[Gregpen]

Hi to all, I'm new to this forum, a few weeks back I purchased a new K7 as my first step into the DSLR world and wow don't I have a lot to learn.... I hope someone can help me with this problem.. I just received today a Promaster 7400 EDF and I am pulling my hair out trying to get it to work off camera. So far i have had the unit on camera and all is well I then remove the 7400 flash and set the pop up flash to control in the C settings, the pop up fires in a line of sight to the 7400 but the Promaster does nothing..... There is a p ttl light on the pack of the flash but it never lights up, i can't find anything written that suggests how this is meant to be activated... Can anyone give me a few ideas. Cheers

[Russell-Evans]

I just received today a Promaster 7400 EDF and I am pulling my hair out trying to get it to work off camera.

The Promaster 7400 EDF doesn't have wireless support. Are trying to do this with via a cable? If so, what cable did you buy?

There is a p ttl light on the pack of the flash but it never lights up, i can't find anything written that suggests how this is meant to be activated... Can anyone give me a few ideas.

Try putting the flash in the camera's hot shoe. If it works there, then it would be an issue with whatever cable you are using.

Thank you
Russell

[Gregpen]

Cheers Russell, The flash works fine in the hot shoe, as for the cable I'm not using one I'm trying to get it to work via wireless.... I'm not sure if I'm missing something...

[Class A]

Can anyone give me a few ideas. Cheers

Have you set the external flash to "slave mode"?

[mattdm]

Cheers Russell, The flash works fine in the hot shoe, as for the cable I'm not using one I'm trying to get it to work via wireless.... I'm not sure if I'm missing something...

Yeah, I'm afraid you are missing something -- as Russell just said, the Promaster flashes don't have wireless P-TTL support. You need the Pentax AF360FGZ or AF540FGZ, Metz 48 AF-1 or 58 AF-1, or Sigma EF-530 DG Super.

See: Pentax P-TTL Flash Comparison: Wireless

[Gregpen]

Thanks Guys so far.. There is a light on the back of the flash that has the label P-TTL and below are the specs;

The PROMASTER 7400EDF Digital is a fully dedicated TTL flash designed to work seamlessly with today's high tech digital SLRs as well as traditional SLRs. It features motorized zoom, a powerful guide number of 120 and full auto TTL integration with your digital SLR. The flash has the added benefit of being able to update the firmware which insures that you will get many years of reliable flash photography.

Guide Number: 120 (ISO 100, 105mm)
• TTL Auto Range: 2’-86’ (ISO 100)
• Motorized Zoom: 24mm-105mm
• Power Source: 4 AA alkaline or PROMASTER rechargeable NiMH batteries
• Recycling Time: 0.3-10 seconds
• Angle of Coverage:
92° H 75° V (with diffuser):
Covers 17mm lens on 35mm camera or 12mm lens on digital format SLR
78° H 60° V (without diffuser):
Covers 24mm lens on 35mm camera or 17mm lens on digital format SLR
• Bounce Angle: -7° to 90°
• AF illuminator for autofocusing
• Front and rear flash-ready light
• Full digital auto TTL dedication
• Flash upgradeable by your PROMASTER dealer
• Available to fit Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Samsung, Sony, Olympus

[Gregpen]

Sorry Mattdm... I think I was miunderstanding what you were getting at can you confirm that I understand correctly now that the promaster will support PTTL on camera but not wireless... Ist that correct. If this is the case is their a wireless transmitter / receiver that will transmit PTTL information. I currently have a cactus V4 but that doesn't support TTL transmition...

[Russell-Evans]

Sorry Mattdm... I think I was miunderstanding what you were getting at can you confirm that I understand correctly now that the promaster will support PTTL on camera but not wireless... Ist that correct. If this is the case is their a wireless transmitter / receiver that will transmit PTTL information. I currently have a cactus V4 but that doesn't support TTL transmition...

The flash does not support wireless and there are no wireless PTTL transmitter/receiver products at this time.

Thank you
Russell

[mattdm]

Sorry Mattdm... I think I was miunderstanding what you were getting at can you confirm that I understand correctly now that the promaster will support PTTL on camera but not wireless... Ist that correct. If this is the case is their a wireless transmitter / receiver that will transmit PTTL information. I currently have a cactus V4 but that doesn't support TTL transmition...

Exactly!

Incidentally, it's interesting to hear that the Promaster 7400EDF works fine on your K-7, as there's been reports that the more-expensive 7500EDF doesn't work properly without a (not ready yet) firmware update. When using it on-camera, are the exposures coming out right?

[Gregpen]

Below is a response from Promaster.... Bottom line is bad buy on my part I have since ordered a Metz 58 AF -1, should have done this in the first place. I'd suggest steering clear of the Promaster very very basic unit with no features....

The compatability list mentioned below is well out of date..

Pentax has 3 new SLR digital cameras, 2 of which do not communicate
properly with the Promaster EDF series flash units for Pentax. We have known
that the Pentax K7 was not compatible, (always fireing at full power) with the
EDF flash units since it first came out. This is why the Pentax K7 is not listed
on the Promaster flash compatability chart listed on their website.
Our engineers are currently working on the updated commands so the EDF
flash units can be reprogrammed for compatability with these new Pentax
digital SLR cameras.
When the update becomes available your flash can be sent to Promaster
to be reprogrammed. Unfortunately this might be more inconvenient for you
because of your location. I wish I had better news for you, but this is the
camera manufacturers way of keeping customers from purchasing after market
market products.

[Class A]

I'd suggest steering clear of the Promaster very very basic unit with no features....

That's fine if you are talking about real features. I hope you are not talking about the incompatibility with the K-7 (and K-x?).

Does anyone know why Pentax has changed the communication with external flashes? There doesn't seem to be a good reason for it (unless you want to make third-party products dysfunctional...).

[Russell-Evans]

Does anyone know why Pentax has changed the communication with external flashes? There doesn't seem to be a good reason for it (unless you want to make third-party products dysfunctional...).

Promaster is the only one reported to be having issues with the K-7. This points more to an issue with the Promaster P-TTL implementation, than with a change in P-TTL to me.

Thank you
Russell

[Gregpen]

By features I mean that I am stuck with a unit that works at 100% power or nothing (No Manual settings for power), a unit that does not work via wireless, optical or radial. The only manual setting is the zoom function other then that it's on / off and test and that's it....

This comment from their website product page doesn't seem to ring true now does it...

The PROMASTER 7400EDF Digital is a fully dedicated TTL flash designed to work seamlessly with today's high tech digital SLRs as well as traditional SLRs..

[Class A]

Promaster is the only one reported to be having issues with the K-7. This points more to an issue with the Promaster P-TTL implementation, than with a change in P-TTL to me.

Why would the Promaster work with older Pentax DSLR then?

By features I mean that I am stuck with a unit that works at 100% power or nothing

I don't know about the other features but your problem either stems from the fact that you have a TTL flash (the Promaster 7400 seems to come in this flavour) and that past *ist Pentax DSLRs lack a TTL sensor (the flash will always at full power then) OR that there is some miscommunication between the K-7 and the P-TTL version of the Promaster 7400.

This comment from their website product page doesn't seem to ring true now does it...

Is it not true that they do not list the K-7 on their compatibility list? If so, (I cannot access their website) I find it difficult to fault them.

[Gregpen]

It is true they don't list the K7 on their list, but saying that their list was only current as of the 1st Feb 2009 before the K7 was released now it did list the K20 and as per their comment that the 7400 is designed to work with the latest DSLR's I assumed (and yes we all know that assumption is the mother of all (Bleep) ups) that the K7 being the latest DSLR that it would work given that they listed th K20.

I asked these same questions of Promaster earlier today ... I'm interested to see what their website states about the K7 when it goes back up.