[chromo]

I've only just got this EF530 super and doing some experimenting.
I'm trying to run the Sigma flash as slave along with the on board K-5 flash.
I want them to both contribute to the photo, but all the things I've tried has resulted in no contribution from the K-5 flash.

With the camera in Av, Tv or Man mode and the Sigma in slave mode and it is triggered by the K-5 pre-flash, yet it doesn't matter if the K-5 is in master or control, it does not contribute to the photo.

What could be wrong ?

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Last edited by chromo; 12-29-2011 at 05:34 AM.

[chromo]

Oh and another thing...Instructions say, to set the channel put the flash onto the camera hot-shoe. Turn on the flash. Turn on the camera. The channel will be set. Remove the flash from the camera.

Question here is : Shouldn't I turn the flash and the camera off before removing the flash ?...Instructions don't say.
I don't want my camera or flash doing burnouts.

[audiobomber]

I've only just got this EF530 super and doing some experimenting.
I'm trying to run the Sigma flash as slave along with the on board K-5 flash.
I want them to both contribute to the photo, but all the things I've tried has resulted in no contribution from the K-5 flash.

Go into the K-5 Custom menu, find a line called Flash In Wireless Mode, set it to On.

[SOldBear]

....but all the things I've tried has resulted in no contribution from the K-5 flash.

With the camera in Av, Tv or Man mode and the Sigma in slave mode and it is triggered by the K-5 pre-flash, yet it doesn't matter if the K-5 is in master or control, it does not contribute to the photo.

Disclaimer: I've never used the Sigma EF530 Super. What I write below is based on my general understanding, may not may not related to the particular flash in question.

I'm confused by your description of the problem.

You wrote, "no contribution from the K-5 flash."

Yet again you wrote, "the Sigma in slave mode and it is triggered by the K-5 pre-flash.... it does not contribute to the photo." (I'm not sure what the latter "it" is, the Sigma flash or the K-5 built-in flash).

If the Sigma is triggered by the K-5 built-in flash, there is no way the Sigma contributes anything to the photo. The K5 built-in flash is the sole source of light (besides the ambient light of course).

If the Sigma is triggered but the K-5 built-in flash, it is apparently NOT in p-TTL wireless mode, but is in dumb optical slave mode in which it is triggered by any strobe.

To have both flashes contributing to the photo, in other words, to sync the slave flash properly, the slave flash has to support Pentax wireless mode, or the slave flash has to be able to ignore the preflash strobe from the camera built-in flash. You need to verify the capability of the slave flash.

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Last edited by SOldBear; 12-29-2011 at 11:57 AM.

[audiobomber]

To have both flashes contributing to the photo, in other words, to sync the slave flash properly, the slave flash has to support Pentax wireless mode, or the slave flash has to be able to ignore the preflash strobe from the camera built-in flash. You need to verify the capability of the slave flash.

There is no problem with the Sigma flash capabilities. The Sigma EF-530 Super supports P-TTL and works in wireless mode with the on-camera flash. Whether the on-camera flash contributes to the exposure or not simply depends on how it's set in the camera menu.

[devorama]

I've only just got this EF530 super and doing some experimenting.
I'm trying to run the Sigma flash as slave along with the on board K-5 flash.
I want them to both contribute to the photo, but all the things I've tried has resulted in no contribution from the K-5 flash.

With the camera in Av, Tv or Man mode and the Sigma in slave mode and it is triggered by the K-5 pre-flash, yet it doesn't matter if the K-5 is in master or control, it does not contribute to the photo.

What could be wrong ?

I have this exact combination of hardware. The Sigma 530 super is a nice flash, but the interface is HORRIBLE. It's so confusing. And many things aren't explained well in the manual. From your symptoms, I'm guessing the Sigma is firing in response to the K-5 pre-flash because the Sigma is in the regular slave flash mode. Does the display show two lighting arrows connected with C0 and SL next to them? This is a dumb slave mode and not what you want. BTW, the C0 is the optical slave mode, and C1 and C2 disable the optical slave. I really don't see the point of C1 and C2 mode, as you are basically firing the flash with the hotshoe then, so it's like manual mode. I read that this mode prevents the flash from sleeping after a period of inactivity but I haven't tried that.

For your setup, you want to use the Wireless P-TTL dual flash mode. Hit the MODE button until you see P-TTL and two lighting arrows connected. That puts the Sigma into an intelligent mode that will communicate with the K-5.

[devorama]

Oh and another thing...Instructions say, to set the channel put the flash onto the camera hot-shoe. Turn on the flash. Turn on the camera. The channel will be set. Remove the flash from the camera.

Question here is : Shouldn't I turn the flash and the camera off before removing the flash ?...Instructions don't say.
I don't want my camera or flash doing burnouts.

I have no idea why they stress this stupid channel setting routine. You can set the wireless pttl channel on the K-5, and then set the channel on the flash manually. Just put the flash in wireless P-TTL mode, then hit SEL to make the channel indicator blink. You can then set the channel yourself. Setting it with the camera body is possible, but cumbersome.

BTW, I experimented with wireless P-TTL for a while. It has its uses, but do yourself a favor and get a cheap set of Cactus V5 triggers. They are flawless and have been 100% reliable for me. Once you use wireless, you'll never go back.

[chromo]

Go into the K-5 Custom menu, find a line called Flash In Wireless Mode, set it to On.

Yeah, did that
"yet it doesn't matter if the K-5 is in master or control," (from 1st post)

[chromo]

"I'm confused by your description of the problem."
Yeah, I was confused trying to describe it.


ok I put the sigma into C0 mode and this time I got the opposite effect ...see camera flash in photo but not sigma, even thought they both lit up.

If you guys can come back later I'll explain it all with pictures.

thanks

[SOldBear]

Take a photo in which both the K5 and the Sigma visible in a mirror. You'll know for sure which one is firing during exposure.

[devorama]

I have no idea why they stress this stupid channel setting routine. You can set the wireless pttl channel on the K-5, and then set the channel on the flash manually. Just put the flash in wireless P-TTL mode, then hit SEL to make the channel indicator blink. You can then set the channel yourself. Setting it with the camera body is possible, but cumbersome.

BTW, I experimented with wireless P-TTL for a while. It has its uses, but do yourself a favor and get a cheap set of Cactus V5 triggers. They are flawless and have been 100% reliable for me. Once you use wireless, you'll never go back.

I just realized that the K-5 behaves differently than my old K-x and K-r. I guess you can't actually set the wireless flash channel on the K-5 other than by doing the channel sync thing with the flash. How odd.

[devorama]

"I'm confused by your description of the problem."
Yeah, I was confused trying to describe it.


ok I put the sigma into C0 mode and this time I got the opposite effect ...see camera flash in photo but not sigma, even thought they both lit up.

If you guys can come back later I'll explain it all with pictures.

thanks

If you see a C0, then you're not using the wireless P-TTL mode. Wireless P-TTL has the P-TTL indicator and the two connected flash symbols that look like lightning arrows. If you see a C0 then you're probably in the dumb optical slave mode that will trigger the Sigma on the pre-flash of the K-5.

[devorama]

Oh also make sure besides P-TTL and the double flash logo showing, you have the display show C1 SL and not only C1. Otherwise it won't work as you expect. That is a different mode you access by hitting MODE another couple times.

[chromo]

If you see a C0, then you're not using the wireless P-TTL mode. Wireless P-TTL has the P-TTL indicator and the two connected flash symbols that look like lightning arrows. If you see a C0 then you're probably in the dumb optical slave mode that will trigger the Sigma on the pre-flash of the K-5.

Ah yes, but I put the camera to standard flash for this one. Guess I shoulda mentioned that.

Back in a couple of hours guys, I'm now waiting for a battery to recharge. Would happen at this time wouldn't it ?

PS A little trivia : While testing using the bedroom mirror, I had to use manual focus because the K-5 was actually zooming in and focusing on the dust on the mirror. Cute huh !

[chromo]

OK....These settings from the rear screen are what I used throughout the tests



First I set the Sigma flash like this



Then I set the camera to wireless flash



Then wireless mode



Here is the result



Then change the wireless mode



Result : As you can see, flash in wireless mode on or off they both fire.



For the next test I set the Sigma flash to this



Then put the camera flash mode back to standard flash, and this is the result (flash head circled in yellow)
They both should have fired here too.

So what am I doing wrong...or is the camera broken ?



Now I'm gonna have to break it to the wife about the dust on that mirror