Won't Flash

larklatroy · 10-04-2014, 12:58 PM

Hey all, this just recently started to happen. A little back ground. I have a K-x, about 3 years old. I've been using RF604 hot shoe wireless for my strobes. It's has been working great, until just recently. I wanted to get into some artsy fartsy lighting setups. I laid it all out, had the strobes in place, background, subject, everything. Pressed the test button on the remote, strobes fired fine. Set the camera to M, F/11, 1/250/ ISO200, made sure the flash setting was wireless, pressed the button and ... nothing. I got a really nice black picture. Oh, it fires the strobes and all perfectly, when set to Auto. Hot shoe flash also only works in Auto. Built in pop-up works fine. My very expensive studio lights and remotes, are now a waste of space.

Yes, I've changed batteries.
Yes, I've tried every setting in the camera for flash
Yes, I've switched my F stop, ISO, and speed to many different settings.

The only time my hot-shoe or remote strobes work, is when the damn thing is set to auto.

Help would be most appreciated, simple, direct answers. I'm not looking for 30 odd links that I have to go searching through, just tell me what I'm doing wrong, or how to fix it.

Thank you.

**jatrax** · 10-04-2014, 03:00 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by larklatroy

Set the camera to M, F/11, 1/250/ ISO200,

Maximum sync speed on Pentax is 1/180 so at 1/250 the flash will not fire. The pop up WILL fire because the camera knows the flash is up and resets the speed to 1/180. The same will happen with a supported P-TTL flash because the camera talks to it and knows there is a flash there and sets speed to 1/180. But with wireless triggers the camera does not know there is a flash on and will not fire the flash unless you set the speed below max sync.

larklatroy · 10-04-2014, 05:00 PM

Originally posted by jatrax

Maximum sync speed on Pentax is 1/180 so at 1/250 the flash will not fire. The pop up WILL fire because the camera knows the flash is up and resets the speed to 1/180. The same will happen with a supported P-TTL flash because the camera talks to it and knows there is a flash there and sets speed to 1/180. But with wireless triggers the camera does not know there is a flash on and will not fire the flash unless you set the speed below max sync.

Thank you , thank you, thank you. All problems solved and everything is right with the world again. I will make a know of this in my little hand book so I don't make this mistake again.

Oh, did I remember to say, thank you?

**jatrax** · 10-04-2014, 05:49 PM

Originally posted by larklatroy

Oh, did I remember to say, thank you?

You are most welcome. My first shoot with wireless triggers, on site at a cemetery. Model all set, lights ready, press shutter button and no flash. Spent 20 minutes trying to figure it out and finally gave up and finished with on board flash. Back home it took me several hours to go "Duhhh" and figure it out.

Happens to most of us one time or another, glad you got it sorted out.

Another tid bit to remember is that if you have the camera set to change by 1/3 stops you can set it no higher than 1/160 but if you have the camera set to change by 1/2 stops you can use 1/180. A slight difference but puzzling if you do not know what is happening. In auto modes I think the camera can set to 1/180 no matter what.

10-04-2014, 12:58 PM	#1
larklatroy New Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 3	Won't Flash Hey all, this just recently started to happen. A little back ground. I have a K-x, about 3 years old. I've been using RF604 hot shoe wireless for my strobes. It's has been working great, until just recently. I wanted to get into some artsy fartsy lighting setups. I laid it all out, had the strobes in place, background, subject, everything. Pressed the test button on the remote, strobes fired fine. Set the camera to M, F/11, 1/250/ ISO200, made sure the flash setting was wireless, pressed the button and ... nothing. I got a really nice black picture. Oh, it fires the strobes and all perfectly, when set to Auto. Hot shoe flash also only works in Auto. Built in pop-up works fine. My very expensive studio lights and remotes, are now a waste of space. Yes, I've changed batteries. Yes, I've tried every setting in the camera for flash Yes, I've switched my F stop, ISO, and speed to many different settings. The only time my hot-shoe or remote strobes work, is when the damn thing is set to auto. Help would be most appreciated, simple, direct answers. I'm not looking for 30 odd links that I have to go searching through, just tell me what I'm doing wrong, or how to fix it. Thank you.

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10-04-2014, 03:00 PM - 1 Like	#2
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	Originally posted by larklatroy Set the camera to M, F/11, 1/250/ ISO200, Maximum sync speed on Pentax is 1/180 so at 1/250 the flash will not fire. The pop up WILL fire because the camera knows the flash is up and resets the speed to 1/180. The same will happen with a supported P-TTL flash because the camera talks to it and knows there is a flash there and sets speed to 1/180. But with wireless triggers the camera does not know there is a flash on and will not fire the flash unless you set the speed below max sync.

10-04-2014, 05:00 PM	#3
larklatroy New Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 3 Original Poster	Originally posted by jatrax Maximum sync speed on Pentax is 1/180 so at 1/250 the flash will not fire. The pop up WILL fire because the camera knows the flash is up and resets the speed to 1/180. The same will happen with a supported P-TTL flash because the camera talks to it and knows there is a flash there and sets speed to 1/180. But with wireless triggers the camera does not know there is a flash on and will not fire the flash unless you set the speed below max sync. Thank you , thank you, thank you. All problems solved and everything is right with the world again. I will make a know of this in my little hand book so I don't make this mistake again. Oh, did I remember to say, thank you?

10-04-2014, 05:49 PM	#4
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	Originally posted by larklatroy Oh, did I remember to say, thank you? You are most welcome. My first shoot with wireless triggers, on site at a cemetery. Model all set, lights ready, press shutter button and no flash. Spent 20 minutes trying to figure it out and finally gave up and finished with on board flash. Back home it took me several hours to go "Duhhh" and figure it out. Happens to most of us one time or another, glad you got it sorted out. Another tid bit to remember is that if you have the camera set to change by 1/3 stops you can set it no higher than 1/160 but if you have the camera set to change by 1/2 stops you can use 1/180. A slight difference but puzzling if you do not know what is happening. In auto modes I think the camera can set to 1/180 no matter what.