Inexpensive hot shoe sync flash cable for my K-3ii

Amoon · 10-19-2016, 04:02 PM

Hi guys! Time has come to use one of these cables and having done a search on eBay, it showed no results... if I take "Pentax" out of my keywords, then lots of -inexpensive- cables for Nikon and Canon appear.

So, my question is if I can use a Nikon (or Canon) cable to fire any of my flashes (I own a Pentax AF200FG and Vivitar DF-383-PEN).

Thank you so much in advance for any help you can give me!

aaacb · 10-19-2016, 04:24 PM

The K3II has a pc sync port, so you need to make sure that you get the right kind of cable (camera has female connector). I am guessing that you are looking for a cable that at one end connects to the pc sync port (not the hot shoe) on the camera and at the other to the flash mount because your flash doesn't have a pc port, which would be a "pc male to hot shoe mount"). You could also get a cable with hotshoe mounts at both ends...

edit: "pc sync" is an overloaded term for this thing, nothing to do with computers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_synchronization

stevebrot · 10-19-2016, 04:33 PM

It would help if you elaborated a little on what you want the cable to do...

PC port to remote hot shoe?
Simple sync from camera shoe to remote hot shoe?
Full pass through of camera shoe to remote shoe?

Steve

pathdoc · 10-19-2016, 04:42 PM

@mcgregni will correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe Pentax, Nikon and Canon all use the same basic physical hotshoe fitting, the difference being that the automatic functions will not work, sophisticated TTL or other orders will not be passed correctly to or from the camera body, and the only command that will be passed is "fire at full power" (or whatever is set manually on the flash).

This means that if all you want to do is pass a "fire flash" command, the Nikon and Canon ones should work.

However, as has been said, there is a PC sync port on the side of the camera (on the K-5 it is just below the manual flash raising button on the left hand side of the pentaprism, covered by a little knurled knob which can be hard to unscrew but is very easy to lose), and this offers an alternative. You are looking for something like this:

Impact SCS-MPC PC Male to Hot Shoe Sync Cord (12") SCS-MPC

I am pretty sure that of all the things which have changed since the golden days of film, the PC Sync connector is not one of them.

**Quartermaster James** · 10-19-2016, 05:06 PM - **1 Like**

Vello Off-Camera TTL Flash Cord for Pentax Cameras (3') OCS-P3

K57XR · 10-19-2016, 05:55 PM

Originally posted by Quartermaster James

Vello Off-Camera TTL Flash Cord for Pentax Cameras (3') OCS-P3

That's exactly what I use on my K5. I've since modified it to accept RJ45 connectors and it has no problem firing a Metz48 (including HSS) using a 25ft CAT5e cable.

**BigDave** · 10-19-2016, 06:00 PM

Do a search on eBay for " Pentax Hot Shoe Cable " and you will find a number of options. Pentax, Nikon and Cannon are all different.

Regards,

Amoon · 10-19-2016, 07:02 PM

Thank you guys! I'm sorry I didn't explain myself clearly.

As Pathdoc said, I just want to pass a "fire flash" command, so I can hold a flash (directing the light to the ceiling or wall away from the camera) on my left hand, while shooting with my other hand.

Thank you all again!

p.s. sorry for my English. It's not my primary language and I know its somewhat tangled sometimes...

**Quartermaster James** · 10-19-2016, 07:20 PM

Originally posted by Amoon

Thank you guys! I'm sorry I didn't explain myself clearly.

As Pathdoc said, I just want to pass a "fire flash" command, so I can hold a flash flash (directing the light to the ceiling or wall away from the camera) on my left hand, while shooting with my other hand.

Thank you all again!

p.s. sorry for my English. It's not my primary language and I know its somewhat tangled sometimes...

Get the off-camera flash cord. Do yourself a favor and get a bracket too.

Drake012 · 10-20-2016, 12:22 AM

You may check Nissin Universal Shoe Cord SC-01, it works for Canon,Nikon,Olympus,Panasonic,Pentax,Fuji. Metz-58 AF-1 and Pentax AF-540FGZ work all right with it on my K-3.

CarlJF · 10-20-2016, 06:00 AM

If you only want to trigger the flashes in manual mode, why not get cheap radio triggers instead of a cable ? Much more practical than a cable... The cable is only useful if you want to work in P-TTL.

10-19-2016, 04:02 PM	#1
Amoon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 155	Inexpensive hot shoe sync flash cable for my K-3ii Hi guys! Time has come to use one of these cables and having done a search on eBay, it showed no results... if I take "Pentax" out of my keywords, then lots of -inexpensive- cables for Nikon and Canon appear. So, my question is if I can use a Nikon (or Canon) cable to fire any of my flashes (I own a Pentax AF200FG and Vivitar DF-383-PEN). Thank you so much in advance for any help you can give me!

10-19-2016, 04:24 PM	#2
aaacb Pentaxian Join Date: May 2016 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,725	The K3II has a pc sync port, so you need to make sure that you get the right kind of cable (camera has female connector). I am guessing that you are looking for a cable that at one end connects to the pc sync port (not the hot shoe) on the camera and at the other to the flash mount because your flash doesn't have a pc port, which would be a "pc male to hot shoe mount"). You could also get a cable with hotshoe mounts at both ends... edit: "pc sync" is an overloaded term for this thing, nothing to do with computers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_synchronization Last edited by aaacb; 10-19-2016 at 04:29 PM.

10-19-2016, 04:33 PM	#3
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	It would help if you elaborated a little on what you want the cable to do... PC port to remote hot shoe? Simple sync from camera shoe to remote hot shoe? Full pass through of camera shoe to remote shoe? Steve

10-19-2016, 07:02 PM	#8
Amoon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 155 Original Poster	Thank you guys! I'm sorry I didn't explain myself clearly. As Pathdoc said, I just want to pass a "fire flash" command, so I can hold a flash (directing the light to the ceiling or wall away from the camera) on my left hand, while shooting with my other hand. Thank you all again! p.s. sorry for my English. It's not my primary language and I know its somewhat tangled sometimes... Last edited by Amoon; 10-19-2016 at 07:46 PM. Reason: Typo

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10-19-2016, 04:42 PM	#4
pathdoc Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,381	@mcgregni will correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe Pentax, Nikon and Canon all use the same basic physical hotshoe fitting, the difference being that the automatic functions will not work, sophisticated TTL or other orders will not be passed correctly to or from the camera body, and the only command that will be passed is "fire at full power" (or whatever is set manually on the flash). This means that if all you want to do is pass a "fire flash" command, the Nikon and Canon ones should work. However, as has been said, there is a PC sync port on the side of the camera (on the K-5 it is just below the manual flash raising button on the left hand side of the pentaprism, covered by a little knurled knob which can be hard to unscrew but is very easy to lose), and this offers an alternative. You are looking for something like this: Impact SCS-MPC PC Male to Hot Shoe Sync Cord (12") SCS-MPC I am pretty sure that of all the things which have changed since the golden days of film, the PC Sync connector is not one of them.

10-19-2016, 05:06 PM - 1 Like	#5
Quartermaster James Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 653	Vello Off-Camera TTL Flash Cord for Pentax Cameras (3') OCS-P3

10-19-2016, 06:00 PM	#7
BigDave Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Hudson Valley, NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,626	Do a search on eBay for " Pentax Hot Shoe Cable " and you will find a number of options. Pentax, Nikon and Cannon are all different. Regards,

10-19-2016, 07:20 PM	#9
Quartermaster James Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 653	Originally posted by Amoon Thank you guys! I'm sorry I didn't explain myself clearly. As Pathdoc said, I just want to pass a "fire flash" command, so I can hold a flash flash (directing the light to the ceiling or wall away from the camera) on my left hand, while shooting with my other hand. Thank you all again! p.s. sorry for my English. It's not my primary language and I know its somewhat tangled sometimes... Get the off-camera flash cord. Do yourself a favor and get a bracket too.

10-20-2016, 12:22 AM	#10
Drake012 New Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 9	You may check Nissin Universal Shoe Cord SC-01, it works for Canon,Nikon,Olympus,Panasonic,Pentax,Fuji. Metz-58 AF-1 and Pentax AF-540FGZ work all right with it on my K-3.

10-20-2016, 06:00 AM	#11
CarlJF Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Quebec City Posts: 1,185	If you only want to trigger the flashes in manual mode, why not get cheap radio triggers instead of a cable ? Much more practical than a cable... The cable is only useful if you want to work in P-TTL.