[peterh337]

I have bought two of these from amazon.co.uk, from two different amazon merchants, and both are the same. The button (item 22 on page 32, labelled PILOT) does not work.

I can't find the same user manual online but this is a screenshot from another one where it is shown as item 16:



In fact it feels like it is not even a switch - it feels like it is just an LED soldered to a PCB and the PCB bends when you press it!!

But, just once, on the first unit I had, I did get one flash out of it by pressing it. But just the one, never again.

Elsewhere in the manual it says the button should trigger a flash irrespective of which mode the flashgun is in.

It seems obvious that the company made a complete batch which is defective.

I am testing these flashes straight out of the box, not on any camera, so I can send them back while still at the office. The first one is being collected today for return to Amazon... I am tempted to return the second one too, but I also ordered the Yongnuo YN560-TX Wireless Flash Controller and that is coming from a third Amazon merchant, and I don't want to return that also.

Overall these seem good products if you want a good cheap manual flash. I think a totally manual flash is still the best for most situations that need a flash, because there are so many variables in the way one sets up the stuff, with an umbrella, etc... and the "clever" flashes are so expensive and in any case none of them can be triggered remotely directly from my Pentax K3, yet if you are using an umbrella you do need a remotely triggered flashgun. On the 560 you have very easy control of the flash power, and the wireless controller allows it to be varied remotely (apparently) too so you don't have to walk up to the flashgun each time.

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Last edited by peterh337; 10-16-2014 at 04:16 AM.

[disco_owner]

I have 3 x Yongnuo YN560-III speedlights and Pilot Led works on all 3 of them , when LED status is Red = charged , unfortunately the discharge test condition can only be met when flash is fully charged = test will not fire when LED is green. Well thats how all mine work. pilot = Flashing RED is power save mode.

[peterh337]

How hard do you have to press that LED/button, to get the test flash, and does it work with the flash not on a camera or anything else?

The buttons on the two I had were extremely stiff, with no perceptible movement other than what one would expect if one was pressing an LED. There is no click.

[Class A]

But, just once, on the first unit I had, I did get one flash out of it by pressing it. But just the one, never again.

Are the batteries you put in strong enough to charge the flash another time?

Before you sent it back, you may want to try a different set of batteries in order to eliminate this potential cause of the problem.

I think a totally manual flash is still the best for most situations that need a flash, because there are so many variables in the way one sets up the stuff, with an umbrella, etc... and the "clever" flashes are so expensive and in any case none of them can be triggered remotely directly from my Pentax K3, yet if you are using an umbrella you do need a remotely triggered flashgun.

Well, you can trigger flashes remotely with just a K-3 by using "wireless" (i.e., optical) triggering.

However, I agree that manual power settings are the way to go, in particular with multiple off-camera flashes. A while ago, I compared five manual flashes (four of which support remote power control) with each other.

[peterh337]

Yes - the flash is fully charged. The LED is showing RED which indicates a charged flash.

It's almost tempting to throw away the warranty, open the thing up and install a proper test button

I am wondering if the PC Port provides a way of triggering the flash using just an external switch, or does it need a signal (e.g. a TTL level)?

That's a very interesting flashgun review - many thanks.

Well, you can trigger flashes remotely with just a K-3 by using "wireless" (i.e., optical) triggering

How can that be done without having the on-camera flash make a flash?

[Class A]

How can that be done without having the on-camera flash make a flash?

When using P-TTL, you can put the on-camera flash into controller mode. It will then output only an inconsequential amount of light.

On cameras like the K-3 this also works for the built-in flash.

[jeantree]

I have the same unit, and it is VERY hard to press that "button", but I can do it, though my fingers have a little too much squish I guess. Try using the eraser end of a pencil to press it, maybe you can loosen it up a little. And yes, it took me a while to realize they meant to press the "light" rather than a separate button. It could use a redesign, imo, but it does work. Try using your fingernail too.

[peterh337]

OK - it now works fairly consistently (about 95%) on the second flashgun I bought. Thank you for the feedback

I have to press it really hard. Fingernail? No, it would break the fingernail off

Pretty obviously this is a bad batch with a manufacturing c**ckup and their final inspection never tests the flashgun buttons.

I had some inconclusive (I guess google translated) comms with one of the amazon.co.uk vendors, in China apparently, saying they have never heard of it before. Well, they would say that, anyway.

The flashgun works impressively otherwise, with the -602 radio trigger from the same firm. For the money, one can't fault it. I have an old Metz one (was £300 new) which never worked properly other than fully manual and this one is a lot better.

The burst flash feature would be fun for special effects (freeze-frame stuff of somebody running, etc) although it clearly doesn't work as configured e.g. if you set up 20 flashes at 10Hz you do not get a 2 second long burst of flashes; you get something like 5 flashes. In fact anything more than about 5-10 flashes doesn't get delivered in the right number, regardless of the power setting. Obviously the gun is not going to deliver 20 flashes at max power at 10Hz (that would take an awful lot of power to recharge it) but even testing it at 1/128 power, it still doesn't seem to do more than about 10. It might be another bug, but one is rarely going to use that feature for anything real.

When using P-TTL, you can put the on-camera flash into controller mode. It will then output only an inconsequential amount of light.

Sorry to ask a stupid question, but am I right in saying this is purely to trigger the flash i.e. there is no intensity control by the camera?

I know that if I buy the Pentax flash (they do two models, both pricey) and put it in the camera's shoe (there is no other way to couple it AFAIK) then you get fully TTL intensity control. I also "know" that 3rd parties like Metz make more or less compatible flashguns which do the same thing - with varying degrees of success/compatibility.

But I don't think the K3 has the capability to do TTL with a remotely located flash. Obviously it can't do it via radio (there is no transmitter in the K3) and I don't think it has the Nikon/Canon feature whereby it communicates with a remote flash using the on-camera flash.

[Class A]

Sorry to ask a stupid question, but am I right in saying this is purely to trigger the flash i.e. there is no intensity control by the camera?

If the remote flash is a P-TTL flash, the camera can control its power (intensity). Unfortunately, the only input you get is some limited flash exposure compensation. To the best of my knowledge, not even the K-3 can control off-camera flashes with manual levels. You'll be at the mercy of P-TTL automatic exposure, but often that may be good enough.

I know that if I buy the Pentax flash (they do two models, both pricey) and put it in the camera's shoe (there is no other way to couple it AFAIK) then you get fully TTL intensity control.

You could also connect the flash via a P-TTL cable, but in principle you are right; you need a direct connection to the camera.

I also "know" that 3rd parties like Metz make more or less compatible flashguns which do the same thing - with varying degrees of success/compatibility.

I don't know of any Metz incompatibility, except for the inability of most Metz flash models to act as an HSS-controller.

In the past, some P-TTL exposure issues have been blamed on Metz, but in the end it was always the camera (K-5) that was the real culprit.

But I don't think the K3 has the capability to do TTL with a remotely located flash.

Yes, it does, even with the built-in flash.

The only thing the built-in flash cannot do is to control off-camera flashes in HSS mode. An early *ist camera model had that capability, but since then no other Pentax DSLR supported that with the built-in flash.

[adwb]

on my 2 you have to use a pen to operate my finger does not work

[i_trax]

yes I have 460 and 560 III and both need very hard press