[Classico]

hello, im kind of new with this whole flash thing but my thought was with TTL it would do all the work for me lol. i been using pentax 50mm flash is set on TTL seems to be working with cam good shows iso level and f stop but almost all my pics are over exposed even with the cam set at -3 stops what can i do?

[Classico]

just put kit lens on and at -3 photos are alot better then with the F50 1.7 hmmm??

[icywindow]

I haven't worked with an external flash, but if I had to guess, I think the kit lens has a lot higher aperture (f/3.5-5.6) than the F50. The F50 gathers a lot more light wide open, and the flash overexposes it. If I was going to try to combat that with my internal flash, I'd set the flash exposure comp to a lower value (like -1 to -2).

HTH.

[smrk]

Quick question what model is the flash?

Its quite possible if its an older flash its incomparable with modern DSLR's.

I recently picked up a Kr, I picked it up because of the features and to go with my existing Pentax film SLR gear, including a Promaster 5500 flash.

When I put the flash on my Kr I was surprised at how poorly they were playing together.
The Promaster is a TTL flash and it worked really well with my ZX-10 but on the Kr it was blasting away at full power unless I manually set it to 1/16 power.

So off to the web I went, and learned that most of the older film flashes do not work properly with digital cameras, in fact many of them can damage the circuitry of the DSLR.

When the flash is triggered there is a short voltage spike, most of the DSLR's are rated for a max of 5-6 volts (If I remember correctly) and many of the older flashes have a voltage spike much higher than this, I saw a couple that were in the 200 volt range.

You may want to go to the Vivitar site and check to see if your flash is even safe to use on your Kr.

If it is, they may be able to upgrade the firmware to work with the newer Pentax's I don't know.

I on the other hand am out of luck with my Promaster and need to start saving up for a new flash.

[Sekul]

i had the same problem with the bower 926, the damn thing always fired at full power, at the end i asked to b&H for a refund.
btw, the bower 926 have excellent reviews from people with k-x

[Classico]

ok i tested it out alot the other night its a vivitar DF-383 its not that old its still listed on there website but here is the thing i put it on my old ist DL and WOW it works great i was able to take shots wide open 1.7 and it still wasnt bad at all i need to stop down alot on the kr and use it out of TTL at lower power. like you said with the bower it was just firing away at full power. to tell you the truth this is just one more thing that has been making me bad about the KR i do i have some FF with it also really been thinking about just making the move to canon ( ya i said it) there is alot i like about the KR but really i thought i wouldnt have any problems with it all the reviews said great stuff.... i dont know think ill give it about 45-90 more days and see if they update firmware if they fix the FF i could live with that flash not working and get a diff one

[Classico]

I updated the firmware tonight and still nothing good to report i would like to add that when i turn the Kr on and the flash in TTL mode the flash goes nuts and starts to strobe and doesn't stop unless i take a test shot does that tell anyone anything?

[smrk]

When I mentioned updating the firmware, I had been thinking about the flashes firmware.

I dont know if Vivitar flashes have upgradeable firmware or not.

I know that the Metz flashes allow you to update the flashes firmware yourself, and I have heard of people sending in their flashes to Promaster for a firmware update.

Try and contact Vivitar to see if they have any information on your DF-383 and the Kr, you may be able to send it in to them and have them update it for you.

[Classico]

ya i didnt think updating the KR firmware was going to help but i kind of wanted to do it anyway, and i emailed vivitar about 3 days ago still waiting to hear from them

[Sekul]

I updated the firmware tonight and still nothing good to report i would like to add that when i turn the Kr on and the flash in TTL mode the flash goes nuts and starts to strobe and doesn't stop unless i take a test shot does that tell anyone anything?

Sorry, but now i know, the problem is the camera.
it happened me the same thing before i returned the flash, updated the firrmware, just in case, and then the flash start to strobe like crazy.

i have ended buying the samsung version of the pentax af360 and now it works great

[jlaubza]

There has been so much written in this website about using P-TTL flash vs. TTL flash - the only old flashes that can work are either straightforward manual flashes where you set the camera on manual and adjust the aperture to match the guide number according to flash to subject distance and taking iso into account, or you use a thyristor controlled flash (auto flash) that will adjust the flash output depending on reflected light from the subject.

P-TTL works with the camera but not always well and in my limited experience, I have happily used the old auto flash system - this gets rid of the preflash problem (which causes people to blink).

With experience, one learns to adjust the aperture to compensate for the amount of reflected light according to conditions and one should use the flash off camera to avoid the red eye effect. In any case, a flash directly above the lens is worst place to have it.

[rrwilliams64]

..i also found out after the fact the Vivitar 383 wouldnt communicate with the K-x, supposed P-TTL capability notwithstanding.

Anyone have any insight whether the Promaster 5750DX with a Pentax Promaster 5050DXR digital flash module will communicate w/ the K-r? I could pair them up for undr $130...

[smrk]

According to the email I got back from Promaster the only p-ttl flash they have that will work with the recent pentax cameras is the 7500edf

From the email I got from Promaster, mid Feb

Currently the only Promaster flash that is compatible with the Pentax K-x and K-7 digital cameras is the 7500edf flash that has been reprogrammed with the latest update for Pentax P-TTL flash system. I have not yet had Pentax K-r available to test to see if the 7500edf flash is compatible with it. The combination that I found that has worked for all of Pentax digital SLR cameras is the Promaster 5550DX and 5750DX flash units using the FTM 5000 series module for Pentax manual focus cameras. This module will dedicate to Pentax digital SLR cameras setting flash sync shutter speed and lighting the ready light in the viewfinder. This module uses an auto thyristor sensor with 3 auto ranges to choose from for automatic flash exposure. I have used this combination on virtually all of Pentax DSLR cameras (excluding the K-r) and it works very well. The TTL setting on this module will however also fire at full power like your current flash and module combination. To use this FTM module you will need to set the ISO on the camera manually, and set your aperture using the scale on the back of the flash based on the auto range that you select on the flash module.

So the flash combo you are looking at will work but it will not be p-ttl

And there is no guarantee that the 7500edf will work with the Kr

[rrwilliams64]

... I've now gone through both the Digital Concepts 918AF, the Vivitar 383 (basically same flash), now I can with good confidence count out the Promaster w/ th module setup.

sigh

..just looking for a P-TTL setup for my K-r without killing my wallet (plus I'd like swivel ability plus up/down capability. Looking at the Metz 48AF1....LOL, I dont even know if THATS compatible, truth be told

Any suggestions, i am looking on the used market, under $225, will spend more for new if need to...

[poseur]

Incidentally, I had started a similiar problem in a Singapore pentax user forum, not sure can I cross link here.. but I will retype my contents here to share the information with Pentaxforum users.

12 Nov 2010

Title: Does your Kr/K5 work with 3rd party flash?

I had been using my 3rd party ebay OEM brand less PTTL flash on my Kx for almost 1 yr, and I have a "strange" encounter when i recently brought an Kr.

This OEM brand less PTTL flash works flawlessly on Kx and K7 at all settings (auto zoom head, sync aperture and iso. full PTTL function etc etc) and suffer no problem at all.

when the same flash is mounted on my Kr....at iso 100 200 it is still fine but any higher iso, almost every picture will be a white screen of death.....

I thought it is a flash socket problem with my Kr and went down for a chat at Emjay service center...Kevin slap on a AF360FGZ on my Kr....surprise surprise....it work fine....

Damn....so it means my brand less PTTL flash may not be so comparable to the new pentax models...

Any follow pentaxian here who own a 3rd party flash like Metz or Sigma PTTL flash, do they work on your Kr/K5??? I'm trying to gather some feedback, cos I have a event to shoot next week and I'm trying to gather some feedback, cos I have a event to shoot next week and I need a flash fast.....

In summary the response from Singapore user reported:

Flash made by sigma 530 Super, metz 48/58 and of course original pentax flash work fine with Kr/K5.
I myself had brought a Metz 50 and it work fine.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/126529-d%F6rr-flashes-...ble-k-5-a.html