[Bwfilmphotos]

Hey everyone! I’m looking for any on-camera mounted flash recommendations you have for the Pentax KM film camera? I typically shoot in black & white and will be using the flash for indoors mainly.

[Unregistered User 8]

Hey Bw, I've moved your thread to a forum that will get you more specific replies. Good luck.

PS. Welcome to the forums.

[John in OZ]

I have always gone with same manufacturer camera and gone for a flash with most versatility and power range. The Pentax AF-540FGZ has served me very well. You can use manual mode, or in your case flash auto monitor scene reflected light and you set the ISO, aperture and lens length on the flash. Download the manuals to see if the functions suit your needs. The brand name flashes are pricey though. Last for many years with a little care. You can also get off camera extension lead (also expensive in Pentax) or even wireless single contact remotes. Hope this helps.

[UncleVanya]

Hey everyone! I’m looking for any on-camera mounted flash recommendations you have for the Pentax KM film camera? I typically shoot in black & white and will be using the flash for indoors mainly.

It really is the sky’s the limit. What features you want will drive this:

New or Used?
Only Manual or Thyristor (Auto)?
Small or Large?
Guide #?
Bounce Head or Fixed?
Pentax Branded or Third Party?

Based on what little info we have (KM, on camera mounted, indoors, b&w film means higher asa options and higher contrast options) I’d recommendation used AF-280T as a cheap capable unit.

Pro:
Bounce head
AA batteries
Cheap
Mid sized unit
Functional

Con:
Used
Manual mode is very limited...

[stevebrot]

As noted above, the sky is the limit, mostly because your camera is old enough that it has a generic hot shoe and does not require anything brand specific. Pentax-brand flash offerings from back when your camera was made were pretty sparse (Autorobo model) and not as popular or convenient as lower end flash from Vivitar and others. If you mostly want a decent on-camera flash with auto-thyristor flash automation, a Vivitar 2800 might be a good fit.

As far as current offerings, your choices would be limited to manual speedlights. Such flash are very versatile, but do have a steep learning curve, the latter being of particularly concern if you are shooting film.


Steve

[stevebrot]

Pro:
Bounce head
AA batteries
Cheap
Mid sized unit
Functional

You forgot to include that it supports "auto" flash exposure automation.

The AF200T might also be an option.


Steve

[UncleVanya]

You forgot to include that it supports "auto" flash exposure automation.

The AF200T might also be an option.


Steve

Lol. I was sleepy and kept erasing what I’d written by accident. It was in one of my drafts, but that is indeed a good point.

Another point in its favor is that the trigger voltage appears safe for modern Pentax DSLRs which can’t be said for a lot of vintage Flash units. So a pinch it can pull double duty.

The biggest issue is that it will try to expose the target fully with little balance with ambient lighting. Without manual override the options are really limited to control this.

[hyyz]

I recommend Pentax AF280T. It is more than sufficient for a film KM. Its manual controls are the best match for KM. It is powerful and build quality is high. It is dirt cheap nowadays.

[stevebrot]

Another point in its favor is that the trigger voltage appears safe for modern Pentax DSLRs which can’t be said for a lot of vintage Flash units. So a pinch it can pull double duty.

Yes, the trigger voltage is safe. I actually use mine mostly on the K-3 or remote with wireless trigger. There are tasks that "auto" flash is more reliable and thus more appropriate than P-TTL.

The biggest issue is that it will try to expose the target fully with little balance with ambient lighting. Without manual override the options are really limited to control this.

The KM is a fully manual body and balance against ambient in "auto" mode is done manually by changing the shutter speed for ambient exposure and by using the aperture to secure the equivalent of flash EC using auto or manual flash. Where the AF280T along with units like the Vivitar 2800 fall short is that they only support two auto ranges and limited manual intensity settings (two for the AF280T and one for the Viv 2800).


Steve

(...am big fan of "auto" flash...)

[UncleVanya]

I recommend Pentax AF280T. It is more than sufficient for a film KM. Its manual controls are the best match for KM. It is powerful and build quality is high. It is dirt cheap nowadays.

The manual controls on the AF-280T are very minimalistic. Two power levels isn’t much to work with. But for run and gun, the basic auto sensor is sufficient for what the OP has said they intend to do. But there are loads of modern flashes that might be even better note that I think about the potential future uses.

The ideal flash would offer ‘auto’ as well as fine grained manual control. Many modern flashes only offer til/pttl auto modes, this requires a self contained mode.

[AlwaysAl]

Had good luck with the Metz 58. Have a Pentax FTZ 360 and found out under certain, heavy use applications, it would overheat and become erratic. The Metz never missed a shot when similarly applied.

[pentaxus]

I you want Pentax product, the 280T is one of my favorite flashes.

[jopenmx]

My reconmendation should be also for the AF-280 T . I´ve used with LX, MX and KX ( film ) and it´s very capable, even though the the manual controls are very simple. Also have tested and used with K10D and K-3 , and works quite well, specially in Sv.
AF-280T nowadays it´s a bargain , and ´is really very well buid.

[Lord Lucan]

A new flash unit would be inappropriate for a 1970's KM, partly because many are designed around TTL exposure modes and the KM is not TTL capable. If you don't know what TTL means, don't worry about it - the KM just does not do it. Plus, they could cost several times the value of your camera (if they are not rubbish). I would therefore look at Ebay etc for used ones in good condition.

The predecessor of TTL was the mode known as AUTO, absent on some modern units, but which will be ideal for your KM. Older units also had a manual mode(s) which involves you doing the Flash Formula calculation youself. Don't get a flash which only has manual modes, that would be crazy.

Unless you want your photos to look like police photos of crime scenes, and your subjects all to have red-eye (actually white-eye in B&W), I would advise you to use bounce flash as much as possible indoors, and that needs a flash unit that can tilt and swivel (latter for portrait format). If you are not familiar with bounce flash, don't worry, you will soon learn about it and its superiority. That rules out many of the simple flash units like the Sunpak GX13 (and series) Pentax AF160, 200 and even the Vivitar 283 which many rave about (it can't swivel).

Get a flash with a low trigger voltage. Older ones can have high voltage (>20V and anything up to 300V ) and newer/better ones have low voltage (<10V). Actially, the KM being an old mechanical camera, can tolerate a high voltage, but if ever you get a newer electronic camera, or if someone happens to fit it on one in ignorance, it would burn out the camera's circuits. Check voltage here Photo Strobe Trigger Voltages . Low voltage units are just as cheap and plentiful as high voltage ones so it is not worth the risk of high voltage. This rules out (just for example) the Sunpak GX series and the Vivitar 283 (which can't be trusted).

Bounce flash needs a bit more power than direct, so look for a Guide Number (GN) of at least 28 (meters at ISO 100). Not sure what part of the world you are from but if that is the USA that GN would be 90 (feet at ISO 100). Sellers on Ebay are not very good at stating GNs so you might need some research. It is often in the name, like the Pentax AF280T is 28. Again, the price of more powerful units on Ebay is generally no more than low power units, partly because most sellers don't seem to have a clue what the GN is anyway; to them it is just a flash unit.

Having said all that, the Pentax AF280T comes out well, though anything with a camera maker's name on it tends to be over-priced. There are some reviews on Pentax Forum. Sunpak, Metz and Braun are good independent brands, and the Sunpak 383 and 422D get good reviews, though I don't have one, and there are many other independent branded units in this class, possibly all made in the same factory. They go on Ebay for £10-£20, it is a buyer's ,market right now, and at that price you can even afford a mistake (or two).

[UncleVanya]

A new flash unit would be inappropriate for a 1970's KM, partly because many are designed around TTL exposure modes and the KM is not TTL capable. If you don't know what TTL means, don't worry about it - the KM just does not do it. Plus, they could cost several times the value of your camera (if they are not rubbish). I would therefore look at Ebay etc.

A modern Pentax or other similar flash would be like this but a bunch of companies make manual and auto flashes that are not TTL.