[Class A]

alredy did. no ansver, though

Perhaps you could try contacting pentaxforums member andy888.

He seemed to know of new firmware versions before anyone else did, so perhaps he has what you need or can establish a contact.

Too bad that your experiences have been so disappointing. Personally, I wouldn't use P-TTL anyhow -- I prefer full manual control via radio -- but in terms of Pentax's appeal to all sorts of flash users, it would be nice if a reliable radio-based P-TTL option were available.

[GraySaint]

in terms of Pentax's appeal to all sorts of flash users, it would be nice if a reliable radio-based P-TTL option were available

It is, but for one flash only.

[mcgregni]

A '2-slave plus 1 control' flash P-TTL setup can be handy for simple lighting situations, and the automatic flash exposure is helpful when a subject is moving a bit or you need to change the positioning frequently and therefore avoid making manual power adjustments each time. The limitations are mainly the optical triggering and the need to make ratio and compensation settings directly on the flash units, ie no remote control over this. Personally, when using 2 P-TTL flashes together I'm more likely to have one on the camera in 'master' mode, providing some bounced fill .... With this configuration the slaves output can be adjusted using the camera compensation control, and the on-camera flash from its display directly, so in fact giving remote control over everything from the camera position. It's ok for fairly simple types of lighting.

I do think perhaps the actual practical limitations of optical triggering are often overemphasized ..... In real life situations it is mostly very reliable, certainly indoors the line of sight principle is easily extendable with light bouncing and reflecting around, and there's no need for direct facing sensors and flashes. Outdoors you need to aim more directly and focus the beam to ensure good communication.

A reliable radio trigger for all of this would indeed really be a good step forwards.... Even better would be the ability to remotely control multiple slaves ratio and compensation settings. I've thought that Pentax should really be doing this themselves, but at what price? I've said it before, the reality is that we mostly see here people looking for the best budget flash solutions .... It's usually ' what should I get for under 100' .... Look at how the response was too the news that Yongnuo were making a Pentax dedicated system flash .... So if Pentax came out with a new sophisticated radio controlled P-TTL flash system with the updated flashes to use it, who would actually buy it all? Are enough of those people around?

So we come back to Acon and it's radio P-TTL offering. Is Acon going to become and provide the reliable, understandable and workable solution so many would like to see?

[beholder3]

So we come back to Acon and it's radio P-TTL offering. Is Acon going to become and provide the reliable, understandable and workable solution so many would like to see?

The Acons already provide all that for a single flash setup and also for two PTTL flash setup where the master communicates with the slave optically.
And they are the best option if you want remote PTTL flashes or HSS with those cameras without obF.

The next step up would be the announced Metz WT-1.

And remember that andy888 wrote

Or you can wait for the coming R930Ii with dial and lcds? this seems compatible whith your old R930.

So I bet next year we will see even more nice solutions with full P-TTL support.

As you said the vast majority is not using flashes a lot (at all?) and if they do, they usually will stop at a single flash that does everything.

[mcgregni]

I don't understand what you mean about the two flash P-TTL with Acons ' where the master communicates with the slave optically' ... ? What is the point of that? Are you saying that what GraySaint here was trying to do is not actually possible? I admit to being confused about the firmware options and still wonder if he has the right trigger versions for what he was attempting ....

If the Metz new trigger system can provide that reliable, remote control over 2 or 3 P-TTL slaves, with control over compensations from the camera position, then perhaps we will all be forgetting about Acons .....or again, will that push and desire for the cheapest leave the Metz option for the rich minority. .....

[Class A]

And they are the best option if you want remote PTTL flashes or HSS with those cameras without obF.

Not if one wants manual control from the camera position.

For manual control (predictable and repeatable), the Cactus V6II is better suited.

As you said the vast majority is not using flashes a lot (at all?) and if they do, they usually will stop at a single flash that does everything.

To the best of my knowledge there currently is no single flash that does everything.

Either it is P-TTL or remote manual level control via radio.

It will be interesting to see whether the Metz (i.e., adapted Pixel King) trigger will support both automatic and manual control.

[GraySaint]

Not if one wants manual control from the camera position.

Acon does this, actually. Manual control from camera - only thing that i got working with 2 flashes.

To the best of my knowledge there currently is no single flash that does everything.

Not for Pentax, to be precise.

I dont like them. Bad build quality, eat batteries like hell, not very reliable (i believe that one of my recievers is just randomly switches off).
But those are only P-TTL radio option for Pentax for now.

[mcgregni]

That's disappointing. Thanks for providing your rundown on trying out those triggers, which is just the sort of practical user report we have needed. I think many of us will be biding our time in anticipation of seeing more of what the forthcoming Metz trigger system will offer ....

[clackers]

Bad build quality, eat batteries like hell, not very reliable (i believe that one of my recievers is just randomly switches off).
But those are only P-TTL radio option for Pentax for now.

As an owner for quite a while now, I don't agree with any of those statements other than 'bad build quality', GraySaint.

Even then, it's similar to the usual generic triggers I see people using - although the documentation is worse!

[GraySaint]

As an owner for quite a while now, I don't agree with any of those statements other than 'bad build quality',

Ok, then you can add "inconsistent performance reports from different users" to the list.

[kenspo]

alredy did. no ansver, though

They can answer quickly sometimes and sometimes no answer

[GraySaint]

BTW, i played with my acons and 2 flash setups a little more since my last post here, and seems like i have worked out process on them.
My assumption that one of my units is not working correctly was wrong: they all working the same way. I believe, that it is batteries fault, for units quick discharge. U see, there is a marking on each unit, that it needs 3.3 V of power. There is a slots for 2 AAA size batteries. The rechargable batteries that i use is 1.2 V each. I know, that even 1.5 V Energizers works the same time as 1.2V ones. I ordered some 1.6V rechargables for test.
Now about P-TTL with 2 flashes. It does not work, and i guess, it is not supposed to. So i just switch transmitter mode to manual, all flashes to P-TTL, and work that way. Its a pity that i cannot get newer firmware because i do not have proper cable.

[howieb101]

Well, as I see it the original Acon R930 was designed for single flash use.

They expanded the use case to multi-flash but with the unsophisticated user interface, (flashing lights), it is cumbersome to use for multi-flash setups even if you can theoretically use it this way.

By the way, I do have the Acon R930 and for a single pttl flash it works fine. The lights are pretty terrible for use as far as a user interface but I knew that going in. They were pretty much the only pttl option at the time other than the Aokatec which seemed even more cumbersome.

I believe it was good on Acon to improve on the functionality of the original Acon R930 even with the hardware limitations (flashing lights). They didn't have to do this but they did. This is to their credit.

Really, they are going down the right path if the new Acon's have an improved user interface (mainly to do with hardware) and manage to make multi-flash pttl setups easier for the user to setup and use.

I think most of the negative feedback is to do with the original hardware not being intuitive for multi-flash use.

No one seems to have proven that the multi-flash doesn't work reliably but then again no one seems to have proven that it works well either.

Given the current hardware design, I reckon it's better that we hope that Acon bring out the R930 VII's sooner than keep worrying about the V I's. The UI is never going to be great and that is inherent in the hardware design.

I re-iterate, that for single PTTL flash use it is very good.

Howie Be

[rawr]

[...]
No one seems to have proven that the multi-flash doesn't work reliably but then again no one seems to have proven that it works well either. [...]

I would test it out but I only have one Tx/Rx pair. I wish they would sell individual receiver units (like YN and every other trigger maker does), rather than requiring purchase of Tx/Rx pairs.

[awaldram]

I've used aokatec P-ttl units to successfully control 4 P-ttl flashes (each receiver can breakout for two local flashes. ) with a mix of metz and Pentax P-ttl flashes.

I also happily mix and match aokatec P-ttl with manual and auto flashes again Metz/pentax P-ttl with auto Metz 45 hammer's

As the oakatec units are just wireless optical repeaters they work perfectly with any brand flash system providing you successfully stop the non wireless transmitted flash signals reaching the flashes sensors..

Though I agree with Class A for regular remote flash control the Cactus System give more control and simpler setup of complex lighting situation than P-ttl mixed.

For simple (<=3 lights) dynamic situations P-ttl delivers better results

The Acon unit are IMO trying to fit a squarer peg into a round hole - P-ttl is time critical and designed as a light broadcast system to convert it before delivery is not going to work for anything but the simplest (1 flash) set up... Metz flashes are very time fussy with P-ttl and doesn't take much to persuade them to fire pre or post shutter time I suspect due to processing time in flash - Pentax flashes are more tolerant of late signals.