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02-05-2011, 08:01 PM   #1
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Widest FL at which pop-up flash can be used without shadowing with DA* 16-50?

I can't find the answer searching the forum, all I have heard is at 16mm it causes shadowing with the pop-up flash. So where is the cutoff...at what point can the 16-50 be used with the flash without shadowing? 17, 18, 19, 20mm?

Thanks!

02-05-2011, 08:14 PM   #2
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Pg, 172 in owners manual.
20mm or less or 35mm when distance is 1.5m or less. may cause vignetting.
Now looking for shadowing,,. No go.
Hands on test shows minor shadow at 22mm. 24mm would be the cut-off point.

Last edited by Ex Finn.; 02-05-2011 at 08:30 PM.
02-05-2011, 08:17 PM   #3
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I don't have a copy of the manual, mind passing on that information?
02-05-2011, 08:24 PM   #4
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Pretty much is already stated - 20mm or under, expect shadow casting in far focusing shots.
And Loren, if you haven't yet read the K-7 manual, it would be highly recommended - find it here:
http://www.pentaximaging.com/images/temp/63391109412222249881268K7_MANUAL_FINAL_101409.pdf

02-05-2011, 08:30 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by Loren E Quote
I don't have a copy of the manual, mind passing on that information?
Here you go....

Digital Cameras and Accessories - Official PENTAX Imaging Web Site
02-05-2011, 08:39 PM   #6
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It also matters how big the lens and lens hood are, in that the kit lens would suffer this shadowing effect at focal lengths a little less than that with the DA* 16-50, just by virtue of the bigger size and lens hood the DA* 16-50 has.

One thing you can to do minimise this at focal lengths around 20mm is to remove the lens hood from the lens when shooting. Otherwise, consider an external flash.
02-05-2011, 08:49 PM   #7
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Using pop-up with a $1000 lens.....like buying a Mercedes and putting vinyl seat covers on it.

02-05-2011, 09:11 PM   #8
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Hey thank you Ash and FCC. I have the magic lantern guide for the K-7 which is great, but it simply says you cannot use the flash at shorter focal lengths with that lens and doesn't specify where the cutoff point is.

In regard to your comment Mike Cash, I won't be doing much flash photography, just would like a little fill flash from time to time, and it doesn't make sense buying and carrying around an expensive and not weather resistant flash for my very limited use. If the pop-up flash is so horrible then why do they put it on there? And if you are from the US then that is a hell of an exaggeration, as the lens retails for $729 from authorized pentax dealers like Abe's.
02-05-2011, 09:40 PM   #9
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QuoteQuote:
If the pop-up flash is so horrible then why do they put it on there?
It's a marketing tool. And it is convenient.
02-05-2011, 10:03 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by Loren E Quote
H

In regard to your comment Mike Cash, I won't be doing much flash photography, just would like a little fill flash from time to time, and it doesn't make sense buying and carrying around an expensive and not weather resistant flash for my very limited use.
Is that lens weather resistant? My comment wasn't meant to imply that you should buy an expensive flash to go with the lens, but that the image quality from such an expensive and respected lens sort of flies right out the window with what pop-up flash does to photos. An expensive flash is not necessary; an old used flash with bounce capabilities can be had for about $30~50 that would fill the bill on lighting the scene and let the quality of the lens shine through.

QuoteQuote:
If the pop-up flash is so horrible then why do they put it on there?
Because consumers expect cameras to have built-in flash. I can sort of understand putting it on the lower-end cameras but I will never understand why they include one on the top of the line models. I am convinced what pop-up flash does to photos is the primary reason so many people say they hate flash.

QuoteQuote:
And if you are from the US then that is a hell of an exaggeration, as the lens retails for $729 from authorized pentax dealers like Abe's.
Well, it wasn't an intentional exaggeration. I went to B&H to look up the price and it listed there for about $1000. If you look under my avatar you will see that I am not in the U.S. (And I wouldn't buy a bag of peanuts from Abe's even if I were).
02-06-2011, 12:31 AM   #11
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Yes all of the DA* lenses are fully sealed for water and dust. I am sure I will purchase a flash down the road at some point but for now am going to hold off as I just don't think I use fill enough to justify it.

cheers -LE
02-06-2011, 04:17 PM   #12
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Hmmm here in an older post PentaxPoke mentions having shadowing all the way out to 35mm.....not your experience Ash? Based off what I read in the manual then this is an issue of distance from the subject?


Size: Shorter, narrower and lighter than the 16-50. This means I can actually use the built in flash with the Tamron. I could not detect any lens shadow even at the widest setting. This was something I was disappointed about with the 16-50 because the lens shadow was pretty extreme from 16mm out to about 35mm. I don’t use built-in flash much except for fill, but even in fill you can see interference. And sometimes, you just need flash, and if this lens is to be my baseline lens, I don’t want to always have to go put on my AF360FGZ flash to get a quick snapshot.

Read more at: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/29218-tamron-1...#ixzz1DDvEaHEG
02-06-2011, 06:26 PM   #13
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Yes, Loren. This has been mentioned before. 35mm at close focusing distances is about the limit of the shadow. If you have the 360 flash already, I'd suggest using that for all your fill-flash exposures - makes a significant difference.
02-06-2011, 07:28 PM   #14
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I wish I had the 360 already! That is PentaxPoke who I was copy and pasting there, I don't own an external flash. I hope Pentax makes a WR one so I could use it on dreary rainy days and in the surf where I am likely to get some wave splash on it.

That is definitely a nice feature of the tamron 17-50, being able to use the flash at 17mm. I will do some experimenting with the pop-up here in March when I get my kit dialed in and see what my results are.

best -LE
02-06-2011, 08:35 PM   #15
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Note that the focal length at which shadowing occurs also depends on the body you're using. For example, the flash on the K-7/K-5 is a lot higher than the one on the K-x, and it makes a significant difference. Any previous information provided by users about appropriate FLs needs to be checked for the body (that thread by PentaxPoke is from before the K-7), and whether the lens hood was used (makes a huge difference).

Last edited by Cannikin; 02-06-2011 at 09:26 PM.
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