[Chels]

Hi there. I asked a question about flashes a few months ago and i have still not decided on buying one..well actually i have decided but i dont have the money for one at the moment.

I have been given a bunch of older equipment and am wondering if this flash will work ...for now... or not?

the flash is a pentax AF200S. I really have no other information on it other then that. could anyone let me know if it is compatible with the istDL and if there is a function i need to change inorder to make it compatible.

thanks
Chels

[jfdavis58]

The answer is a definite maybe. But:

There are major problems with mounting a non-recommended flash on a newer Pentax camera.

Looking carefully at the camera's hot shoe will reveal the presence of five contacts-four pads and the metal frame of the hot shoe. Two of these: the frame and the large center pad are probably the flash trigger contacts.

The actual specification is not available publicly from Pentax.

The other four pads undoubtedly control/carry the various TTL/P-TTL signals. None are isolated from the actual circuitry inside the camera by any sort of array of actual physical switches. They are controlled by circuitry that is very delicate.

All manuals specify mounting and un-mounting the flash with both camera and flash only in a power off condition and use of ONLY Pentax flash units-in fact specific flash units. At least one manual warns of foreign debris shorting these contacts.

Clearly, some sort of risk or danger is present, especially to the camera circuitry should these contacts be shorted together or contacted with external powered circuitry.

I'm something of a coward regarding the mounting of non-Pentax flash units: I don't do it, nor do I recommend other do it. I purchase the recommended flash units and flash accessories. I mount and unmount with both devices power off--even when a lengthy cable separates flash from camera.

Tedious, expensive, but trouble free.

[photodad]

Hi there. I asked a question about flashes a few months ago and i have still not decided on buying one..well actually i have decided but i dont have the money for one at the moment.

I have been given a bunch of older equipment and am wondering if this flash will work ...for now... or not?

the flash is a pentax AF200S. I really have no other information on it other then that. could anyone let me know if it is compatible with the istDL and if there is a function i need to change inorder to make it compatible.

thanks
Chels

Chels,
I too have the same flash you have - the AF200S from about 1981 - I used it on my ME Super. I just bought an Af360 for the hot shoe on the istDL but am trying to see if the 200S could be used off camera with a slave of some kind. I found one site last night that said the voltage on the 200S was "iffy". Based on that, I will NOT put it on my camera. If it can be used off camera inexpensively enough, I will use it for product photography etc. If not I may try to get a couple of bucks for it on ebay . . . .

John and I have been writing back and forth about the idea of using non-dedicated flash units such as the Vivitar 283 and 285 for off camera use and it looks very doable for a very reasonable price - especially if you shop around and get some used equipment for a few $. If you are interested in product or studio type photography, check out strobist.com There is a bunch of great info on that site about off camera flash use.

I hope this helps - good luck,

Ed

[photodad]

Does anyone know if the flash Chels mentioned the AF200S or another flash can safely be used on a current digital body by using a Wein Safe Sync (or similar device?

Thanks,

Ed

[Pants]

I have used my AF200S with my K100D a couple of times, and nothing bad happened. However, knowing what I know now, I wouldn't do it again.

[Adam]

Hi there. I asked a question about flashes a few months ago and i have still not decided on buying one..well actually i have decided but i dont have the money for one at the moment.

I have been given a bunch of older equipment and am wondering if this flash will work ...for now... or not?

the flash is a pentax AF200S. I really have no other information on it other then that. could anyone let me know if it is compatible with the istDL and if there is a function i need to change inorder to make it compatible.

thanks
Chels

You must use auto mode (that means you set the aperture to what the flash says, and the flash will take care of the rest) with that flash, since there's no TTL.

I guess you'll use a bit more time setting things up with it, but it'll work fine.

[Chels]

thanks for your help everyone.
just to clarify, the overall answer is NO i should NOT try to use this as an onboard flash unit?!
I really dont want to screw anything up with my camera...a flash is expensive, but i certianly cant afford to replace my camera if i mess it up!

[Simon]

You might find my flash thread of some relevance.

Simon

[jfdavis58]

This is the Wein:Wein Safe-Sync Hot Shoe to Hot Shoe (SSHSHS) ; technically capable of adapting all flash units to any modern SLR or dSLR.

This is an older Pentax adapter: Pentax Hot Shoe Adapter 2P; very hard to find, and prices rising to scalping levels. There is some reason to suspect that the Pentax version doesn't have any voltage safety features-hence safe for only older cameras. Also some evidence that a Pentax version adapter might be the only suitable solution.