[NicoleAu]

So, I'm photographing a wedding reception in 2.5 weeks (as some of you have read) and I ordered a flash from the US which turned out to be a dud (as some of you know) which looks unlikely to be replaced in time for the reception!

After much much googling, which even turned up one of my own threads from here, there is NOWHERE in Sydney or surrounds that rents out Pentax compatible flashes

Soooo I was wondering if anyone would hire me a Metz 48 flash? I know, I know big call. I'm happy to pay for the hire of it and if need be, you could even accompany me whilst I use it! The wedding is in Newcastle and if I spoke to the couple in question, I'm sure they wouldn't mind in this situation.

Well, just thought I'd put it out there anyway. If worse comes to worse, I shall just use my pop-up

Oh and I'm not being paid to do their reception, they're old schoolfriends and quite frankly, I need the practice!

[Vylen]

If you use twitter, tweet the request to PentaxAustralia - they might retweet it

[NicoleAu]

I don't twitter I only facebook.

I will put it on their page anyhow.

[paddy567]

Dude, you could always by the Sigma 530ST for pentax from digital camera warehouse - it's on special for $99 and it would definitely reach you in time.

[selar]

That is such a sweet deal! Awesome.

[NicoleAu]

Yeah I originally looked that that Paddy, but it doesn't do p-TTL or HSS. Both of which I'm told I will definitely regret not having later down the track. The seller says he has ordered one off Amazon for me, but I don't know if it will reach me within the next 2 weeks.

[selar]

It does do P-TTL http://forums.steves-digicams.com/pentax-samsung-dslr/135885-sigma-ef-530-dg...pressions.html

It doesn't do HSS, but what do you plan to do with High Speed sync anyway?

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Last edited by selar; 03-10-2011 at 07:38 PM.

[elpolodiablo]

But no HSS

[NicoleAu]

Photos of my son! lol I need a faster shutter speed than 1/200 for him

[selar]

The flash will freeze any motion if the ambient light is not too strong. A typical flash burst will only last 1/10,000th of a second. HSS sync is only useful when you are doing fill flash in strong lighting conditions with a big telephoto. Basically, with high shutter speeds (we are talking in the 1/2000 range here) the shutter doesnt fully uncover the sensor, so when the flash goes off only a small strip of the sensor receives the light. HSS sync makes the flash strobe for longer so that while the strip opening between the leading curtain and the trailing curtain travels across the sensor the flash will keep strobing so that the whole sensor gets illuminated. For this functionality we are talking several multiples of $99 here. This flash is an absolute steal at $99 and will more than suffice for wedding photography and for photos of your son.

[NicoleAu]

I've already paid for the new flash 50 Metz, which goes for $230 off Amazon. It's a good flash, I had a play with the 48 version of it and I was pretty happy with it. My only real concern is the flash arriving in time for me. I looked into flashes and Metz usually seem to be pretty reliable as well. I say usually because the first one I got, only seemed to work in slave mode :/ I also like the fact it can work in wireless mode as well, which the Sigma doesn't offer unless I pay more for the Super version.

I've also been told that HSS can be used really well for fill flash outdoors, which is what else I'd like to be able to use it for, is this incorrect?

[selar]

The sync speed on all Pentax dSLRs is 1/180 sec. As long as you stay below this shutter speed, you would be ok. Scenarios when you would need more than 1/180 shutter speed:
1. When the ambient light is very strong & directional and you want to fill in the resulting shadows with flash, and you need a fast shutter speed to prevent the scene from overexposing from too much ambient light. You could stop down the lens to acheive a slower shutter speed below 1/180, however this will also increase depth of field, if you want to throw the background out of focus, you wont be able to do so. If this was a portrait scenario, I'd just use a reflector rather than flash to fill in the shadows and acheive uniform illumination. I suppose you could also use a ND filter to reduce the intensity of the ambient light, though I have never tried this and not sure of the results.
2. You have a long telephoto lens and need a fast shutter speed to prevent camera shake, the ambient light is strong enough to allow a shutter speed > 1/180, however, due to the directional nature of the light, shadows are created on the subject and you want to fill this with flash. I think Shake reduction would help as well here to keep the shutter speed down.

In the case of your son, you would mostly not be doing fill flash to get sharp images, rather you would be directly illuminating him with the flash or bouncing the flash off the cieling or wall in an effort to firstly increase the overall lighting, and secondly freeze any motion blur with that short 1/10,000th of a second burst of light from the flash. Same goes for wedding photography indoors or in poor light.

[selar]

What I think Paddy meant in his post is that paying $99 for a flash would be cheaper than renting one. I'd also add: Use it for the wedding, and then ebay it. You might even turn a profit on the transaction. Theres a well used copy sitting in the marketplace right now and the asking price is $125.

[pmastello]

Hey, Are you still looking for a flash?
I have a Metz 48 which you could borrow. I live on the Central Coast too.

[NicoleAu]

I ended up ordering the 50 Metz and it's on it's way here now, but thank you very much for the offer, that's very kind of you