[kenyee]

Today I put my full auto Ricoh flash 30 years old on the K5 and went nuts in the house with flash. I bounced it at all angles 6 times each and not one problem.

Rick: just to clarify, as I understand the problem, it has to do with:
1) full p-TTL flashes (the Ricoh you mentioned is running in Auto-thyristor mode and that works well even w/ the Nikon flashes I use o my K20D)
2) only if you put the p-TTL flash on the hotshoe (if you take it off the camera, then use the popup flash as a wireless commander, this overexposure randomness doesn't happen)
3) seems to be some sort of communication issue via the pins on the hotshoe, so it should be fixable via firmware unless it's a hardware problem on the board

Sounds like a workaround might be to use the popup flash and hold the 540 in your hand so it's triggered wirelessly.
I'm not sure if the K-5 disables SR when using the popup flash as a commander like the older K10D/K20D did though...

[ManuH]

I'm not sure if the K-5 disables SR when using the popup flash as a commander like the older K10D/K20D did though...

It does. But in many case this is not a big deal if the flash is stopping the motion.

[Eric Seavey]

In the past the K10D was bashed for flash underexposure: any reflective item (ex: mirror) in the picture would cause massive underexposure. Pentax have changed the algorithms in the K-7 as this camera was exposing much more to the right (and too much for fill flash according to some people).

Indeed, I noticed the K10d underexposing when someone would wear a white shirt, and it was predictable. The new K-5 is almost becoming predictable, however, after playing with the exposure on a tripod and manually changing the focus (random focus distances of certain frame whether it be in focus or not) the flash exposure changed. This is interesting and makes me wonder if the camera is taking into account the subject distance in determining the flash output.

[Ray Pulley]

I tested my K5 against the K20 in the same situation with the same lens, flash, and all other settings and the behavior of the K5 is as follows:

1. Over-exposure when the scene has significant white or light colored areas.

2. Increasing over-exposure when as the subject gets closer.

The K20d tends to under-expose some in the same situations, which I would expect with a light subject. I generally can set the K20 flash when bouncing in the same room and forget it. It is up and down a bit, but not more than 1/2 stop +/- , and it almost never over-exposes.

I cannot explain the white color over-exposure, but the close subject problem seems to indicate that the camera is not communicating the focus distance, which is sent from the lens. This distance is used, along with the pre-flash metering to set the proper flash exposure at different distances.

Hopefully a firmware update is on the way.

I sure cannot figure out how such simple things get through the evaluation of the camera before it is released by Pentax?

Ray

[nulla]

I tested my K5 against the K20 in the same situation with the same lens, flash, and all other settings and the behavior of the K5 is as follows:

1. Over-exposure when the scene has significant white or light colored areas.

2. Increasing over-exposure when as the subject gets closer.

The K20d tends to under-expose some in the same situations, which I would expect with a light subject. I generally can set the K20 flash when bouncing in the same room and forget it. It is up and down a bit, but not more than 1/2 stop +/- , and it almost never over-exposes.

I cannot explain the white color over-exposure, but the close subject problem seems to indicate that the camera is not communicating the focus distance, which is sent from the lens. This distance is used, along with the pre-flash metering to set the proper flash exposure at different distances.

Hopefully a firmware update is on the way.

I sure cannot figure out how such simple things get through the evaluation of the camera before it is released by Pentax?

Ray

Ray thanks for the post


I had no confidence using flash with Pentax before the k-7 came along... then I thought they got it right... so its a bit disappointing as you state that something like this got through with the K-5

I did a shoot the other night and took a couple of hundred flash photos..things were erratic and random over exposure occurred (especially blowouts on the white father Xmas beard).

cheers

Neil

[Pentax Shooter]

Rick: just to clarify, as I understand the problem, it has to do with:
1) full p-TTL flashes (the Ricoh you mentioned is running in Auto-thyristor mode and that works well even w/ the Nikon flashes I use o my K20D)
2) only if you put the p-TTL flash on the hotshoe (if you take it off the camera, then use the popup flash as a wireless commander, this overexposure randomness doesn't happen)
3) seems to be some sort of communication issue via the pins on the hotshoe, so it should be fixable via firmware unless it's a hardware problem on the board

Sounds like a workaround might be to use the popup flash and hold the 540 in your hand so it's triggered wirelessly.
I'm not sure if the K-5 disables SR when using the popup flash as a commander like the older K10D/K20D did though...

This problem also is bad with the pop up flash. Especially in the green mode. Try yours and see what I mean.

[jpzk]

This is only a suggestion but why not have a petition signed by all owners of a K5, addressing the flash issue with Pentax?
By the same token, one could also print the petition and send it by registered mail to them.
That way, you know that Pentax would have received it, and when, possiby by whom.

If this is a software (firmware) problem, they will eventually fix it with an update.
If it is hardware related, however, there should be some form of compensation either in replacing the /defective" units or provide for repairing the said harware proble, at absolutely no cost to the customers.

I know: it is a long shot but if no one does anything about it or simply complaints about it here in a thread, I doubt that Pentax will do anything.

Just a suggestion.

Cheers.

JP

[Pentax Shooter]

This is only a suggestion but why not have a petition signed by all owners of a K5, addressing the flash issue with Pentax?
By the same token, one could also print the petition and send it by registered mail to them.
That way, you know that Pentax would have received it, and when, possiby by whom.

If this is a software (firmware) problem, they will eventually fix it with an update.
If it is hardware related, however, there should be some form of compensation either in replacing the /defective" units or provide for repairing the said harware proble, at absolutely no cost to the customers.

I know: it is a long shot but if no one does anything about it or simply complaints about it here in a thread, I doubt that Pentax will do anything.

Just a suggestion.

Cheers.

JP

In the US as in Canada, we can return the product if we are not happy. Pentax will have to deal hopefully with mass returns of this camera if the problem is not fixed promptly. I already talked to them and they did not seem to care. The guy told me to shoot in green mode for a few days and see what happened. I shot for a few minutes in green mode and saw immediately what happened. It is worse in green than any other mode, because geen mode will not allow any significant imput from the photographer.

Again, this is an external and a pop up flash issue. The issue maybe the logic algorhythm the machine uses to set the flash power and camera settings or it may be faulty wiring and computer boards....I honeslty do not care which one it is and I am not waiting to find out. I am returning this unit while I can. This is my second with the same issue. Penatx needs to hear about it. In the mean time back to the K7 which also has the same problem but to a lesser extent. May be even time for a Canon 7D???

[tigerzen]

hey let me know if you guys are selling your no good k5's as I and a few others who can't afford full price right now would gladly take them off your hands for a modest second hand price.

[fs999]

I have some friends too, which are desperately waiting for Christmas... lol

[cem.kumuk]

Below link is related to post that I've made into another thread. There the topic was "sharpness" and I thought this capture can also partly be related to this topic. Here I used METZ 48 AF1 off body with Blazzeo wirelless triger.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5-forum/123308-death-soft-k5-urban-legend-5.html

[MCR]

Hi all,
my small investigation with K-5 and FGZ-540:
I have a problem with overexposure only with DA*16-50 and 16-30 range; all over range (30-135 is ok); ISO doesn't matter (AutoISO, ISO80-3200 etc.); I try all my lenses : DA*16-50, DA*50-135 (all is ok), FA43&FA77(all is perfect), DA35/2.8Ltd (small overexposure, about 1/3 EV);

1. DA*16-50 on 50/2.8, FGZ-540 - exposure is OK :


2. DA*16-50 on 16/2.8, FGZ-540 - overexposure about 1-1.5 EV:

[dankoBanana]

just email you'r local pentax representative about the issue
I'm sure they are not ignoring the problem but are on the way to fixing it

[Pentax Shooter]

just email you'r local pentax representative about the issue
I'm sure they are not ignoring the problem but are on the way to fixing it

Doubt it. My "local" representative is in colorado. I web chated with them....they said use the camera in "green mode". That mode actually prduced worse results. They suggested I send my 3 days old camera to them for " repair". I said no. I returned for another one...only to see the new one i just got do the same thing. I am sending it back on monday. I think that anyone who bought this camera recently and is still able to return it they should. That will send a strong message to Pentax to fix this thing. I almost sold my K7. I am glad I did not. If u can return your bad K5 now please do....then wait for the fix.....the ptice would be only cheaper then and the camera better

[Pentax Shooter]

Hi all,
my small investigation with K-5 and FGZ-540:
I have a problem with overexposure only with DA*16-50 and 16-30 range; all over range (30-135 is ok); ISO doesn't matter (AutoISO, ISO80-3200 etc.); I try all my lenses : DA*16-50, DA*50-135 (all is ok), FA43&FA77(all is perfect), DA35/2.8Ltd (small overexposure, about 1/3 EV);

1. DA*16-50 on 50/2.8, FGZ-540 - exposure is OK :


2. DA*16-50 on 16/2.8, FGZ-540 - overexposure about 1-1.5 EV:

great to know. But, they claim the body is compatible with all pentax lenses...this camera from pentax for this price should be perfect. When I read about it I thought it will catapault Pentax ahead of Nikon and Canon especially with the simultaneousnlaunch of the medium.format 645. Now with this instead they are behind toys r us in DSLR. I hope the 10000 dollars 645 will not have the same problem because it is based on almost the same (bad) technology.