# How to get Cactus V5 triggers to all go off at the same time?



## Jellybean88 (Aug 24, 2018)

I have 4 Mono lights each with a Cactus V5 trigger and a Cactus V5 on the cameras hot-shoe as the transmitter. My camera is a Nikon D7100.

I have followed directions and watched videos but cannot get them to all go off at the same time (they are a second apart). I am trying to figure out what I am doing wrong.


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## Designer (Aug 24, 2018)

I won't try to diagnose the issue without some in-person testing, etc.  

Make it easy on yourself, and just use ONE RF receiver on one of the lights, and set the other 3 lights to "slave mode".


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## Jellybean88 (Aug 24, 2018)

ah ok...someone told me I needed one for each light. So I use just one receiver on any light and still use the transmitter on the cameras hotshoe?


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## Designer (Aug 24, 2018)

Most studio type mono lights have a slave feature.  They will all work as long as they can "see" the flash from the other strobe.  All in the same room will suffice.  

You don't even need any RF Tx/Rx units if you use your built-in flash to trigger the slaves on the other strobes.  You only do that if using the on-camera flash will not have a detrimental effect on the lighting that you have painstakingly set up with the studio strobes.


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## Jellybean88 (Aug 24, 2018)

Yes they have a slave feature. When each flash fires there is a 'beep'...should I depend on this to tell me if they are not all going off at the same time? I take a photo and all I hear is beep beep beep beep as the flashes fire. Should they not all harmonize? or am I looking too much into this?


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## Jellybean88 (Aug 24, 2018)

Someone just informed me that usually the beep sound from the flash indicates the light have fully recharged and are ready to fire again, so even if they fire in sync the beeps may come at different times, especially if they are at different power setting ( they are at different power settings)


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## Designer (Aug 27, 2018)

Jellybean88 said:


> ...should I depend on this to tell me if they are not all going off at the same time?


When setting up your shot (every time) take your camera over to the set and snap off a shot looking back toward the lights.  You will see the flash from each one, and of course, they will all go at the same time.  If there is a problem, you will see it.


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