Questions/Problems with new K-30

IchabodCrane · 10-27-2013, 09:30 AM

Originally posted by ChopperCharles

Looking at your photos, you say the center is option 1 (On), and the left and right are option 2 (off). Well, then I think you have your description backwards, and are in fact showing the actual problem I'm talking about.

I'm assuming you just had the camera on auto mode.

Look at the flash shadow. It's much stronger in the left and right shots, but much dimmer in the center shot. To me, that shows that more flash power is being used to illuminate the scene when the flash is set to option 2 (off). So if anything, the settings appear to be reversed.

Also yes, my slave is set up properly each time.

Charles.

Charles, I believe lister6520 is correct. If there are strong side shadows, it indicates the primary lighting is coming from the side (remote) flash. This is exactly how it's supposed to work under Option 2.

lister6520 · 10-27-2013, 09:53 AM

Originally posted by ChopperCharles

Looking at your photos, you say the center is option 1 (On), and the left and right are option 2 (off). Well, then I think you have your description backwards, and are in fact showing the actual problem I'm talking about.

I'm assuming you just had the camera on auto mode.

Look at the flash shadow. It's much stronger in the left and right shots, but much dimmer in the center shot. To me, that shows that more flash power is being used to illuminate the scene when the flash is set to option 2 (off). So if anything, the settings appear to be reversed.

Also yes, my slave is set up properly each time.

Charles.

That is not the flash shadow but the flash itself. In the centre photo the back of the Metz flash is illuminated by the in-camera flash. In the other two it appears dark because it is not receiving any light (or very little) from the in-camera flash.

To see the illumination from the in camera flash you need to look at the bottom right corner of each image. In the centre image it is so bright it is blown out. In the left image it is softly illuminated and in the right image it is dark.

Iin other words the black patch you see at the bottom roght of the right phot is not a shadow but is the nearby object which is receiving no light at all.

lister6520 · 10-27-2013, 10:10 AM

I've added some captions to the photos in the hope of making it more clear what I mean.

ChopperCharles · 10-27-2013, 03:16 PM

Ah, okay it wasn't clear. I thought you were attempting to recreate my tests -- where the flash was removed from the camera (after being paired correctly as a slave) and hidden away (or turned off) so that it can no longer flash and influence the lighting of the scene.

Charles.

lister6520 · 10-27-2013, 03:27 PM

Originally posted by ChopperCharles

Ah, okay it wasn't clear. I thought you were attempting to recreate my tests -- where the flash was removed from the camera (after being paired correctly as a slave) and hidden away (or turned off) so that it can no longer flash and influence the lighting of the scene.

Charles.

The way you did it might have added another complication. Since you hid away the external flash the camera will not receive the preflash burst from it so it will 'know' that it did not fire. I'm not sure what the camera will do in that case, but if I was the one doing the programming I would make it such that the on board flash would either fire in an attempt to make up for it or else repeat the preflash instruction and the subsequent trigger at higher power. Now that is just a conjecture though - I have not tried it out.

rosscod44 · 10-28-2013, 04:25 AM

Originally posted by ChopperCharles

I've already updated the firmware to 1.05, hoping these two issues would be fixed, but so far no dice.

First, is that the viewfinder display keeps turning off. I have the camera set to turn off in 3 minutes, but the viewfinder display goes off in about 6 seconds. The rear display in about 15 seconds. Is there any way to increase the timeout for these? I've searched through the menu options, but I can't find anything. Especially the viewfinder display. It's absolutely maddening when it turns off while I'm in the middle of composing a shot, and trying to get the horizon just right.

Second, the wireless flash doesn't work as the manual implies. I'm using a Sigma EF610DGwhatever as a wireless PTTL slave. I have the "Flash in Wireless Mode" set to OFF (2), which is supposed to make the built-in flash a controller ONLY. However, the built-in flash fires. It didn't do that with my K-x. I'm trying to go for a low-key shot with side lighting, using my sigma flash in wireless mode. Worked fine with the K-x, but the K-30 always fires the built-in flash, which means the scene is always exposed from the built-in flash. What gives with this? It's completely ignoring the setting.

Any ideas to fix this?

Charles.

I have the metz 48 and k30 and have been experimenting all night with the slave mode and works perfectly. TTLis slig1htly under exposed but is easily corrected through the camera

geru2000 · 10-29-2013, 03:12 AM

According to this list the K30 is not supported or at least not on the list EF-610 DG ST Flash | Sigma

Contact Sigma to be sure. I do know that it took a firmware update from Metz for my AF48 to work properly on the K 30.

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10-27-2013, 09:30 AM	#16
IchabodCrane Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,728	Originally posted by ChopperCharles Looking at your photos, you say the center is option 1 (On), and the left and right are option 2 (off). Well, then I think you have your description backwards, and are in fact showing the actual problem I'm talking about. I'm assuming you just had the camera on auto mode. Look at the flash shadow. It's much stronger in the left and right shots, but much dimmer in the center shot. To me, that shows that more flash power is being used to illuminate the scene when the flash is set to option 2 (off). So if anything, the settings appear to be reversed. Also yes, my slave is set up properly each time. Charles. Charles, I believe lister6520 is correct. If there are strong side shadows, it indicates the primary lighting is coming from the side (remote) flash. This is exactly how it's supposed to work under Option 2.

10-27-2013, 09:53 AM	#17
lister6520 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 733	Originally posted by ChopperCharles Looking at your photos, you say the center is option 1 (On), and the left and right are option 2 (off). Well, then I think you have your description backwards, and are in fact showing the actual problem I'm talking about. I'm assuming you just had the camera on auto mode. Look at the flash shadow. It's much stronger in the left and right shots, but much dimmer in the center shot. To me, that shows that more flash power is being used to illuminate the scene when the flash is set to option 2 (off). So if anything, the settings appear to be reversed. Also yes, my slave is set up properly each time. Charles. That is not the flash shadow but the flash itself. In the centre photo the back of the Metz flash is illuminated by the in-camera flash. In the other two it appears dark because it is not receiving any light (or very little) from the in-camera flash. To see the illumination from the in camera flash you need to look at the bottom right corner of each image. In the centre image it is so bright it is blown out. In the left image it is softly illuminated and in the right image it is dark. Iin other words the black patch you see at the bottom roght of the right phot is not a shadow but is the nearby object which is receiving no light at all.

10-27-2013, 10:10 AM	#18
lister6520 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 733	I've added some captions to the photos in the hope of making it more clear what I mean.

10-27-2013, 03:16 PM	#19
ChopperCharles Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Durham, nc Photos: Albums Posts: 953 Original Poster	Ah, okay it wasn't clear. I thought you were attempting to recreate my tests -- where the flash was removed from the camera (after being paired correctly as a slave) and hidden away (or turned off) so that it can no longer flash and influence the lighting of the scene. Charles.

10-27-2013, 03:27 PM	#20
lister6520 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 733	Originally posted by ChopperCharles Ah, okay it wasn't clear. I thought you were attempting to recreate my tests -- where the flash was removed from the camera (after being paired correctly as a slave) and hidden away (or turned off) so that it can no longer flash and influence the lighting of the scene. Charles. The way you did it might have added another complication. Since you hid away the external flash the camera will not receive the preflash burst from it so it will 'know' that it did not fire. I'm not sure what the camera will do in that case, but if I was the one doing the programming I would make it such that the on board flash would either fire in an attempt to make up for it or else repeat the preflash instruction and the subsequent trigger at higher power. Now that is just a conjecture though - I have not tried it out.

10-28-2013, 04:25 AM	#21
rosscod44 Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 3	Originally posted by ChopperCharles I've already updated the firmware to 1.05, hoping these two issues would be fixed, but so far no dice. First, is that the viewfinder display keeps turning off. I have the camera set to turn off in 3 minutes, but the viewfinder display goes off in about 6 seconds. The rear display in about 15 seconds. Is there any way to increase the timeout for these? I've searched through the menu options, but I can't find anything. Especially the viewfinder display. It's absolutely maddening when it turns off while I'm in the middle of composing a shot, and trying to get the horizon just right. Second, the wireless flash doesn't work as the manual implies. I'm using a Sigma EF610DGwhatever as a wireless PTTL slave. I have the "Flash in Wireless Mode" set to OFF (2), which is supposed to make the built-in flash a controller ONLY. However, the built-in flash fires. It didn't do that with my K-x. I'm trying to go for a low-key shot with side lighting, using my sigma flash in wireless mode. Worked fine with the K-x, but the K-30 always fires the built-in flash, which means the scene is always exposed from the built-in flash. What gives with this? It's completely ignoring the setting. Any ideas to fix this? Charles. I have the metz 48 and k30 and have been experimenting all night with the slave mode and works perfectly. TTLis slig1htly under exposed but is easily corrected through the camera

10-29-2013, 03:12 AM	#22
geru2000 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Watertown, NY Posts: 267	According to this list the K30 is not supported or at least not on the list EF-610 DG ST Flash \| Sigma Contact Sigma to be sure. I do know that it took a firmware update from Metz for my AF48 to work properly on the K 30.

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