New Gear Today - Hope I did the right thing

billyclaymyers · 11-28-2007, 03:48 PM

I work for a dermatologist as a network administrator. I also do photography as a hobby.

I have been recently tasked with two jobs that are going to call on my photography skills or lack thereof depending on the outcome.

One is to take pictures of patients skin problems to show before and after images for the website.

The other is to take pictures of kids with "Cowboy Santa" at the small feed store my wife works at (She volunteered me for that)

Now all I have is the K10D, 18-55 Kit Lens, a 70-210 Quantaray that is an old A lens that requires manual focus on the K10D but with aperture in A position it meters fine. A Pentax 135mm F/2 M series manual lens, and a Pentax 50mm F/1.4 M series manual lens. I also have a nice tripod.

So realizing that the indoor shots of the kids are going to need a flash and possibly a better indoor lens, Today I ordered a DA 40mm limited 2.8 lens, a 540FGZ flash, a Omni Diffuser, and a stroboframe off camera flash bracket.

Now I did not order the cable or off camera pieces for the flash. I thought it worked wirelessly?? If anyone knows for sure, please let me know so that I can overnight them tomorrow to have them by friday.

I hope this works well. I was also thinking of ordering the wired cable release for the camera and setting the camera up with manual focus at the christmas event and just using the cable release to snap the image, so that I can stand up and get the kids attention.

Any ideas, prayers,anything?

Syb · 11-28-2007, 05:25 PM

For the skin part, I would recommend a 1:1 macro lense. Pentax has several, and Sigma has a nice one, too which is not exaggeratedly expensive. You may even convince your boss you really need the lens to do your job.

clawhammer · 11-28-2007, 05:39 PM

I'm 99.9% positive that the flash will work wirelessly-just be sure to upgrade your K10 to firmware 1.30. I have a 360 that I've tested on the stroboframe flip-frame bracket and it works just fine.

kenyee · 11-28-2007, 07:12 PM

flash will work wirelessly but you have to use the popup flash
wireless = optical wireless

The bracket is what helps the most because it gets the flash off-camera.

LaRee · 11-28-2007, 10:50 PM

The 540 flash will work in wireless mode with firmware version 1.10. I use it all the time. Good luck on your photographic ventures and have fun!

clawhammer · 11-29-2007, 12:09 AM

1.10? I guess it's just the retail 1.0 firmware that doesn't allow wireless.

billyclaymyers · 11-29-2007, 06:39 AM

someone said OPTICAL wireless, as in both have to fire, because the 540 is triggered by the popup or is it wireless as in RF wireless? If it is optical, then maybe I should get the cable so as to allow for use without the popup flash.

Thanks for any input

clawhammer · 11-29-2007, 12:39 PM

Yes, the 540 would be triggered by the popup flash. using a custom function you can set it to fire the built-in along with the 540, or just fire the preflashes and let the 540 do the normal flash. does that make sense? the popup fires right before the exposure to transmit the data to the flash, and then can either fire again in addition to the 540 or not fire.

11-28-2007, 03:48 PM	#1
billyclaymyers New Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Victoria Texas Posts: 9	New Gear Today - Hope I did the right thing I work for a dermatologist as a network administrator. I also do photography as a hobby. I have been recently tasked with two jobs that are going to call on my photography skills or lack thereof depending on the outcome. One is to take pictures of patients skin problems to show before and after images for the website. The other is to take pictures of kids with "Cowboy Santa" at the small feed store my wife works at (She volunteered me for that) Now all I have is the K10D, 18-55 Kit Lens, a 70-210 Quantaray that is an old A lens that requires manual focus on the K10D but with aperture in A position it meters fine. A Pentax 135mm F/2 M series manual lens, and a Pentax 50mm F/1.4 M series manual lens. I also have a nice tripod. So realizing that the indoor shots of the kids are going to need a flash and possibly a better indoor lens, Today I ordered a DA 40mm limited 2.8 lens, a 540FGZ flash, a Omni Diffuser, and a stroboframe off camera flash bracket. Now I did not order the cable or off camera pieces for the flash. I thought it worked wirelessly?? If anyone knows for sure, please let me know so that I can overnight them tomorrow to have them by friday. I hope this works well. I was also thinking of ordering the wired cable release for the camera and setting the camera up with manual focus at the christmas event and just using the cable release to snap the image, so that I can stand up and get the kids attention. Any ideas, prayers,anything?

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11-28-2007, 05:25 PM	#2
Syb Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Near Utrecht, Netherlands Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,221	For the skin part, I would recommend a 1:1 macro lense. Pentax has several, and Sigma has a nice one, too which is not exaggeratedly expensive. You may even convince your boss you really need the lens to do your job.

11-28-2007, 05:39 PM	#3
clawhammer Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Logan, Utah Photos: Gallery Posts: 971	I'm 99.9% positive that the flash will work wirelessly-just be sure to upgrade your K10 to firmware 1.30. I have a 360 that I've tested on the stroboframe flip-frame bracket and it works just fine.

11-28-2007, 07:12 PM	#4
kenyee Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Boston, PRofMA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,026	flash will work wirelessly but you have to use the popup flash wireless = optical wireless The bracket is what helps the most because it gets the flash off-camera.

11-28-2007, 10:50 PM	#5
LaRee Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: San Diego Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,225	The 540 flash will work in wireless mode with firmware version 1.10. I use it all the time. Good luck on your photographic ventures and have fun!

11-29-2007, 12:09 AM	#6
clawhammer Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Logan, Utah Photos: Gallery Posts: 971	1.10? I guess it's just the retail 1.0 firmware that doesn't allow wireless.

11-29-2007, 06:39 AM	#7
billyclaymyers New Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Victoria Texas Posts: 9 Original Poster	someone said OPTICAL wireless, as in both have to fire, because the 540 is triggered by the popup or is it wireless as in RF wireless? If it is optical, then maybe I should get the cable so as to allow for use without the popup flash. Thanks for any input

11-29-2007, 12:39 PM	#8
clawhammer Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Logan, Utah Photos: Gallery Posts: 971	Yes, the 540 would be triggered by the popup flash. using a custom function you can set it to fire the built-in along with the 540, or just fire the preflashes and let the 540 do the normal flash. does that make sense? the popup fires right before the exposure to transmit the data to the flash, and then can either fire again in addition to the 540 or not fire.