I need a flash (dedicated or slave)

[aweir]

I'm not new to photography but the selection of flashes is confusing.

I have a Pentax IST Ds and I will be photographing a wedding this month. I was considering getting a better flash but not sure which type would suit me best (dedicated, dedicated/slave, or slave)

My budget is around $100. I would like to stay under $75 if possible. So I was shopping around B&H and I have a selection to choose from. The issue I have is that flashes for digital Pentax seem to be EXTREMELY difficult to find because of the preflash function of the camera, and lack of PC connector. (TTL vs. p-ttl)

I am still learning about how this camera utilizes different flashes with different type lenses, and it's confusing. Basically I want a TTL slave flash, but with this would I have to go with a dedicated?

Excuse my ignorance, but will these work with the IST DS?> SunpakAuto 355 AF TTL Shoe Mount FlashSunpak | Auto 355 AF TTL Flash | 035P | B&H Photo Video

SunpakMZ-440AF TTL Shoe Mount FlashSunpak | MZ-440AF TTL Shoe Mount Flash | 0440P | B&H Photo Video

PentaxAF220T TTL Shoe Mount Flash
Pentax | AF220T TTL Shoe Mount Flash | 30307 | B&H Photo Video

BowerSFD829TW Digital Slave Twin Flash
Bower | SFD829TW Digital Slave Twin Flash | SFD829TW | B&H Photo

BowerSFD328 Digital Slave Flash
Bower | SFD328 Digital Slave Flash | SFD328 | B&H Photo Video

PhoenixD92-BZS Digital Slave Flash
Phoenix | D92-BZS Digital Slave Flash | P04219 | B&H Photo Video

[JimC]

If you want a flash to be aware of your camera settings, it's my understanding that you will need a newer "designed for digital" type flash that supports P-TTL (and that rules out everything in your list).

I'd avoid the slaves (they are designed to fire with the camera's flash, most are weak, no way to easily control their output, and you'd have other cameras with flashes setting them off, too).

If you have to stay within $100, I'd probably look at something like a Sunpak 383 Super or equivalent. This is a non-dedicated flash. You'd need to go with manual exposure, setting the flash and camera to match for ISO speed and aperture for the distance range selected on the flash. But, note that this type of flash is not well suited for fill outdoors (because of the camera's sync speed limtations). Some of the dedicated flash models will support High Speed Sync.

Perhaps some Pentax owners will chime in... But, I think you're probably going to be limited to the newer Pentax AF-200FG (too weak to do you much good for larger areas), AF-360 FGZ or AF-340FGZ

But, even the mid range AF-360FGZ model (around $219 now) it's not all that powerful of a flash for larger areas (especially if you bounce or diffuse it), since it has a GN of 119 Feet/36 Meters at ISO 100 (you divide the GN by the aperture to see flash range at ISO 100 for an unbounced direct flash). Sigma also has some new models you may want to look at. For example, the Sigma EF-530 DG Super is $259 at B&H with a more powerful GN of 174 Feet/53 Meters at ISO 100.

[aweir]

I have increased my budget to $200 because i really want the p-ttl feature.

I am deciding between the
Pentax AF 360 FGZ and the

Sigma EF-530 DG ST
both have full TTL

Do you have any better recomendation for a flash under $200?

[JimC]

That Sigma Sigma EF-530 DG ST model does not support High Speed Sync.

You need the Sigma EF-530 DG Super (not the ST) model I mentioned in my previous post to use shutter speeds faster than the camera's x-sync speed, which is limited to 1/180 Second with your Pentax if you don't use a flash model supporting High Speed Sync (a.k.a., FP Mode). So, if you want to use a flash outdoors in brighter lighting without needing to stop down the aperture or use a neutral density filter to block some of the light to keep shutter speeds slower, buy the Super model instead.

[DMJJR]

aweir wrote:

I have increased my budget to $200 because i really want the p-ttl feature.

I am deciding between the
Pentax AF 360 FGZ and the

Sigma EF-530 DG ST
both have full TTL

Do you have any better recomendation for a flash under $200?

I also have a DS and use a Pentax AF 500 FTZ. This is a TTL with the DS & have had good results. I don't know if this is out of production-bought mine on Ebay for about $150-then I bought a Promaster cord-about $50.00-that also works well. I really like the flash-it has a built in slave function-I mount it on a bracket and use the on camera flash to fire it-the slave is manual but it only takes a few shots to get it set correctly. B& H still lists it for sale @ $199-if you plan on keeping your DS this is your best bet-but if you plan on selling the camera it won't work with the newer models.

[Photo 5]

JimC wrote:

If you have to stay within $100, I'd probably look at something like a Sunpak 383 Super or equivalent. This is a non-dedicated flash. You'd need to go with manual exposure, setting the flash and camera to match for ISO speed and aperture for the distance range selected on the flash.

I used this flash for a cosuins weddding eariler this year . It worked very well both in the chruch which seated 250 and in the recption hall that was your standard fireman hall above the fire station type. Just make sure if you use this flash that you carry extra batteries for it. It has variable power ratings from full to 1/16. I never needed above 1/2 to get plently of coverage and fill flash......

Good luck at the wedding

dave

[aweir]

thanks for the replies. I'm torn between these flashes:

Metz 48 AF-1 TTL
and

Sigma EF-530 DG Super
and possibly the
Pentax AF540FGZI'm getteing conflicting information. do these both support p-ttl? Help me decide.

Basically the feature I WANT are

True p-ttl
swivel/tilt
high speed synch
rear curtain flash(but does my Pentax ist DS support this?)

And do i have to buy a new body to recieve the $50 rebate?
http://www.pentaxslr.com/buy/rebates