[pa_fudd]

Recently bought a K3. Haven't been able to find trigger voltage for the AF400T on line. Is it safe to use with the K3? Does anyone have experience with this flash on a K3? Also have a 360FGZ flash that was used with our K10D so not dead in water if 400 is a risk.

[pschlute]

Have a look here for answers to a similar question. Can I use legacy flashes with modern Pentax cameras (K5, KP)? - PentaxForums.com

The 400 will not work in P-TTL mode. Your AF360 will.

[pa_fudd]

Have reviewed threads and didn’t come across trigger voltage for 400. Had been using 400 with quantum pack on Pentax film cameras and understand and can work around limitations with Pentax going to P-TTL. Bought the 360 new with the 10D in 2007.Tried emailing Ricoh support but no reply.

Was seeking 400 trigger voltage and experience with 400

Regards

[jatrax]

This thread My Dilemma Flash units -AF400T. - PentaxForums.com has a post from someone who says they measured the trigger voltage on their AF400T. Use that info at your own risk, just passing on what I found.

[pschlute]

Have reviewed threads and didn’t come across trigger voltage for 400. Had been using 400 with quantum pack on Pentax film cameras and understand and can work around limitations with Pentax going to P-TTL. Bought the 360 new with the 10D in 2007.Tried emailing Ricoh support but no reply.

Was seeking 400 trigger voltage and experience with 400

Regards

That thread I linked to has someone saying voltage is not a problem, and that your 400 will work using its own built in light measure.

But that flash unit is nearly 40 years old.

[garywakeling]

Posted recently from a similar question

The rule of thumb goes like this:
All Pentax-brand flashes are voltage-safe with all Pentax K-mount cameras
All Pentax-brand flashes are broadly compatible (dedication, flash automation, etc.) with all Pentax K-mount cameras to the extent of their shared features. In some cases, that may mean manual flash only with little or no dedication.
That last is the sticky point, but may provide some happy surprises. I regularly use an AF280T with my K-3. No, it does not support P-TTL, but its behavior on the K-3 when used in either of its "Auto" (auto thyristor) modes includes working with the camera to set appropriate shutter speed and aperture. My review of the AF280T provides details (LINK).

The flip side is that several legacy Pentax flash have features that are closely tailored to camera models being sold at the time the flash was made. The most difficult case being some fairly sophisticated models that support TTL (digital protocol only) and manual modes only. Probably the most notorious being the AF500FTZ and AF220T which are broadly incompatible, feature-wise, with both manual focus film cameras and dSLRs (except *ist D/DS/DS2).

Originally posted by Bui*
Can I try them first to learn some basic things about using flash, and what would I miss using them instead of purchasing an average modern one?
There is no harm in using the AF220T or AF400T on your Pentax dSLRs. The AF400T in "auto" modes should behave much the same as my AF280T (see above), meaning that it should be quite usable.* The AF220T is TTL (digital protocol) dedicated and will operate as manual flash only on your dSLRs. The manual for the AF400T is available at the Pentax Manuals site (LINK) and that for the AF220T is probably at the Butkus site (LINK). What you miss relative to modern flash is convenience (huge), P-TTL exposure automation, and ability to act as optical master/controller/slave for off-camera operation.


Steve

* Note that you will require the 4P Sync Cord B or similar for dedicated hot shoe use. I would experiment with how it behaves in the various exposure modes when using "auto" and suggest Tv or M modes. Using the PC sync only, "Auto" flash exposure will still work, but will require manually setting the flash.

Pentax K-3 :: Vivitar 200/3.5 (M42) :: Pentax-M 200/4 :: Tamron 70-150/3.5 (Adaptall-2) :: Vivitar 135/2.8 (M42) :: LZOS MC Jupiter-9 85/2 :: Pentax-FA 77/1.8 Limited :: A whole slew of K-mount and M42 50s :: Sigma 50/2.8 EX DG Macro :: Pentax-FA 35/2 :: Tamron 28/2.5 (Adaptall-2) :: Pentax-DA 18-55/3.5-5.6 ::Sigma 17-70/2.8-4 (C) :: KMZ MC Zenitar 16/2.8 :: Rokinon 8/3.5
Last edited by stevebrot; 3 Hours Ago at 02:16 AM.

[stevebrot]

Was seeking 400 trigger voltage and experience with 400

Probably the safest option is to measure the voltage yourself. Beyond that are references to the flash in manuals as recent as the MZ-S (2001 to ~2006), the reviews from users of the flash on more recent cameras (645N, 67II, any MZ/ZX, any dSLR) and the lack of warnings regarding fried cameras. As mentioned in the quote above, conventional wisdom is that any Pentax-brand flash is safe. Edit: Safe with the possible exception of the early-1970s vintage AutoRobo.

As for experience, this much as is sure. The unit is heavy, powerful, and capable of only manual and auto-thyristor modes on other than a few *ist D-series dSLR bodies* film bodies able to use the original analog TTL protocol.

Perhaps PF member @Kerrowdown will check in? They did a review of the AF400T in 2010 and are still active on the site.


Steve

* Can never remember if the *ist D cameras include analog TTL in their feature set...Gary (below) says YES...

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Last edited by stevebrot; 08-18-2019 at 08:40 PM. Reason: Correction

[garywakeling]

Probably the safest option is to measure the voltage yourself. Beyond that are references to the flash in manuals as recent as the MZ-S (2001 to ~2006), the reviews from users of the flash on more recent cameras (645N, 67II, any MZ/ZX, any dSLR) and the lack of warnings regarding fried cameras. As mentioned in the quote above, conventional wisdom is that any Pentax-brand flash is safe. Edit: Safe with the possible exception of the early-1970s vintage AutoRobo.

As for experience, this much as is sure. The unit is heavy, powerful, and capable of only manual and auto-thyristor modes on other than a few *ist D-series dSLR bodies* film bodies able to use the original analog TTL protocol.

Perhaps PF member @Kerrowdown will check in? They did a review of the AF400T in 2010 and are still active on the site.


Steve

* Can never remember if the *ist D cameras include analog TTL in their feature set...

*ist D does include the TTL analog set, I have kept it going for macro with the AF080C ring flash

[stevebrot]

*ist D does include the TTL analog set, I have kept it going for macro with the AF080C ring flash

Thanks! That was my impression as well, but I was unable to confirm from the sources I have.


Steve