera, this will appear as one continuous flash. Because of the short duration of the light, the flash needs to be positioned closer to the subject.
AF Illumination Control Canon M2 Mode On a Canon camera, the AF illumination light is controlled by adjusting the settings within your camera body. See your Canon instruction manual for your camera model. The M2 Mode is for select Canon models that use a newer sync protocol. If your Canon camera does not work in the default mode, then switch the transmitter to the M2 mode to see if it's compatible. Wake Up To remotely wake up a flash unit, halfpress the flash test [ ] button.
NIKON-SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS High-Speed Sync (HSS) Control Second-Curtain Sync (SCS) Control High-speed sync (HSS) allows your camera to set the shutter speed faster than a flash would normally be able to fire in sync with. HSS mode instructs the flash to fire multiple short pulses of light to match the shutter’s speed. To the camera, this will appear as one continuous flash. Because of the short duration of the light, the flash needs to be positioned closer to the subject.
AF Illumination Control Wake Up To be able to control AF illumination with the Vello FreeWave Captain, turn off AF illumination in your camera according to the instructions in your camera’s manual. To remotely wake up a flash unit, halfpress the flash test [ ] button. The AF illumination light emitted by the Nikon Flash can be controlled via the transmitter’s AF function. To turn off this function, push the function [ ] button.
TRIGGERING THE FLASH 1. With all devices turned off, connect and secure the transmitter to the camera by securing it to your camera’s hot-shoe mount. 2. Mount and secure the receiver to your remote flash unit. 3. Turn on the camera, flash, transmitter, and receiver. 4. Synchronize the channel selection on the transmitter and receiver. 5. Press the flash test [ ] button on the transmitter or receiver to verify flash firing. 22 6.
USING AS A REMOTE SHUTTER RELEASE Mounting the Receiver On-Camera To mount the receiver to your camera, slide the device into the camera’s hotshoe mount. Turn the receiver's tightening ring to secure it to the camera. Connecting the Receiver to Your Camera A wired connection is required to connect the receiver to your camera. With all of the devices off, connect the shutter release cable to your receiver by inserting the 2.5 mm end into the receiver’s shutter release [ ] port.
TRIGGERING THE CAMERA | SINGLE-SHOT MODE 1. With all devices turned off, connect and secure the receiver to the camera by plugging the 2.5 mm shutter release cable into the camera’s shutter remote port and the other end into the receiver’s shutter release [ ] output. 2. Turn on the camera, transmitter, and receiver. 3. Synchronize the channel selection on the transmitter and receiver. 4. Set your camera to single-shot mode. 5.
TRIGGERING THE CAMERA | CONTINUOUS-SHOT MODE 1. With all devices turned off, connect and secure the receiver to the camera by plugging the 2.5 mm shutter release cable into the camera’s shutter remote port and the other end into the receiver’s shutter release [ ] output. 2. Turn on the camera, transmitter, and receiver. 3. Synchronize the channel selection on the transmitter and receiver. 5. Half-press the shutter release test [ ] button on the transmitter to autofocus the camera. 6.
TRIGGERING THE CAMERA | BULB MODE 1. With all devices turned off, connect and secure the receiver to the camera by plugging the 2.5 mm shutter release cable into the camera’s shutter remote port and the other end into the receiver’s shutter release [ ] output. 6. Fully press and hold the shutter release test [ ] button on the transmitter to open the camera’s shutter.
TRIGGERING THE CAMERA | SELF-TIMER MODE 1. With all devices turned off, connect and secure the receiver to the camera by plugging the 2.5 mm shutter release cable into the camera’s shutter remote port and the other end into the receiver’s shutter release [ ] output. 2. Turn on the camera, transmitter, and receiver. 3. With your camera’s shutter speed set to higher speed than bulb, set your camera to self-timer mode. 4. Synchronize the channel selection on the transmitter and receiver. 5.
COMPATIBILITY The Vello FreeWave Captain shares a radio signal frequency with the Vello Flash Trigger LR on the first four channels. Pairing these units is ideal for those looking for an economic option to expand their lighting setups. USB UPGRADES Updates for the Vello FreeWave Captain will be available on the Vello website, at www.vellogear.com. To update your devices, download the update to your computer and connect the transmitter and receiver to it using the included USB to mini-USB cable.
SPECIFICATIONS Transmitter Receiver Frequency 2.4 GHz 2.4 GHz Channels 4 channels 4 channels Up to 300′ (100 m) Up to 300′ (100 m) Operating Range Sync Speed 1/8000 maximum 1/8000 maximum Connections Hot-shoe foot, USB port Hot-shoe mount, USB port, 3.5 mm flash sync port, 2.5 mm shutter release port, 5 V DC power input, USB Port Power Source 2× AA batteries 2× AA batteries or optional AC adapter 3.63″ × 1.87″ × 1.72″ (9.21 × 4.75 × 4.37 cm) 3.66″ × 1.85″ × 1.8″ (9.3 × 4.71 × 4.
TROUBLESHOOTING Check that channels on all communicating devices are identical. When turning on the unit, it is important to review and, if necessary, reset the group selection. If first choice of channel does not work, try a different channel until you find one that works. Ensure that all cables are installed correctly. Make sure that the power source for each device is properly installed and carrying a sufficient charge. Weak batteries can reduce the distance over which a transmission works.
ONE-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY This Vello 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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