K10 and AF540 in PTTL

**ROBEFFY** · 10-23-2011, 09:25 PM

Hi,
I've owned this combo, with a Pentax 16-45 F4 lens for some time and have not been able to get point and shoot results.
The flash does not display PTTL at any time, unless I set the ON switch to the center setting, which appears to be Wireless?
I get lots of under or over exposed shots.
My best results seem to be on manual mode?
Is this normal?
The owners manual does not suggest what camera settings, ie, Tv, Green, etc to use.
From web scraping it looks as if this flash is not always consistent in operation, wondering what other people have one to get consistent good pics in a family
get together setting, or a meeting type setting?

Regards,
Rob

kurki · 10-24-2011, 12:18 AM

From my experience PTTL mode is the worst in AF540 because it overreacts to white spots (shirts or dresses) making the picture unrecoverably underexposed. I am a wedding photographer and I shoot mostly in AUTO mode - it is OK. As well as MANUAL mode, but never in PTTL. Kurki.

**maxfield_photo** · 10-26-2011, 08:29 PM

Are you using the flash on or off the hotshoe? If you're using it off camera, you need to put it on the hotshoe for a moment to register pTTL (silly, I know) and press the shutter button half way to activate the camera's meter. This allows the camera to talk to the flash and tell it "yes, I am pTTL compatible." Once that's done you can remove the flash from the hotshoe, and use the pop-up flash as the controller. Be careful though, if you turn the AF540 off, or it goes into hibernation, it will lose all it's settings (again, silly).

If you're using it on camera, I think you just need to make sure you've pressed the shutter half way, and then hit the mode button on the flash a few times. Hope that helps.

SOldBear · 10-27-2011, 11:59 AM

Originally posted by maxfield_photo

If you're using it off camera, you need to put it on the hotshoe for a moment to register pTTL (silly, I know) and press the shutter button half way to activate the camera's meter. This allows the camera to talk to the flash and tell it "yes, I am pTTL compatible."

No. It's not silly.

The purpose of "registering" the flash with the camera body is for the camera to be in the same channel as the flash. There are 4 different channels. If the camera and the flash are in different channels, they can't see each other.

**Lowell Goudge** · 10-27-2011, 01:31 PM

Originally posted by ROBEFFY

Hi,
I've owned this combo, with a Pentax 16-45 F4 lens for some time and have not been able to get point and shoot results.
The flash does not display PTTL at any time, unless I set the ON switch to the center setting, which appears to be Wireless?
I get lots of under or over exposed shots.
My best results seem to be on manual mode?
Is this normal?
The owners manual does not suggest what camera settings, ie, Tv, Green, etc to use.
From web scraping it looks as if this flash is not always consistent in operation, wondering what other people have one to get consistent good pics in a family
get together setting, or a meeting type setting?

Regards,
Rob

Funny, I have used it quite successfully in P&S mode, mostly indoors at parties and family gatherings. Generally I use my FA-J 18-35 F4-5.6 so the 16-45 should behave similairly.

One thing I have noticed is a tendancy for the flash to not always push completely onto the shoe. this could give you problems also, but i have never has ggross errors in exposure. generally, in close quarters I bounce it off the ceiling.

I should point out that I shoot in manual mode, and generally have the flash do 75% or so of the scene illuination.

I have had some mized results in AV and other auto modes because the camera tries to meet the exposure first without flash, and then add flash for what ever is left. this can lead to blurred images, ghosting and all sorts, because the shutter speed will be dropped to the hand old limit, which cna be quite slow

Mike Gezing · 10-28-2011, 07:01 AM

I saw the same blurring problem yesterday with my K-7 and the 16-45 mm f/4 lens, when using the the AF 540 and a Stofen Omni Bounce.
I had the camera in Av mode and was bouncing the flash off the ceiling. I put the lens and flash on my K200 in Av mode and did not have any blurring. This problem had me thinking about it all night. Useing rear shutter sinc helped with the K-7. More testing is in the future.

**ROBEFFY** · 10-31-2011, 06:07 PM

Originally posted by kurki

From my experience PTTL mode is the worst in AF540 because it overreacts to white spots (shirts or dresses) making the picture unrecoverably underexposed. I am a wedding photographer and I shoot mostly in AUTO mode - it is OK. As well as MANUAL mode, but never in PTTL. Kurki.

Hi,

I am sorry to have been out of touch for some time, thanks for the repy!
It could be that I am getting severe under exposure, quite often the flash does not operate in TTL mode, but the flash will activate in Auto mode.
I have had more success in Auto than TTL, and I can't get PTTL to show on the display unless I turn on the flash to the first power setting, which is supposedly used for off camera use.

I'll stick to Auto mode, unless I can find something technique.

**ROBEFFY** · 10-31-2011, 06:09 PM

Originally posted by maxfield_photo

Are you using the flash on or off the hotshoe? If you're using it off camera, you need to put it on the hotshoe for a moment to register pTTL (silly, I know) and press the shutter button half way to activate the camera's meter. This allows the camera to talk to the flash and tell it "yes, I am pTTL compatible." Once that's done you can remove the flash from the hotshoe, and use the pop-up flash as the controller. Be careful though, if you turn the AF540 off, or it goes into hibernation, it will lose all it's settings (again, silly).

If you're using it on camera, I think you just need to make sure you've pressed the shutter half way, and then hit the mode button on the flash a few times. Hope that helps.

Hi,
I use it on the hotshoe 90% of he time, but have been successful with it remote and synced to trigger off my pop up flash.
Thanks for the reply!

slip · 11-01-2011, 01:55 PM

I don't have the same flash but I find if you just want point and shoot the "P" mode works well., I do use the shutter priority camera at the fastest sync speed (on my K10 that is 1/160) or slightly longer at 1/125. If you are in close range I put the iso on the camera at 100 and let the ttl fill in the rest. If you are in raw and under exposed at ISO 100, you can rescue up to 3 stops and have very little noise. If the area is not that dark then you can boost the ISO up a bit.

cheers

randy

10-23-2011, 09:25 PM	#1
ROBEFFY Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 248	K10 and AF540 in PTTL Hi, I've owned this combo, with a Pentax 16-45 F4 lens for some time and have not been able to get point and shoot results. The flash does not display PTTL at any time, unless I set the ON switch to the center setting, which appears to be Wireless? I get lots of under or over exposed shots. My best results seem to be on manual mode? Is this normal? The owners manual does not suggest what camera settings, ie, Tv, Green, etc to use. From web scraping it looks as if this flash is not always consistent in operation, wondering what other people have one to get consistent good pics in a family get together setting, or a meeting type setting? Regards, Rob

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10-24-2011, 12:18 AM	#2
kurki Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Russia Posts: 70	From my experience PTTL mode is the worst in AF540 because it overreacts to white spots (shirts or dresses) making the picture unrecoverably underexposed. I am a wedding photographer and I shoot mostly in AUTO mode - it is OK. As well as MANUAL mode, but never in PTTL. Kurki.

10-26-2011, 08:29 PM	#3
maxfield_photo Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 1,216	Are you using the flash on or off the hotshoe? If you're using it off camera, you need to put it on the hotshoe for a moment to register pTTL (silly, I know) and press the shutter button half way to activate the camera's meter. This allows the camera to talk to the flash and tell it "yes, I am pTTL compatible." Once that's done you can remove the flash from the hotshoe, and use the pop-up flash as the controller. Be careful though, if you turn the AF540 off, or it goes into hibernation, it will lose all it's settings (again, silly). If you're using it on camera, I think you just need to make sure you've pressed the shutter half way, and then hit the mode button on the flash a few times. Hope that helps.

10-27-2011, 11:59 AM	#4
SOldBear Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Alameda, CA Posts: 3,206	Originally posted by maxfield_photo If you're using it off camera, you need to put it on the hotshoe for a moment to register pTTL (silly, I know) and press the shutter button half way to activate the camera's meter. This allows the camera to talk to the flash and tell it "yes, I am pTTL compatible." No. It's not silly. The purpose of "registering" the flash with the camera body is for the camera to be in the same channel as the flash. There are 4 different channels. If the camera and the flash are in different channels, they can't see each other.

10-27-2011, 01:31 PM	#5
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,887	Originally posted by ROBEFFY Hi, I've owned this combo, with a Pentax 16-45 F4 lens for some time and have not been able to get point and shoot results. The flash does not display PTTL at any time, unless I set the ON switch to the center setting, which appears to be Wireless? I get lots of under or over exposed shots. My best results seem to be on manual mode? Is this normal? The owners manual does not suggest what camera settings, ie, Tv, Green, etc to use. From web scraping it looks as if this flash is not always consistent in operation, wondering what other people have one to get consistent good pics in a family get together setting, or a meeting type setting? Regards, Rob Funny, I have used it quite successfully in P&S mode, mostly indoors at parties and family gatherings. Generally I use my FA-J 18-35 F4-5.6 so the 16-45 should behave similairly. One thing I have noticed is a tendancy for the flash to not always push completely onto the shoe. this could give you problems also, but i have never has ggross errors in exposure. generally, in close quarters I bounce it off the ceiling. I should point out that I shoot in manual mode, and generally have the flash do 75% or so of the scene illuination. I have had some mized results in AV and other auto modes because the camera tries to meet the exposure first without flash, and then add flash for what ever is left. this can lead to blurred images, ghosting and all sorts, because the shutter speed will be dropped to the hand old limit, which cna be quite slow

10-28-2011, 07:01 AM	#6
Mike Gezing Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Arlington Hts. IL Photos: Gallery Posts: 45	I saw the same blurring problem yesterday with my K-7 and the 16-45 mm f/4 lens, when using the the AF 540 and a Stofen Omni Bounce. I had the camera in Av mode and was bouncing the flash off the ceiling. I put the lens and flash on my K200 in Av mode and did not have any blurring. This problem had me thinking about it all night. Useing rear shutter sinc helped with the K-7. More testing is in the future.

10-31-2011, 06:07 PM	#7
ROBEFFY Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 248 Original Poster	Originally posted by kurki From my experience PTTL mode is the worst in AF540 because it overreacts to white spots (shirts or dresses) making the picture unrecoverably underexposed. I am a wedding photographer and I shoot mostly in AUTO mode - it is OK. As well as MANUAL mode, but never in PTTL. Kurki. Hi, I am sorry to have been out of touch for some time, thanks for the repy! It could be that I am getting severe under exposure, quite often the flash does not operate in TTL mode, but the flash will activate in Auto mode. I have had more success in Auto than TTL, and I can't get PTTL to show on the display unless I turn on the flash to the first power setting, which is supposedly used for off camera use. I'll stick to Auto mode, unless I can find something technique.

10-31-2011, 06:09 PM	#8
ROBEFFY Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 248 Original Poster	Originally posted by maxfield_photo Are you using the flash on or off the hotshoe? If you're using it off camera, you need to put it on the hotshoe for a moment to register pTTL (silly, I know) and press the shutter button half way to activate the camera's meter. This allows the camera to talk to the flash and tell it "yes, I am pTTL compatible." Once that's done you can remove the flash from the hotshoe, and use the pop-up flash as the controller. Be careful though, if you turn the AF540 off, or it goes into hibernation, it will lose all it's settings (again, silly). If you're using it on camera, I think you just need to make sure you've pressed the shutter half way, and then hit the mode button on the flash a few times. Hope that helps. Hi, I use it on the hotshoe 90% of he time, but have been successful with it remote and synced to trigger off my pop up flash. Thanks for the reply!

11-01-2011, 01:55 PM	#9
slip Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 2 hours north of toronto ontario canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,535	I don't have the same flash but I find if you just want point and shoot the "P" mode works well., I do use the shutter priority camera at the fastest sync speed (on my K10 that is 1/160) or slightly longer at 1/125. If you are in close range I put the iso on the camera at 100 and let the ttl fill in the rest. If you are in raw and under exposed at ISO 100, you can rescue up to 3 stops and have very little noise. If the area is not that dark then you can boost the ISO up a bit. cheers randy