[bcorson]

After rechecking the Jun 2013 compatibility list the 58 AF (1&2) is compatible with the K30 with v4 firmware upgrade
installed. Problem is there is no v4 firmware update that I can find. I have contacted Metz for further comment/help.

Where did you find June 2013 compatibility list?

[tvcrider]

I just received this email notice from Mertz:

The new firmware version for the flash unit mecablitz 50 AF-1 digital for Pentax is available. The new version enables the HSS function together with Pentax K-30. This new version can be downloaded from our homepage by following link:

Pentax: Metz

[reivax]

I just received this email notice from Mertz:

The new firmware version for the flash unit mecablitz 50 AF-1 digital for Pentax is available. The new version enables the HSS function together with Pentax K-30. This new version can be downloaded from our homepage by following link:

Pentax: Metz

Thank you for the update. You just saved me the price of a Metz 52. I just flashed the firmware, but the batteries are charging so I haven't had a chance to test it out yet. Has anyone else had a chance to test it out?

[Motyl]

reivax Write when you check.

[geru2000]

New Firmware for the AF48-1 announced:

Improvement: HSS function with Pentax K-30 and K-5 II will be enabled.

Firmware V5.0 (released on 18.06.2013)

[redimp]

Time to reawaken my ebay search

[reivax]

reivax Write when you check.

Write when I check?

Edit: Sorry, I have no idea why it made no sense when I first read it.

It works great. It is very accurate now. I definitely won't be purchasing a new P-TTL flash anytime soon.

---

Last edited by reivax; 06-19-2013 at 11:23 AM. Reason: Made no sense.

[StephenHampshire]

Write when I check?

Updated my 48 af-1's firmware yesterday, works fine on my K30 including HSS

[donfenix]

Does anybody else continue to get underexposed images using the K-30 with the Metz 50 AF-1 in bounce mode at focal lengths close to 50mm? I can't for the life of me figure out whether this is a flash firmware problem or a camera problem. I have been comparing the K-30 and the K-x in a plethora of different scenarios (ceiling bounce, straight ahead, 18mm, 50mm, 135mm, you name it). The older K-x always gets me relatively well-exposed shots. The K-30 always gives me underexposed shots in the ceiling bounce mode, even after I updated the flash firmware to 4.0. The underexposure is most pronounced around 50mm. At 18mm or 135mm, the K-x and the K-30 both produce more or less similar results whether bounced or straight.

[felixkh]

Are you using HSS, TTL or A? If all else fails, use A and see if there is still underexposure.

When I had the K5 + 58 AF-1, TTL is inconsistent, but A is OK. I now have a K30 and just upgraded the 58 AF-1 to V5.0 firmware and will need to test it out soon.

[donfenix]

Thanks for your reply felixkh. I'm not sure what you mean by A. The only "main" flash modes on the 50 AF-1 that I'm aware of are P-TTL, P-TTL HSS, and M. If by A you mean the camera Aperture mode, I have indeed tried it in P-TTL bounce mode and it gives me underexposed pictures. I had sent Metz several sample images taken in identical conditions and settings with the K-30 and the K-x and showed that I would consistently get underexposed pictures using the 50 AF-1 on the K-30 (while the same flash on the K-x always gave me perfectly exposed images). I initially assumed that the problem came from the flash firmware. I just heard back from Metz telling me that this is a problem with the K-30 instead and not with their flash. They said that even if I used the Pentax flash AF-540FGZ on the K-30, I would still end up getting the same underexposed shots in the bounce mode. Here is what they wrote:

"Meanwhile we could check the digital-camera Pentax K-30 with further flash units. Thereby we also used the Pentax flash unit AF-540FGZ. In this case we also could realise the underexposures in P-TTL-flash-mode when the main reflector of the flash unit is bounced. We also could realise that the Pentax K-30 works different to former Pentax digital-cameras in this case. We suppose that the Pentax K-30 includes the distance to the subject which is realised by the lens much more in the flash exposure than former cameras. In this case the flash unit mecablitz 50 AF-1 digital for Pentax works comparable to the Pentax flash unit AF-540FGZ. Since our exposures also are comparable to your exposures we suppose that your flash unit mecablitz 50 AF-1 digital works trouble free. The reason is that the light output of the flash units in P-TTL-flash-mode is controlled by the camera. Maybe you can check your camera with an other flash unit or a Pentax flash unit for example at your dealer. In this case you will realise that the mecablitz 50 AF-1 digital for Pentax works in the same way."

This brings up 2 questions:
1. Can anybody confirm that the K-30 paired with a AF-540FGZ will indeed produce underexposed pictures in the bounce mode?
2. If yes, does anybody know what would be the best way to bring this problem to Pentax's attention?

If this is indeed a problem with the K-30, I guess it just takes a simple firmware update to fix it.

[SteveB]

The Sigma EF610 DG Super does the opposite on the K-30, it underexposes 1/2 stop in the straight ahead position and overexposes 1 stop in bounce mode, even tilted marginally as it happens as soon as the bounce icon appears on the Sigma LCD. There is less error though if I use a bounce card or diffuser. Exposures are very consistent though.

What that proves I'm not sure other than the K-30 needs a bit of firmware fixing for bounce flash, any make.

If there were a separate bounce flash EV compensation in the camera (if that's possible), we could all please ourselves with any flash.

[donfenix]

The Sigma EF610 DG Super does the opposite on the K-30, it underexposes 1/2 stop in the straight ahead position and overexposes 1 stop in bounce mode, even tilted marginally as it happens as soon as the bounce icon appears on the Sigma LCD. There is less error though if I use a bounce card or diffuser. Exposures are very consistent though.

What that proves I'm not sure other than the K-30 needs a bit of firmware fixing for bounce flash, any make.

If there were a separate bounce flash EV compensation in the camera (if that's possible), we could all please ourselves with any flash.

SteveB, I don't think a bounce flash EV compensation in the camera would solve the problem. From the emails I have exchanged with Metz it seems that the camera tries to control the flash power based on the distance to subject. It does this whether in bounce mode or straight ahead. Normally this feature should turn off when you tilt the flash head into a bounce mode even for a small angle. The reason is that the distance between your lens and your subject will then have nothing to do with the distance between your bounce surface and your flash (it will be completely random based on how high/reflecting your ceiling is or how far/reflecting your wall is). Older cameras like the K-x don't suffer from this because the camera doesn't communicate any distance to the flash in any mode, bounce or not. The newer K-30 should normally turn off this distance communication feature as soon as it senses the bounce mode, but it does not, which results in random exposures, at least that's how I understood it. I agree with you that the K-30 needs a bit of firmware fixing, I just don't know what's the best way to bring that problem to Pentax's attention, especially that you and I are using non-Pentax flash brands. If I could get a confirmation from another member that he/she experiences this same problem with Pentax's own AF360 or AF540, then it would be a very strong case. Metz wrote back to me that this is not the kind of problem that they could address with an update to the flash firmware (which leaves the camera firmware update as the only potentially viable solution). Metz's more advanced flash (the 58 AF-2) can allegedly get around this problem as it has its own sensor and can work without P-TTL but I'm not ready to pay $400 for that yet.

[SteveB]

There's nothing random about the Sigma's P-TTL exposures. Any room size/subject distance within the flash's power range gives the same exposure (as near as) in bounce, it's just too hot and needs some compensation which is fine and good but that makes direct flash even darker. Luckily I almost never use direct flash.

[redimp]

Direct flash - urgh, only if there is nothing to bounce off and then with a diffuser