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**rparmar** · 03-06-2008, 07:21 PM

Is this possible and if so, how? I'd like a cheap solution for a hand-held flash that allows control over its strength.

KungPOW · 03-06-2008, 11:23 PM

I know nothing about flashes, But Codiac2600 does, and he has a blog with a tonne of info. Thank you! and nice work Codiac!

I hope He doesn't mind, here is the link Photography 2.0 - Reaching the Masses with Technology

Have a look at his video on how to shoot bar scenes. good stuff about off camera flash.

There is also Strobist it is a site dedicated to strobe photography. Great info.

I'll be following this post myself.

Eric.

**rparmar** · 03-07-2008, 11:03 AM

Eric: those are both good resources for techniques and home-made gear. Specifically the following link will take people to the Strobist discussions tagged with Pentax. There lies juicy info! To summarise some of this for people needing to work on the cheap...

A wireless system can be set up with the Cactus Wireless V2s, which is works fine over a limited range. There are certain restrictions, mainly that the flash can't have a trigger voltage over 12V. Sourced from Hong Kong the transmitters are €22 and the receivers €14, which certainly makes it inexpensive enough to experiment with. And a lot less dear than the Pentax brand gear that is corded. Another wireless alternative is to buy off eBay, but people have had varying results depending on the gear combinations.

Recommended inexpensive flashes include the Vivitar 285HV and Sunpak 383. Both are robust enough with plenty of power and safe sync voltages. The Vivi tilts and zooms. The Sunpak tilts and swivels. So it comes down to whether swivel or zoom is more important to the application. These are manual flashes intended for users dedicated enough to learn how to be st use them. They are not P-TTL and not optimal for quick changeable use sitting on the camera.

The Pentax K100D is specified to work with up to 25-30V trigger, a lot more than other digital brands, so it is quite safe to use most recent flashes, though not specialised strobes.

Again, just a short summary of the wealth of info (some conflicting) that is available. Is there a FAQ for this?

dvd5 · 03-11-2008, 07:53 PM

Originally posted by rparmar

The Pentax K100D is specified to work with up to 25-30V trigger, a lot more than other digital brands, so it is quite safe to use most recent flashes, though not specialised strobes.

Hi rparmar,

Where did you get this info? I have been looking & reading and I have not come across any source that indicates the K100D can use 25-30V trigger.

I am still looking for confirmation of this trigger voltage so i can use my old AF280T which I have measured has a 7.3V trigger voltage.

**rparmar** · 03-11-2008, 08:08 PM

Originally posted by dvd5

Where did you get this info? I have been looking & reading and I have not come across any source that indicates the K100D can use 25-30V trigger.

This was just from my reading on Strobist. Please do not trust me as this is not first-hand info! However I have found the source in this post, so maybe ask the author.

**Ex Finn.** · 03-17-2008, 03:03 AM

I have been using my AF280T with K100D for over a year, no problems so far.

Cheers.
Mike.

code4code5 · 03-19-2008, 08:23 PM

I'm also using an AF280T. Just last night, I was playing with it and an old Sunpak Auto 220 flash on optical slaves. It's just too bad that I can't disable P-TTL on the onboard flash of the K100D so that I can use it to trigger the other two. The 280T is a great value!

Matjazz · 03-20-2008, 05:39 AM

I can confirm that AF360FGZ can work as a slave with *Ist DS and I'm sure it does with K100D as well. However this is not a wireless P-TTL slave but rather simple slave with on flash sensor mettering (auto mode). Apparently AF360FGZ can fire twice quick enough to catch preflash and flash from camera. I'm sure AF540FGZ can do the same trick.
I also have wireles triggers from eBay and I tested them on two Mecablitz 45 CT-1 flashes which have a trigger voltage of 600W. No problems at all.

OniFactor · 03-20-2008, 04:46 PM

Originally posted by Matjazz

I can confirm that AF360FGZ can work as a slave with *Ist DS and I'm sure it does with K100D as well. However this is not a wireless P-TTL slave but rather simple slave with on flash sensor mettering (auto mode). Apparently AF360FGZ can fire twice quick enough to catch preflash and flash from camera. I'm sure AF540FGZ can do the same trick.
I also have wireles triggers from eBay and I tested them on two Mecablitz 45 CT-1 flashes which have a trigger voltage of 600W. No problems at all.

matjazz, does the *ist DS have the 2 bursts, just like a k1xxd? and, can you use the camera in manual, wirelessly, like that? not autothyristor?

Matjazz · 03-21-2008, 03:11 AM

Originally posted by OniFactor

matjazz, does the *ist DS have the 2 bursts, just like a k1xxd? and, can you use the camera in manual, wirelessly, like that? not autothyristor?

Yes, the DS on board flash works the same way as K100D Super. I'm not sure what you meant with your second question but you can set the camera in manual mode and flash as well. But the greatest output you'll get from 360FGZ is 1/4 or it'll fire on preflash only.

OniFactor · 03-21-2008, 06:12 AM

all i wanted to know is if you could set the flash power manually. :-) after reading through the 360 manual i think, if you have a cheap onshoe flash, it'll only pulse once, and should trigger the 360 correctly, in manual power mode

Matjazz · 03-21-2008, 11:30 AM

It does. It's just that cheap on shoe flash exposure modes might be limiting (regarding exposure not trigering)

03-06-2008, 07:21 PM	#1
rparmar Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,823	off-camera flash for K100D Is this possible and if so, how? I'd like a cheap solution for a hand-held flash that allows control over its strength.

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03-06-2008, 11:23 PM	#2
KungPOW Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Vancouver, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,699	I know nothing about flashes, But Codiac2600 does, and he has a blog with a tonne of info. Thank you! and nice work Codiac! I hope He doesn't mind, here is the link Photography 2.0 - Reaching the Masses with Technology Have a look at his video on how to shoot bar scenes. good stuff about off camera flash. There is also Strobist it is a site dedicated to strobe photography. Great info. I'll be following this post myself. Eric.

03-07-2008, 11:03 AM	#3
rparmar Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,823 Original Poster	Eric: those are both good resources for techniques and home-made gear. Specifically the following link will take people to the Strobist discussions tagged with Pentax. There lies juicy info! To summarise some of this for people needing to work on the cheap... A wireless system can be set up with the Cactus Wireless V2s, which is works fine over a limited range. There are certain restrictions, mainly that the flash can't have a trigger voltage over 12V. Sourced from Hong Kong the transmitters are €22 and the receivers €14, which certainly makes it inexpensive enough to experiment with. And a lot less dear than the Pentax brand gear that is corded. Another wireless alternative is to buy off eBay, but people have had varying results depending on the gear combinations. Recommended inexpensive flashes include the Vivitar 285HV and Sunpak 383. Both are robust enough with plenty of power and safe sync voltages. The Vivi tilts and zooms. The Sunpak tilts and swivels. So it comes down to whether swivel or zoom is more important to the application. These are manual flashes intended for users dedicated enough to learn how to be st use them. They are not P-TTL and not optimal for quick changeable use sitting on the camera. The Pentax K100D is specified to work with up to 25-30V trigger, a lot more than other digital brands, so it is quite safe to use most recent flashes, though not specialised strobes. Again, just a short summary of the wealth of info (some conflicting) that is available. Is there a FAQ for this?

03-11-2008, 07:53 PM	#4
dvd5 New Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Vancouver 2010 Posts: 13	Originally posted by rparmar The Pentax K100D is specified to work with up to 25-30V trigger, a lot more than other digital brands, so it is quite safe to use most recent flashes, though not specialised strobes. Hi rparmar, Where did you get this info? I have been looking & reading and I have not come across any source that indicates the K100D can use 25-30V trigger. I am still looking for confirmation of this trigger voltage so i can use my old AF280T which I have measured has a 7.3V trigger voltage.

03-11-2008, 08:08 PM	#5
rparmar Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,823 Original Poster	Originally posted by dvd5 Where did you get this info? I have been looking & reading and I have not come across any source that indicates the K100D can use 25-30V trigger. This was just from my reading on Strobist. Please do not trust me as this is not first-hand info! However I have found the source in this post, so maybe ask the author.

03-17-2008, 03:03 AM	#6
Ex Finn. Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern Maryland. Espoo. Kouvola. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,975	I have been using my AF280T with K100D for over a year, no problems so far. Cheers. Mike.

03-19-2008, 08:23 PM	#7
code4code5 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 438	I'm also using an AF280T. Just last night, I was playing with it and an old Sunpak Auto 220 flash on optical slaves. It's just too bad that I can't disable P-TTL on the onboard flash of the K100D so that I can use it to trigger the other two. The 280T is a great value!

03-20-2008, 05:39 AM	#8
Matjazz Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: EU/Slovenia Photos: Gallery Posts: 774	I can confirm that AF360FGZ can work as a slave with *Ist DS and I'm sure it does with K100D as well. However this is not a wireless P-TTL slave but rather simple slave with on flash sensor mettering (auto mode). Apparently AF360FGZ can fire twice quick enough to catch preflash and flash from camera. I'm sure AF540FGZ can do the same trick. I also have wireles triggers from eBay and I tested them on two Mecablitz 45 CT-1 flashes which have a trigger voltage of 600W. No problems at all.

03-20-2008, 04:46 PM	#9
OniFactor Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Binghamton, NY, USA Posts: 643	Originally posted by Matjazz I can confirm that AF360FGZ can work as a slave with Ist DS and I'm sure it does with K100D as well. However this is not a wireless P-TTL slave but rather simple slave with on flash sensor mettering (auto mode). Apparently AF360FGZ can fire twice quick enough to catch preflash and flash from camera. I'm sure AF540FGZ can do the same trick. I also have wireles triggers from eBay and I tested them on two Mecablitz 45 CT-1 flashes which have a trigger voltage of 600W. No problems at all. matjazz, does the ist DS have the 2 bursts, just like a k1xxd? and, can you use the camera in manual, wirelessly, like that? not autothyristor?

03-21-2008, 03:11 AM	#10
Matjazz Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: EU/Slovenia Photos: Gallery Posts: 774	Originally posted by OniFactor matjazz, does the *ist DS have the 2 bursts, just like a k1xxd? and, can you use the camera in manual, wirelessly, like that? not autothyristor? Yes, the DS on board flash works the same way as K100D Super. I'm not sure what you meant with your second question but you can set the camera in manual mode and flash as well. But the greatest output you'll get from 360FGZ is 1/4 or it'll fire on preflash only.

03-21-2008, 06:12 AM	#11
OniFactor Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Binghamton, NY, USA Posts: 643	all i wanted to know is if you could set the flash power manually. :-) after reading through the 360 manual i think, if you have a cheap onshoe flash, it'll only pulse once, and should trigger the 360 correctly, in manual power mode

03-21-2008, 11:30 AM	#12
Matjazz Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: EU/Slovenia Photos: Gallery Posts: 774	It does. It's just that cheap on shoe flash exposure modes might be limiting (regarding exposure not trigering)

off-camera flash for K100D

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