Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
11-01-2010, 04:22 PM   #1
Veteran Member
DaveHolmes's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 1,501
Will a YN-560 Flash Blow Up My K-x?

Looking for a Flash... Poor... Same old story... Will it kill my K-x if mounted to hotshoe?
If it will...
Would a wireless trigger kit make it not? (kill my K-x)

There appears to be only limited info on this flash and can't seem to find any reviews that link the unit specifically to pentax cameras or the K-x in particular...

I know I should probably wait and get a Metz-AF58(or 48) but at more than twice the price and (again) being poor...

But is anyone here using a YN-560 with a Pentax K-x?

11-01-2010, 05:56 PM   #2
Junior Member
ADHWJC's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 49
What do you mean by kill the Kx?

I have an AF-360 FGZ with my Kx but after deciphering the flash user manual I don't think it's a compatible flash, unless you want to do it manually. Seems like it works only with 66/67 and 35mm film Pentax.

I'm not really sure, though. Consequently I've used the thing like twice but didn't know what I was doing so really I mounted it a few times and took some throwaway pics. I've got a lighting class next semester at school so hopefully I'll learn more then. But I have no idea what to do with this flash or other flashes with regard to the Kx. I'll be interested to hear what people say.

In the meantime what do you mean by kill/blow up your Kx?
11-01-2010, 06:33 PM   #3
Veteran Member
DaveHolmes's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 1,501
Original Poster
Honestly... I'm not sure... I remember reading something (that I can't find!!) about a flash-gun 'frying' the circuits of a guys camera... It was a different model to the gun I just ordered but by same chinese company...

YN-560... (Cheap!)

Should arrive in the next week... from what I can tell it's a 'manual flash' although to be honest... I'm not altogether sure what thats going to mean for me... Guessing I'll just have fun trying to get it to work (in scary alleyways and dark city streets) is all :-p
11-01-2010, 06:45 PM   #4
Senior Member




Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Southwest
Photos: Albums
Posts: 157
You should be fine. Look in the field accessories forum for a recent thread about Youngnuo.

Someone posted a link to this site: YN-560 Specifications and Test Results | Speedlights.net

Trigger voltage is what you're worried about. 3.25 volts is safe

11-01-2010, 07:04 PM   #5
Veteran Member
chalion's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: SE Pennsylvania
Photos: Albums
Posts: 628
Older film flashes could, if used on a digital camera, cause the problems you're talking about. I have an old Vivitar Thyristor that puts out more than 8 volts (tested with multi-metre). I'd never use it with any digital camera or wireless trigger/receiver though. But it does work fine with my spottie and ME.

Last edited by chalion; 11-01-2010 at 07:05 PM. Reason: adding words to make my post make sense
11-01-2010, 07:13 PM - 1 Like   #6
Veteran Member
Eruditass's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2009
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 2,207
Are you aware that it is a fully manual flash?

No P-TTL, no auto-thyristor, no AF-assist, etc.

There is a good amount of information:
Flickr: Search Strobist.com
Yongnuo YN-560 - Canon Digital Photography Forums

If you want cheap P-TTL, there were some being mentioned on the forums, I think these are it:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-camera-field-accessories/49880-dig...ed-tested.html
Sakar Models, Under Many Names - Pentax P-TTL Flash Comparison

You can get auto-thyristor flashes for even cheaper, like the AF280T.

That said, I will probably be ordering 2xYN-560's or one YN-560 and one YN-460II for off camera purposes.
11-01-2010, 07:21 PM   #7
New Member
JoeGray's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Hung Hom
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 16
Hi Dave,

I have the YN-560 and a Metz 58 AF-1. The Yongnuo works fine for on-camera flash on my K20D ("fine" as in, it fires) and I'm pretty sure I tried it out on the wife's Kx without any dramas as well. It is a fully manual flash, so be prepared to use your camera in M, adjusting the shutter, aperture and flash strength to suit (possibly changing) conditions.

Both flashes work great for off camera flash stuff (I'm using Cactus V4 triggers), where perhaps the YN-560 actually has a small advantage as it's quicker to adjust power settings (have to dig through menus with the Metz) and has a very functional slave mode in case of trigger trouble. The Metz is certainly more powerful, but I rarely if ever am firing them at full power anyway.

For on-camera stuff, it is nice to have the features of the Metz (high speed sync, P-TTL, etc) and I'm not sure of the prices for the gear over there (I got my YN560 for about US$65 here in HK), but I'd say overall (for me) the YN is the one to go for.

Good luck!

Cheers,
Joe

11-01-2010, 07:22 PM   #8
Veteran Member
pop4's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: YMML
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,879
I have three YN-560 flash units, and their trigger voltages are 3.25V, 3.26V, and 3.29V, so as far as being safe to mount on the hotshoe of your K-x, then the answer is yes.
11-02-2010, 08:10 AM   #9
Veteran Member
DaveHolmes's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 1,501
Original Poster
Hey all!

Cheers for all the replies! Muchos helpful!

@ Eruditas... Yeah... I realise that it's manual... Figure it'll just take me a while to get a system going for the right exposures in particular situations... All fun!! :-)

@ Lowspark86... Yeah trigger voltage was deffo what I was worried about... am I going to have a problem with "YN-04" flash triggers with the same regard?

@ JoeGray... Cheers man... The Metz is slightly out of my (student) price range. Got the YN-560 for £60(UK) and free postage... The YN-04 triggers were £13 free p&p...

I shall now be found with my face in the 'Strobist' website until new toys arrive!

:-)

Thanks again, you're a lovely bunch!!
11-03-2010, 05:51 AM   #10
Veteran Member
DaveHolmes's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 1,501
Original Poster
Hi again...

One more question (OK two...)... Related... I think...

If I'm using wireless triggers do I still need to worry about the flash's output voltage?

If not... Does that essentially mean that... If using a wireless trigger/s I can use any flash, from any brand/company, and of any age without fear of blowing up my camera????

There's probably a better way for me to have phrased that... Hopefully you'll get the point...

Advance Thanks
Dave
11-03-2010, 04:48 PM   #11
Veteran Member
pop4's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: YMML
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,879
QuoteOriginally posted by DaveHolmes Quote
If I'm using wireless triggers do I still need to worry about the flash's output voltage?
You'd still have to be careful with trigger voltages depending on the triggers themselves, as some of them can't handle high trigger voltages. So a flash unit on a wireless receiver that can't handle the voltage would most likely lead to a dead wireless receiver.
E.g. the RF-602s are not able to handle the high voltages of some of the older flashes.

QuoteOriginally posted by DaveHolmes Quote
If not... Does that essentially mean that... If using a wireless trigger/s I can use any flash, from any brand/company, and of any age without fear of blowing up my camera????
If the flash is not physically connected to the camera in any way, then you have no fear of blowing up the camera. However, like I mentioned above, the flash could potentially fry the wireless receiver it's connected to.
11-11-2010, 11:10 AM   #12
New Member




Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 23
I use the AFG-360 with my K200 and I assure you it is not meant just for film. It is an EXCELLENT strobe and works in manual, TTL, and P-TTL both on and off camera. Pentax may not have the "system" that Nikon and Canon have but you can do off camera flash much easier and cheeper.
11-11-2010, 11:15 AM   #13
New Member




Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 23
@Dave - I have 4 Promaster "film" flashes with Pentax modules. They work great both on and off camera. I got them all New In Box (New old stock - I think they were part of Ritz stock) for less than $80 (3 x 6500, 1 x 5500). Check around, you might be able to get a TTL for less than the YN-560.
11-30-2010, 01:08 AM   #14
New Member




Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Chennai, TN
Posts: 18
Help please

Hi Dave and other bros,

I just got my YN560 and RF-04II for my K-x.

I was comfortable with the trigger voltage of 3.xx V of the YN560 and tried on my K-xit worked fine.

I am new to strobes, my next question might be silly.

I did see the RF-04 trigger's voltage mentioned as 12V on the package, would this hurt my K-x circuits if i mount the RF-o4 trigger on the hot shoe. not gonna try until i get some word from you guys....

Please share your experience and any known issues or tips with the RF-04 / YN560 combo.

thanks,
arun
11-30-2010, 04:03 AM   #15
Veteran Member
pop4's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: YMML
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,879
QuoteOriginally posted by arunshan82 Quote
I did see the RF-04 trigger's voltage mentioned as 12V on the package, would this hurt my K-x circuits if i mount the RF-o4 trigger on the hot shoe. not gonna try until i get some word from you guys....
I have zero experience with the RF-04 wireless triggers, but my educated guess is that 12V is the maximum trigger voltage that the RF-04 can handle. I.e. the 3.xx volts of the YN506 will be safe for the RF-04; but use an old school flash with a >12V trigger voltage, and you could possibly fry the RF-04. That's my take on it, though I'd get a 2nd, or 3rd opinion, just to be sure
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
camera, flash, k-x, pentax, pentax help, photography, yn-560
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Remote triggers with the AF-560... Simon23 Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 4 03-05-2010 12:32 AM
Blow Up benjikan General Talk 11 02-14-2010 09:50 PM
TAPS will blow you away. Fl_Gulfer General Talk 5 04-23-2009 08:15 PM
Blow Taff Post Your Photos! 9 03-06-2009 08:53 PM
Off Camera Flash: A New Way to Blow Money Mike Cash Flashes, Lighting, and Studio 19 10-11-2007 05:20 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 07:09 PM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top