[innivus]

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Hi, I'm trying to figure out if I can fire an af360fgz flash in wireless mode w/o firing the flash on the k5. I have played with custom setting 21 (flash in wireless mode), but the flash fires on the camera as well as wirelessly. How can I make this happen? Thanks,

[JimJohnson]

Hi, I'm trying to figure out if I can fire an af360fgz flash in wireless mode w/o firing the flash on the k5. I have played with custom setting 21 (flash in wireless mode), but the flash fires on the camera as well as wirelessly. How can I make this happen? Thanks,

Even in so called 'controller' mode versus 'master' mode, the built-in flash must fire during the exposure to tell the wireless flash(es) when to quench. The control signals are sent as IR along with the visible light portion of the flash.

In controller mode, the built-in flash will contribute very little to the exposure. However, if you want to make only the wirelessly connected P-TTL flash the SOLE lighting, there are several ways to block the visible light and pass along just the IR signal:
tape an appropriate IR filter over the built-in flash
use a blind like this one: A N1 IR Panel for on Camera Pop Up Flash for Nikon Canon Pentax Olympus DSLR | eBay
Or some Metz flashes come with a clip that goes over the flash that performs the same function.

[Giklab]

Correction: When the built in flash is set to Controller, it wil contribute absolutly NOTHING to the exposure, since in Master it fires twice, as all PTTL flashes, but only once as Controller, to set off the slaves.

[amoringello]

Not true. At least not true enough to capitalize "NOTHING".

If the camera is very close to the subject or if you are, for instance, looking into a mirror or have something reflective behind the subject, the control flash WILL be seen. This is normal, expected, and simply how the system and physics works.

[JimJohnson]

Correction: When the built in flash is set to Controller, it wil contribute absolutly NOTHING to the exposure, since in Master it fires twice, as all PTTL flashes, but only once as Controller, to set off the slaves.

Yeah, a LOT of us wish your correction was correct, but sadly it is not. The flash in controller mode in wireless P-TTL does fire while the shutter is open, but at very low power. Don't feel bad, I used to think as you do, and Pentax's documentation can easily let you believe in this myth.

Most shots, it won't matter. And if it does matter, you will need to use one of the 3rd party options to block the visible portion of the light from the controller flash reaching the subject. I spent the US$9.95 option. It looks ugly, but I don't use it very often.

[Giklab]

It certainly seemed as two flashes for master and one for controller when I tried it out.

Edit: Megaderp. Now that I think of it, I remember reading about how the flash outputs at 1/3 as a controller.

[Ken T]

Not true. At least not true enough to capitalize "NOTHING".

If the camera is very close to the subject or if you are, for instance, looking into a mirror or have something reflective behind the subject, the control flash WILL be seen. This is normal, expected, and simply how the system and physics works.

I agree.

[Tanzer]

In case the responses here weren't clear, you are on the right track, in menu item 21. In both modes there will be a series of flashes of varying intensity that are too quick for your average person to differentiate or count. These all happen in a fraction of a second before the shutter itself actually opens. The only thing that matters is that in "controller" mode, when the shutter does finally open, there is a final strobe from the K-5 which is at low power, so contributes little to the actual exposure. Don't be misled by seeing the pre-flash sequence which is brighter. Just give it a try in both Master and Controller mode, you will see the difference. You can decide for yourself if the contribution from the on-board flash is a problem.

Oh, and make sure your AF360 is actually firing. The switch must be set to wireless slave mode. The owners manual tells you how to sync the control channel (1 to 4).

[innivus]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I'm not a huge fan of the on-camera flash, but it's simply something I'll have to deal with - or use a cheap adapter to block.