[jamescp]

Hi.
I'm starting to think about getting a flash for m k10d. I don't do a lot of flash shooting but do find the the built in flash a bit limiting with my 16 to 45 (vignetting) Will the 540 and 360 flashes solve this problem? I don't do a lot of people photos and would probably use the flash for interior shots while traveling. I've been told the swivel feature on the 540 is an important function. Is this with the extra power worth the step up in cost. Has anyone heard of a way to make the 360 swivel? Anyway these are some of the Questions I have, and any advise would be a big help.
Thanks.

[-=JoN=-]

i find the swivel to be a big help, especially if your doing vertical shots. also having the ability to bounce all over is huge.

and yes, having a shoe mount flash, 360, 540 or anything else, will be a big tremendous help if you do a lot of flash photography.

as for the 360..k10 has wireless functions so....i think the 360 also....(i forget) so..having said that...you dont need to mount it in cam ..but it will be a pain...

having a flash gun is a must in every photographers bag...

[Ash]

If you want swivel, don't compromise on not getting a flash with it.
It simply adds a lot more versatility for indoor bounce photography that tilt only flashes simply cannot do.

If price is a major issue, you can go with some of the third-party P-TTL flashes with tilt and swivel, like the Sigma EF-530 DG Super, which is almost as powerful but significantly cheaper than the AF540, or you could even find a second hand Sigma EF-500 DG Super, like I have that is just as versatile and has served me well - build quality's different, but it is much cheaper still.

[Venturi]

One of the most important things to learn about flash photography is how light works. To that end, I tend not to recommend going with a dedicated P-TTL/TTL flash as the first one in your bag, unless all you intend to do is snapshots. (There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a snapshot photographer, by the way!)

Both the AF360FGZ and AF540FGZ are damn good flashes. The swivel on the 540 is definitely a big plus. The question is do you want to invest $300+ right now towards this end of your photography.

If you're interested in understanding flash beyond attaching it to the hot shoe and turning it on there are tons of "entry level" options in flash both with and without swivel that won't break the bank. The Pentax AF280T is a good dependable flash with 270deg swivel and can be picked up on the used market for under $100. For more power I used to be totally in the Vivitar 285HV camp because it is a workhorse (no swivel), but there's a new flash on the scene that shows great promise LumoPro LP120 Manual Flash. Dave Hobby @ strobist.com just did a review of it here. I have a pair of 285HVs in addition to my AF540FGZ, and I'm considering upgrading my 285s to a pair of LP120s later this year.

[Ash]

What Jim says is quite true.
It's crucial to know how flashes work and how you can use them to get the effect you want.
Bear in mind that if you want to go cheaply with a non-PTTL flash then on the K10D and K20D, you'll need to shoot in M (manual) mode and set your flash power to the right level to get adequate exposure for the settings on the camera.

I did this for some time on my K100D with a great old Nissin twin flash that had tilt and swivel (costed me about $30). Fantastic results once I got the settings right (took me 2 or 3 test shots to adjust settings). Indeed, this is another cost-effective way of getting good practice at bounce flash photography.

[Ben_Edict]

In my opinion a good flash (aka one with enough power, tilt/swivel, reliability etc.) is a much more important ans sensible investment in photography than just another lens. It is not of much importance, whether it supports P-TTL, as some flash modells have very good auto-thyristor control of a wide ranges of aperture settings, which is at least as good as P-TTL.

One thing you should appreciate from the start is, that a flash can be used off-camera in many situations, either with wireless control or via a cord. This gives you much more freedom in setting your light, than any flash bound to the camera.

If you go for the 540 or 360 there i one advantage, that is, that you can use your built-in flash together with the Pentax flashes to achive a level of contrast control, i.e. setting up the external, more powerfull flash as a main light and using the built-in flash as a fill-light. This gives you a very convenient approach to more controlled lighting.

Flash photography is a very wide field and can't be covered in a single thread, but it is something any photog should know about, at least to some degree.

Ben

[roentarre]

Moved to accessories section.

[janosh]

You may be interested in Strobist, which is dedicated entirely to small strobes, especially used off-camera. Great instruction posts, helpful forum. The DVD they sell is also excellent.

Consider Vivitar 285HV strobes...I use mine with Elincrom Skyport wireless links. Cheaper than Pentax (maybe pay $75), more rugged, gn 120 looong a favorite of photojournalists (until most switched to Nikon/Canon).

You might also look for the long-discontinued Sunpak 411...good for carry-around (about half the size of Vivitar and Pentax), similar output, swivels fully, rugged.