[Clicking-Jack]

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Dear readers,

This question is about the cable that connects the flash to the DSLR camera
So like the PentaxAF540FGZ, or METZ 44 AF, or SIGMA EF610 Super to the K30.

The camera and the Flash both will have their Hot Shoe adapter. These adapters have a 5-pins screw connector. The cables that Pentax sells are the F5P and F5PL. These cables have the 5 –pins male screw connectors. We want to make a flexible straight cable of desired length.
So, we want to make our own cable. We do not want to use wireless flash-firing so please forgetabout that issue.

The F5P cable is screwed onto a shoe adapter at each side ( Off Camera Shoe adapter; and adapter Fg)

There are two ways to go.

1) take two shoe adapters, screw them open (if possible ?) and solder the cable directly into the shoe adapters.

2) Or find the correct 5-pins male screw connectors and fix the disired cable in between;

Regarding the 1st solution,has anyone ever opened a shoe adapter ? Maybe pictures ?

Regarding the 2nd solution, has anyone information :

a) the text that is on the screw connectors (at the cables);
b) the brand and type connector;

Further, important to know: is the cable a 1 to1 or are there crossed wires ?

Hope the idea is clear.
Thank you very much for your attribution.

[lister6520]

Is there any particular reason you want to make it rather than buy it? I bought one on eBay which works fine:

TTL Off Camera Sync Cable Cord For Pentax PK (TTL-P) | eBay

If you make it yourself you will need anyway to buy the hot shoe adapters and then solder the cable into them, so you might anyway buy the ready made one I suggest.

If the cable that comes with it is not long enough you can easily unsolder the existing one and and solder in a new one.

[maxfield_photo]

Is there any particular reason you want to make it rather than buy it?

I think I can answer that; because the only TTL cables for Pentax are too short. I made my own 25 foot TTL cord by splicing two RJ45 plugs onto a third party coiled cord similar to the one linked, but I could easily sub out my 25 foot CAT5 cable for a 50 footer. Here's a link to some instructions.

The Strobist Corner - Extending Your TTL Flash Cord | DIYPhotography.net

[Clicking-Jack]

Is there any particular reason you want to make it rather than buy it? I bought one on eBay which works fine:

TTL Off Camera Sync Cable Cord For Pentax PK (TTL-P) | eBay

If you make it yourself you will need anyway to buy the hot shoe adapters and then solder the cable into them, so you might anyway buy the ready made one I suggest.

If the cable that comes with it is not long enough you can easily unsolder the existing one and and solder in a new one.

Hello Lister and Maxfield,
Thanks for the quick reply. First , the idea is to make a straight cable (not a curled one) of approx 5 Feet length; also reasonable flexible cable.
Preferably with Japanese quality materials. When we can lay my hands on the screw connectors, then we can make what we want and how we want. We will consider your suggestions though.
Jack

[lister6520]

I think its easier though to buy a non-Pentax one and just solder in a new longer cable. It's just a matter of opening up the ends (four screws on each) unsoldering the short cable and soldering in a new longer cable. Shouldn't take more than 15 minutes.

[maxfield_photo]

A non Pentax cable won't have the contacts in the right place on the hotshoe, so you'd need to buy two cables, a Pentax cable for it's contacts, and a non Pentax cable for it's longer cord. I considered it because it's a more elegant looking solution, but in the end I decided that, a) it was too expensive (the 25 foot cables aren't cheap), and b) my soldering skills leave a lot to be desired.

[Sliver-Surfer]

Buy the short pk cable
Cut a short usb cable in half
Solder/Splice the usb wire ends to the Hotshoe wiring
make it any length you need by plugging any length standard usb into it when you need it

[lister6520]

A non Pentax cable won't have the contacts in the right place on the hotshoe, so you'd need to buy two cables, a Pentax cable for it's contacts, and a non Pentax cable for it's longer cord. I considered it because it's a more elegant looking solution, but in the end I decided that, a) it was too expensive (the 25 foot cables aren't cheap), and b) my soldering skills leave a lot to be desired.

By non-Pentax I meant not made by Pentax. It of course has to be made for Pentax, like the one on eBay I linked to - it has all the contacts in all the right places for P-TTL and is much cheaper than the genuine item so no worries about damaging it during the modification.

The soldering is not difficult at all - even the most basic soldering skill is more than sufficient as the contacts are very easily accessible. Even if you've never soldered you can learn the skill required for this operation just by watching a couple of youtube videos on the subject.

The cable can be any old network cable but for reliable operation with long cables it may be better to get a 5 core plus shield cable which does not have the wires twisted together in pairs.

[Sliver-Surfer]

OFF Camera Flash Extension TTL Shoe Sync Cord FOR Pentax PT 01 AF540FGZ AF360FGZ | eBay
I bought this one