You can't go wrong with a Pentax flash. If you want to shoot manual, you can. If you want PTTL, you have it. You say that you are using studio strobes but there's value to being light and portable buy using a one speedlight / umbrella setup. It may not be your main use but flexibility is always good.
It is a stop more powerful than the YN-560. That's not huge, especially for a hair light. On the other hand there's a huge cost difference between that and the manual flashes. I have a Vivitar 285 and a YN-560. The Vivitar is 12 years old and works perfectly, so it's a proven performer. The YN-560 appears to be well made. I've run only 4 sets of batteries through it, so I can't attest to its durability. So far, so good. The YN does have a lot more ability to fine tune the output, so it's my first choice when I only use one flash.
One other option that splits the difference between the cheap manual flashes and the top of the line Pentax is Sigma's 610 DG Super. It's the most powerful of the lot and does PTTL.
Last edited by mysticcowboy; 09-15-2011 at 07:26 PM.
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