| Author: | | New Member Registered: September, 2010 Location: München Posts: 2 | | Review Date: August 13, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $400.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Powerfull, lots of settings, good battery life | | Cons: | a little expensive | |
I'm very happy with what I've got in this Pentax AF-540...compared to AF-500 which I also have.
Everybody complains about that battery doors, but there's nothing to worry about...they are just a little bit flimsy, but I found that it's better than on AF500, which you need to aim in the dark and push back up..and of course, you can loose them every time  just because they are getting completely off when you're changing batteries
I have used it on K10, Kx and K5 and I'm satisfied with results I've got..I think it can't be better  | | | | | | | Forum Member Registered: September, 2013 Posts: 62
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 26, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $210.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | compact, powerful and versalite, has all thinkable modes | | Cons: | battery door needs to use carefully, as usual at ALL Pentax flashes | |
it is:
- body - as it needs to be
- head rotating/bounce/zoom - as needed
- recycling time ~ 5-6 sec - WOW
- power - enough.
- modes:
TTL,
P-TTL (and remote/wireless P-TTL),
AUTO, (and remote/wireless AUTO)
MANUAL (and remote/wireless).
HSS
modeling mode - well.
more often I'm using AUTO mode - it is absolutely precise.
but:
it has not real cons, but I will be happy to obtain AUTO mode not only from f/2 at ISO100 and lower, but from f/1.4 at ISO 100
it will makes me happy twice.
flimsy battery door? at PENTAX AF280T flashes the battery door also not to much well engendered, so :
- than You open it - NOT just slide it, PRESS-and-SLIDE it, and it will serve to You a long of time.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: January, 2016 Location: Warsaw Posts: 32 | | Review Date: May 1, 2016 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | P-TTL | | Cons: | Plastic shoe, battery door... | |
This is a very good lamp, probably better is Metz 64...
In my opinion this lamp is more than enough for semi-pro or amateur.
Price is good for example in Poland new model (540FGZ II) cost about 2-2.5 thousands PLN (about 465-500 EUR) this model from second hand cost about 250-300 EUR. This make a difference...
Generally this flash have a two problems :
1.Plastic shoe - Who have this idea ?!
2.Battery door - Give me this crazy enginer/designer !!! I have to send his to Pentax hell
Other problems ? I don't see.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: October, 2009 Location: Nis Posts: 268
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 8, 2018 | Not Recommended | Price: $300.00
| Rating: 3 |
| Pros: | A lot of functions | | Cons: | Unreliable, bad electronic components, poor plastic, expensive ... | |
This is worst flashgun I have ever owned.
| | | | | | | Senior Member Registered: February, 2009 Location: Lévis, Canada (Québec) Posts: 144 | | Review Date: January 9, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $480.00
| Rating: 5 |
| Pros: | Powerful, easy to use | | Cons: | Overexposes, especially when bouncing light off a ceiling or wall | |
Quick recycle, easy to use, I really wanted to love this flash.
But it kept overexposing my pictures when I bounced the flash off a ceiling, forcing me to constantly adjust the flash exposure compensation between shots. The exposure in this situation is very inconstant with the K10D and K-7, and still quite unreliable with the K-5. The AF360, despite having a similar problem, was at least consistent with the degree of flash exposure correction: if I had dialed a -2.0 EV compensation and this gave a good exposure, it would remain good unless the surrounding light changed. The AF540 is...all over the place, all the time.
Exposure when not bouncing the light was better (exposure correction wasn't needed as often), but it was still unreliable.
| | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: December, 2017 Posts: 1,138 | | Review Date: May 17, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $182.40
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Works on 645Z similar to 500FTZ on 645N except P-TTL instead of TTL | | Cons: | | |
This review is only intended to confirm that the AF540FGZ can be operated using the 330V provided by a Quantum Turbo battery pack using a JJC QTS-4 replacement for the Quantum CN3 cable, as has been demonstrated for the AF500FTZ flashes. Flash ready time is significantly reduced. Note that the AA batteries must still be used to power the electronics.
This flash also has a Pentax 5P cable jack allowing it to be operated as part of a set of compatible flashes without needing good optical communication. This hasn't been tested yet by this author as I have only one AF540FGZ and would normally set up Cactus flashes when a group of flashes are needed for P-TTL. Operation off-camera via 5P cable should also work.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: December, 2017 Posts: 469 | | Review Date: July 22, 2019 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: N/A |
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@ Tigrebleu,
Bouncing means use of a ceiling that can be closer or further away.
The flashgun can not see how far away the reflecting surface is.
In TTL mode the flash unit should register the amount of light and limit the energy.
Chances are some of the emitted light reached the subject directly.
This is likely to happen when the subject is close to the camera.
Inconsistent overexposure is a nuissance.
Hope this helps to understand the limitations of automatic flash control.
Paul
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: February, 2011 Location: Brno Posts: 295 | | Review Date: April 13, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 6 |
| Pros: | Power, price of 2nd hand unit | | Cons: | Construction | |
AF540 is rather poweful flash, but has its problems. Mechanical construcion is horrible and certainly not comparable to competitors. Flash is also not sealed. Fits nicely in 80-90" era, but not in today's world.
 | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: October, 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,090 | | Review Date: January 23, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $75.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | P-TTL and TTL compatible cameras. Wireless control. High powered. | | Cons: | Expensive new. | |
Pentax released the AF540FGZ in 2005 as the second P-TTL flash designed for the new *ist Series auto-focus film/digital cameras. (It’s a bigger brother to the AF360FGZ that came out four years earlier).
I bought my AF540FGZ for use on my Pentax MZ-S & *ist film cameras and together this combo enables you to use all of the flash’s features in the P-TTL mode. (Along with a F, FA or FAJ Series lens) Note Pentax also indicates using A Series lenses with the P-TTL flash can result in incorrect exposure, so AF lenses are recommended.
The great thing about this flash is that it’s backwards compatible the older TTL flash 35mm/645/6x7 film cameras and will automatically switch to using that mode when mounted on a LX/645NII/67II or other TTL flash cameras. Note the older the film camera the less features are available on the flash. (Refer to the AF540FGZ flash manual for what functions are available for each camera “group”.
This is also the second Pentax flash to feature a wireless control option as well as a “format” setting to switch between 35mm, 645 and 67 camera formats.
The AF540FGZ has a tilting head for bounce flash and the head also swivels. The flash also has a built-in catchlight & wide-angle panel.
The build of the AF540FGZ is OK and if treated carefully you should not have any issues with the battery door either. This flash weighs 380 grams without the four AA batteries installed. Compared to its little brother, the AF3600FGZ weighs 270 grams without the batteries installed.
Overall an excellent flash if you have a mixture of TTL and P-TTL film cameras and if you are looking for a more powerful flash than the AF360FGZ.
I found my NOS “open box” AF540FGZ at a local store, it cost $100.00CDN.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: August, 2013 Location: St. Gallen Posts: 149 | | Review Date: March 27, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $120.00
| Rating: 6 |
| Pros: | Works as it should be | | Cons: | Zoom isn't working correct at 85mm | |
Hello
I bought last year 2 pcs of the AF540 FGZ.
This because I wasn't able to use my Metz flashes in Master Flash Mode on the K-1 in P-TTL. For this purpose it works fine and I can use my Metz als Slave in P-TTL Modus!
One Issue I have with both flashes. It seems the mechanical construction isn't on a level which we expect from Pentax. Both Pentax can't use the 85mm Zoom. I can switch between 16, 19, 24, 34, 48, 58 but as soon as I switch to 85 your hear the gear making a noice and nothing happens.
The User-Interface is nice and better as most of my Metz flashes
Maybe other users have experienced the same issue with the zoom at 85mm?!? 
Regards
Gerard
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