[rajubhai55]

I have recently bought a Pentax refurbished K-x.

I am having problem when using a manual lens (like Pentax -M lens) with built in pop up flash.

The flash fires but the pictures comes out dark almost black. I had no problem using K200d in similar situation.

Am I missing some setting on K-X?

[Adam]

The K-x doesn't have TTL flash (neither did the K200), so you will have to manually adjust the aperture until the exposure is correct.

[rajubhai55]

I see that even with relatively wide open apetrures like 4.5 (zoom lens) and shutter speed of 80 I get totally dark pictures. I belive the flash and the shutter are not synchronizing at all.

I will try once more with Pentax K 50mm f1.4 on both K200d and K-x.

[Ash]

It may also be that the subject you're trying to shoot is too dark for the popup flash to make any significant contribution to the lighting of the scene. But this is just speculation in the absence of more information about your shooting conditions.

[midori]

I think you need to have a KA lens, or KAF lens to get TTL flash on a K-x.

[sergysergy]

check the ISO too

[selar]

I think you need to have a KA lens, or KAF lens to get TTL flash on a K-x.
__________________

Thats correct.

[rajubhai55]

It seems that people have assumed something else. To illustrate the problem I have done a quick comparision of Kx with K200D.
The subject was a chair and sofa 4 feet away from me. It was night time and room is lighted with 60 w florescent bulb.
The lens I have used is Pentax K 50mm F1.4.

I have set aperture to F5.6 and shutter to 160.

The picture of K200D came out OK while one with K-x was totally dark.

K200D Picture. EXIF INFO




k-X Picture : EXIF INFO





I have taken plenty of pictures under such conditions before with manual lens on K200D and no issues. Now I believe that QC in Pentax is poor.



I

[ultraviolet]

The flash fires but the pictures comes out dark almost black.

That is weird.
I use a lot of M, Tak with my K-x. Works fine.
If your K-x takes picture with out flash, if you can see through the finder then you should check the flash and shutter have synchronized (since it is a refurb) action or not. K-x with a M or Tak you have only two option in the flash setting ( from the dial), none of those can cause this problem. It looks like lens is covered or shutter did not release at all, just flash was fired. Does your k-x work properly with any other lens (M or A/F/FA/DA)?

[SOldBear]

Start with something simple first: try your K-x with an AF lens. The K-x should be in M mode, shutter speed 1/60, aperture F/5.6, ISO 400.

Is the exposure OK?

Now, with the same AF lens, set the camera in 2-second delay timer mode.

Take a photo. What's the sequence of events?

Replace the AF lens with an M lens and repeat the above.

I don't know what's next but let's give the above a try first.

[rajubhai55]

That is weird.
I use a lot of M, Tak with my K-x. Works fine.
If your K-x takes picture with out flash, if you can see through the finder then you should check the flash and shutter have synchronized (since it is a refurb) action or not. K-x with a M or Tak you have only two option in the flash setting ( from the dial), none of those can cause this problem. It looks like lens is covered or shutter did not release at all, just flash was fired. Does your k-x work properly with any other lens (M or A/F/FA/DA)?

How do I check that "flash and shutter have synchronized (since it is a refurb) action "?

[.:Kevin:.]

I just came across your post and figured I'd see if I got the same results. I used my Vivitar 75-205 lens and the flash fired. Tried all different settings and it fired every time. None of my pictures came out black....crappy, but not black.

[rajubhai55]

I am returing crappy K-x. B&H has promptly issued RMA. K-x feels like cheap plasticky quality compared to my old K200D.