[Nicks]

I love my metz 58. It is well known that k5 has some TTL problems with most flashes including metz 58 which will probably be fixed in a future firmware. I used my metz with a K10 and it was excellent in both PTTL and auto. K5, like I said, has some problems with exposure in PTTL but the flash works flawlessly in auto or manual. And the menus can't be any easier than that...really.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5-forum/119808-k-5-flash.html

Read this for more info on the subject.

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Last edited by Nicks; 06-18-2011 at 10:42 PM.

[dreamfoto]

OK, maybe I am the stupid one, everybody is in love with the Metz 58 AF-2.

Can you please tell me what I am doing wrong in this situation -

1) K-5 is in M-mode 1/125 F6.3 ISO100

2) Flash is in M-mode too, configured 1/128 power and works fine on camera. Closeup shots are ok, fill-flash is OK, except that the flash is mounted on the camera and not very convinient to handle.

3) Now I go to REMOTE->SLAVE and I use the on-camera as a controler - the flash resorts back to 1/1 full power mode which I can detect by the splashing sound of 1/1 flash. Everything is completely blown out.

What did I do wrong? Going back to REMOTE->OFF reveils that the M-mode flash is indeed in full power and the previous setting has been essentially forgotten.

And there's no way to mistake 1/256 or 1/128 with 1/1 power. BTW after few such strokes the flash emits some kind of strange smell and a bzzzzzzz noise which is going away in few minutes.

PS It was indeed user-error regarding the color of the flash, I guess the AWB was getting it wrong, I admit there's no problem and it was my fault for not checking it, not one of the K-5/58AF2.

[Nicks]

What I believe you are doing wrong in this situation is that you are mistaken the "P" parameter in manual mode which is the light output or power as you say (1/1 to 1/256) with the EV parameter in slave mode which is the exposure compensation(-3 to +3). These are 2 different things and they must be set in different ways but maybe I'm wrong, I have the Metz 58 AF-1 not AF-2....

[yeatzee]

I know exactly your problem

If you want it to be in slave mode AND control the flash power instead of ev follow these steps (assuming yours is up to date firmware wise and it works similarly to my Metz 48)

1. Go to M mode

2. Click select (- and + at the same time) until you reach "slave"

3. Click + once to get slave on, AND one more time to get slave M. Now it will work like its on camera in m mode

[Sifu]

Bak in the film days I used a Metz 60ct2, it was a great flash and stood up to years of professional abuse. So when looking for a flash for my K20D and K5 I was really tempted to get a new metz. I did a lot of reading reviews and came to the conclusion that it would be better to go with the Pentax AF540. Although I wish there were some radio triggers that would allow PTTL it is a great flash. I am very pleased wtih it so far. While I am sure the metz is well made as they always have been I just read that there were a number of issues at least when dealing with Pentax which influenced my decision.

[newmikey]

Do NOT buy the stinking
Metz - Mecablitz 58 AF

For someone who expresses himself as eloquently as you do, you do seem to be a stupid bugger. Trying to palm off ones inability to master some simple electronics with a smear campaign on same electronics does not presume much intelligence put to the job.

If I were you, I 'd probably silently scour the internet fora under a secret nick trying to find out what I, the great and infallible photographer, am doing wrong. Shouting my stupidity out under my own name at the Pentax Forum is probably just about the last thing I'd do...

[dreamfoto]

Nicks thank you! You are right that only the EV adjustment can be made but what actually means to make EV adjustment when you are in M-mode on the camera and on the flash. I discovered that even in M-mode on the camera the flash still is in TTL as slave and is exposing according to that.

yatzee thanks! You are correct, this remote setting is called "Servo" and it works with the fractional power adjustment. The only issue with it is that you NEED to have the on-camera flash to contribute to the exposure and that happens even if it is selected to be "wireless" :ugh:

For the moment I dont have the small usb cable that is needed to update the firmware but I will to to the shop tomorrow and get one for the job, so the Metz stays with me until I exhausted everying. But I am not very optimistic because the model is new and the flash is brand new so there's no too much chance to get very old firmware already installed in it. WHY???? Did not include the USB cable in the package???

Newmikey.... you sound to me exactly like the Metz user manual One thing I can assure you however is that I know how to recharge batteries! Because it took me so far 4x4 AA's to play with the incorrect exposures in PTTL. Surely you would fix that with your eyes closed and one hand tied on your back right?


PS As you all helped me a lot, even if I decided not to keep the flash, I contributed a small donation to pentaxforums from my wife's Paypall acount I promess to keep on doing that whenever I fnd the site helpful and have some money to contribute.

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Last edited by dreamfoto; 06-19-2011 at 04:19 PM.

[Class A]

I think you should edit the thread title and also edit your first post.

[dreamfoto]

The Metz goes tomorrow.

Returned to sender

You Tube

You Tube

[Eruditass]

I'm not aware of any flash from any brand or mount that lets you do wireless manual flash with the built-in flash. It's all TTL exposure only. If you want manual, you have to use triggers.

Interesting bit about the flash color, never heard anything like that except for high powered studio strobes.

The only reason I use TTL flash is for on camera flash work, which is basically just fill (HSS is especially useful) and leisurely bouncing.

Lastly, please read the manual next time.

[yeatzee]

I'm not aware of any flash from any brand or mount that lets you do wireless manual flash with the built-in flash. It's all TTL exposure only. If you want manual, you have to use triggers.

Interesting bit about the flash color, never heard anything like that except for high powered studio strobes.

The only reason I use TTL flash is for on camera flash work, which is basically just fill (HSS is especially useful) and leisurely bouncing.

Lastly, please read the manual next time.

Um I do it all of the time with both my Pentax AF 360 and my metz 48....

[wizofoz]

I TOTALLY disagree with the OP. My Metz 58-1 is a fantastic flash, it works really well in P-TTL, wireless and bounce mode (and all combinations of the above) and I far prefer the colour of the light to my Pentax top of the line flash. If I ever find I have a problem with P-TTL I switch to Auto mode and let the Metz circuitry (rather than the Pentax Circuitry) work out the exposure.

Manual mode is a matter of a couple of button presses. What could be easier?

[mtansley]

I'm not aware of any flash from any brand or mount that lets you do wireless manual flash with the built-in flash. It's all TTL exposure only. If you want manual, you have to use triggers.

The Metz 58 with the latest firmware does have a 'servo' mode which will fire the flash wirelessly using the built in flash as the trigger. The servo mode ignores the preflash. I believe this firmware is also available for the 48.

By mount I presume you mean different camera systems? The Nikon Creative Lighting system will allow you to control multiple remote flashes using the built-in flash as a controller. You can select up to 3 different groups of flash units remotely and they can be set using TTL or Manual control from the camera. You can adjust the power of the remote flash from the camera as well.

[mtansley]

If I ever find I have a problem with P-TTL I switch to Auto mode and let the Metz circuitry (rather than the Pentax Circuitry) work out the exposure.

Manual mode is a matter of a couple of button presses. What could be easier?

I found Auto mode better than P-TTL over this last weekend actually. I was visiting a pioneer village in bright sunlight so used the flash for fill outside & needed to photograph inside quite dark pioneer houses. The P-TTL was all over the place so switched to auto mode and virtually every photo was just what I wanted. Rather interesting going back to the old-fashioned photo-cell mode that Metz had out in the sixties. So much for advanced technology in some cases!!

[sagiboy]

+1 for Yonguno flashes..I have a YN468 for my Canon and it works like a charm. I use it as a wireless slave with K7/K5 and it works just fine. I would say the chinese knockoff is the best deal out there...