Flashes for K10D

[Robert Barnett]

Hello,

Well, I am thinking about getting an external flash for my K10D. I am right now considering the Pentax 540 or the 360. I do have a couple of questions.

1. I have read from several sources that the battery door on the Pentax 360 is easily broken. True?

2. I have read from several sources that the plastic pin on the mount for the 540 can be easily broken making the flash hard to get off and may make it malfunction. True?

3. Between the 360 and the 540 which would you buy and why?

4. Are there any other P-TTL flashes that will work fully with the K10D? If so what are they? Which do you like? Don't like? Wouldn't touch with someone elses finger?

Thanks,

Robert

[Dal1970]

I have the Sigma 500 DG Super and am very happy with it. The only time I adjust the output is when I put the Stofen diffuser on it.

However, withe the Pentax flashes, you can fire them off camera in wireless mode (you can do this with the Sigma, but it is not true wireless)

I also have a Vivitar Ringflash which is totally manual, and this works very well.



With the 2x Pentax flashes and 3x Sigma flashes, I think you will be happy with all of them.



As for bits breaking, I think you will find that all the flashguns are plastic, so don't remove them or adjust them with a housebrick and all should be fine.



Dal

[ishino]

yes the battery door on the 360 is awful, was putting the flash on the camera yesterday when the battery door flew open causing me to drop the flash from about 5 feet high. scuffed up the plastic pretty good, but it still works. i'll be getting a rubber band or velcro or something else to to keep that battery door shut.

i like the swivel the 540 offers that the 360 doesn't, but i have 2 360's and 1 540 for my wireless flash setup so it's hard fro me to say which one i'd pick since i use them both.

[Robert Barnett]

Funny how Pentax can make great lenses and great cameras but can't master a battery door on a flash unit. Boggling.

Robert

[Robert Barnett]

I think I am going to try the Promaster 7500EDF (7273). I have contacted Promaster and they expect to have the chip shortage cleared up in 30 days and it is 100% P-TTL compatible so it is a go for the new Pentax cameras. It seems to have a good feature set and a good price point.

Robert

[JBoyde]

Does the 360 shoot in wireless mode off the K100D? I heard it doesnt.

[Robert Barnett]

I don't think so either. That would be a useful feature.

Robert

[snostorm]

JBoyde wrote:

Does the 360 shoot in wireless mode off the K100D? I heard it doesnt.

All the *ist D series and K D series cameras can use the AF360 FGZ and AF540 FGZ in wireless TTL metered mode if you have two flash units with one mounted on the hotshoe (This also works with two EF 500/530 Super P-TTLs, or any combination, as long as the Sigmas have the latest firmware installed).

Only the *ist D and the K10D are able to control a wireless TTL flash with the on board flash (and the K10D needs at least firmware v 1.1 installed).

The AF 360 FGZ can also be used as a "dumb" slave since it has an optical slave sensor built into the flash unit. You can't trigger if for exposure with the onboard flash unless you force the pop up into manual mode with a fully manual lens tho -- the onboard flash defaults to P-TTL with "A " lenses or later, and the external slave will be triggered by the preflash.

Scott

[Robert Barnett]

Thanks for the info. Very useful.

Robert

[bigdawg]

I'm still stuck with a Vivitar 285 HV Auto Thyristor Zoom flash....Don't know no P-TTL.

Dawg