Cactus Flash Triggers
Walch Optics has just received a restock of the Cactus V5 Wireless Flash Transceivers. Reliable, sturdy, and great value, the V5s make a fantastic alternative to some of the more expensive flash triggering options on the market. They can also be used to wirelessly fire your camera’s shutter and even autofocus your lenses, saving the need for an extra piece of equipment. The V5s come in a ‘duo’ pack of two transceivers for $85. That’s all you need to trigger one speedlight or studio flash for just $90. The more flashes you need to trigger, the more Cactus V5s you add. Dead easy.
New to Walch Optics is the Cactus Wireless Flash Transceiver V6. The V6 offers improved control, allowing you to remotely control the power output of up to 4 groups of remote flashes as well as offering TTL pass-through. The V6 allows manual flash power adjustments in increments of just 0.1 EV across certain models of flash, even if the flash doesn’t allow such fine control itself. Cactus have also profiled more than 30 of the most popular flash models across a range of brands, so the V6 can control their output levels with ultimate precision. If you use a flash that the V6 doesn’t know, it can learn the flash profile and to control the power output. The Cactus V6s are in-store now at $80 each. As with the V5s, you will need one transceiver unit for your camera, and one transceiver unit for each flash you wish to use together.
Both systems are compatible across brands, so if you jump ship from Canon to Nikon (for example), you won’t need to purchase a different set of triggers. Handy.
Come into the store the check the Cactus range out for yourself and ask any questions that you may have. As always, we want you to get the most out of any purchase you make.
Canon Digital Camera Cashback
Canon has announced a pretty generous cashback offer starting today, the 1st of August. Savings of up to $50 across Canon’s fantastic range of compact cameras and offers of up to $200 cashback on selected models in their digital SLR range. Find out more in-store or follow the links below to see the products and savings on our webstore.
Canon Digital SLRs
OLYMPUS PEN E-P5 SUPER SALE
We have a few surplus Olympus PEN E-P5’s kicking around and have decided it’s time to find them loving new owners. With a 16 megapixel sensor and the ability to take any of Olympus’ fantastic Micro Four Thirds lenses, The E-P5 is an absolute steal at $450. For an extra $140 We’ll even throw in the 14-42mm kit lens. All this adds up to wonderful images from a compact and lightweight package at an absolutely fantastic price.
Check them out at the links below or come in to the store for a test drive and to ask any questions you may have. As always we want you to help you get the most from any purchase you make from Walch Optics.
PEN EP-5 with 14-42mm IIR MSC Lens
Hooray, the Sigma 50mm f1.4 now in stock!
We are unpacking a delivery of Sigma lenses and are very excited about this new model. Just the Canon mount at this stage, but apparently Nikon mount is around the corner. You should buy this lens, it’s great. Really great. Rivals Zeiss for 1/4 the preiss.
Sigma 50mm f1.4 Art Series Lens – Canon Mount
Sigma 50mm f1.4 Art Series Lens – Nikon Mount
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Product Launch & Demo Night.
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We like to invite you to the product launch and demonstration of the new
E-M1 hosted by Olympus Australia, and presented by Olympus Ambassador Karl Ludik at a Salamanca conference center.
Olympus have really impressed us with the original OM-D and really, the whole micro four thirds system so we are looking forward to dissecting the details of this new flagship model.
The event will provide you the opportunity to have a play with the new camera and get a detailed presentation of it’s new features and technologies from Karl in a nice comfortable setting with refreshments provided.
You don’t have to be an expert or anything, come along even if you’re just a little bit curious about the Olympus cameras or want to learn more about how they work. Plus you’ll be supporting your favourite camera shop Walch Optics by coming along too.
We need to have pretty accurate numbers to get the catering right so please RSVP via this facebook event page or directly to Francis via email – francis@walchoptics.com.au
If you have any further questions drop us a line 6223 8855.
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The new Canon 70D is here.
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The Canon 70D is here in stock as of last week, and after playing around a bit with it I can say I like it. It’s the first camera to feature Canon’s brand new 20.2mp APS-C DUAL PIXEL AF CMOS sensor. Wow that’s a mouthful. But it is worth noting what it means – Until now Canon have been using their highly acclaimed 18mp sensor in all their APS-C cameras such as the 600D, 700D, 60D since it was first introduced in the 7D back in 2009. This sensor still holds it’s own compared to the rest of the market which is why even after 4 years the 7D is still a great camera, but since the release of Nikon’s new 24mp sensor last year we have been looking to Canon for how their next generation of DSLRs are going to measure up. The DUAL PIXEL part describes a new focusing technology that works when the camera is in LIVE VIEW mode.
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Without getting crazy technical, basically light is split into two parts by the sensor, half is used to capture the image, and the other half is used to measure the focus. This is important because typically DSLRs have struggled to perform very well in LIVE VIEW or while capturing video. This new sensor allows the camera to focus pretty much as well as a camcorder, but with all the quality of a DSLR. I did some testing and the camera can certainly follow a subject as it moves towards or away from the camera. Also it doesn’t suffer from the random loss of focus during filming that we sometimes see with DSLR video. Couple this with Canon’s new STM silent focus lenses and I think we can claim this is a genuine innovation and not just a gimmick.
The build quality and operation is very similar to that of the 60D with updates including touchscreen, 7FPS continuous burst, 19PT cross type AF, WiFi, in-camera HDR, and IR off-camera flash control. This is Canon’s best crop-frame type DSLR on the market. Why don’t you come in and check it out, we’d be happy to give you a demo.
Dan
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Have you seen this? – Electronic DSLR RC for video.
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This is Manfrotto’s electronic controller for DSLR video. It allows you to auto focus, start and stop recording, zoom in on your LCD and most impressively control your focus. Yes that’s right you can pull focus back and forth using a trigger for smooth cinematic results without having to use a follow focus ring on your lens. The device does this by tapping into the firmware of your Canon DSLR and driving the focus motor electronically. This is a great product for anyone looking to take their DSLR video to the next level.
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We have this is stock right now for $499.
If you have any questions or would like to arrange a demo, get in touch
Also you can check out the Manfrotto website for more spec details.
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SIRUI Tripods: Exclusive to Walch Optics.
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Walch Optics are the exclusive outlet of Sirui Tripods for Tasmania. We have been selling them for about a year now and we‘re very pleased with the quality of the product. Since our website is up and running now, I thought it might be a good time to share the Sirui range with you in a bit more detail.
SIRUI photographic equipment company was founded in 2001, originally as an manufacturer for a renowned french photographic company producing high-end photographic equipment.
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With the enriched technique and experience accumulated over those years, SIRUI started to develop its own brand and technology from 2006 onwards. By continuously investing in the advanced tooling and precision machining in concert with a well-trained design and engineering team, SIRUI was able to develop its own assembly line, and is independent from design to manufacture to assembly. This is somewhat unique for photographic products coming out of China, SIRUI design all their products from the ground up with exacting standards and even patent elements of the designs.
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Our hands on experience in the store with Sirui tripods has been impressive, they feel very well engineered. The action on every part of them from the leg clasps to the quick release plates or panning mechanism on the heads feels really smooth and solid. The carbon fibre is 8x which we are told is better than the standard 6x used in most other carbon fibre tripods, as a result the tripods are high in strength. All the Sirui products come with a 6 year warranty too.
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T-005:
This tripod is tiny. It’s perfect for traveling or bushwalking, so it’s quite popular with our outdoorsy customers. The T-005 comes in a kit with a ball head included, which weighs a total of just 800 grams altogether. After all the hoo-ha about the carbon fibre this one is actually aluminum, but its so small that you won’t save much weight by making it from carbon fibre anyhow. One thing to mention is that the minimum height is actually limited because the center column does not lower below the base plate, although this can be overcome by rotating the legs all the way around and inverting the tripod. The kit comes with a pull cord material bag and allen key set for adjustments.
$129
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T-1205x
Another compact tripod good for traveling, the T1205x folds down to just 34cm in height and still fits in the zip up carry case with a ball head attached. The legs weigh only 800 grams but can carry up to 10kg meaning it will hold well above any standard DSLR setup. The tripod comes with a zip-up carry case big enough to fit the legs with a ball head attached. Also included is a short stem to replace the center column if you want to shoot very low to the ground, allen keys for adjustments and a replacement base plate for larger heads.
$279
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N-2204
This is the one you go for when you need the biggest and the best, well there is actually a bigger SIRUI tripod than this bit it’s huge and we only order it in on request. Weighing just 1.3kg and supporting up to 15kg with a wide footprint this tripod is big enough to suit most jobs and still very light. The really cool thing is that you can unscrew one of the legs and use it as a monopod by attaching the base plate provided, this is great if you’re shooting in crowds or simply need to steady a shot without being anchored down. As with the other models the tripod comes with a zip-up carry case, spare base plate, allen keys for adjustment and a short stem to replace the center column if you want to shoot very low to the ground.
$399
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These tripods are all available for sale from Walch Optics. In fact we are the exclusive outlet in Tasmania, we don’t have them available for purchase online currently but of course we can ship directly to you should you need. Please call or email if you have any questions, or pop in and check them out.
-Dan.
BAG SALE
Walch Optics are having a sale on all our bags to celebrate the arrival of Think Tank Bags to our store. The sale is not limited to just Think Tank though, we are offering 10%OFF ALL CAMERA BAGS AND CASES including bags that we already have already discounted in our clearance sale.
Just mention that you saw the sale on our website to receive the discount.
Pocket Wizard Plus X
We’ve been looking for a cheaper alternative to the Pocket Wizard PlusIII wireless flash trigger for some time now but we’ve never really been happy with the reliability of the cheaper brands. When photographing people, even one misfire of the flash can be a disaster so your triggers need to fire every time. The newly released Pocket Wizard Plus X does just that. It has the same range and reliability of the more expensive Pocket Wizard products but due to it’s simple operation comes without the premium price tag. The units are just $110 per transceiver and they are compatible with other Pocket Wizard products. The triggers can fire at up to 500m and work on 10 different channels. Here’s what Pocket Wizard say:
“The PlusX is the simplest PocketWizard radio ever and the perfect entry into the PocketWizard Wireless System,
How simple? Attach one PlusX to your camera, another PlusX to a remote flash using an included cable, set both radios to the same channel and start taking pictures.
The PlusX is compatible with all Standard Channel-capable PocketWizard transmitters and receivers, so it’s the perfect companion for your existing radios and new flashes.”
The Pocket Wizard Plus X is now in stock at Walch Optics.
-Dan.