Bolt VS-560S, User Manual

Page 1: ...Inspiration strikes Inspiration strikes VS 560S WIRELESS TTL FLASH User s Manual ...

Page 2: ...pyright 2014 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 2 Introduction ...

Page 3: ...ash Among the benefits you ll enjoy Full compatibility with Sony s TTL metering system Wireless TTL control with multiple flash units and groups Automatic and manual zoom from 24mm to 105mm Tilt and swivel head 90 up 120 right and 180 left 1 8 inch backlit LCD Seven manual flash levels full to 1 64 power Autofocus assist for low light photography High speed sync Rear curtain sync Built in reflecto...

Page 4: ...e Flash 14 15 Turning on the Flash and Firing a Test 16 Extended Interface 17 Using the Automatic TTL Flash Mode 18 19 Using High Speed Sync 19 Using Flash Exposure Compensation 20 Using the Manual Flash Mode 21 22 Controlling Flash Coverage Zoom 22 25 Using the Autofocus Assist Light 25 ...

Page 5: ... Using Your VS 560S as a Wireless TTL Slave 30 32 Using Your VS 560S as a Wireless Manual Flash 32 35 Positioning Remote Flash Units 36 37 Upgrading the Firmware on the VS 560S 38 Troubleshooting 38 39 Specifications 40 41 Guide Number Chart 41 FCC Notices 42 One Year Limited Warranty 43 ...

Page 6: ...6 Overview 1 2 4 17 19 18 8 16 12 3 5 20 6 7 9 11 15 14 10 13 VS 560S ...

Page 7: ...ng foot 7 Mounting foot lock 8 Mode button 9 Up button 10 Down button 11 Zoom position button 12 Ready light Test button 13 Power switch 14 Automatic exposure confirmation light 15 Flash head position indicator 16 LCD 17 External power socket 18 PC sync socket 19 Firmware upgrade socket 20 AF assist Wireless ready indicator light ...

Page 8: ...8 Overview 32 GROUP B GROUP A GROUP C H TTL EV M S EV 21 28 29 30 31 22 23 24 25 26 27 ...

Page 9: ...nc status 22 Slave mode 23 TTL mode 24 Wireless TTL mode 25 Manual mode 26 Manual flash output Slave channel 27 Slave group 28 Zoom mode 29 Zoom position 30 Flash compensation value 31 Camera aperture f stop 32 Stand Tripod mount ...

Page 10: ...our flash unit please wait for at least 10 minutes after 20 continuous flashes at full power Do not disassemble or attempt to repair this product yourself There are high voltage components inside that can produce a hazardous electric shock Keep this product and its batteries out of reach of children Use only the power sources specified in this manual Always switch the flash off before changing the...

Page 11: ...w humidity and general moisture Should the VS 560S 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 If you detect excessive heat smoke or a burning smell coming from the flash immediately stop operation and remove the batteries...

Page 12: ...functioning properly Contacts may be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab Dispose of used batteries properly Never heat them or throw them into a fire as this could cause the batteries to leak corrosive liquids generate heat or explode Installing Batteries The VS 560S 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...

Page 13: ...n the battery compartment cover and slide it in the direction of the arrow to remove it 2 Insert batteries in the orientations indicated by the illustration inside the compartment 3 Replace the battery compartment cover by pressing and sliding it into place in the opposite direction of the arrow on the cover 1 2 3 ...

Page 14: ...ypes or brands or use old and new batteries together Mounting the Flash To mount the VS 560S on your camera follow these steps 1 Make sure that the flash is turned off 2 Slide the mounting foot all the way into your camera s hot shoe 3 The lock will automatically engage and hold the flash in place ...

Page 15: ...ltaneously sliding the mounting foot out of your camera s hot shoe Mounting the VS 560S on the included stand You can mount the VS 560S 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 20 screw mount 45 60 75 PUSH ...

Page 16: ...t Test button Automatic power saving function After 3 minutes of inactivity the flash will automatically enter power saving mode to conserve battery life The LCD will display a single OFF indicator and the Ready light will turn off To reactivate the VS 560S simply press any button on the control panel or tap your camera s shutter release button During long periods of inactivity it is recommended t...

Page 17: ...perate PC Sync You can synchronize your VS 560S with a camera by running a PC cord between your camera and the VS 560S s PC sync socket This lets you position the flash away from the camera thus giving you more lighting options Note The PC sync socket on the VS 560S is only for synchronous signal input and not output To access the extended interface follow these steps 1 Pull back the contact cover...

Page 18: ...o another mode press the Mode button repeatedly to cycle through the flash modes until TTL is shown on the LCD 2 Make sure your camera is set on a programmed or automatic mode or on a priority mode such as aperture priority 3 Press the shutter release button on your camera halfway to ensure that the camera is communicating with the flash The camera s aperture setting will be displayed on the flash...

Page 19: ...L 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 To activate high speed sync mode on the VS 560S press the Mode button repeatedly to cycle through the flash modes until the high speed sync mode indicator appears on the LCD To turn high speed sync on or off press the up or do...

Page 20: ...t incrementally just as you would adjust exposure with the exposure compensation function on your camera To apply flash exposure compensation press the up or down buttons on the flash to increase or decrease flash exposure by 1 3 stop up to 3 stops total The LCD will display EV or EV next to the exposure value to indicate whether it is increased or decreased H TTL EV ...

Page 21: ...modes until M and the flash output level indicator show on the LCD Press the up or down buttons to set the desired flash output level The output level will cycle through in both directions 2 Set the exposure settings you want to use on your camera The highest shutter speed available will be your camera s flash sync speed To use higher shutter speeds switch to automatic TTL mode and activate high s...

Page 22: ...continuous flashes at full power The flash will automatically shut off if it gets overheated Controlling Flash Coverage Zoom The VS 560S s angle of coverage can be adjusted 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 position of the reflectors inside the flash head shift in order to make the an...

Page 23: ...est zoom setting will be displayed on the LCD If you zoom your lens the flash zoom setting will change automatically When the flash head is angled up or swiveled to the side the zoom position is set to 50mm The 50mm indicator will flash on the LCD and the zoom can then be manually adjusted see below Note Older cameras that do not offer digital data transmission with the flash do not support the au...

Page 24: ... a vignette 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 1 Pull the diffuser and reflector panels out of their slot in the flash head 2 Push the reflector back in and let the diffuser lay flat against the flash l...

Page 25: ... Flash on page 26 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 560S 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 ...

Page 26: ... 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 560S 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...

Page 27: ... colored surface will not alter the color of the light while bouncing off of a gold toned surface can give portraits a warmer look Other colors while usually not desirable can be used for creative effects 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...

Page 28: ...h 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 ...

Page 29: ... flash sync and the latter is called rear curtain or second curtain sync Front curtain sync causes motion blur and light trails to appear in front of moving subjects while rear curtain sync makes them appear behind moving subjects That means rear curtain sync creates a more realistic impression of movement The VS 560S supports rear curtain sync modes on cameras that offer the setting Consult your ...

Page 30: ...learn how to work with multiple wireless flash units Master This can be the camera s built in flash a flash unit mounted on the camera or a dedicated wireless controller The master controls how the slave flashes operate in wireless TTL mode Only one master flash is allowed in a multiple flash photography setting Note that not all cameras and flashes offer master capability Slave or remote flash Fl...

Page 31: ...m nearby Groups With the VS 560S 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 Setting the remote TTL flash units To set a VS 560S flash unit to function as an automatic TTL slave follow these steps 1 Make sure the master flash or controller on your camera is on and set to automatic TTL mode 2 Select the appr...

Page 32: ...e group and channel for all units being used in a particular light position For example if you are using three VS 560S units you might want to set two as a main light on channel 1 group A and set the third as a fill light on channel 1 group B 5 If desired adjust the flash coverage angle by pressing the Zoom button repeatedly 6 Make sure that the red light on the front of the flash is flashing This...

Page 33: ...it to function as a slave with the output level selected manually follow these steps 1 In Manual mode use the up and down buttons to select the power output 1 through 1 64 2 Press the Mode button once to enter Slave mode 3 Set the slave mode as desired see below 4 If desired adjust the flash coverage angle by pressing the Zoom button repeatedly 5 Make sure that the master flash on your camera is o...

Page 34: ...rrect time there are three different slave modes available modes 0 1 and 2 To select the correct slave mode follow these steps 1 Make sure the flash is in Slave mode 2 Press the Up and Down buttons 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 In modes 1 and 2 the slave w...

Page 35: ...h 35 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 560S as a slave S ...

Page 36: ...essional 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 16 23 33 ...

Page 37: ...may vary depending on the ambient light The flash head should not be aimed directly into the camera lens The wireless sensors are located on the front of the VS 560S 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 sens...

Page 38: ...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 Solution The flash is stuck in the camera hot shoe Make sure that the mounting foot release lock is pushed Page 15 ...

Page 39: ...e of sight between the two Page 37 The ambient light may be too high Page 37 The flash is set up as a manual optical slave but the light is not noticeable in the picture Make sure that the flash is set to the appropriate slave mode Page 34 The edges of images look dark Make sure that the flash zoom setting corresponds to the focal length of your lens Page 23 There s a whining sound coming from the...

Page 40: ...ffuser panel Flash duration 1 1 000 1 20 000 second High speed synchronization Yes Flash recycle time 0 5 9 seconds AA Ni MH Manual mode power output 1 1 1 2 1 4 1 8 1 16 1 32 1 64 Wireless transmission method Optical pulse Wireless transmission range Up to 33 feet 10 meters Wireless channels 4 Controllable wireless slave groups 3 Slave timing modes Instant sync skip one pre flash skip two pre fla...

Page 41: ...nge Right 0º 120º Left 0º 180º Dimensions Approx 2 5 3 9 4 7 65 100 120 mm Weight Approx 9 2 oz 260 g without batteries Guide Number Chart Zoom Position GN Meters GN Feet 24mm 34 112 28mm 36 118 35mm 38 125 50mm 43 141 70mm 45 148 85mm 47 154 105mm 50 164 at ISO 100 ...

Page 42: ...instructions may cause harmful interference to radio communications However there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation If this equipment does cause harmful interference which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on the user is encouraged to try to correct to the interference by one or more of the following measures re orient or re locate the r...

Page 43: ...t cover damage or defect caused by misuse neglect accident alteration abuse improper installation or maintenance EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN THE WARRANTY PROVIDER MAKES NEITHER ANY EXPRESS WARRANTIES NOR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE This warranty provides you with specific legal rights and you may also...

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