[glanglois]

Too many reports of stuck Pentax flashes and excellent reviews of Metz.

Specs on the Metz looked great. So I stopped spending hours comparing X with Y and just ordered the darn thing to replace the 54 MZ-4 with Pentax shoe.

Have no reason to regret the decision and I refuse to re-visit it. My congenital buyer's remorse needs no feeding.

[junyo]

Sigma EF-530 Super. It's cheap, but powerful, and it's done a yeoman's service.

[LensScribe]

There's a similar thread called 'Is it worth it to invest in a good flash' going on here. Might be of interest.

[Mike L]

Too many reports of stuck Pentax flashes and excellent reviews of Metz.

Ditto with reports of stuck pentax flashes turning me off plus I got a used Metz 58 for $240.00.

There's a similar thread called 'Is it worth it to invest in a good flash' going on here. Might be of interest.

Not to mention Mattdm's PTTL flash comparison

[eva2000]

Using 3x Sigma 530 Supers, one on camera and 2 off camera wirelessly - no probs - and yeah main reason all units master/slave wirelessly + price, the 3 flash units = AUD$750-780 total via Adorama.com. Locally, in Australia one of these sigmas = AUD$499-599 and the Metz 58 >AUD$600+

[Ben_Edict]

I have some older Pentax flash guns (400FTZ and 280 ), but I use nearly always my Metz flash guns:

I have 1x 54MZ-3 - without P-TTL and 1 54MZ4 with P-TTL. Also one older 45CT4 and a 50MZ5, all without P-TTL. I have Quantum Turbos for these. The nice things with Metz flashes are:
- utmost reliability. In the near 30 years I used and am using Metz flash guns none of them ever broke or needed repair.
- great feature set, including the Metz Remote Control, which makes using a couple of flashes wirelessly a treat. Works nicely, independent of camera type
- very capable Auto-mode, with usually lots of available aperture settings
- easy to use
- all of my modells use the SCA system and can be adapted to almost any camera by just swapping the hot shoe adapter
– Metz Guide Numbers are trustworthy and those flash guns all have enough power for my needs.

I nearly forgot my Sunpak DX12-R ringflash, which is a great tool.

Apart from the Metz flash guns I use studio strobes.

Ben

[Ash]

Haven't looked back since getting an AF540.
Excellent lighting tool.
Yeah, it's also suffered the stuck locking pin syndrome, but I managed to successfully perform surgery to cure that problem and my only qualm with it now is that is sometimes dislodges from its contacts because it no longer has a locking pin to keep it in place on the hotshoe.

But I still rate the AF540 well above my Sigma EF-500 Super, which has even more features like multi-strobe, but is not as reliable and easy to use as the AF540.

[Clinton]

And the Pentax is still beating out the Metz in the polls.

When I look at the information here: Pentax P-TTL Flash Comparison: Pentax AF540FGZ and here: Pentax P-TTL Flash Comparison: Metz Mecablitz 58 AF-1 Digital it's pretty clear that the Metz beats out the Pentax in every way and doesn't get stuck in the hotshoe, so why are there more votes for the Pentax flash?

[sterretje]

... , so why are there more votes for the Pentax flash?

I gave my motivation in post#6

[MrPetkus]

And the Pentax is still beating out the Metz in the polls.

When I look at the information here: Pentax P-TTL Flash Comparison: Pentax AF540FGZ and here: Pentax P-TTL Flash Comparison: Metz Mecablitz 58 AF-1 Digital it's pretty clear that the Metz beats out the Pentax in every way and doesn't get stuck in the hotshoe, so why are there more votes for the Pentax flash?

Have you physically inspected both units, slid them on the hotshoe, used them? Feature comparisons on paper only tell part of the story. I was 100% set on the Metz 58 until trying the Pentax AF-540.

The performance of the unit is outstanding - I would buy the AF-540 again and again.

[Canada_Rockies]

And the Pentax is still beating out the Metz in the polls.

When I look at the information here: Pentax P-TTL Flash Comparison: Pentax AF540FGZ and here: Pentax P-TTL Flash Comparison: Metz Mecablitz 58 AF-1 Digital it's pretty clear that the Metz beats out the Pentax in every way and doesn't get stuck in the hotshoe, so why are there more votes for the Pentax flash?

Some of those of us who responded - or at least, I - chose Pentax for the simple reason that it is a Pentax flash. The stick-to-mount problem does not bother me, as the flash is more or less permanently installed in the foot plate that came with it. I doubt that it will ever be installed in the hot shoe. If I discover the need to put it in the hot shoe, I shall take out the locking pin.

[NeverSatisfied]

Just my opinion but I think this "540 sticking in the hot shoe" is not that common a problem. So far I've owned 3 Pentax AF-540's (and a 360), on and off the camera (both K10D and K20D) many times, with never a problem. And actually I kind of like the little lever that secures the flash to the camera, makes it very quick to attach/detach.

Besides, I wouldn't necessarily say that the Metz beats it "in every way". I agree with Mr. Petkus.

P.S. Hopefully this doesn't start an argument, "a la SDM", between those who have experienced the problem and those who haven't. (Coming from an SDM victim, so I feel your pain!)

[lurchlarson]

I don't think it counts as "higher end" but my Metz 48 is GREAT.

[Clinton]

Since I put this post up has anyone procured a flash or come up with a new opinion one way or the other?

I'm getting closer to purchasing a flash, and I'm still not sure which way to go.

I do frequently shoot at 135mm, and the metz seems to have an edge in this area, but everyone seems to feel like the no slave mode off camera as well as the controls mean that the Pentax is the superior choice.

I'm not currently planning to buy more than one flash, so for the time being at least, I'm not likely to have another flash on camera trying to control the metz off camera.

How are the controls on the Pentax that much more usable than the metz?

[Clinton]

In another thread, I'm looking at ring flashes: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/camera-studio-accessories/103703-ring-fla...15-ms-1-a.html

Now, correct me if I'm wrong here, but if I say have the Sigma EM140 mounted on the camera, it wont be possible for me to use the Metz as a slave flash for additional lighting through PTTL?