Using the AF-500 FTZ with a K-30

briankemper · 06-21-2013, 06:57 AM

I picked up an AF-500 FTZ for about $70 knowing that it was a TTL flash and not P-TTL. For those doing web searches like I did, this means that most of the automatic settings are not possible with newer Pentax DSLRs like the K-30. Still, I am a fan of learning things the manual way and if I can get it to do what I want in manual mode, I will be more than happy, especially when comparing it to the price of newer options. Any advice on what will work and what will not?

Tanzer · 06-21-2013, 02:18 PM - **1 Like**

Looks like you won't have any automatic functions at all. But you do have 5 manual output settings, which makes it more flexible as a manual flash, especially when trying to balance with other flashes.

I recall someone posting that this supports optical slave mode, which would make this even more useful. Maybe get a hotshoe foot, or maybe a hotshoe mount with a threaded socket that allows you to fit this on a light stand, mini-tripod, or clamp thingie.

tuggie76 · 06-21-2013, 05:04 PM

Originally posted by Tanzer

Looks like you won't have any automatic functions at all. But you do have 5 manual output settings, which makes it more flexible as a manual flash, especially when trying to balance with other flashes.

I recall someone posting that this supports optical slave mode, which would make this even more useful. Maybe get a hotshoe foot, or maybe a hotshoe mount with a threaded socket that allows you to fit this on a light stand, mini-tripod, or clamp thingie.

We may have gone down this road before, but how do you get optical slave mode with a PTTL camera?

Thanks.

Tuggie76

Tanzer · 06-21-2013, 06:16 PM - **1 Like**

What I meant was, you would probably trigger this with another manual flash on the K-30.

Also, according to our database, the flash can support 20 bursts/second, which may be fast enough to fire on both the pre-flash, and the main flash. For example, the AF 360 FGZ, in dumb slave mode, can keep up with the K-5's and K-01's on-board P-TTL. I wouldn't normally configure the AF 360 FGZ this way, since it supports P-TTL, but it was just an experiment. (More importantly, it can also keep up with the X-90's pre-flash which is much faster that either the K-5 or K-01, because there is mirror or mechanical shutter.)

Of course, to "double tap" the external flash, it has to be on some reduced power setting. The P-TTL flash will meter itself and adjust the overall lighting accordingly. The off-camera flash will be at a fixed power output based on what you set. Just make sure the off-camera flash doesn't overpower your composition. Therefore, chances are, you would likely use a fractional power setting anyhow.

As someone commented elsewhere, there are some add-on optical triggers that can be programmed to ignore a pre-flash, which would let you trigger it with the on-board P-TTL, while using the off-camera unit at full power if desired. Not sure if the AF 500FTZ supports natively supports such a smart optical trigger mode; I would tend to doubt it, since it was from the pre-P-TTL era to begin with,

Last edited by Tanzer; 06-21-2013 at 06:25 PM.

06-21-2013, 06:57 AM	#1
briankemper New Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Tokyo Posts: 19	Using the AF-500 FTZ with a K-30 I picked up an AF-500 FTZ for about $70 knowing that it was a TTL flash and not P-TTL. For those doing web searches like I did, this means that most of the automatic settings are not possible with newer Pentax DSLRs like the K-30. Still, I am a fan of learning things the manual way and if I can get it to do what I want in manual mode, I will be more than happy, especially when comparing it to the price of newer options. Any advice on what will work and what will not?

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06-21-2013, 02:18 PM - 1 Like	#2
Tanzer Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Perrineville, NJ Posts: 1,375	Looks like you won't have any automatic functions at all. But you do have 5 manual output settings, which makes it more flexible as a manual flash, especially when trying to balance with other flashes. I recall someone posting that this supports optical slave mode, which would make this even more useful. Maybe get a hotshoe foot, or maybe a hotshoe mount with a threaded socket that allows you to fit this on a light stand, mini-tripod, or clamp thingie.

06-21-2013, 05:04 PM	#3
tuggie76 Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,215	Originally posted by Tanzer Looks like you won't have any automatic functions at all. But you do have 5 manual output settings, which makes it more flexible as a manual flash, especially when trying to balance with other flashes. I recall someone posting that this supports optical slave mode, which would make this even more useful. Maybe get a hotshoe foot, or maybe a hotshoe mount with a threaded socket that allows you to fit this on a light stand, mini-tripod, or clamp thingie. We may have gone down this road before, but how do you get optical slave mode with a PTTL camera? Thanks. Tuggie76

06-21-2013, 06:16 PM - 1 Like	#4
Tanzer Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Perrineville, NJ Posts: 1,375	What I meant was, you would probably trigger this with another manual flash on the K-30. Also, according to our database, the flash can support 20 bursts/second, which may be fast enough to fire on both the pre-flash, and the main flash. For example, the AF 360 FGZ, in dumb slave mode, can keep up with the K-5's and K-01's on-board P-TTL. I wouldn't normally configure the AF 360 FGZ this way, since it supports P-TTL, but it was just an experiment. (More importantly, it can also keep up with the X-90's pre-flash which is much faster that either the K-5 or K-01, because there is mirror or mechanical shutter.) Of course, to "double tap" the external flash, it has to be on some reduced power setting. The P-TTL flash will meter itself and adjust the overall lighting accordingly. The off-camera flash will be at a fixed power output based on what you set. Just make sure the off-camera flash doesn't overpower your composition. Therefore, chances are, you would likely use a fractional power setting anyhow. As someone commented elsewhere, there are some add-on optical triggers that can be programmed to ignore a pre-flash, which would let you trigger it with the on-board P-TTL, while using the off-camera unit at full power if desired. Not sure if the AF 500FTZ supports natively supports such a smart optical trigger mode; I would tend to doubt it, since it was from the pre-P-TTL era to begin with, Last edited by Tanzer; 06-21-2013 at 06:25 PM.