Vello FWIRC-C FREEWAVE User manual

FREEWAVE
IR COMMANDER
WIRELESS INFRARED
TTL FLASH TRIGGER
FOR CANON E-TTL (FWIRC-C)
USER MANUAL

2
The Vello FWIRC-C FreeWave IR
Commander is the nexus of your
wireless flash setup, enabling you to
set and control all functions of your
wireless slave flash units. Equipped with
an infrared transmitter, it provides the
freedom of remote IR triggering for an
unlimited number of flashes, and full
compatibility with Canon’s E-TTL or
E-TTL II metering and flash ratio systems
for total wireless E-TTL control. It also
oers high-speed sync with compatible
flashes, allowing you to use shutter
speeds higher than your camera’s top
flash sync speed. Three groups and
four independent channels deliver
enhanced wireless operation, even in
busy environments, and the Commander
itself can be rotated atop your camera
for easy line-of-sight positioning.
THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING VELLO

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Precautions.................................................... 4
Key Features.................................................. 6
Overview ....................................................... 7
Compatible Devices.................................... 8
Installing Batteries........................................ 8
Setting Up Slave Flash Units ...................... 9
Mounting the FreeWave
IR Commander........................................... 11
Turning on the FreeWave
IR Commander........................................... 12
Selecting Channels..................................... 14
About Flash Groups.................................. 14
E-TTL Mode................................................15
E-TTL Ratio Modes ................................... 16
Manual Modes.............................................19
Restoring the Factory Settings................ 21
Advanced Features ....................................22
High-Speed Sync Mode������������������������������������� 22
Repeating (Stroboscopic) Mode ������������������ 23
The Modeling Light���������������������������������������������� 24
Autofocus Assist ���������������������������������������������������� 24
Flash Exposure Bracketing ������������������������������� 24
FlashValue Lock ����������������������������������������������������� 25
Specifications ..............................................25
Troubleshooting .........................................26

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• Please read and follow these
instructions and keep this manual in
a safe place.
• Keep this product away from water,
moisture, and any flammable gases
or liquids.
• Do not attempt to disassemble or
repair this product.
• Use only parts provided by the
manufacturer.
• Make sure that this product is intact
and that there are no missing parts.
PRECAUTIONS
• Should this product sustain physical
damage, 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 contact Vello
Customer Service.
• If you detect excessive heat, smoke,
or a burning smell coming from this
product, immediately cease operation
and remove the batteries to prevent
the product from igniting or melting.
• Do not aim the transmitter directly in
the eyes of any person or animal.
• Always install AA batteries of the
same type and age. Do not combine
dierent types or old and new
batteries.
• Dispose of used or damaged batteries
according to local regulations.
• Install the batteries in the proper
orientation, as indicated by the
markings in the battery carrier.
• Remove all batteries from this
product before long-term storage.
• Keep this product away from children.

5
• Keep the metal contacts in the
battery compartment clean and free
of corrosion and dirt. Do not touch
them with your fingers. Corrosive
elements on the contacts can damage
this product and prevent it from
functioning properly. Contacts may be
cleaned with isopropyl alcohol on a
cotton swab.
• Handle this product with care.
• To avoid damage to this product,
be careful not to overtighten or
improperly thread any of the threaded
fittings.
• Do not clean this product with agents
containing corrosive or flammable
substances.
• All images are for illustrative purposes
only.

6
180° rotation:
Pivots to achieve IR line of sight.
Wireless E-TTL (evaluative
through-the-lens): Makes
full use of your flashes’ built-
in E-TTL technology.
TTL exposure compensation:
Enables adjustment of TTL
exposure by ±3 EV with fine-
tuning by 1/3 of a stop.
E-TTL flash ratio:
Set the power output ratio when
working with multiple E-TTL groups.
KEY FEATURES
Manual mode: Can manually adjust
power output in 1/3 increments.
Standby mode:
Reduces power consumption.
Internal memory:
Remembers settings when turned o.
High-speed sync:
Allows flash synchronization
up to 1/8000 of a second.
Stroboscopic mode:
Fires the flash multiple times in quick
succession during a single exposure.
Modeling light:
Gives the appearance of a continuous
light to simulate the direction of light.
Flash Exposure Bracketing:
Allows continuous pictures
while automatically changing
flash exposure compensation.
Flash value lock:
Locks the flash output level
that’s optimal for specific
elements of the scene.

Front
Back
1
2
3
4
5
6
10
11
12
7
8
9
7
OVERVIEW
1. Battery chamber
2. AF-assist light
3. Transmitter
4. Locking wheel
5. Mounting foot
6. LCD
7. Mode button
8. Test button/flash ready light [ ]
9. Navigation buttons [ ]
10. Set button
11. FN button
12. Power switch
Also Included
• Drawstring pouch
• User manual

8
COMPATIBLE DEVICES INSTALLING BATTERIES
The Vello FWIRC-C FreeWave
IR Commander is compatible
with Canon’s E-TTL and E-TTL II
(evaluative through-the-lens) system.
To make full use of the FreeWave IR
Commander, use E-TTL-capable hot-
shoe flashes that are fully compatible
with your camera’s E-TTL system.
The FreeWave Commander is
powered by two AA batteries. To
install batteries, make sure the device
is turned o and follow these steps:
1. Press and slide the battery
compartment cover in the direction
of the arrow to open.
2. Insert batteries in the orientations
indicated by the illustrations inside
the compartment.
3. Close the battery compartment
cover by pressing and sliding it in the
opposite direction of the arrow on
the cover.

Flash Groups with multiple flashes
Line-of-sight
positioning
Group A Group B
9
You can create a sophisticated lighting
setup by positioning slave flash units
individually or in groups to function as
main, fill, accent, and other lights. Setting
your light ratios at dierent light outputs
to achieve specific looks gives you a
professional level of creative control.
SETTING UP SLAVE FLASH UNITS
To set up your slave flash units:
1. Turn on your slave flash and set it to
E-TTL and IR slave modes, as well as
the same group and channel as the
FreeWave IR Commander.
2. After setting your slave flash, mount
the flash and position it with its IR
sensor facing the Commander by
rotating the flash’s base.
For information on how to perform
these procedures with your particular
flash, refer to your flash’s manual.
Tip: You can combine multiple slave flashes
within the same group to fire simultaneously.

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When positioning wireless slaves to light
a subject, keep in mind the following:
• Make sure the Commander’s
transmitter is facing your flash’s
IR sensor and that there are no
obstructions between the two units
(see Turning On the FreeWave IR
Commander on page 12 for more).
• The eective communication
range between the FreeWave IR
Commander and your slave flash
units may vary, depending on the
ambient light.
• When photographing outdoors or in
bright ambient light, the sensors can
be overwhelmed by ambient light,
which will lower their sensitivity.

11
To mount the FreeWave IR Commander
on your camera, make sure all devices
are turned o and follow these steps:
1. Looking down at the unit, rotate the
locking wheel counterclockwise to
loosen it.
2. Slide the mounting foot all the way
into your camera’s hot shoe.
3. Rotate the locking wheel clockwise
until secure.
MOUNTING THE FREEWAVE IR COMMANDER
To dismount the FreeWave IR
Commander from your camera,
make sure the Commander is
turned o and follow these steps:
1. Looking down at the unit, rotate the
locking wheel counterclockwise to
release it.
2. Slide the mounting foot out of your
camera’s hot shoe.

12
TURNING ON THE FREEWAVE IR COMMANDER
To on turn the FreeWave IR
Commander, slide the power
switch to the On position. When
turning o the Commander, it will
remember all your current settings.
Once mounted on your camera, you
can rotate the Commander for line-
of-sight positioning. The Commander’s
transmitter should be facing the flash’s
IR sensor, and there should be no
obstructions between the two units.
Test Button/Ready Light
The ready light indicates the status
of the Commander. When it glows
red, the Commander is ready to
be fired. When the light is o,
the Commander is recycling.
To fire a test flash, press
the Test [ ]button.
Tip: After changing any settings in your
wireless setup, press the test button to fire
a test flash and confirm your new settings.
The slave flashes will fire at a nominal
power setting for firing confirmation.

Standby Screen
Lock Icon
13
Automatic Power-saving Function
After 5 minutes of inactivity, the
Commander will automatically enter
power-saving mode to conserve
battery life, and the LCD will display
the standby mode indicator.
To reactivate the Commander, press
the Set button or press your camera’s
shutter-release button halfway. During
long periods of inactivity, use the power
switch to turn o the Commander.
LCD Illumination
When you turn on the FreeWave IR
Commander or press most buttons, the
LCD will glow blue for up to six seconds.
Lock Mode
To prevent inadvertent operation of
the Commander, you can deactivate its
controls by setting it to lock mode. This
will disable all of the buttons except for
the power switch and the test button.
To lock the device, press and hold the
FN button for five seconds until the
lock icon [ ] appears on the LCD.
To unlock the device, press and
hold the FN button until the
lock icon [ ] disappears.

Flash Groups Channel
14
SELECTING CHANNELS ABOUT FLASH GROUPS
On the FreeWave IR Commander,
four channels (1, 2, 3, and 4) are
available. You can use this option
to prevent your flashes from being
triggered by another photographer
working with a similar system nearby.
To select the channel, press the Set
button repeatedly until the channel
number blinks. Use the Left and
Right [ ] navigation buttons to cycle
through channel numbers 1 through 4.
Note: Make sure your slave flashes are set
to the same channel as the Commander.
On the FreeWave IR Commander,
three flash groups (A, B, and C) are
available, and you can combine multiple
slave flashes within the same group.
When setting groups on the
Commander, make sure to set your slave
flashes to the corresponding groups.
Note: Be aware of the independent
recycling time of each flash to ensure
all flash units are ready to fire.

E-TTL All Mode Global EV
15
In E-TTL mode, the FreeWave IR
Commander will automatically set the
appropriate flash level via your camera’s
evaluative through-the-lens (E-TTL)
metering system data, calculating the
correct power for all communicating
E-TTL compatible flashes.
In E-TTL (ALL) mode, there is
one global exposure value (EV)
setting for all three groups.
Setting E-TTL Mode
Press the Mode button repeatedly to
cycle through the modes until the E-TTL
(ALL) mode indicator appears onscreen.
E-TTL MODE
Adjusting Global EV
EV is set globally for E-TTL mode.
EV is displayed in decimal form
and can be adjusted from -3.0 to
+3.0 in 1/3-stop increments.
To adjust EV:
1. Make sure the Commander is set to
E-TTL mode.
2. Press the Set button repeatedly until
the EV number blinks, and use the
Left and Right [ ] navigation
buttons to adjust the EV.

E-TTL A:B+C Ratio Mode
E-TTL A:B Ratio Mode
16
E-TTL RATIO MODES
The FWIRC-C Commander oers
two E-TTL ratio modes, E-TTL
(A:B) and E-TTL (A:B+C).
E-TTL (A:B)
Power output is set at a ratio for groups
A and B. For example, if the ratio is set
at 2:1, group A will fire at twice the
power of group B. In this mode, there is
one global EV setting for both groups.
E-TTL (A:B+C)
Power output is set at a ratio for groups
A and B, and group C is set in EV and is a
ratio of group B. For example, if group C
is set at EV -1, it will fire at one stop less,
or half the power of group B. With the
A:B ratio set at 2:1, group A will fire at
twice the power of group B, and group C
will fire at half the power of group B, i.e.,
one quarter of the power of group A.

Ratio
17
Setting E-TTL Ratio Mode
Press the Mode button repeatedly
to cycle through the modes until
the desired E-TTL ratio mode
indicator appears onscreen.
Ratio Adjustment
In E-TTL (A:B) and E-TTL (A:B+C)
modes, you can adjust the power
output ratio between groups A and B.
To adjust the ratio:
1. Make sure the Commander is set to
the desired E-TTL ratio mode.
2. Press the Set button to make
the ratio value blink, and use the
Left and Right [ ] navigation
buttons to adjust the ratio from 8:1
through 1:8.

Global EV
18
Adjusting Global EV
EV is set globally for both E-TTL
(A:B) and E-TTL (A:B+C) modes.
Note: With select Canon cameras, you
can adjust EV for group C independently
via your Canon camera’s menu controls.
For more information on this feature,
refer to your camera’s user manual.
On the Commander LCD, global
EV is displayed in decimal form
and can be adjusted from 3.0 to
+3.0 in 1/3-stop increments.
To adjust EV via the FreeWave
IR Commander:
1. Make sure the Commander is set to
the desired E-TTL ratio mode.
2. Press the Set button repeatedly until
the EV number blinks, and use the
Left and Right [ ] navigation
buttons to adjust the EV.
For information on how to adjust
EV for group C via your Canon
camera’s menu controls, refer to
your camera’s user manual.

Manual A+B+C Mode
Manual A+B Mode
Manual All Mode
19
MANUAL MODES
For greater creative control over
your images, you can set the flash
power output level manually.
The FWIRC-C Commander oers
three manual modes: M (ALL), M
(A+B), and M (A+B+C). In M (ALL)
mode, flash output power is global
for all three groups. M (A+B) mode is
a two-group mode in which the flash
power output is set independently
for groups A and B. Similarly, M
(A+B+C) mode is a three-group mode
in which the flash power output is
set independently for each group.
Setting the Manual Mode
Press the Mode button repeatedly to
cycle through the modes until the desired
manual mode indicator appears onscreen.

Power Output
20
Adjusting Power Output
Flash power output is represented as a
fraction. The 1/1 setting is the full-power
flash, and each successive setting halves
the light output, all the way down to
1/128. You can also fine-tune the flash
output in increments of one-third,
indicated by a hyphen next to the
fraction, first higher and then lower, e.g.,
1/1, 1/2-, 1/2-, 1/2, 1/4-, 1/4-, 1/4, 1/8-…
To adjust power output:
1. Make sure the Commander is set to
the desired manual mode.
2. Press the Set button repeatedly
until the desired power output
blinks, and use the Left and Right
[] navigation buttons to adjust
the output.