Trigger voltages of AF 540FGZ, AF 360FGZ and AF 200FG ???

GerryL · 06-30-2009, 06:51 PM

Has anybody ever measured the trigger voltage of these flashes so as it can be a guide as to what trigger voltage is safe for the Pentax DSLRs?

MPrince · 06-30-2009, 07:00 PM

Don't know about those specific flashes, but all the pentax flashes listed at Photo Strobe Trigger Voltages are under 8 volts and those are, I think, all older than the flashes you listed so there's no reason to think the newer flashes have excessively high trigger voltages.

Hopefully someone else can give you a more definitive answer.

Peacekeeper · 06-30-2009, 09:38 PM

I checked my 540 yesterday and it was 4.5volts

*SOldBear* · 06-30-2009, 11:47 PM

Originally Posted by GerryL

Has anybody ever measured the trigger voltage of these flashes so as it can be a guide as to what trigger voltage is safe for the Pentax DSLRs?

The trigger voltages of recent (and even not-so-recent) Pentax flash units are low, somewhere between 3V and 6V. But that can't be used as a general guide. In other words, trigger voltages higher than 6V don't necessarily damage the camera. Pentax warns against "high voltage" but has never stated how high is too high.

Personally, I have been using flashes with trigger voltages higher than 6V: Metz 45 CT-4 (24V), Sunpak 522 (22V), Vivitar 283 and 3500 (8.4V). So far, my two K10D bodies are still OK. I don't know if there is any bad long term effect.

I also have a few flashes with really high voltages: Metz 45 CT-1 (220V), Sunpak 611 (180V), Vivitar 283 (180V). For each of them I build a little circuit to bring the voltage down to 7.5V (can be less, but I happen to have a bunch of 7.5V Zener diodes around).

*khardur* · 07-01-2009, 05:05 AM

I got an email a few years back from Pentax customer service after I sent them this exact question, saying roughly 30 volts is max safe voltage you would want to use with a Pentax DSLR.

GerryL · 07-01-2009, 10:11 AM

I know there had been threads as to the hollabaloo about the safe trigger voltage for DSLRs and that Pentax hasn't actually made an official statement as to how much trigger voltage the curent Pentax DSLRs can take.
This is exactly the reason why I posted this thread 'coz I had observed that we kept on measuring the trigger voltages of suspect off brand flashes but nobody actually bothered to measure the trigger voltage of these current Pentax flash line-up.
Since most of the safe trigger voltage for the Pentax DSLRs appears to be hearsay, as the 6V is actually for Canon DSLRs and Pentax won't make official statement about how high is safe for Pentax (except for a few unofficial statements ranging from 12V-30V).
Here is a chance to at least measure the trigger voltage of these Pentax flashes and at least have a "loose" guide.
If these flashes are rated to a certain voltage only, then it would be safe to assume or conclude that whatever trigger voltage they come in, would be the safe trigger voltage too if you want to use off brand flashes.
Makes sense?
Now let's see soem figures..

GerryL · 07-01-2009, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by Peacekeeper

I checked my 540 yesterday and it was 4.5volts

See! Thanks Peacekeeper, as you might have actually been the first person I have actually seen measure the trigger voltage of these particular flashes and posted it!

'Coz most of us just use these current Pentax line-up and know that it is safe so we actually never bother to check.
This is the actually reason too, that we never got to know about the trigger voltages of the old flashes not until it fried the DSLR's that we started checking.

GerryL · 07-03-2009, 02:54 PM

I guess I only got one person who wanted to bother with checking the voltage triggers of these.
If I just had any of these flashes I would have already tested them individually for the benefit of just knowing and having it known by other people who don't have it.

*khardur* · 07-03-2009, 04:50 PM

Measuring those flashes above isn't going to give the final word on what is safe for Pentax DSLR's. It's going to give you the trigger voltage for those flashes, and that's it.

I no longer have the email, but as I stated above, I asked Pentax USA a couple years back concerning my K110D as to how high a trigger voltage is safe, (I have a pair of Vivitar 283's) and they said at the time 30 volts was the maximum they would consider safe. (I wouldn't exactly call that heresay)

GerryL · 07-05-2009, 05:29 PM

I was just saying as it would some sort of give a guideline since if the new flashes themselves have that kind of a voltage trigger then it would be safe to assume that it is what should be used.
This is not re-doing an old thread as to what voltage trigger is safe for pentax DSLRs.
I do appreciate the reply of what might be the safe trigger voltage as said in the other threads but this is about the trigger voltages of said newer flashes..if someone would bother to measure them.
Anyway, it would seem as I said that only one person gave interest in actually measuring the voltage trigger.
It just shows that for some here that have used the flashes, so long as they know that it is safe, they won't bother to check not even if somebody was asking or was interested just to know.
It would seem not important to check the said trigger voltages as it may seem to them moot since they already know that it is safe.

*res3567* · 07-09-2009, 02:06 AM

Originally Posted by GerryL

I was just saying as it would some sort of give a guideline since if the new flashes themselves have that kind of a voltage trigger then it would be safe to assume that it is what should be used.
This is not re-doing an old thread as to what voltage trigger is safe for pentax DSLRs.
I do appreciate the reply of what might be the safe trigger voltage as said in the other threads but this is about the trigger voltages of said newer flashes..if someone would bother to measure them.
Anyway, it would seem as I said that only one person gave interest in actually measuring the voltage trigger.
It just shows that for some here that have used the flashes, so long as they know that it is safe, they won't bother to check not even if somebody was asking or was interested just to know.
It would seem not important to check the said trigger voltages as it may seem to them moot since they already know that it is safe.

I see what you are trying to say.

If Pentax makes new flashes for their modern D-SLR's, then they must be safe.

Lets measure the trigger voltage of these same said flashes to see what is safe.

A general guideline using Pentax equipment as an acurate measurement.

glasbak · 07-09-2009, 02:23 AM

Lets measure the trigger voltage of these same said flashes to see what is safe.

My measurements.

*res3567* · 07-09-2009, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by glasbak

My measurements.

How you do that there?

glasbak · 07-09-2009, 07:49 AM

Originally Posted by res3567

How you do that there?

What do you mean ? I did these measurements some (long) time ago, if thats what you mean.

*Blue* · 07-09-2009, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by glasbak

What do you mean ? I did these measurements some (long) time ago, if thats what you mean.

I believe he wants to know how to use the multimeter to take the actual measurements from the flash.