Originally posted by LensBeginner As far as the communication is concerned, the center pin should be "dumb", no communication apart from the trigger voltage. That's how manual flashes work.
For the "focus" part, what you're trying to accomplish is called "focus assist light", and cameras usually have their dedicated one.
I don't think a manual flash can be made to do qhat you want.
Next best thing, I think, is to just rig another circuit in parallel to the one that connects to the hotshoe, that can be closed with a switch.
This way you depress a button, and the "flash" illuminates the subject while you focus, then you release it, fire the shutter and the flash fires.
I looked through it, and seems that if theres no communication, the trigger voltage doesn't deploy in order to avoid short circuits. Looks that this part is pretty sensitive and even an out of spec flashes (like old ones) can cook the camera by injecting +300v because potato.
My K-m uses the flash for the focus assist, so i may run a complete circuit for fixed light, just like a lamp instead a "flash" as is. I can combine both with that setup so i gues it's the way to go, and i can stack rings with consecutive sizes to enlarge light emission, just like this
I don think the consumption is going to be that much for a 1 amp step up, right?