[Sperdynamite]

I'm looking for a strobe so I can shoot some location and editorial style images. Seems like P-TTL is not really supported very much? Godox has their AD-360, which would be ideal, but the new models with TTL of course are only for Canikon! I might choose this unit anyways and rely on my meter like in the good ol days... Unless anybody here can recommend something else? P-TTL and HSS would be pretty amazing. I'm hoping to use modifiers which is what leads me away from the regular Pentax strobe line up. I need to beat ambient light, fyi, so power is a concern... And actually on that note does anyone think the AD180 is powerful enough for this purpose? I'm pretty comfortable at ISO 800+ with the Z so maybe light isn't so much a concern.

[Adam]

Have you seen this?
Priolite: Sync Speeds Up To 1/8000s With Pentax - Third-Party Announcements | PentaxForums.com

[Sperdynamite]

I'm looking for something more in the style of a QFlash than a monolight. I'd like to do work more in the style of Brian Finke or Andrew Heatherington.

[Wired]

gonna be hard to find TTL or HSS for the Z. The only thing I can think of is the Priolite. They do have a battery operated model I do believe which does make it pretty portable if it's anything like the Profoto B1. When it comes to Pentax our options are pretty limited

[Sperdynamite]

Well, that's a bummer. But it's not like the Godox is a bad strobe and it's cheap enough. Sekonic wins again!

---------- Post added 03-29-16 at 03:07 PM ----------

It's probably more than I want to spend but I see that Quantum does make a TTL module for their current QFlash. It's compatibility list ends with the 645N though, does anyone know if it still works with the Z? Probably not HSS but TTL would be nice. Or, is TTL over rated generally?

[iancx]

There may be a solution to the Pentax 645z and HSS.

Thanks to Cesar Campos (aslo in facebook Cesar Campos Photography) who posted this video in youtube

You Tube

You Tube

The idea is to take a pair of Acon R930 ($120 US approx) which supports PTTL and when attached to the Pentax 645z hotshoe (transmitter unit) the camera allows you get past the dreaded 125/s shutter speed and activates the HSS function.

On the receiving Acon unit the HSS signals are sent from the camera Acon unit and also there is also a port (receiving unit) that can be connected via cable to a portable studio strobe/flash of choice (usually the ones with very long flash burst duration) like Speedotron Force 10 or 103, Elinchrom ranger with S head, Jinbei HD 600 (very affordable) etc.....

I just ordered my Acon triggers and will get them in a few week and will try out with different portable studio strobes. Will post the results on this forum on the max shutter speed I could get out of the 645z without any banding. Wish I could afford the Priolite's but at the moment there are too expensive as an option.

[dShelly]

I spoke with Profoto about offering TTL for the Pentax 645z, but they will only offer it if they get enough inquires from photographers to make it worth their while. If you own the Profoto B1, send them an email asking for TTL.

[John T]

I sent Profoto an email via their UK site asking about availability of a new trigger for the 645Z in the near future and got a reply today, see copy of the reply below, i think we need more Pentax/profoto users to get in touch with them.



John,

Your question to our website regarding a Profoto Trigger for Pentax cameras, has been forwarded to me to follow-up.

Currently we have full TTL and HSS capability with Canon and Nikon camera systems.

At some point in the not too distant future there will probably be Fuji, Sony, Panasonic and Olympus options as well.

With all of these units Profoto have reversed engineered the communication protocols, without any help from the camera manufacturers.

Other camera systems will at some point be added, when the demand is deemed to be great enough, so unfortunately some of the brands may have to wait some time.

All of the above is obviously subject to change as market forces dictate, but at the present I am not aware of any plans to bring out a Pentax trigger this year.

Sorry if the above is not want you want to hear, but that is the way it is at the moment.

Kind regards,

Steven Moore
Sales & Technical Support

Mobile +44 (0) 7590 440592
Office +44 (0) 1442 204919

[iancx]

I sent Profoto an email via their UK site asking about availability of a new trigger for the 645Z in the near future and got a reply today, see copy of the reply below, i think we need more Pentax/profoto users to get in touch with them.



John,

Your question to our website regarding a Profoto Trigger for Pentax cameras, has been forwarded to me to follow-up.

Currently we have full TTL and HSS capability with Canon and Nikon camera systems.

At some point in the not too distant future there will probably be Fuji, Sony, Panasonic and Olympus options as well.

With all of these units Profoto have reversed engineered the communication protocols, without any help from the camera manufacturers.

Other camera systems will at some point be added, when the demand is deemed to be great enough, so unfortunately some of the brands may have to wait some time.

All of the above is obviously subject to change as market forces dictate, but at the present I am not aware of any plans to bring out a Pentax trigger this year.

Sorry if the above is not want you want to hear, but that is the way it is at the moment.

Kind regards,

Steven Moore
Sales & Technical Support

Mobile +44 (0) 7590 440592
Office +44 (0) 1442 204919

I doubt that pro photo will include P TTL anytime soon, at least not because of the 645z (cause of low volume) but maybe if the new K1 takes off in sales, in which case they may consider it.

It is Ricoh Imaging's responsibility to unlock the HSS feature from the default 125th/s to higher levels when non Pentax flashes/triggers or systems are detected by the camera.

This can easily be fixed by a simple firmware update and unlocking this threshold sync speed, and in which case HSS may be achieved by any studio strobe or light systems that has a long flash duration like the prophoto, broncolor etc.....

All of the 645z/d and the K line users should send Ricoh Pentax an email demanding this.

I hope to be getting my Acon R930 soon and then I can experiment with some strobe systems and post the results for the max sync speeds achieved for the 645z community.

[texandrews]

It is Ricoh Imaging's responsibility to unlock the HSS feature from the default 125th/s to higher levels when non Pentax flashes/triggers or systems are detected by the camera.

This can easily be fixed by a simple firmware update and unlocking this threshold sync speed, and in which case HSS may be achieved by any studio strobe or light systems that has a long flash duration like the prophoto, broncolor etc.....

I was told in 2014 by Pentax representatives that this was not possible through firmware, that it was hardwired.

[John T]

I doubt that pro photo will include P TTL anytime soon, at least not because of the 645z (cause of low volume) but maybe if the new K1 takes off in sales, in which case they may consider it.

It is Ricoh Imaging's responsibility to unlock the HSS feature from the default 125th/s to higher levels when non Pentax flashes/triggers or systems are detected by the camera.

This can easily be fixed by a simple firmware update and unlocking this threshold sync speed, and in which case HSS may be achieved by any studio strobe or light systems that has a long flash duration like the prophoto, broncolor etc.....

All of the 645z/d and the K line users should send Ricoh Pentax an email demanding this.

I hope to be getting my Acon R930 soon and then I can experiment with some strobe systems and post the results for the max sync speeds achieved for the 645z community.

I would be interested in your findings/results with the R930s.

[gedra]

There may be a solution to the Pentax 645z and HSS.

Thanks to Cesar Campos (aslo in facebook Cesar Campos Photography) who posted this video in youtube ACON R930 Wireless TTL High Speed Sync Remote for Pentax HSS / Pentax High Speed Sync - YouTube

The idea is to take a pair of Acon R930 ($120 US approx) which supports PTTL and when attached to the Pentax 645z hotshoe (transmitter unit) the camera allows you get past the dreaded 125/s shutter speed and activates the HSS function.

On the receiving Acon unit the HSS signals are sent from the camera Acon unit and also there is also a port (receiving unit) that can be connected via cable to a portable studio strobe/flash of choice (usually the ones with very long flash burst duration) like Speedotron Force 10 or 103, Elinchrom ranger with S head, Jinbei HD 600 (very affordable) etc.....

I just ordered my Acon triggers and will get them in a few week and will try out with different portable studio strobes. Will post the results on this forum on the max shutter speed I could get out of the 645z without any banding. Wish I could afford the Priolite's but at the moment there are too expensive as an option.

The HSS on Acon does not work on my 645Z. It will let you fire the camera beyond 1/125 but you will get the black band. And I got the $200 version that supposedly be able to use larg strobes too.

[clackers]

The HSS on Acon does not work on my 645Z. It will let you fire the camera beyond 1/125 but you will get the black band. And I got the $200 version that supposedly be able to use larg strobes too.

Wait, wait, wait.

You have an HSS speedlight or strobe attached to it, right, Gedre?

[Digitalis]

This can easily be fixed by a simple firmware update and unlocking this threshold sync speed

Allegedly the same firmware update transforms the 645Z into an excellent coffee machine. Firmware can address software issues, but the flash sync limit is also limited in hardware - both hot-shoe and PC sync ports go cold above sync speed. The is would need to be remedied in both hardware and software..possibly in a future update of the pentax 645 and hopefully and update to the pentax flash system.

[gedra]

Wait, wait, wait.

You have an HSS speedlight or strobe attached to it, right, Gedre?

Yes , the Pentax 450 flash which works perfectly if attached on top of my 645Z. Both TTL and HSS. Beyond 1/125 sec . But you will get a black band when using the Acon