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04-21-2015, 08:54 AM   #1
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P-TTL question

I have the K-5IIs and the AF-360FGZ flash.
In the upper left top it always says "35mm".
Should it not change and say the lens I am using?

04-21-2015, 09:02 AM   #2
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Hi! You should press the zoom button on the flash until you see "Auto" - then the flash attached to the camera will get the lens info (if it's not a manual lens) and zoom accordingly.
04-21-2015, 09:24 AM   #3
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On the 360FGZ, the 35mm in the top left of the LCD means that the focal lengh is shown in 35mm (aka full frame) equivalent. The 360FGZ was developed many years ago, before the digital age. So, everything with them is relative to film camera.
04-21-2015, 09:36 AM   #4
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I didn't realize it was so old technology. I actually called B+H and asked them which one I needed not even a year ago.

04-21-2015, 10:00 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by condor27596 Quote
I didn't realize it was so old technology. I actually called B+H and asked them which one I needed not even a year ago.
And up until recently, they were still the state of the art flashes in the Pentax lineup with the 540FGZ. That said, the newer models don't use newer technologies. They just add some features, like WR and swivel head, but otherwise work the same. The P-TTL system hasn't had any new development in years. So, the older models work as well as the newer one.

Don't worry, the 360FGZ is old tech but still a fine flash. It will also work fine as P-TTL off camera flash in wireless mode. I use mine like this all the time, on a flash stand, and it does a great job.

Last edited by CarlJF; 04-21-2015 at 10:08 AM.
04-21-2015, 10:42 AM   #6
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I will push the zoom button and see what happens.
04-21-2015, 11:14 AM   #7
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That means it is in 35mm camera mode, which is the correct mode for your camera. It also does 645 mode, for when you attach it to a Pentax 645.

04-21-2015, 11:29 AM   #8
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So just leave it alone and it works right? I've had it for a while but I don't use it much. I want to get better at the fill flash and want to make sure I am using it the way it is supposed to be.
04-21-2015, 11:52 AM   #9
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Ooops! Sorry If I was misleading - the others are right, I scrambled up the things

The 35mm in the left corner is the camera format... That can be changed (automatically - probably if the flash is connected to respective cameras 645, 67) or if you push down the far right switch on the right side of the flash and then press the Light/Format button several times. With the mentioned switch in the down position you can access the 2nd functions of the buttons (Format, Ch(annel), Modeling)
04-21-2015, 11:57 AM   #10
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Yes, just leave it alone. The user manual for the flash was developed before the current crop of DSLRs, but I recall that the user manual for the camera body points out that it is smart enough to communicate the correct angle-of-view to the flash. I can't remember if this is in the K-5 user manual or the Q user manual.

The idea is that if the flash and camera agree on the angle-of-view, then the flash head can be zoomed to optimize the flash pattern. Whether the newer bodies actually communicate this as a "zoom" parameter or an "angle of view" parameter to the flash doesn't matter, so long as it is smart enough to take into account the image circle sensor size.

So think about the Q, with its huge crop factor. If it didn't handle this correctly, then the 8.5 mm prime lens would make the flash waste a lot of light. In practice, it works fine.
04-21-2015, 02:05 PM   #11
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I pushed the zoom button and the number changed. The number seems to change when focusing. But the main idea is I am satisfied that it seems to be doing something more than the $35 flash I replaced. That something can actually be black box to me. I just wanted it to do SOMETHING lol
04-21-2015, 06:46 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by condor27596 Quote
I pushed the zoom button and the number changed. The number seems to change when focusing. But the main idea is I am satisfied that it seems to be doing something more than the $35 flash I replaced. That something can actually be black box to me. I just wanted it to do SOMETHING lol
The zoom button adjusts the width of the light beam to optimally cover the field of view of your lens. When use on the camera, just let it on auto and it will automatically match your lens focal length. The zoom button is useful when the flash is used off camera or bounced. You also need to use the zoom button with older non autofocus lenses since they will not pass the focal length data to the camera.
04-21-2015, 07:00 PM   #13
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I have only one non modern lens. The radioactive 50. I will just do what you say and keep practicing.
04-22-2015, 04:11 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by condor27596 Quote
But the main idea is I am satisfied that it seems to be doing something more than the $35 flash I replaced.
the 360FGZ flash should be pttl capable, which means that you'll be able to use it as fill flash at any shutter speed, with that old tak lens that you have.

the $35 flash that you had probably wouldn't work above the 1/180th(?) sync speed of your camera.

it's a huge difference... depending on what you shoot, pttl fill flash can be awesome.
04-24-2015, 12:36 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by Caver Quote
Ooops! Sorry If I was misleading - the others are right, I scrambled up the things

The 35mm in the left corner is the camera format... That can be changed (automatically - probably if the flash is connected to respective cameras 645, 67) or if you push down the far right switch on the right side of the flash and then press the Light/Format button several times. With the mentioned switch in the down position you can access the 2nd functions of the buttons (Format, Ch(annel), Modeling)
The AF360FGZ does not automatically sense a 645 camera when connected. The method you describe for manually setting the film format is the only way. I wish it were automatic.
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