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12-07-2021, 01:03 AM   #76
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QuoteOriginally posted by JimJohnson Quote
Godox (Adorama Flashpoint) have proved it is possible with their mini
The biggest thing would be allowing the hot shoe flash to get it's juice from the camera battery. All flashes are large due to batteries. Would be worth it even if the camera battery runs out quicker.

12-07-2021, 03:58 AM   #77
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QuoteOriginally posted by house Quote
The biggest thing would be allowing the hot shoe flash to get it's juice from the camera battery. All flashes are large due to batteries. Would be worth it even if the camera battery runs out quicker.
The camera would have to bulk up to accommodate for a flash capacitor, and it would have to be a fairly large one at that - the one used on onboard flashes is already about 30g or so, and it powers a *puny* light, not a big and mean 540 with HSS capabilities.
12-07-2021, 05:58 AM   #78
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QuoteOriginally posted by Serkevan Quote
The camera would have to bulk up to accommodate for a flash capacitor
I took House to mean that the capacitor would still be in the flash, but the battery to power it would be that of the camera. Another hotshoe sontact needed!
12-07-2021, 06:48 AM   #79
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QuoteOriginally posted by Lord Lucan Quote
I took House to mean that the capacitor would still be in the flash, but the battery to power it would be that of the camera. Another hotshoe sontact needed!
That would indeed be a possibility, but how much bulk are we saving in the flash gun itself, then? Not much, I'd guess...

12-07-2021, 07:30 AM   #80
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Yes I meant only the battery in the camera. It seems batteries take up a lot of space in all the flashes I've seen but I've not looked at recent mini ones. A mini flash should have mini power. Anything else is wishful thinking.
12-09-2021, 02:13 PM   #81
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QuoteOriginally posted by house Quote
Yes I meant only the battery in the camera. It seems batteries take up a lot of space in all the flashes I've seen but I've not looked at recent mini ones. A mini flash should have mini power. Anything else is wishful thinking.
The Flashpoint Mini R2 uses two AA batteries. Two of these minis fit in the space I previously used for my 540. And other than a lower guide number and communicating via RF rather than IR, have nearly all the features of a 540.

So getting back to the primary topic... I get to have both GPS and a wireless off-camera flash on my K-1 .... What I really want is a flash like this Mini that supports Pentax's IR-based p-TTL. with the primary use as a hotshoe master/fill or just controller with my 540 sitting off-camera as my key light.
12-09-2021, 03:00 PM   #82
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QuoteOriginally posted by JimJohnson Quote
The Flashpoint Mini R2 uses two AA batteries.
That means it's absolutely huge. A built in flash replacement should be built in flash size. The Mini R2 is a proper flash (googled it). It's interesting that no one makes an abysmal but tiny point and shoot style flash because it has it's uses.

12-09-2021, 06:00 PM - 1 Like   #83
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QuoteOriginally posted by house Quote
That means it's absolutely huge. A built in flash replacement should be built in flash size. The Mini R2 is a proper flash (googled it). It's interesting that no one makes an abysmal but tiny point and shoot style flash because it has it's uses.
yes, well, are you going to avoid all tools that don't fit the pie in the sky ideal, or see if you can make some kind of compromise to get shots you are missing?

If only the former, my LAST camera would be a mark I K-3. I still have it and in some situations it is the tool of choice. But I really like my K-1 also. And the Flashpoint/Godox Mini R2 flashes are at this time the compromise I must make.
I'll keep nagging about a true pTTL version of the Mini as I am likely to see that long before Pentax releases a camera & flash that meet your vision. And that doesn't mean I dislike your vision.

Again, going back to the thread topic... I have the O-GPS hotshoe add-on for my K-3. Not only is it clunky and too power hungry to just leave on, it also prevents the use of the K-3's built-in flash. I use the built-in GPS on my K-1 whenever I can obtain a signal (meaning mostly outdoors or next to windows), and I can use it AND a hotshoe mounted flash at the same time. I know where I took a photo when I see it. What I use the GPS EXIF information for is to FIND that photo faster among all the others on my harddrive using a location search term.
12-09-2021, 06:49 PM   #84
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You guys know about the Olympus FL-LM1/2/3 series right? These are exactly what was proposed. They use camera battery power and these are small flashes. The real benefit is that they are very light.
12-09-2021, 07:24 PM   #85
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QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
You guys know about the Olympus FL-LM1/2/3 series right? These are exactly what was proposed. They use camera battery power and these are small flashes. The real benefit is that they are very light.
They go for very little money too.

Without digging for technical specs, I would strongly suspect they are pretty much a 'dumb' flash tube using the not only the camera's battery, but all the electronics are buried inside the camera body. Essentially the same thing with Pentax's popup flashes. I have been led to believe that Pentax has run out of room inside their flagship dSLR bodies for such electronics unless the body size is increased - - and people already complain the K-1 is 'bulky'.
12-10-2021, 12:02 AM   #86
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QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
You guys know about the Olympus FL-LM1/2/3 series right? These are exactly what was proposed. They use camera battery power and these are small flashes. The real benefit is that they are very light.
The GR3`s could really use a flash like that.
12-13-2021, 09:41 AM - 1 Like   #87
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GPS Never

Honestly I never use the GPS. This may bne a good feature to use when travelling on a vacation or the like when you really want to know where each shot was take. Not so important for location you are familiare with.
12-14-2021, 11:03 AM - 1 Like   #88
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QuoteOriginally posted by biz-engineer Quote
I've used Pentax K1 since the year of release, but I only used the GPS tagging once for testing that it worked. I can easily remember the exact places I took my photos, even years after having taken them, that's why I didn't feel the need to use GPS tagging. The only time I made use of GPS was for the Astrotracer, but that only on the occasions of shooting night skies. In general, I'd prefer to have the flash hot-shoe anchored to a solid magnesium allow frame, like it is on the K3 Mk III, and buy a separate GPS module for night skies photography. Am I the only one feeling that way?
I use it when I remember to turn it on It's helpful because on my gallery website, I've got a map showing where each photo was taken and it automatically adds it when I use this feature.
12-28-2021, 05:28 PM   #89
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I am using the GPS of my K3II always to tag Location . But I never used it for astrotracing...

Most of my pictures are from traveling, many in nature without any good location references, hence GPS is more than helpfull. I have also used GPS trackers which could synchronize with pictures in postprocessing...lots of overhead.
I am wondering if the GPS unit would be smaller if it needed to be less accurate than for astrotracing. I guess the orientation sensitivity , the compass function, the 3axes of rotation, need for calibration etc are not required for simple location positions.
My personal feeling is that a smaller inbuild unit makes more sense for daily tagging of pictures , the bigger external o-gps for astro.
I have also a pocket camera with GPS, so a smaller GPS must be feasible - otherwise half of this camera would be GPS related. Same for smartphones, they don't have prisma bubble to hide the gps...

And after several years of using the camera, I can't say I missed the flash : the K3's improved iso sensitivity compared to my old k10 did the job well. And externall Flashes are more powerfull.
So I am happy with GPS in my camera. I would miss it in any successor as from any current line-up. Also not convinced by the new phone app based GPS sync, too many worries about phone connection.

Maybe the question is what do you want inside the camera : position - astro - flash ? And what can be external...?
12-28-2021, 07:27 PM   #90
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QuoteOriginally posted by mlag Quote
Maybe the question is what do you want inside the camera : position - astro - flash ? And what can be external...?
Great question!
Indoors / in studio = Need flash, don't need position/astro.
Outdoors = Need position, maybe astro.
Outdoors and Need Flash = Need UMBRELLA OR SUNSHINE!
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