New flash: AF360FGZ II AW

Fogel70 · 08-27-2013, 11:23 PM

Originally posted by Kozlok

The KX doesn't support an internal AF assist light, so I'm sure it's an insurmountable problem. The camera probably lacks the basic ability to send a request to the AF assist light since it's not in the hardware to start with.

The older vision of these flashes support AF assist on all DSLR, so Pentax has just designed these new flashes in a way that cameras need new firmware to be able to use AF assist, and they don't want to upgrade firmware on cameras sold more than 3 years ago. BTW, K7 has its own AF assist, but is not supported,

Kunzite · 08-27-2013, 11:26 PM

Oh, no! They didn't write Pentax in enough places! They're preparing to drop the Pentax brand!!!111oneoneone

Looking good so far; and those LED lights made me thinking - we read about them in one of the interviews. Kitazawa-san was actually hinting about what would become real products.

Clavius · 08-27-2013, 11:59 PM - **1 Like**

This is very very VERY good news. The Pentax flash lineup was in the deerest need of a good update.

Ishpuini · 08-28-2013, 12:34 AM

Great, I love it!! Finally a weather sealed flash. The most I've used my two AF540FGZ's the last years was for macro photography in wet rain forests. I was constantly worried a badly aimed drop of water would leak into the flash, so I was always shielding it and when the rain actually reached the forest floor I preferred shooting with available light or putting the camera away (if too dark) rather than continue shooting with the flash. I missed quite a few shots that way, so I'll be first in line to get me a new AF540FGZII !!! Hopefully before November, because that's when I'll be spending a week in the Peruvian Amazon forest.

Wim

PS: Expect two AF540FGZ's on the marketplace once I have my weather sealed AF540FGZII...

HawaiianOnline · 08-28-2013, 12:43 AM

Originally posted by Clavius

This is very very VERY good news. The Pentax flash lineup was in the deerest need of a good update.

If they work better than the old ones. The WR is definitely welcome news, but I want to see if the flash performance is up to snuff. Better yet, I hope some of the overexposure issues have been addressed, if possible.

RonHendriks1966 · 08-28-2013, 01:10 AM

Looking at the specs, that is great. Basicly both are the same flash with different power. The led is something I like as the AW. For most things the guidenumber 36 is more then adequate.

Clavius · 08-28-2013, 01:13 AM

...Still powered by AA's though...

(I'm a Pentaxian, I have to complain about something.)

RonHendriks1966 · 08-28-2013, 01:22 AM

Originally posted by Clavius

...Still powered by AA's though...

(I'm a Pentaxian, I have to complain about something.)

I would have liked the same batterypack as used in K-5 in it.

drypenn · 08-28-2013, 01:25 AM

I would have liked for it to come in various color combination, say yellow and pink, violet and brown...

Why should Ricoh (err-Pentax) limit us to black?

Oh, that will be for next year??? Ok great!

/sarcasm

Kunzite · 08-28-2013, 01:29 AM

Wait a minute... I think I saw something in the announcement:

Quote:

II. Power-zoom flash to cover angles of view from 24mm to 85mm lenses (in 35mm format)
III. Built-in wide-angle panel that slides out to cover 20mm angle of view (in 35mm format)

They're FF compatible! A FF is coming!

novsky · 08-28-2013, 01:34 AM

WR, LED & AF-LED that's pretty good ! just hope they will keep the settings in memory aftert rebooting........

**Digitalis** · 08-28-2013, 01:58 AM

Originally posted by Aristophanes

I just hope they fixed the battery cover.

My thoughts exactly.... the AF360 is a disaster. From the look of the images and taking into account that these are WR flash units, the battery doors look much more substantial than before.

I also hope we get 1/3rd stop flash exposure increments in manual mode - Canon and Nikon have that option. Also after taking a look at the design there may be issues with the placement of the flash slave sensors, since they had to be shifted to make way for the LED illumination panels. The new flashes may be more directional when used in wireless mode...we will have to wait and see.

Originally posted by Kunzite

Power-zoom flash to cover angles of view from 24mm to 85mm lenses (in 35mm format)

Originally posted by Kunzite

They're FF compatible! A FF is coming!

The AF540FGZ and AF360 also reads the focal lengths used with 645 and 67 formats - is there a digital 67 coming?

Steelski · 08-28-2013, 02:00 AM

Now lower the price and it might turn a few heads from competition, otherwise its just overpriced. 400 euro for the 54 would be about right.

Uluru · 08-28-2013, 02:10 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by Steelski

Now lower the price and it might turn a few heads from competition, otherwise its just overpriced. 400 euro for the 54 would be about right.

How much moolah for other weather sealed flashes, to have some valid competition comparison point? Say that one from Canon?
Ah yes, let me guess, it's a Canon, so we are willing to pay Canon whatever they ask for.

SirBismuth · 08-28-2013, 02:16 AM - **1 Like**

Heh, these are announced just as I am in the market for a flash, was looking at 540GZs as I want swivel, now the AF360FGZ II, does that AND WR!

/adds AF360FGZ II AW to shopping list!

B

08-28-2013, 02:00 AM	#43
Steelski Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Varna Posts: 470	Thanks Ricoh, Now lower the price and it might turn a few heads from competition, otherwise its just overpriced. 400 euro for the 54 would be about right.

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08-27-2013, 11:23 PM	#31
Fogel70 Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Photos: Albums Posts: 3,062	Originally posted by Kozlok The KX doesn't support an internal AF assist light, so I'm sure it's an insurmountable problem. The camera probably lacks the basic ability to send a request to the AF assist light since it's not in the hardware to start with. The older vision of these flashes support AF assist on all DSLR, so Pentax has just designed these new flashes in a way that cameras need new firmware to be able to use AF assist, and they don't want to upgrade firmware on cameras sold more than 3 years ago. BTW, K7 has its own AF assist, but is not supported,

08-27-2013, 11:26 PM	#32
Kunzite Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Romania Posts: 15,132	Oh, no! They didn't write Pentax in enough places! They're preparing to drop the Pentax brand!!!111oneoneone Looking good so far; and those LED lights made me thinking - we read about them in one of the interviews. Kitazawa-san was actually hinting about what would become real products.

08-27-2013, 11:59 PM - 1 Like	#33
Clavius Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: De Klundert Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,150	This is very very VERY good news. The Pentax flash lineup was in the deerest need of a good update.

08-28-2013, 12:34 AM	#34
Ishpuini Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Antwerp, Belgium Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,727	Great, I love it!! Finally a weather sealed flash. The most I've used my two AF540FGZ's the last years was for macro photography in wet rain forests. I was constantly worried a badly aimed drop of water would leak into the flash, so I was always shielding it and when the rain actually reached the forest floor I preferred shooting with available light or putting the camera away (if too dark) rather than continue shooting with the flash. I missed quite a few shots that way, so I'll be first in line to get me a new AF540FGZII !!! Hopefully before November, because that's when I'll be spending a week in the Peruvian Amazon forest. Wim PS: Expect two AF540FGZ's on the marketplace once I have my weather sealed AF540FGZII...

08-28-2013, 12:43 AM	#35
HawaiianOnline Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hawaii Posts: 613	Originally posted by Clavius This is very very VERY good news. The Pentax flash lineup was in the deerest need of a good update. If they work better than the old ones. The WR is definitely welcome news, but I want to see if the flash performance is up to snuff. Better yet, I hope some of the overexposure issues have been addressed, if possible.

08-28-2013, 01:10 AM	#36
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675 Original Poster	Looking at the specs, that is great. Basicly both are the same flash with different power. The led is something I like as the AW. For most things the guidenumber 36 is more then adequate.

08-28-2013, 01:13 AM	#37
Clavius Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: De Klundert Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,150	...Still powered by AA's though... (I'm a Pentaxian, I have to complain about something.)

08-28-2013, 01:22 AM	#38
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675 Original Poster	Originally posted by Clavius ...Still powered by AA's though... (I'm a Pentaxian, I have to complain about something.) I would have liked the same batterypack as used in K-5 in it.

08-28-2013, 01:25 AM	#39
drypenn Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Photos: Albums Posts: 963	I would have liked for it to come in various color combination, say yellow and pink, violet and brown... Why should Ricoh (err-Pentax) limit us to black? Oh, that will be for next year??? Ok great! /sarcasm

08-28-2013, 01:29 AM	#40
Kunzite Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Romania Posts: 15,132	Wait a minute... I think I saw something in the announcement: Quote: II. Power-zoom flash to cover angles of view from 24mm to 85mm lenses (in 35mm format) III. Built-in wide-angle panel that slides out to cover 20mm angle of view (in 35mm format) They're FF compatible! A FF is coming!

08-28-2013, 01:34 AM	#41
novsky Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 63	WR, LED & AF-LED that's pretty good ! just hope they will keep the settings in memory aftert rebooting........

08-28-2013, 01:58 AM	#42
Digitalis Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,694	Originally posted by Aristophanes I just hope they fixed the battery cover. My thoughts exactly.... the AF360 is a disaster. From the look of the images and taking into account that these are WR flash units, the battery doors look much more substantial than before. I also hope we get 1/3rd stop flash exposure increments in manual mode - Canon and Nikon have that option. Also after taking a look at the design there may be issues with the placement of the flash slave sensors, since they had to be shifted to make way for the LED illumination panels. The new flashes may be more directional when used in wireless mode...we will have to wait and see. Originally posted by Kunzite Power-zoom flash to cover angles of view from 24mm to 85mm lenses (in 35mm format) Originally posted by Kunzite They're FF compatible! A FF is coming! The AF540FGZ and AF360 also reads the focal lengths used with 645 and 67 formats - is there a digital 67 coming?

08-28-2013, 02:10 AM - 2 Likes	#44
Uluru Banned Join Date: May 2010 Location: Back to my Walkabout Creek Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,535	Originally posted by Steelski Now lower the price and it might turn a few heads from competition, otherwise its just overpriced. 400 euro for the 54 would be about right. How much moolah for other weather sealed flashes, to have some valid competition comparison point? Say that one from Canon? Ah yes, let me guess, it's a Canon, so we are willing to pay Canon whatever they ask for.

08-28-2013, 02:16 AM - 1 Like	#45
SirBismuth Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Pretoria, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 126	Heh, these are announced just as I am in the market for a flash, was looking at 540GZs as I want swivel, now the AF360FGZ II, does that AND WR! /adds AF360FGZ II AW to shopping list! B