[DavidH]

I just received a Vivitar DF-383-PEN for Christmas. I've never had a TTL flash, so I'm excited to go. However, it doesn't work in the TTL Mode on my K-30. The pre-flash fires, but no main flash. It does work properly on my K-100. It works perfectly on the K-30 in the manual modes. I can only assume that something has been changed in the K-30 firmware and Vivtar hasn't picked it up yet. The flash reads and displays all of the camera settings, Shutter speed, f/stop, focal length, etc.

Before I return the flash, does anyone know anything about this flash and/or the K-30 firmware?

FYI - In the slave mode, the flash fires with the pre-flash when trying to trigger with the pop-up. Slave mode works well when triggered with another external (non-TTL) flash.

Any comments before I return it are welcome.

David

[glanglois]

I just received a Vivitar DF-383-PEN for Christmas. I've never had a TTL flash, so I'm excited to go. However, it doesn't work in the TTL Mode on my K-30. The pre-flash fires, but no main flash. It does work properly on my K-100. It works perfectly on the K-30 in the manual modes. I can only assume that something has been changed in the K-30 firmware and Vivtar hasn't picked it up yet. The flash reads and displays all of the camera settings, Shutter speed, f/stop, focal length, etc.

Before I return the flash, does anyone know anything about this flash and/or the K-30 firmware?

FYI - In the slave mode, the flash fires with the pre-flash when trying to trigger with the pop-up. Slave mode works well when triggered with another external (non-TTL) flash.

Any comments before I return it are welcome.

David

I think you've found that TTL does not mean P-TTL. Your K100, IIRC, is a TTL device but the K-30 is most certainly a P-TTL body. Again IIRC, P-TTL has been used since (and including) the K-10D.

This has tripped quite a few Pentax owners so don't feel that you missed something obvious.

[DavidH]

I think you've found that TTL does not mean P-TTL. Your K100, IIRC, is a TTL device but the K-30 is most certainly a P-TTL body. Again IIRC, P-TTL has been used since (and including) the K-10D.

This has tripped quite a few Pentax owners so don't feel that you missed something obvious.

Thanks for the reply. I'm surprised that this information isn't readily available. Even Pentax support couldn't give me that answer. It does answer the problem. I've had the K100D for more than five years and didn't realize that it is TTL.

I returned the flash and hope I have no problem getting credit. Although straight manual operation was pretty good, there are better flashes for less money and the slave mode does not work with the pop-up because of the pre-flash.

David