[LeDave]

Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here.

---

Now correct me if I am wrong, but in slave mode where you fire the camera's built-in flash, it also fires the AF 540 FGZ at the same time due to the built-in triggering the 540 right? How do I set my AF 540 FGZ so that it can fire without using the slave mode, or at least make it fire so that the shutter and 540 to go off AFTER the built-in flash goes off so the built-in doesn't affect the picture? I am using a K-5 and I know the K-5 has a infrared in front as well as in the back, does the AF 540 FGZ have infrared too that works the way I want it to? Or do I have to buy a trigger / receiver set to do what I want?

I tried reading the manual and set the camera to wireless flash mode, then use control mode, master mode, slave mode, and I can't figure it out. I believe control mode is the one I am going for? How do I get it to work? Thanks, Dave.

[IanS]

Now correct me if I am wrong, but in slave mode where you fire the camera's built-in flash, it also fires the AF 540 FGZ at the same time due to the built-in triggering the 540 right? How do I set my AF 540 FGZ so that it can fire without using the slave mode, or at least make it fire so that the shutter and 540 to go off AFTER the built-in flash goes off so the built-in doesn't affect the picture? I am using a K-5 and I know the K-5 has a infrared in front as well as in the back, does the AF 540 FGZ have infrared too that works the way I want it to? Or do I have to buy a trigger / receiver set to do what I want?

I tried reading the manual and set the camera to wireless flash mode, then use control mode, master mode, slave mode, and I can't figure it out. I believe control mode is the one I am going for? How do I get it to work? Thanks, Dave.

Hi,
With my K200D and 360 flash the procedure is as follows, set the channel for the ext flash, mount flash on camera, turn on camera and flash, press shutter release halfway.
With flash removed set power switch to slave, set camera flash to wireless mode, in custom settings set (flash in wireless mode) to 2(off) the built in flash still needs to be up but only sends a short flash to communicate with the slave unit, hope this is of some assistance.
Ian
As far as I know the control mode and master mode are used when your 540 is mounted on the camera and you are using it to control another slave unit, also I think the slave unit needs to have the front exposed to the control for it to all work (someone correct me if this wrong)
Regards Ian

[Pheo]

It's the difference between your on camera flash (be that built in or an AF540FGZ) being set to Master (flash controls slave flashes and contributes to exposure) and Controller (Controls slave flashes and does not contribute to exposure)

Accordingly, you need to find the setting in the menus (under the C section on my K30), which selects the mode of the built in flash.

[hooverfocus]

From Pentax's very own website, how to set up wireless flash: tutorial

[SOldBear]

There is NO WAY to prevent the built-in flash to fire during exposure. The only difference between control mode and master mode is that the built-in flash fires with less power in control mode. The built-in flash may not contribute significantly to the exposure, but it does nonetheless.

For people who believe otherwise, please don't take my word for it, do a test with both flashes visible in a mirror and verify it for yourself.

One way to see the sequence during wireless flash is to set the camera to 2 sec delay mode. Except for 2 second from the time the mirror going up until the shutters opening, everything is exactly the same.

[D4rknezz]

While both flashes fires, I believe the contribution of the built in flash is very insignificant.
The reason I say this is because whenever I forget which function does which, i point the external flash away, and point the built in flash at my hands - while looking to see if the external flash fires.

Then, I check the picture to see if my hand is illuminated by the internal flash. the control mode illuminates it very, very dimly, if at all. So i doubt at a good distance it would contribute much at all.

[LeDave]

Thanks a ton for all the replies guys, will read 'em all and see what's up.

[JimJohnson]

SoldBear made me a believer some weeks ago. The built-in flash in controller mode does indeed fire during the exposure (I always thought it fired in between mirror up and shutter open). It does also indeed contribute very little to the exposure in controller mode, but that is not quite the same as not contributing to the exposure.

There is an inexpensive shield. It is basically a piece of plastic hung just in front of the built-in flash. It blocks all direct exposure from the built-in flash, but allows enough of the embedded IR signal to squeeze sideways to trigger your wireless P-TTTL flash(es).

B&H
eBay

[LeDave]

Aww thanks Jim Johnson, wish I would've found out about this earlier. I will just wait out until next month to get it since I already bought my monthly shopping of camera items already.

[snostorm]

Hi LeDave,

You can save yourself some money if you have any exposed/developed color film. The exposed leader (the black part) will block visible light, but allow enough infra red to get through to trigger a wireless P-TTL flash.

Scott