Off-camera flash is one of the most interesting ways of improving your photography. Let's take a look at the Cactus Wireless Flash Trigger V2s which can be used to trigger your strobes/flashes wirelessly and for less than $35.
Off-Camera Flash
Photography, be it digital or analog, is all about capturing the light in a scene. Of course, composition and other photography techniques play a significant role in the process but the most primary requirement for a picture itself is light. Though natural light adds so much to the creation of a great photograph, it's not possible to have and use it at all times and places. So you've started using a external flash unit/strobe, but have you ever thought of taking off that strobe from your hot shoe and try placing the source of light in a picture elsewhere and seeing what it does? If you have, then you might have been faced with the problem of how to remotely trigger your flashes. You can head on over to read about 5 ways of triggering your off-camera flash and learn about the possibilities. The Cactus Wireless Flash Trigger V2s is one the most affordable remote trigger options for your strobe.
Cactus Wireless Flash Trigger V2s
The setup consists of a trigger unit which goes on top of your camera, by connecting to your hot shoe. A receiver unit comes with a hot shoe on which you mount the external flash and, with the provided fixing clamp, it can be attached to a light stand or slid onto a cold shoe. The unit is pretty straight forward to use. Once you've connected the trigger and receiver units to their respective hosts (camera & flash/strobe), you can do a test flash to see if the trigger mechanism works properly by pressing the test button on the trigger unit. If your flash goes off, you're all set to go.
Compatability
Rating 
So the first question that comes to your mind is, is it compatible with my brand of flash? Well, the Cactus Wireless Flash Trigger V2s supports a wide range of flash units or strobes.
- Canon SpeedLite 580EX II, 580EX, 540EZ, 520EZ, 430EX, 430EZ, 420EX, 420EZ, 380EX;
- Nikon Speedlight SB-800, SB-600, SB-28, SB-27, SB-26, SB-25, SB-24;
- Olympus FL-50R, FL-50, FL-36R, FL-36;
- Pentax AF-540 FGZ, AF-360 FGZ, AF-400 FT, AF-240 FT;
- Sigma EF-530 DG Super, EF-530 DG ST (for Nikon only), EF-500 DG Super, EF-500 DG ST (for Nikon only), EF-430;
- Sunpak Auto 2000DZ, 622 Pro, 433AF, 433D, 383, 355AF, 344D, 333D;
- Vivitar 285HV, DF-400MZ, DF-340MZ;
In case the flash unit you currently have does not fall under the above brands then you can still use the trigger if your flash unit has a trigger voltage of 12V or less. Ideally, most of the newer flash units come with lower trigger voltages and therefore can be used safely. However, if you are using it on older flash units, double check the trigger voltage.
Please continue on to page 2 of this review to see pictures of the Cactus Wireless Flash Trigger V2s, find out how this wireless flash trigger performs, and to learn about its overall quality to price.