HSS using multiple Pentax flashes

mcgregni · 12-05-2019, 02:26 PM - **1 Like**

The older flashes here have a sliding Flash Mode switch (Leading Curtain, Trailing Curtain, Contrast Control, HS Sync). This should be set to HS when working as an on camera Master/Control unit.

This sliding Mode switch should be returned to the left most position (leading curtain sync) for all slave mode operations, including HSS. So only the on camera unit is set to HS mode.

The incompatability of being able to set HS mode on the slider while attempting to use Slave mode on the older flashes is not possible on the newer MkII model with its more modern interface.

Dipper · 12-12-2019, 02:01 AM

Thank you McGregni and thanks again to all that answered my original post. The good news now is that, following all your hints and suggestions, I have repeated all my tests from scratch, verified all the settings, checked that true HSS pulses were being emitted, and now everything is working fine!! Bottom line: it is complex to set up 3 flashes with slightly different switches, panels, settings, etc. to work together correctly in HSS, and I was making small mistakes here and there. It didn't help that the AF360FGZ also "turns itself off" after a while if not in use, and I didn't realize this was also happening (apparently on this model it is impossible to remove this annoying feature!).
So now I can successfully use any of the 3 different flashes as MASTER and the other 2 as SLAVES in HSS: the exposures in the tests seem fine - I can't wait to try out this system for its original purpose: to photograph birds in flight in bright daylight using HSS, thus "freezing" their movement and having a natural background at the same time.
Thanks again to you all - without this forum I would probably never have solved this problem !

Class A · 12-12-2019, 02:22 PM

Originally posted by Dipper

...now everything is working fine!

Excellent!

Originally posted by Dipper

It didn't help that the AF360FGZ also "turns itself off" after a while if not in use, and I didn't realize this was also happening (apparently on this model it is impossible to remove this annoying feature!).

Bummer. That must have made troubleshooting quite a bit harder than it should have been.

I very much dislike "sleep" functionality that cannot be turned off.

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12-05-2019, 02:26 PM - 1 Like	#16
mcgregni Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Surrey, England Posts: 2,603	The older flashes here have a sliding Flash Mode switch (Leading Curtain, Trailing Curtain, Contrast Control, HS Sync). This should be set to HS when working as an on camera Master/Control unit. This sliding Mode switch should be returned to the left most position (leading curtain sync) for all slave mode operations, including HSS. So only the on camera unit is set to HS mode. The incompatability of being able to set HS mode on the slider while attempting to use Slave mode on the older flashes is not possible on the newer MkII model with its more modern interface.

12-12-2019, 02:01 AM	#17
Dipper New Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Rome Posts: 19 Original Poster	Thank you McGregni and thanks again to all that answered my original post. The good news now is that, following all your hints and suggestions, I have repeated all my tests from scratch, verified all the settings, checked that true HSS pulses were being emitted, and now everything is working fine!! Bottom line: it is complex to set up 3 flashes with slightly different switches, panels, settings, etc. to work together correctly in HSS, and I was making small mistakes here and there. It didn't help that the AF360FGZ also "turns itself off" after a while if not in use, and I didn't realize this was also happening (apparently on this model it is impossible to remove this annoying feature!). So now I can successfully use any of the 3 different flashes as MASTER and the other 2 as SLAVES in HSS: the exposures in the tests seem fine - I can't wait to try out this system for its original purpose: to photograph birds in flight in bright daylight using HSS, thus "freezing" their movement and having a natural background at the same time. Thanks again to you all - without this forum I would probably never have solved this problem !

12-12-2019, 02:22 PM	#18
Class A Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 11,251	Originally posted by Dipper ...now everything is working fine! Excellent! Originally posted by Dipper It didn't help that the AF360FGZ also "turns itself off" after a while if not in use, and I didn't realize this was also happening (apparently on this model it is impossible to remove this annoying feature!). Bummer. That must have made troubleshooting quite a bit harder than it should have been. I very much dislike "sleep" functionality that cannot be turned off.