[Plouis]

I have been happily using my Sigma EF-530 DG SUPER as high speed sync on my Pentax K-5.

Now on the K-3, same setting, I see a flash, but the image remains black.

Any body succeed to use the 2 together for HSS / FP successfully?

P.

Read this thread: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/172-pentax-k-3/245927-non-pentax-flash-k-3-a.html

Someone else seems to have this problem.

[audiobomber]

I have been happily using my Sigma EF-530 DG SUPER as high speed sync on my Pentax K-5.

Now on the K-3, same setting, I see a flash, but the image remains black..

Unfortunately I just confirmed the same thing. No HSS using my EF 530 Super with the K-3. FP mode works fine with the K20D, as it always has.

[stevebrot]

Read this thread: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/172-pentax-k-3/245927-non-pentax-flash-k-3-a.html

Someone else seems to have this problem.

I read through that thread and did not see any reports of the K-3 not working with the EF-530 DG Super.


Steve

I read through that thread and did not see any reports of the K-3 not working with the EF-530 DG Super.


Steve

QuoteOriginally posted by burb Quote
I can confirm that Sigma EF-530 DG Super Flash is working just fine on my k-3
can you/anyone else confirm that this flash has an effect on images when
using HSS (FP) and shutterspeeds shorter than 1/180 (1/160)?

when i set the flash to FP (HSS) and set the shutter to about 1/250s i can't
see any effect in the image. i cross checked with my K-5 and K10d. All
settings where the same on K-3, K-5 and K10d but only the K-5 and
K10d seem to get the HSS 'right'.

camera problem? flash problem? user problem?

greetings,
tx0h

Read more at: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/172-pentax-k-3/245927-non-pentax-flash-k-...#ixzz3O23GgLRn

[Plouis]

I confirm that the P-TTL of my EF-530 DG SUPER Works well with the K-3. That means they communicate correctly, but the FS / HSS mode doesn t work and in fact result in the flash firing but obviously not as it should since the image resulting remain black.

I don t think anything is broken, but I rather think that the communication protocol used now by the K-3 is not supported by this 5 year old flash... That the kind of issue that might be solved by a Flash firmware upgrade, but anybody knows if Sigma is proposing that?

Browsing the web shows that it happened also similarly between succesive generation of Canon Cameras..

The Metz flash I have had a firmware update enabling HSS for the K-5II and K-30 so I guess the protocoll changed after K-5.

[stevebrot]

I don t think anything is broken, but I rather think that the communication protocol used now by the K-3 is not supported by this 5 year old flash.

If that were the case, then the K-3 would not work with older Pentax flashes. There have been updates to the protocol, but backward compatibility is intact for P-TTL. Are you sure that your expectations are correct? Failure of HSS would show as a bright bar at or near the bottom of the frame with the rest of the frame being underexposed. If exposure is even across the frame, the subject was simply too far from the flash. The maximum guide number for HSS is painfully low and the feature only really works at moderate distances.


Steve

[UncleVanya]

If that were the case, then the K-3 would not work with older Pentax flashes. There have been updates to the protocol, but backward compatibility is intact for P-TTL. Are you sure that your expectations are correct? Failure of HSS would show as a bright bar at or near the bottom of the frame with the rest of the frame being underexposed. If exposure is even across the frame, the subject was simply too far from the flash. The maximum guide number for HSS is painfully low and the feature only really works at moderate distances.


Steve

Perhaps not quite true - I've seen this before in other industries. Pentax's own stuff is fully backward compliant because they understand the undocumented (to everyone else) meaning of all of the potential commands. Everyone else is reverse engineering it and hoping to make it work but vulnerable to misinterpretations.

[stevebrot]

QuoteOriginally posted by burb Quote
I can confirm that Sigma EF-530 DG Super Flash is working just fine on my k-3
can you/anyone else confirm that this flash has an effect on images when
using HSS (FP) and shutterspeeds shorter than 1/180 (1/160)?

when i set the flash to FP (HSS) and set the shutter to about 1/250s i can't
see any effect in the image. i cross checked with my K-5 and K10d. All
settings where the same on K-3, K-5 and K10d but only the K-5 and
K10d seem to get the HSS 'right'.

camera problem? flash problem? user problem?

greetings,
tx0h

Read more at: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/172-pentax-k-3/245927-non-pentax-flash-k-...#ixzz3O23GgLRn

I read that post and could not figure out just what measure was being used to determine if HSS was working. Note that there were other users on the same thread who have had no problem with the K-3 and EF-530 DG Super.

What I suspect is that there may be different firmware versions of the EF-530 DG Super out there and that some gate supported features against the identification of the camera it is mounted to. If the camera model is unknown to the flash, it may default to a lower feature set. HSS is, after all, primarily a flash feature.


Steve

[audiobomber]

Are you sure that your expectations are correct? Failure of HSS would show as a bright bar at or near the bottom of the frame with the rest of the frame being underexposed. If exposure is even across the frame, the subject was simply too far from the flash. The maximum guide number for HSS is painfully low and the feature only really works at moderate distances.

That was my first thought as well, HSS eating up power such that it appears not to have flashed. That is clearly not what is going on. I used the exact same settings on my K20D and K-3. The K20D works in HSS mode, the K-3 doesn't.

I also did another test. I shot a scene with the K-3 at 1/180s, then changed the shutter speed to 1/250s. The second shot was several stops too dark. Clearly the flash did not contribute to the lighting.

I suspect others with a K-3 and EF 530 Super are simply not aware of this issue. I know I wasn't. I rarely shoot portraits and even more rarely use HSS. I have had great performance with normal flash, for events and macro. I'll have to try the wireless settings and see if there are any more issues.

[ScooterMaxi Jim]

One might conclude that Ricoh/Pentax is more concerned with reverse engineering from the competition rather than improving the spotty results within their own brand. Or, concerned about the utter failure of pTTL with the K-5 series. Or, pretty much given up on allowing Pentax users to benefit from the superior results available generally from auto-thyrister option (conveniently omitted on their low quality new-and-supposedly improved flash line). Who knows what they are thinking. Obviously, true redesign or a return to real TTL aren't options - the obvious solutions would have been grasped by now.

All I can say is, thankfully, I have a Sunpak 383 Super coming in the mail later today. Had to go with that because those Pentax engineers managed to find a way to foul up the auto-thryster function on the Pentax dedicated Vivitar module (3700 head unit) that had worked so well in Auto on all of the earlier bodies (still does, in fact) - all the way down to the *istD that allowed for real TTL - and worked immensely better than the garbage pTTL mandated for the decade since. The K-3 is a giant step backwards for pTTL - given the unforgivable shutter lag instituted in the latest "fix". K-01/30/50/500 at least was sort of workable in pTTL.

No surprise that many pros are headed for the Yongnuo muti-flash system - just to get away from the many problems introduced by pre-flash inadequacies. Not just the Pentax professionals...

[stevebrot]

One might conclude that Ricoh/Pentax is more concerned with reverse engineering from the competition rather than improving the spotty results within their own brand. Or, concerned about the utter failure of pTTL with the K-5 series. Or, pretty much given up on allowing Pentax users to benefit from the superior results available generally from auto-thyrister option (conveniently omitted on their low quality new-and-supposedly improved flash line). Who knows what they are thinking. Obviously, true redesign or a return to real TTL aren't options - the obvious solutions would have been grasped by now.

All I can say is, thankfully, I have a Sunpak 383 Super coming in the mail later today. Had to go with that because those Pentax engineers managed to find a way to foul up the auto-thryster function on the Pentax dedicated Vivitar module (3700 head unit) that had worked so well in Auto on all of the earlier bodies (still does, in fact) - all the way down to the *istD that allowed for real TTL - and worked immensely better than the garbage pTTL mandated for the decade since. The K-3 is a giant step backwards for pTTL - given the unforgivable shutter lag instituted in the latest "fix". K-01/30/50/500 at least was sort of workable in pTTL.

No surprise that many pros are headed for the Yongnuo muti-flash system - just to get away from the many problems introduced by pre-flash inadequacies. Not just the Pentax professionals...

I don't see the basis for your conclusion within the context of this thread.

FWIW, my Sigma EF-610 DG Super (current model, but purchased before the K-3 release) is fully compatible with my K-3 for all functions...ditto for the K10D. If a legacy Sigma product fails to work with recent Pentax cameras for HSS, I would lay the blame with Sigma, not Pentax. Sigma should provide a mechanism to update their firmware beyond buying a new flash.

I find it strange that your Vivitar auto-thyristor module does not work. My K-3 supports the analog automation protocol (auto-thyristor) of my AF-280T quite nicely.


Steve

[stevebrot]

I suspect others with a K-3 and EF 530 Super are simply not aware of this issue.

The thought occurred to me as well. Thanks for adding your comment.


Steve

[stevebrot]

No surprise that many pros are headed for the Yongnuo muti-flash system - just to get away from the many problems introduced by pre-flash inadequacies. Not just the Pentax professionals...

This last sentence is so true. For serious work, P-TTL and even TTL have always been fairly expensive and often did not work very well. Current generation speedlights provide a workable and cost-affective alternative.


Steve