Cognisys Scout Flash User manual
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Owner’s Manual
Revision 1.0
Copyright 2019 Cognisys, Inc.
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Table of Contents
1. SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS .................................................................................................................................. 4
2. GETTING STARTED ......................................................................................................................................... 5
2.1 WHAT IS THE SCOUT FLASH?...............................................................................................................................6
2.2 WHAT IS INCLUDED ...........................................................................................................................................7
2.3 BATTERY INSTALLATION ......................................................................................................................................8
2.4 QUICK START GUIDE ..........................................................................................................................................9
2.5 CLEANING AND CARE .......................................................................................................................................10
2.5.1 Cleaning .................................................................................................................................................10
2.5.2 Care and storage....................................................................................................................................10
2.5.3 Maintaining Weatherproof Design ........................................................................................................11
2.5.4 Painting the housing ..............................................................................................................................12
2.6 THE SCOUT FLASH ...........................................................................................................................................13
3. BASIC NAVIGATION ..................................................................................................................................... 15
3.1 BUTTONS.......................................................................................................................................................15
3.2 MAIN SCREEN ICONS .......................................................................................................................................16
3.3 MENU ICONS .................................................................................................................................................17
3.4 THE SCREEN...................................................................................................................................................17
3.5 LED INDICATORS.............................................................................................................................................17
4. SETTINGS..................................................................................................................................................... 18
4.1 SETTINGS NAVIGATION MAP .............................................................................................................................18
4.2 SETTING DESCRIPTIONS ....................................................................................................................................20
4.2.1 Power Level Adjustment ........................................................................................................................20
4.2.2 Mode......................................................................................................................................................20
4.2.2.1 Manual .......................................................................................................................................................... 20
4.2.2.2 Master........................................................................................................................................................... 20
4.2.2.3 Pulsed............................................................................................................................................................ 20
4.2.3 Multi Settings.........................................................................................................................................20
4.2.4 Power Settings .......................................................................................................................................20
4.2.5 System Settings......................................................................................................................................21
4.2.5.1 Wireless Settings........................................................................................................................................... 21
4.2.5.1.1 Enabled .................................................................................................................................................... 21
4.2.5.1.2 Channel .................................................................................................................................................... 21
4.2.5.1.3 ID.............................................................................................................................................................. 22
4.2.5.1.4 Scan Channels .......................................................................................................................................... 22
4.2.5.1.5 Wake Up................................................................................................................................................... 22
4.2.5.2 Time Settings................................................................................................................................................. 22
4.2.5.2.1 Set current time ....................................................................................................................................... 23
4.2.5.2.2 Window On .............................................................................................................................................. 23
4.2.5.2.3 Set Start Time........................................................................................................................................... 23
4.2.5.2.4 Set End Time ............................................................................................................................................ 23
4.2.5.3 Screen Timeout ............................................................................................................................................. 23
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4.2.5.4 Brightness ..................................................................................................................................................... 24
4.2.5.5 Lockout ......................................................................................................................................................... 24
4.2.5.6 LED Debug..................................................................................................................................................... 24
4.2.5.7 Load Defaults ................................................................................................................................................ 24
4.2.5.8 Statistics........................................................................................................................................................ 24
5. EXAMPLES ................................................................................................................................................... 25
5.1 WIRELESS FLASH .............................................................................................................................................25
5.2 WIRED FLASH (SCOUT CAMERA BOX/RECEIVER CONTROLS FLASHES) ........................................................................27
5.3 WIRED FLASH (3RD PARTY SENSORS)....................................................................................................................27
5.4 MAXIMUM BATTERY LIFE..................................................................................................................................28
6. INSTALLING THE REFLASH SOFTWARE (OPTIONAL)...................................................................................... 29
6.1 WINDOWS INSTALLATION .................................................................................................................................29
6.2 OS XINSTALLATION.........................................................................................................................................29
7. TROUBLESHOOTING .................................................................................................................................... 30
8. SPECIFICATIONS .......................................................................................................................................... 32
9. WARRANTY ................................................................................................................................................. 34
10. REVISION HISTORY .................................................................................................................................. 35
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1. Safety Instructions
WARNING indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in death
or serious injury.
Follow all CAUTION notices to reduce the risk of personal injury, prevent damage to the Scout
equipment, accessories, and devices (computers, cameras, flashes, etc). Failure to follow all
CAUTION notices may void your warranty. CAUTION may also indicate a potentially hazardous
situation which, if not avoided, may result in personal injury.
The safety alert symbol precedes a general CAUTION or WARNING statement.
The electrical hazard symbol precedes an electric shock hazard CAUTION or WARNING
statement.
CAUTION: Only use approved power sources for Scout equipment. Use of other power
adapters or batteries may damage the flash and/or attached equipment.
CAUTION: Misuse of Scout equipment could potentially damage your equipment. Cognisys, Inc.
will not be held liable for damage to your equipment. If you have questions about safety please
contact us!
WARNINGS: Follow the warnings below. Otherwise, death or serious injuries may result
•Do not look directly into the flash during operation. Eye damage may result.
•Do not activate the flash in direct contact with your body or other objects. This may result in
the risk of burns and fire.
•Do not disassemble or modify the flash. There are no user serviceable parts inside. The flash
has internal components that may cause death or serious injury.
•Do not submerge the flash in any liquids.
•Do not use the flash in environments with volatile/flammable chemicals or gasses.
•Do not operate the flash without the battery door (and seal) fully installed and tightened.
•If the equipment is dropped exposing internal electronics do not touch the electronics.
Hazardous voltage may be present.
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2. Getting Started
The latest version of this manual is available on our website at:
https://www.cognisys-inc.com/store/scout-flash.html
The graphics/menus included in this manual may not be identical to the software that you are
running. Improvements and adjustments to the software may happen prior to an updated
version of the manual.
Not big on reading manuals? (What? No thumbs-up? We worked hard on this you know!) We
have a few real world setups in the “5 - Examples” section. You can always come back to the
technical details if you get stuck. You really should finish reading this section though – it goes
through battery replacement and the basic care of the flash.
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2.1 What is the Scout Flash?
The Scout Flash is an ideal solution for short-term or long-term trail photography. It is designed
to be used with the Scout Camera Box but can also be used with the Scout Receiver.
The Scout Flash has several features not available with other flashes:
•Weatherproof
•Exceptional battery life (90 – 200 days)
•Wireless (up to 1/500 flash sync speed)
•Fast recycle time
•Quartz tube for durability and longevity
•Easy to use OLED dot matrix display
•All flashes can be controlled wirelessly through the Camera Box app (easy setup)
•Power level adjustments in 1/3 stops
•Time windows of operation – only fire when desired
•¼-20 tripod mount ideal for inexpensive ball-heads
•Uses the Scout Li-Ion battery pack
•External sync jack for wired operation
•External power jack
•High performance low power ARM processor
•Wide operating temperature range: -40C – 70C (-40F – 158F)
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2.2 What is Included
The Scout Flash includes:
•Scout Flash
•Scout 5200mAh battery
•Optional battery charger
•Quick-start guide insert
If you purchased the Scout Flash as a kit it may include additional accessories.
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2.3 Battery Installation
Battery installation is a simple process and because the Scout Flash has excellent battery life –
you won’t have to do it often!
The Flash requires a Scout 5200mAh battery. You can optionally use the Scout six AA (LR6)
battery pack. The AA battery pack is not recommended as the cycle time will increase and
overall battery life will be considerably less. For details about maximizing battery life see
section “5.4 - Maximum Battery Life”.
1. Be sure the Flash is clean prior to replacing the battery pack otherwise dirt may
compromise the weatherproof seal.
2. Turn off the flash.
3. Remove the four thumb screws from the front of the flash.
4. Remove the battery door.
5. Remove the battery pack and disconnect it from the flash.
6. Install a fresh battery pack.The pull-strap of the battery should be facing out and the
battery wires facing to the left side (toward the flash).If the battery wire is facing to the
right the battery may not fully install.
7. Verify the orange O-ring is still installed.
8. Install the battery door.
9. Tighten the four thumb screws.
You can also power the Scout Flash with external power using the optional power cable
available here:
https://www.cognisys-inc.com/store/3pin-extpwr-cable.html
If using the external power you MUST remove the internal battery.
The internal battery should be removed if storing the flash for an extended duration.
Pull-strap
Wires/connectors
on this side
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2.4 Quick Start Guide
Want to be up and running in two minutes or less? Here’s the quick-start guide in case you
misplaced it:
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2.5 Cleaning and Care
We want your Scout equipment to last – so here are some brief steps to keep it happy!
2.5.1 Cleaning
Turn off the flash prior to cleaning and wait at least two minutes. For cleaning we
recommend a slightly dampened (not wet) micro-fiber cloth. Do not spray water directly
into the inside of the equipment. Any liquid that goes into the flash may cause an electrical
failure of the device. Do not use a flammable liquid/solvents or cleaning agents on the flash
– just a micro-fiber cloth (dampened if needed).
2.5.2 Care and storage
Scout equipment is designed to handle normal wear and tear but there are some things to
avoid:
Do not get the unit wet internally.
If not using the external connectors be sure to attach the protective cover or
water may leak into the controller causing damage.
Do not drop the unit (the display, much like a cell-phone, is made of glass). The
flash tube itself may be damaged if the flash is dropped.
Protect the unit’s display and membrane when packing up your gear. If a tripod
fights the display or membrane on the flash – the flash will lose.
Do not allow dirt to get into the weatherproof seal. This could cause seal failure
and damage to the flash.
Remove the battery pack prior to long term storage.
Failure to properly care for the Scout Flash could result in a leak that may cause damage.
The product warranty does not cover water damage resulting from user error.
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2.5.3 Maintaining Weatherproof Design
Scout equipment is designed to meet the most challenging environmental conditions. It
does, however, require some care to maintain its weatherproof sealing.
Prior to opening the equipment turn it off, wait at least two minutes, and rinse it under
gently running water if it is dirty.
It’s very important to keep the housing’s battery door silicone seal clean. A single hair or
grain of sand could potentially cause the housing to leak and damage the equipment. The
goal is to prevent dirt from getting into the seal! If you need to clean the gasket use a pair
of tweezers to remove the seal, rinse it under water, allow it to dry, and re-install.
Below is an image indicating the seal location. It is recessed in a groove in the battery
compartment.
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2.5.4 Painting the housing
Many of our customers will want to paint their housings to help camouflage the equipment
for the environment they are shooting in. Good news! Your Scout Flash has already been
primed for painting!
We recommend a spray paint designed for adhering to plastic such as “Rust-Oleum Painter’s
Touch Ultra Cover 2X”. It bonds well and is quite durable. A few notes before you get
started:
1. Cover the lens opening with masking tape.
2. Cover the rear membrane with masking tape.
3. Cover the ePTFE vent with a small circle of masking tape. Paint can damage the vent and
void your warranty. Here is the location of the vent:
4. Place the dust-caps on prior to painting. The dust caps do not have to be masked.
We also sell a simple masking kit with pre-cut acrylic plugs for the membrane and lens area
to simplify the painting process.
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2.6 The Scout Flash
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There are two external connectors on the Scout Flash (left to right):
1. External power connector (3-pin)
10-18V external power with optional power cable
2. Flash connector (4-pin)
Wake/ready control for the Scout Flash
Flash sync from the camera/camera controller
Wake from the camera controller
Ready from the flash to the camera controller
The Scout Flash uses weather-resistant connectors and cables. If the flash will be used outside
during the rain, snow, or condensing humidity be sure to have the connectors locked in place
(including the included connector caps).
The small four holes in between the two connectors is a waterproof ePTFE vent.
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3. Basic Navigation
In this section we’ll go into the basics of adjusting settings for the Scout Flash. If you find your
eyes glossing over with all the technical discussion you can always skip to the “5 - Examples”
section to start using your Scout Flash.
3.1 Buttons
There are five buttons on the Scout Flash:
This is the power button.Press this button to turn on the Scout Flash. You will see the Scout
logo at power-on. At the bottom of the screen is the current version of the software.
To turn off the Scout Flash simply press and hold this button for approximately two seconds.
Note: You can also give the power button a quick press to take you back to the main screen.
This is helpful if you’re three levels deep in the menus and just want to get going!
This is the enter button. On the main screen this will bring up the various settings. Use this
button to select or modify any setting.
and
On the main screen this will adjust the current power level of the flash. If you are in the
settings use these buttons to navigate the menus.
Test fire the flash. It will use the current power level.
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3.2 Main Screen Icons
The Scout Flash will display different icons depending on what features you have turned on.
Wireless is turned on. If using hard-wired flashes you can turn wireless off to save a small
amount of battery life. See section “4.2.5.1 - Wireless Settings” for details.
Displays the current power setting. This affects how long the battery life will be. See section
“4.2.4 - Power Settings” for details.
The flash will not fire because the current time is outside either of the two time windows. See
section “4.2.5.2 - Time Settings”.
Multi-flash is enabled.
The flash has reached its maximum operating temperature. It will resume normal operation as
soon as it cools down.
A malfunction has occurred that is preventing the flash from reaching its proper operating
voltage. The flash will automatically turn off in a few seconds. If this comes up it is time to
contact us!
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3.3 Menu Icons
Inside the menus you will see the following icons:
This checkmark means the feature is enabled (turned on).
This will take you back to the previous menu. If you would like to go back to the main screen
you can also just tap the “power” button.
3.4 The Screen
The Scout Flash features an OLED display. Wonderfully readable – but the display is a little
power hungry. By default, the flash will turn off the display after 30 seconds of inactivity (You
can adjust this though – See section “4.2.5.3 - Screen ”). If the display is off all you need to do to
turn it on is tap any button.
How do you know if the Flash didn’t just turn off? When you first turn it on you will see a short
“splash screen” that shows “Scout Flash” and also the current software version. If the flash was
already on, however, you’ll go right to the last screen you were on.
You probably want the display to turn off anyways – no point in drawing attention to the flash
(from either two or four-leggeds!).
As soon as the display goes out the LED indicators will also not light up.
3.5 LED Indicators
The “Green” LED will light when the flash is charging. “Red” indicates that the flash is fully
charged.
The flash may still be able to fire even if it is charging (but at a reduced power level).
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4. Settings
4.1 Settings Navigation Map
Below is the navigation map for all the settings. The links are “clickable” to get you to the
specific details about the setting.
Power Level Adjustment
Mode
Manual
Master
Pulsed
Multi Settings
Power Settings
Low
Medium
High
System Settings
Wireless Settings
Enabled
Channel
ID
Scan Channels
Wake Up
Time Settings
Set current time
Window On
Set Start Time
Set End Time
Window On
Set Start Time
Set End Time
Screen Timeout
Off
30 Sec
2 minute
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4.2 Setting Descriptions
4.2.1 Power Level Adjustment
On the main screen you can use the “Up” and “Down” buttons to adjust the current power
level of the flash. It is adjustable in 1/3 stops.
4.2.2 Mode
There are three operating modes available on the Scout Flash.
4.2.2.1 Manual
This is the typical operating mode you would use for trail photography. The power level is
adjusted manually. The flash will fire once every time it is commanded to do so.
4.2.2.2 Master
If one flash is configured as the “Master” flash it will fire any other flashes in the system.
Only one flash should be configured as a master. This mode is useful if using the flashes
with non-Scout equipment. This mode allows you to only hardwire one flash – the rest will
be fired via wireless and all controlled by the master flash.
4.2.2.3 Pulsed
The flash will fire multiple times for every time it is activated.
4.2.3 Multi Settings
If you’ve configured your flash for the “Mode: Pulsed” you can choose the power level, the
number of flashes, and the frequency of the flashes.
This setting is only visible if the “Mode” is changed to pulsed.
Allowable flash rate is dependent on the flash power setting.
4.2.4 Power Settings
The Scout Flash has three different power modes available. Most applications should leave
this setting at “Medium” (the default). If you’re interested in the expected battery life for
the different power modes please see section “8 - Specifications”. Here is more detail about
the different power modes.
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