Settings for Pentax K-5 with Sigma EF 610 Super

DeadJohn · 10-31-2014, 08:05 AM

Anyone using this combo with PTTL? Any suggested settings?

I purchased a new Sigma EF 610 Super. PTTL and high speed sync were on my important feature list because I want fill flash on sunny days, plus an easy indoor Av mode until I become proficient enough to use full manual flash. Indoor testing shows bad overexposure on my K-5. The internet's collective wisdom claims the K-5 has a bad PTTL system and I have yet to find a workaround. I'm hoping that one of you have a solution.

If the K-5 PTTL proves bad enough to be unusable I'll return it for a Metz 58. The 58 (and maybe its successor 64) appears to have the best "auto" mode available Other Flash Modes - Pentax P-TTL Flash Comparison.

(My initial review of the 610 Super: Well-built, with a grippy rubberized finished. The swivel mechanism seems sturdy. The pull-out wide angle diffuser feels flimsy, though. Flash recharge times are good and puts out a lot of light. The user interface is non-intuitive but learnable. The manual is poorly written and not very informative.)

Last edited by DeadJohn; 10-31-2014 at 08:11 AM.

narual · 10-31-2014, 09:32 AM

PTTL isn't terribly good in the first place, and I didn't have much luck using this flash with it. But I didn't play with it that much. I've probably actually used it a total of 15 days or so in the year+ that I've owned it, so I'm sure other people have considerably more use with it. When I have, I've mostly used it off-camera, indoors

phoenixvision · 11-01-2014, 06:54 AM

I have good luck with the sigma on my k5, although have since upgradd to a k3 with a now pentax flash....the only problems I had with the k5 were occassional burn outs, which I dont think were due to the sigma but rather the k5 metering....

DeadJohn · 11-03-2014, 12:12 PM

Good news. The overexposure appears to have been caused by auto ISO. Av mode on the K-5 and P-TTL on the Sigma 610 Super are playing nicely as long as I pick the ISO.

Oldbayrunner · 11-07-2014, 04:04 PM

I don't have a K5 but I use the Sigma 610 Super with my K5 lls with no problems. . You can't use it wireless HSS in slave mode but It works great as a wireless Hss controller for my other two AF 540fgz's that can. I also like using it with diffusers more than the Pentax 540's as their heads do not lock into positions like the Sigma.

comprock · 06-30-2015, 07:25 PM

@Oldbayrunner, thank you for the feedback above. Are you stating you can control the Sigma 610 Super with the Pentax K-5 ii wireless flash controller?

Also, on the Pentax 540, do you know if the version IIs have better detents for using diffusers with them?

narual · 06-30-2015, 07:35 PM

Originally posted by Oldbayrunner

I don't have a K5 but I use the Sigma 610 Super with my K5 lls with no problems. . You can't use it wireless HSS in slave mode but It works great as a wireless Hss controller for my other two AF 540fgz's that can. I also like using it with diffusers more than the Pentax 540's as their heads do not lock into positions like the Sigma.

It worked fine in wireless slave mode on my K5, but i can't recall if I ever tried HSS on it, slave or otherwise. I really didn't use it very much before I got the Pentax WR flash, and I've barely touched it since then. I should probably sell it.

Oldbayrunner · 07-01-2015, 03:56 AM

Yes with the onboard flash Pttl or you can control it in slave mode with a wireless controller, manually with most brands. However in no manner will it work Hss in slave mode but it will work Hss as an on camera controller with a Hss slave compatible flash such as the 540fgz . I will mention to date it won't work group with the cactus v6 afaik. In most situations where Pttl overexposure may occur I have found it can be avoided by dropping the flash EV.

comprock · 07-01-2015, 09:13 AM

Hey guys, thank you for stepping in here. I think as the Sigma doesn't support my Cactus V6, my remaining choices are the original Pentax 360/540 or Metz 58 AF2 flashes.

narual · 07-01-2015, 11:24 AM

Why not the version 2 flashes? Having a WR flash can be pretty handy. Even if you don't intend to use it in the rain, having to quickly remove the flash and shove someplace it won't get wet is an annoyance when the body and lens are perfectly fine.

comprock · 07-01-2015, 12:48 PM

@narual, I do like a flash with WR properties given 2/3 of my lens are WR. However, if I'm having to choose between WR and a battery pack, the later wins.

narual · 07-01-2015, 03:00 PM

In that case, why even consider the other flashes that don't have battery packs as an option?

comprock · 07-01-2015, 04:05 PM

@narual I only recently realized some of the flashes I was looking at didn't support a battery pack.

10-31-2014, 08:05 AM	#1
DeadJohn Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New York Posts: 4,834	Settings for Pentax K-5 with Sigma EF 610 Super Anyone using this combo with PTTL? Any suggested settings? I purchased a new Sigma EF 610 Super. PTTL and high speed sync were on my important feature list because I want fill flash on sunny days, plus an easy indoor Av mode until I become proficient enough to use full manual flash. Indoor testing shows bad overexposure on my K-5. The internet's collective wisdom claims the K-5 has a bad PTTL system and I have yet to find a workaround. I'm hoping that one of you have a solution. If the K-5 PTTL proves bad enough to be unusable I'll return it for a Metz 58. The 58 (and maybe its successor 64) appears to have the best "auto" mode available Other Flash Modes - Pentax P-TTL Flash Comparison. (My initial review of the 610 Super: Well-built, with a grippy rubberized finished. The swivel mechanism seems sturdy. The pull-out wide angle diffuser feels flimsy, though. Flash recharge times are good and puts out a lot of light. The user interface is non-intuitive but learnable. The manual is poorly written and not very informative.) Last edited by DeadJohn; 10-31-2014 at 08:11 AM.

07-01-2015, 03:56 AM	#8
Oldbayrunner Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 1,665	Yes with the onboard flash Pttl or you can control it in slave mode with a wireless controller, manually with most brands. However in no manner will it work Hss in slave mode but it will work Hss as an on camera controller with a Hss slave compatible flash such as the 540fgz . I will mention to date it won't work group with the cactus v6 afaik. In most situations where Pttl overexposure may occur I have found it can be avoided by dropping the flash EV. Last edited by Oldbayrunner; 07-01-2015 at 04:11 AM.

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10-31-2014, 09:32 AM	#2
narual Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: South Bend (Notre Dame), Indiana Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,988	PTTL isn't terribly good in the first place, and I didn't have much luck using this flash with it. But I didn't play with it that much. I've probably actually used it a total of 15 days or so in the year+ that I've owned it, so I'm sure other people have considerably more use with it. When I have, I've mostly used it off-camera, indoors

11-01-2014, 06:54 AM	#3
phoenixvision Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,458	I have good luck with the sigma on my k5, although have since upgradd to a k3 with a now pentax flash....the only problems I had with the k5 were occassional burn outs, which I dont think were due to the sigma but rather the k5 metering....

11-03-2014, 12:12 PM	#4
DeadJohn Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New York Posts: 4,834 Original Poster	Good news. The overexposure appears to have been caused by auto ISO. Av mode on the K-5 and P-TTL on the Sigma 610 Super are playing nicely as long as I pick the ISO.

11-07-2014, 04:04 PM	#5
Oldbayrunner Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 1,665	I don't have a K5 but I use the Sigma 610 Super with my K5 lls with no problems. . You can't use it wireless HSS in slave mode but It works great as a wireless Hss controller for my other two AF 540fgz's that can. I also like using it with diffusers more than the Pentax 540's as their heads do not lock into positions like the Sigma.

06-30-2015, 07:25 PM	#6
comprock Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Portland, Montreal, Menton, Dubai, Pondicherry, Singapore, Kaohsiung, Coupeville Photos: Gallery Posts: 529	@Oldbayrunner, thank you for the feedback above. Are you stating you can control the Sigma 610 Super with the Pentax K-5 ii wireless flash controller? Also, on the Pentax 540, do you know if the version IIs have better detents for using diffusers with them?

06-30-2015, 07:35 PM	#7
narual Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: South Bend (Notre Dame), Indiana Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,988	Originally posted by Oldbayrunner I don't have a K5 but I use the Sigma 610 Super with my K5 lls with no problems. . You can't use it wireless HSS in slave mode but It works great as a wireless Hss controller for my other two AF 540fgz's that can. I also like using it with diffusers more than the Pentax 540's as their heads do not lock into positions like the Sigma. It worked fine in wireless slave mode on my K5, but i can't recall if I ever tried HSS on it, slave or otherwise. I really didn't use it very much before I got the Pentax WR flash, and I've barely touched it since then. I should probably sell it.

07-01-2015, 09:13 AM	#9
comprock Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Portland, Montreal, Menton, Dubai, Pondicherry, Singapore, Kaohsiung, Coupeville Photos: Gallery Posts: 529	Hey guys, thank you for stepping in here. I think as the Sigma doesn't support my Cactus V6, my remaining choices are the original Pentax 360/540 or Metz 58 AF2 flashes.

07-01-2015, 11:24 AM	#10
narual Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: South Bend (Notre Dame), Indiana Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,988	Why not the version 2 flashes? Having a WR flash can be pretty handy. Even if you don't intend to use it in the rain, having to quickly remove the flash and shove someplace it won't get wet is an annoyance when the body and lens are perfectly fine.

07-01-2015, 12:48 PM	#11
comprock Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Portland, Montreal, Menton, Dubai, Pondicherry, Singapore, Kaohsiung, Coupeville Photos: Gallery Posts: 529	@narual, I do like a flash with WR properties given 2/3 of my lens are WR. However, if I'm having to choose between WR and a battery pack, the later wins.

07-01-2015, 03:00 PM	#12
narual Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: South Bend (Notre Dame), Indiana Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,988	In that case, why even consider the other flashes that don't have battery packs as an option?

07-01-2015, 04:05 PM	#13
comprock Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Portland, Montreal, Menton, Dubai, Pondicherry, Singapore, Kaohsiung, Coupeville Photos: Gallery Posts: 529	@narual I only recently realized some of the flashes I was looking at didn't support a battery pack.