[Ray-uk]

Anyhow it is important to compare at same zoom reflector settings, other wise the flashes with the higher zoom setting always sound great, but actually are not.

I quite agree, it used to easy but sadly it has all become very confusing with different manufacturers using different standards just to pretend their flashguns are more powerful.

Even so using the figures above there is less than half a stop difference between a GN of 33 and one of 45 so it isn't really going to make a lot of difference.

[Paul the Sunman]

The Wireless equivalent appears in Wireless P-TTL mode, on Slave or 'Master' flashes. The ratio setting is beside the compensation setting. There is miniscule reference to the feature in the Pentax flash manual, and it's not even named or described meaningfully. I've created the term 'Wireless Lighting Ratio Control' in my Guide, to distinguish it from Contrast Control Sync'.

Thanks mcgregni. So to be specific, in Wireless Lighting Ratio Control mode, do I only need to set the ratio on the master, and it "informs" the slave?

[Class A]

All recent Pentax cameras seems not able tu use even legacy flashes like FGZ540/360 with af assist-for sure K-1,K-3II,K-S2,K-S1 all states in manual that AF assist light is not available with the AF540FGZ or AF360FGZ.

My K100D and K-5 II activate the AF-assist light of the Metz 58 AF-2, but the K-1 does not.

I fail to see how Ricoh is helping the customer with such changes.

Metz very recently released new firmware versions for a number of flash models (including the Metz 58 AF-2) to make them compatible with the Pentax K-1. So they are definitely taking care of customers and have the ability and willingness to make their models work with the K-1. Apparently, the adaptation did not go as far as addressing the AF-assist light, though.

[mcgregni]

Thanks mcgregni. So to be specific, in Wireless Lighting Ratio Control mode, do I only need to set the ratio on the master, and it "informs" the slave?

Hi Paul, sorry for the delay in replying ..... On holiday now and mobile signals are a bit erratic...

There would be two flashes involved with a ratio on each ...eg 1/3 - 2/3. These two flashes could either both be slaves, or one could be on the camera in 'Wireless 'Master' Mode and the other a slave. The ratio needs to be specifically set on each flash. I often use an off-camera flash set to 2/3 ratio and an on-camera set to 1/3 .... The result is that the slave acts as the Main light, and the on -camera one as a Fill, usually bounced to come from the other direction.

If the built-in flash is used as trigger, in Master mode, then it will automatically provide half the total amount of light that the two slaves provide ... The slaves output will still be divided as per their ratio settings. The big practical problem with this configuration is the proximity of the direct built-in flash to the subject, which could often be very close, and so overexposure can easily occur ... Probably best to switch to' Control' mode for the triggering.

It would be very interesting to hear whether your Metz flash supports this stuff, and if it seems to work ok combined with the Pentax. I've not previously heard any user reports on mixed brand ratio control, and I only have 2 Pentax flashes to try it.

[Paul the Sunman]

Hi Paul, sorry for the delay in replying ..... On holiday now and mobile signals are a bit erratic...

There would be two flashes involved with a ratio on each ...eg 1/3 - 2/3. These two flashes could either both be slaves, or one could be on the camera in 'Wireless 'Master' Mode and the other a slave. The ratio needs to be specifically set on each flash. I often use an off-camera flash set to 2/3 ratio and an on-camera set to 1/3 .... The result is that the slave acts as the Main light, and the on -camera one as a Fill, usually bounced to come from the other direction.

If the built-in flash is used as trigger, in Master mode, then it will automatically provide half the total amount of light that the two slaves provide ... The slaves output will still be divided as per their ratio settings. The big practical problem with this configuration is the proximity of the direct built-in flash to the subject, which could often be very close, and so overexposure can easily occur ... Probably best to switch to' Control' mode for the triggering.

It would be very interesting to hear whether your Metz flash supports this stuff, and if it seems to work ok combined with the Pentax. I've not previously heard any user reports on mixed brand ratio control, and I only have 2 Pentax flashes to try it.

Thanks mcgregni. As far as I can see, the Metz doesn't have a ratio option. When used as a slave, I can choose either TTL or M. With TTL I can only set ev compensation. With M I can set raw power level from 1/1 down to 1/128.

I get a similar contrast effect using the Metz as a slave and the Pentax as the master by setting say a -2ev compensation on the Pentax. That seems to work well.

[mcgregni]

Thanks for the info Paul. .. I guess the Wireless Ratios are specific to the Pentax flashes, not necessarily the third party options. I believe the Canon and Nikon equivalents have something similar, although I think the Pentax version is regarded as fairly rudimentary in the scheme of things.