Flash

Kaelyn84 · 12-06-2007, 04:58 PM

Hi Everyone!
I have the chance to buy a Pentax af 500FTZ Flash for 75.00. My question is, I have never worked with a hot shoe flash and want to know if this is a good beginning flash? Is it worth the price? I want to be able to take some high school senior portraits. I have a K10D. I have searched for beginning flash info on Strobist ect.....so if anyone knows of a great website to learn from it would be much appreciated! I am interested in this flash because it A: has bounce B: Cheap enough for me to buy it!

Please don't flame me for not knowing anything about what I want to buy, I have to learn some how

Thanks,
Kaelyn

AVANT · 12-06-2007, 05:45 PM

The 500FTZ isn't a P-TTL flash. You will lose a lot of the automatic features on the flash when using it with the K10D.

Some people like to immerse themselves by going full manual to learn the art, others want the automatic features to provide a stepping stone, so I can't determine which route makes it a good "beginning flash" for you.

Either route, I still would not get the 500FTZ. If you want a manual flash that gets a lot of support from the camera community, check out the Vivitar 285. While I don't own one, I hear it's a heck of a work horse and have seen some amazing work done with them. It's also very affordable even when new (cheaper than the used 500FTZ).

If you want to enjoy all the flash features your camera has to offer though, I recommend atleast the pentax 360 flash.

Kaelyn84 · 12-07-2007, 07:15 PM

Thank-you for the reply! I went through my stuff and found that I have a Vivitar 283, not sure if it works, husband is going to come home with battery's

Should I still try to get the 285 or should the 283 be sufficiant? Thanks

Kaelyn

Mike Cash · 12-08-2007, 03:57 AM

Read this before you put that Vivitar 283 on your modern digital camera.

Kaelyn84 · 12-08-2007, 09:53 AM

Thank-you so much for that great link!!! I am not gonna put it on my camera, even though it still works, man that flash is powerful

Is is possible to still use it somehow for portrait setup?

Kaelyn

Mike Cash · 12-08-2007, 05:45 PM

Certainly, you just need to trigger it remotely. You can do that with radio triggers, but an easier way would be to attach it to an optical slave. And if you test your particular flash unit, you may find that it is alright to use on your camera.

noblepa · 12-08-2007, 06:00 PM

You could also get a Wein "SafeSynch" and use it on the hotshoe. This is a device the has a photo-electric coupler inside. This isolates the high voltage of the flash from the sensitive electronics of the camera.

Hope this helps.

Paul Noble

12-06-2007, 04:58 PM	#1
Kaelyn84 Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: WA Posts: 93	Flash Hi Everyone! I have the chance to buy a Pentax af 500FTZ Flash for 75.00. My question is, I have never worked with a hot shoe flash and want to know if this is a good beginning flash? Is it worth the price? I want to be able to take some high school senior portraits. I have a K10D. I have searched for beginning flash info on Strobist ect.....so if anyone knows of a great website to learn from it would be much appreciated! I am interested in this flash because it A: has bounce B: Cheap enough for me to buy it! Please don't flame me for not knowing anything about what I want to buy, I have to learn some how Thanks, Kaelyn

12-08-2007, 06:00 PM	#7
noblepa Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bay Village, Ohio USA Posts: 1,142	Vivitar 283 You could also get a Wein "SafeSynch" and use it on the hotshoe. This is a device the has a photo-electric coupler inside. This isolates the high voltage of the flash from the sensitive electronics of the camera. Hope this helps. Paul Noble

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12-06-2007, 05:45 PM	#2
AVANT Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: California Posts: 426	The 500FTZ isn't a P-TTL flash. You will lose a lot of the automatic features on the flash when using it with the K10D. Some people like to immerse themselves by going full manual to learn the art, others want the automatic features to provide a stepping stone, so I can't determine which route makes it a good "beginning flash" for you. Either route, I still would not get the 500FTZ. If you want a manual flash that gets a lot of support from the camera community, check out the Vivitar 285. While I don't own one, I hear it's a heck of a work horse and have seen some amazing work done with them. It's also very affordable even when new (cheaper than the used 500FTZ). If you want to enjoy all the flash features your camera has to offer though, I recommend atleast the pentax 360 flash.

12-07-2007, 07:15 PM	#3
Kaelyn84 Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: WA Posts: 93 Original Poster	Thank-you for the reply! I went through my stuff and found that I have a Vivitar 283, not sure if it works, husband is going to come home with battery's Should I still try to get the 285 or should the 283 be sufficiant? Thanks Kaelyn

12-08-2007, 03:57 AM	#4
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	Read this before you put that Vivitar 283 on your modern digital camera.

12-08-2007, 09:53 AM	#5
Kaelyn84 Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: WA Posts: 93 Original Poster	Thank-you so much for that great link!!! I am not gonna put it on my camera, even though it still works, man that flash is powerful Is is possible to still use it somehow for portrait setup? Kaelyn

12-08-2007, 05:45 PM	#6
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	Certainly, you just need to trigger it remotely. You can do that with radio triggers, but an easier way would be to attach it to an optical slave. And if you test your particular flash unit, you may find that it is alright to use on your camera.