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05-18-2011, 11:55 PM   #241
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Got the same reply from Pentax: "Nothing our staff have seen or been able to repeat, send in your complete kit and somebody will take a look at it."
I've explained exactly the same feelings that this must have come up numerous times and is well-documented through test images people have posted across the internet. No reply.

05-19-2011, 08:56 AM   #242
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QuoteOriginally posted by dylansalt Quote
On that note, I wonder how many potential Pentax sales have been lost and how many have switched to other brands?

It doesn't seem to worry Pentax dslr martketing or it's R&D dept - weird?
From everything I've read in the general press that's glowing about the K5, I'd guess that Pentax is picking up users rather than losing them. That seems to be borne out by the consistently high price of the K5.

Of course, both of us are just guessing anyway, and Pentax should address these issues. Seems like it just too inconsistent. My K5 seems to work fine, but there are too many reports of others with problems.
05-19-2011, 04:23 PM   #243
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QuoteOriginally posted by dtsui Quote
I don't have a K5 but my K7 with AF540 behaves in very similar manner to what people described here with their K5 and that is overexposure in bounce flash particularly at wide angle shots and close distance. I noticed one thing that no one else seemed to have mentioned before, that the exposure is dependent on the zoom angle on the flash unit. If I manually changed the zoom angle on the flash I could vary the exposure from overexposure at the wider angles 16,19 to underexposure with 48,58, etc. all on the same scene, at the same lens angle and the same f/stop. This should not have happened with PTTL at all. I tested this with my K10D and it certainly did not behave in this manner.

I also experienced massive overexposure with the K7, >2 stops, with wireless off-camera PTTL flash which corresponds with the experience of some K5 users.
What lens, ISO and f/stops were you using?
05-19-2011, 08:19 PM   #244
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QuoteOriginally posted by philbaum Quote
What lens, ISO and f/stops were you using?
Sigma 17-70 f2.8-4.5 at f/4 to f/5.6. ISO200-400 in A or M. Bounce to ceiling about 2.7m high, at 75 deg.

I think this is quite typical of most bounce shots.

05-19-2011, 10:56 PM   #245
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I also have had trouble with an external flash set to TTL and direct on. However it is a Sigma EF-500 ST. Direct on I get over exposure of 1-2 stops, or worse and often unusabe. Curiously, adding in 1-2 stop compensation doesn't fix it, the exposure comes out the same. However the work around has been to use the built in diffuser. With that down the exposures have all been good, direct or bounced.

Mal
05-20-2011, 06:46 AM   #246
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For those with flash problems, it is surely repairable. Mine is near perfect at any angle or position, much more dependable than it was on my K20D, so it must be something that can be easily serviced. If yours has problems, send it in for repair. No doubt this is a huge inconvenience...if I was without my K5 for a day I would cry like a baby, but I would want it to get well.
Best Regards!
05-20-2011, 02:47 PM   #247
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rupert Quote
For those with flash problems, it is surely repairable.
Did you repair your K-5?

05-20-2011, 02:50 PM   #248
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QuoteOriginally posted by stefanlindmark Quote
Did you repair your K-5?
I think Rupert was saying HE has a K-5 and HIS works correctly, so there's probably actually something wrong with yours that can be fixed, not an inherent failure in the K-5. Which is the statistically probably answer, also.
05-20-2011, 03:31 PM   #249
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QuoteOriginally posted by jstevewhite Quote
I think Rupert was saying HE has a K-5 and HIS works correctly, so there's probably actually something wrong with yours that can be fixed, not an inherent failure in the K-5. Which is the statistically probably answer, also.
That sounds promising, if it weren't for reports like post #237 in this thread sending discouraging signals.
05-20-2011, 05:17 PM   #250
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I don't think it is repairable

QuoteOriginally posted by Rupert Quote
For those with flash problems, it is surely repairable. Mine is near perfect at any angle or position, much more dependable than it was on my K20D, so it must be something that can be easily serviced. If yours has problems, send it in for repair. No doubt this is a huge inconvenience...if I was without my K5 for a day I would cry like a baby, but I would want it to get well.
Best Regards!
QuoteOriginally posted by stefanlindmark Quote
Did you repair your K-5?
QuoteOriginally posted by jstevewhite Quote
I think Rupert was saying HE has a K-5 and HIS works correctly, so there's probably actually something wrong with yours that can be fixed, not an inherent failure in the K-5. Which is the statistically probably answer, also.
QuoteOriginally posted by stefanlindmark Quote
That sounds promising, if it weren't for reports like post #237 in this thread sending discouraging signals.

I don't think so. I have sent mine in for repair once in which they gave me a brand new camera which did the same thing. I have gone through 4 different bodies and they all act the same. My solution has been to go with a Metz 58 af2 with A mode. I have documented my experience in this thread (https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5-forum/136720-k-5-bounce-flash-...onse-metz.html). In the thread I have compared the K5 to the Kr. I have asked other forum members with "near perfect" cameras to conduct the same test under the same conditions, but no one has come forward with the photos. I don't think people understand fully what the problem is. When you use bounce flash in M mode, the problem exists when you use lower shutter speeds (say 1/50th, 1/40th), high iso (from 200-800), and bounce the flash at any angle. Just see the thread above. I am ready to send my camera in for a second time just to see what happens. I have 1 more wedding next month and then a month off, so I may just send it in. Thanks,

Eric
05-21-2011, 04:12 AM   #251
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QuoteOriginally posted by efkelly Quote
but no one has come forward with the photos
i have described behavior of my k5+flash set in 221 post this thread - results similar to yours. The moste important are the histograms, if i only new haw to extract them from the photo and put them here.... The photos of yours were very enlightening. Same facts... i had 3 body to deal with and all of them the same problem...

Last edited by filorp; 05-21-2011 at 06:13 AM.
05-21-2011, 09:52 AM   #252
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QuoteOriginally posted by stefanlindmark Quote
Did you repair your K-5?
No, it came to me OK on the flash. After the stain check, it was the first thing I checked. I used the 540 and 360, turned them up and down and all around, used all modes.....only found that it was better than it was on my K20D by a small margin when tested side by side.

This is why I think it is not a non repairable defect, otherwise mine would not work so well.

I did have some focus issues when I tested for that, but after I loaded the 1.03 Firmware it cleared up nicely for indoor or very low light shooting. No problem focusing in low light, although I seldom shoot in such extreme conditions.
Best Regards!
05-21-2011, 02:01 PM   #253
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rupert Quote
I used the 540 and 360, turned them up and down and all around, used all modes.....only found that it was better than it was on my K20D
Hey Rupert! Would you mind posting some pics of your tests. Could you try ISO 200, 400, 800 in manual mode at 1/40, 1/50th sec shutter and say like f5? Oh ya, bounced strait up off an 8ft ceiling and with PTTL obviously all with -EV... Thank you...

Eric
05-22-2011, 11:37 PM   #254
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I can't resist chiming in...can anyone please do a quick test to confirm the following on your K5/K7 + AF540/AF360:

Fix a focal length on your lens, set aperture to f/4 or f/5.6
Set camera to M mode, ISO between 200-400
Point flash to ceiling, pull out the reflector card but not the diffuser panel
Change the zoom setting on your flash (by pressing the ZOOM button) and observe whether exposure varies in accordance with the zoom setting.

On my K7+AF540+Sigma 17-70mm, the exposure will steadily decrease from 16mm to 58mm (on the flash), normal exposure is usually achieved at 34mm.
05-23-2011, 05:50 PM   #255
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I'll try that...

I did some quick tests with my K-5 and my old K20.

I was originally disappointed with my K20's PTTL performance until this thread came out - https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-flashes-lighting-technique/103779-...x-flashes.html - Using the trimpot, I was able to get the K20 to perform well in nearly all situations - bounce and direct, wireless and no wireless.

I did these tests at ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/60 second, 70mm on a Sigma 17-70. In my case, the flash was zoomed out to 16mm without any diffuser (to get a wide diffuse light source out of my white ceiling)

When shooting a whitish-brown carpet, I expect the camera to underexpose and bring the carpet to around midway on the histogram (e.g. expose the scene to 15-18% grey) - When dialed in with the trimpot, as I stated above, the K20 puts the spike on the histogram at just above dead center (I ran my K20 + AF540 a bit hot since I have -2 stops FEC and only +1). It does this whether bouncing off the ceiling or direct, and whether wireless or not.

With the K-5 and the flash dialed in the same way, same ISO, focal length, and aperture:
Direct on-camera flash is a little bit overexposed (maybe half a stop?) compared to the K20
Bounced on-camera flash is significantly overexposed (maybe 1.5 stops?) compared to the K20
Wireless off-camera flash is significantly underexposed (about 1-1.5 stops) compared to the K20 - whether direct or indirect

Edit: The trimpot affects on-camera performance but not off-camera - wireless P-TTL always underexposes severely
I'll try to get some samples later this week - my arm got tired!

Last edited by Entropy; 05-23-2011 at 06:00 PM.
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