[jonny1986]

For occasional use I have a Metz 58AF1, it's main bulb "exploded" and it was replaced. It's a nice flash, for sure; I like how it works in A-mode and the secondary reflector is a nice touch (though it requires some fiddling to get the right exposure).
However - and this is my subjective impression, partially supported by the premature broken flashbulb - it doesn't appears to be a "heavy duty" product.

a mode is much better than pttl, just to say the kind of innovation in flash photography, the metz has a pretty weak lens and if you use a bit more in a event, especially using lot of juice, you burn it pretty easily. actually i have all my metz and the 540 with burnt lens. But i have never had the bulb exploding.
Sure the metz are much better package than pentax, but the UI is really slow and tiring.
Really i'm playing with this chinese flash and i'm amazed how simple is the UI and how fast is changing exposure wireless and compensation.

[Kunzite]

wowow...thanks...id buy a d4 just to sync my k5 at 1/250...wow what a great news...and do you think i should take your point seriously?

Yes, you should; and most important, you should properly understand it first: "This is actually a limitation of the camera shutters pentax have been using - not a flash system limitation per se."
Digitalis pretty much confirmed that a new shutter (thus, a new camera) with a higher sync, in order to get 1/250.

a mode is much better than pttl, just to say the kind of innovation in flash photography, the metz has a pretty weak lens and if you use a bit more in a event, especially using lot of juice, you burn it pretty easily. actually i have all my metz and the 540 with burnt lens. But i have never had the bulb exploding.

It didn't explode, it was just broken/split in two.

[Digitalis]

id buy a d4 just to sync my k5 at 1/250

Well why don't you buy a D4 and ditch the K5 since you like to complain so much about the flash system, you might be happier with Nikon CLS.

in studio 1/250 1/180 is pretty similar and is totally useless to sync at higher speed than 1/180....1/250 and more is important outdoor

Quite right - the difference between 1/180th and 1/250th is largely academic - however, with on location photography I use Hasselblad cameras with their top synch speed of 1/1650th so i'm greatly aware of how useful it is to be able to synch at high speeds.

i suspect you have never used flash outside in wireless.

In that case you are wrong: I have, and the results I get are better than most.

[Neo_]

This is actually a limitation of the camera shutters pentax have been using - not a flash system limitation per se. I can get my Pentax K5IIs* to synch at 1/250th, though what you end up with is this:

Pentax cameras don't send an electric signal to the hotshoe at shutter speeds above 1/180, thus the trigger does not fire, I find it annoying that an engineer in Japan 30 years ago decided how far I can push my camera, if I want a black line that's my own business, and 1/180 balancing ambient light and doing motion stopping stuff easily becomes too little

Why would a Pentax flash need this? the trigger voltages on modern flash units are quite well suited to cameras - there isn't the wild variation that you would see in the mid 80s where some flash units would use triggering voltages as high as 800 volts.

Sorry I didn't express myself in the right way, I was talking about thermal protection, I have an external pack for every speedlight I own, I don't go railgun mode but frying a capacitor is always an option.

This only really makes sense for metz and other off brand flash units where cross system compatability is essential and occasional bug-fixes are needed.

what about putting hand to to p-ttl logics and updating camera and flash units just like camera firmware like for ex. AF?

I haven't found this to be a problem with my wildlife photography:

Well I guess you don't use what 's not there, it's always about possibilities

Even if you use off brand wireless flashes you still have no wireless control of flash power output, and even with Nikon CLS you have to deal with a rather annoying menu system when you want to change anything. Elinchrom allow you to control flash units (BRX and Style RX only) from an Ipad or Iphone, I find this to be a great solution because the interface on a tablet PC or smartphone is miles ahead of any camera.

well since we have none of these options here what shoul I comment?
yeah menu systems are annoying better to eliminate them for good...(?)

Prehistoric you say? - have you ever had to use one of these with an AF540 for AF360 flash?

I know what that is for, still where're talking about basic capabilities

I agree with this complaint, however it is possible to modify an AF540 with a plug so that it can be used with these systems, though such a modification would in all probability void your warranty, and not many people are comfortable opening up a flash unit. Or you can simply buy an accessory shoe with the required plug on it and keep your warranty

I know, I wrote it...

* in a nutshell: I got my Pentax K5IIs and linked the shutter release remotely to my Nikon D4 which was set at its synch speed of1/250th which in turn triggered my studio strobes - I had to carefully compensate for the differentials in response time between the two cameras but when I got them to open their shutters to open in perfect sync with each other at 1/250th, I simply had to fire the flash and that was the result that I got.

Sure... we all own other system cameras to try even more workarounds....

Maybe we could go on for weeks, but I think I'll just forget about it, someone pointed out the real deal, there is no degree of innovation whatsoever, is really weather sealing more important than a 3.5mm jack,
a battery meter on screen, thermal management, settings saved at power off, grouping etc...?
We have a 20years old project inside a condom with "exceptionally fast battery recharge time of 5 seconds" (OMG this is almost incredible!! Oh wait, what about flashes recharging in half the time without external packs???) and we're alla sitting there with our jaws opened...
Everyone can judge for themselves, quoting someone else, maybe at pentax they've just weighted their users, and to most these features don't mean a thing.
My 2 cents.

[jonny1986]

Well why don't you buy a D4 and ditch the K5 since you like to complain so much about the flash system, you might be happier with Nikon CLS.



Quite right - the difference between 1/180th and 1/250th is largely academic - however, with on location photography I use Hasselblad cameras with their top synch speed of 1/1650th so i'm greatly aware of how useful it is to be able to synch at high speeds.



In that case you are wrong: I have, and the results I get are better than most.

Your samples are pretty basic flash setup and dont prove nothing...try to shoot comples setup with. Model or fast event with people moving, trying to creating photo thatare different rrom thecrowd....pentax is. Beind and thos. Is a fact. The new flash dont address nothing, still the same flash technology.

I dont need a d4 for m job but sure i' ll buy a nikond800 and sell most of my pentax gear.

Reallyi' m playing with. This thirdpartyconese lash. Tons of feature, -3 +3 compensation, tons of wireless possibility, radio ommand, advancedstrobo, wireless hs withratio and manual control, 185 zoom, ...and on and on...this is a complete flash system at 145 euro. 600 dollar for the pentax flash is out ifthis world.

I have never complaint , even. After the third failure of sdm in my 16-50, even after pentax france charged me 850 euro for fix a 16-50.... I' m. Simply stating the truth. Pentax cannot inovate anymore.

[Kunzite]

The new flash dont address nothing, still the same flash technology.

What makes you so sure about that?

[jonny1986]

Pentax cameras don't send an electric signal to the hotshoe at shutter speeds above 1/180, thus the trigger does not fire, I find it annoying that an engineer in Japan 30 years ago decided how far I can push my camera, if I want a black line that's my own business, and 1/180 balancing ambient light and doing motion stopping stuff easily becomes too little



Sorry I didn't express myself in the right way, I was talking about thermal protection, I have an external pack for every speedlight I own, I don't go railgun mode but frying a capacitor is always an option.



what about putting hand to to p-ttl logics and updating camera and flash units just like camera firmware like for ex. AF?



Well I guess you don't use what 's not there, it's always about possibilities



well since we have none of these options here what shoul I comment?
yeah menu systems are annoying better to eliminate them for good...(?)



I know what that is for, still where're talking about basic capabilities



I know, I wrote it...



Sure... we all own other system cameras to try even more workarounds....

Maybe we could go on for weeks, but I think I'll just forget about it, someone pointed out the real deal, there is no degree of innovation whatsoever, is really weather sealing more important than a 3.5mm jack,
a battery meter on screen, thermal management, settings saved at power off, grouping etc...?
We have a 20years old project inside a condom with "exceptionally fast battery recharge time of 5 seconds" (OMG this is almost incredible!! Oh wait, what about flashes recharging in half the time without external packs???) and we're alla sitting there with our jaws opened...
Everyone can judge for themselves, quoting someone else, maybe at pentax they've just weighted their users, and to most these features don't mean a thing.
My 2 cents.

I don' t need it's not important so don't complain...the mentality ofthis user.

[jonny1986]

What makes you so sure about that?

The specification. Readthem. Technology are the same. Pttl will be the same. Compensation still +1....zoom still 85 ...wireless flash still basic...led light will not be enouh dor most application, apart macro.

If you don' use he flash out of camera, or corded, no problem, if you like to use wireless it will be the same useless system. That' s why even a manual godox with. Transmitter is better.

[Neo_]

I don' t need it's not important so don't complain...the mentality ofthis user.

sorry which user are you talking about?

[Kunzite]

The specification. Readthem. Technology are the same. Pttl will be the same. Compensation still +1....zoom still 85 ...wireless flash still basic...led light will not be enouh dor most application, apart macro.

If you don' use he flash out of camera, or corded, no problem, if you like to use wireless it will be the same useless system. That' s why even a manual godox with. Transmitter is better.

P-TTL "will be the same"? Maybe, maybe not; you don't have a clue about that. You don't know anything besides a very basic list of specs, and the external appearance.
Stop complaining and jump to Nikon already, if Pentax is useless for your needs.

[Fogel70]

Pentax has at least made enough changes on the flashes that cameras need firmware update to fully support them.

[hoanpham]

just use the flash at 1/180, what's wrong with it?
or grab the canon 5D classic for cheap (300-500usd)
you dont need high iso when use with flash, and got fast synch.
m42 lenses still work fine with the 5d, and in FF

can't understand why the complains (!)

[ToyTank]

Does this mean I don't have to carry sandwich bags in the camera bag anymore?

[Quicksand]

Does this mean I don't have to carry sandwich bags in the camera bag anymore?

That depends. Do you want sandwiches?

[Uluru]

just use the flash at 1/180, what's wrong with it?
or grab the canon 5D classic for cheap (300-500usd)
can't understand why the complains (!)

:
Many will be surprised in a few days.