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Question about flash for K10D (Pentax)

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Debbie Tovar

New member
I was just reading Kyle Nagel's info about the flash for K10D. Does that mean that only the two Pentax flashes will work right on this camera? I bought a Sigma Electronic Flash EF-500 DG ST for Pentax SLR Cameras, and have questioned if it was working properly. I am new to Pentax (about three weeks ago). I had a Olympus E500 with an Olympus flash, and this flash just doesn't seem to work the same (of course, I was told by people on other forums that it was me with the problem, not the flash). My main thing was that I can't go above 1/180 (I think that was the speed), even with the flash on, with Olympus I could, but in general, I just don't think the flash and my camera are in tune with each other.

I LOVE the camera. No complaints at all! Just wondering if this is the correct flash for this, or do I need to hit the credit card again. Unfortunately, it is past the return date for the flash.

Also, have a friend buying the K100D. Does anyone know about the flashes for this one. I don't think she will be getting a flash immediately on this, but just wondering.
 
Asher Kelman

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Welcome Debbie!

You are so much welcome here! We value the K10D as an important advance for Professional Photography. The idea of getting 10 MP in a small water protected package with the unrivaled Pentax "Limited" lenses.

There is no reason on earth for cameras to weigh so much that some find it hard to complete a 3 hour photoshoot without a backache!

I'm please to have you exchange your expereince here. I do not as yet own the K10D but am impressed and, like you, am interested to know how the flash works!

Is it that you are not going to be using Pentax flash?

I'd first want to know the limits and working of the dedicated flash system as it is pretty capable, AFAIK.

from the Pentax site said:
Flash - Built-in retractable P-TTL pop-up flash; Operation Modes: flash on, redeye, leading curtain sync, leading curtain + redeye, trailing curtain sync; Guide Number: 15.6 (at ISO 200/m); Angle of View Coverage: 28mm (equivalent to 35mm) Flash Exposure Compensation - +1 to -2 (1/2 steps); Flash Synchronization: With RTF and via hot shoe; Synchronization Speed: 1/180 sec, P-TTL high speed sync and wireless sync with PENTAX dedicated flash
Click to expand...

From this it appears that unless you add the Pentax dedicated flash unit, you are limited to 1/180 second. Like Canon, which above the synch speed (for Canon 1/250 second) can use high speed synch, where the flash fires ultrahigh speed individual bursts of squential flashes.



Asher
 
K

Kyle Nagel

New member
Debbie Tovar said:
I was just reading Kyle Nagel's info about the flash for K10D. Does that mean that only the two Pentax flashes will work right on this camera? I bought a Sigma Electronic Flash EF-500 DG ST for Pentax SLR Cameras, and have questioned if it was working properly. I am new to Pentax (about three weeks ago). I had a Olympus E500 with an Olympus flash, and this flash just doesn't seem to work the same (of course, I was told by people on other forums that it was me with the problem, not the flash). My main thing was that I can't go above 1/180 (I think that was the speed), even with the flash on, with Olympus I could, but in general, I just don't think the flash and my camera are in tune with each other.

I LOVE the camera. No complaints at all! Just wondering if this is the correct flash for this, or do I need to hit the credit card again. Unfortunately, it is past the return date for the flash.

Also, have a friend buying the K100D. Does anyone know about the flashes for this one. I don't think she will be getting a flash immediately on this, but just wondering.
Click to expand...

I was speaking of Pentax brand flashes that would be compatible with the K10D, and Pentax only makes two that are compatible, basically it needs to be a P-TTL flash since the K10D is not compatible with TTL flashes. The sigma you own should be a P-TTL flash and should be compatible.

However, to do High speed flash sync with the K10D requires setting the flash to the "High-speed Sync" (HS) mode, this option is available on the Pentax AF-540FGZ which I own, some after-market flashes do not always have all of the features the manufacturers flashes do, this is one reason I stick with Pentax gear as much as possible. I am not sure if the Sigma flash you own has the HS mode, but it would need to have this option in order to shoot above the K10D's sync speed, which is 1/180 as you have discovered. Check the manual that came with your flash to see if this option is available.

Kyle
 
K

Kyle Nagel

New member
Debbie Tovar said:
Nope, it's only TTL, not P-TTL.

Debbie
Click to expand...

According to the on-line retailers selling this unit, they have it listed as a P-TTL flash, and the specs on Sigma's site also list P-TTL with some MZ models, and all of the digitals. See the chart below that I copied from Sigma's website, I have the P-TTL availability option in blue font, the K10D is not specifically listed but I'm sure it is due to the list being made prior to the K10D's release, basically the flash is P-TTL and the compatibility chart is based on whether or not the camera it's self has P-TTL capability, which in the case of the K10D it is the only flash mode it has so there shouldn't be a problem.

I can't think of any other reason that there would be a problem, but if you are saying the only problem you are having is it won't function above 1/180 with the K10D then that is not an issue with the P-TTL compatibility, I would suspect it is because it doesn't have the "High-speed Sync" option, which may or may not be a big issue to you. You should be able to use it in the normal sync speed mode with P-TTL metering without any problems.



ELECTRONIC FLASH EF-500 DG ST ( PA-PTTL Pentax)
TTL Auto, Manual Flash, Autozoom Head, AF Auxiliary Lamp can be used with all AF models. Red-Eye Reduction cannot be used with some camera models. Manual flash mode with two levels: Full power and 1/16 power. Auto Power-Off function shuts off 180sec. after use.
TTL Auto Autozoom Head Manual Flash AF Auxiliary Lamp Red-Eye Reduction Function

*ist P-TTL
MZ-3 (MX -3) TTL
MZ-5 (ZX-5) TTL
MZ-5n (ZX-5n) TTL
MZ-7 (ZX-7) TTL
MZ-10 (ZX-10) TTL
MZ-30 (ZX-30)
MZ-50 (MX50/ZX50) TTL
MZ-60 (ZX-60) TTL
MZ-L (MZ-6/ZX-L) P-TTL
MZ-S P-TTL
SF7 (SF-10) TTL
SFX (SF-1) TTL
SFXn (SF-1n) TTL
Z-1(PZ-1) TTL
Z-1P (PZ-1P) TTL
Z-5 TTL
Z-5P TTL
Z-10 (PZ-10) TTL
Z-20P(Z-20/PZ-20) TTL
Z-50P(PZ-50P) TTL
Z-70P (Z-70/PZ-70)
*istD P-TTL
*istDS P-TTL
*istDS2 P-TTL
*istDL P-TTL
*istDL2 P-TTL
K100D P-TTL
Click to expand...
 
K

Kyle Nagel

New member
After doing some more research on Sigma's website it appears that Sigma's next model up, the "super" version of the one you have (EF-500 DG SUPER), does have the High-speed Sync option.

If you check out the link below you can see all these flashes listed at B&H Photo, with the current Pentax rebate you can get the top Pentax model (AF-540FGZ) for only about $50 more than the Sigma "Super" model, and the Pentax AF-360FGZ can be had for less than $200 with the rebate.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home;jsessionid=FJBpt2b4v7!-1249987974!1171554601707?ci=1&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=RootPage.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t&shs=pentax+flash


Hope this helps, Kyle
 
D

Debbie Tovar

New member
Yeah, I saw that list last night, and went ok, my camera isn't on there. The thing is, I haven't been happy at all with this flash since the day I got it. The pictures come out dark, and the only advantage I can see for using it is red-eye. I had just recently added an external to my Olympus at Christmas, and it just made a world of difference. I am going to see if I can send it back, and then get the flash that was made for this camera. Everytime I go to use it, after a picture or two I end up pulling the thing off, and using the camera's flash. Maybe because it is so cheap, it just doesn't do much, but the camera is so nice I can't see keeping a flash that isn't benefiting me in any way.
Also, on the instructions for it, even though it says it is p-ttl on the title, on the actual instructions, it says only TTL. I read last night, and I guess there is a "SUPER" model of this flash. That is NOT the one I have. As much as I don't want to pay the price for the good Pentax one, this one will end up sitting in the box.
 
K

Kyle Nagel

New member
One thing I have found when doing flash with the Pentax digitals is you have to have a few things set right for it to work well, try this, In the camera's menu make sure you don't have the option set that links the focus point with the AE (I found this is the main cause of dark flash photos), also make sure the camera isn't set to the spot metering mode, if that gets it closer but doesn't solve the problem completely try setting the flash compensation to 1/2 stop over. See if any of that helps at all.

Kyle
 
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