K10D and external Flash What am I doing wrong?

Michael Rothman · 01-12-2007, 08:08 PM

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Well here I am at a two Model shoot with a brand new K10D, some great lenses, including a Zeiss 180 f/2.8 for the 645 with adapter ring, AND my Speedotron 1205 strobe. The Speedo was being triggered off the K10D through a Wein SafeSynch and cable as a short in the Speedotron would probably cook the K10D. Well no matter what settings I used on the K10D I could not get the strobes to fire. X, M, P, what ever. Nothing. I went into the strobe menu and it was set to fire the strobe. I know the SafeSynch and cable were OK because when put it on my Fuji S9000, things fired as they should. I even moved the SafeSynch fore and aft to be sure the thing was making contact.

Now to make matters more interesting, when I had the camera at a friend's studio two days ago, we were triggering his Speedotrons with a Pocket Wizard wireless transmitter on the Pentax hot shoe. Plus the built in Flash would fire today without a problem.

Nothing like impressing two beautiful Models with a new camera, some awe inspiring lenses and a flash that won't work off the new toy. I did the shoot with the Fuji indoors and the Pentax outside using the built in flash for fill.

So what was I doing wrong???

**rprii** · 01-12-2007, 08:40 PM

Wow!!! I was shooting Jenna Jameson the other day and had the same problem . . . came up with a quick fix . . . hope this helps

To quote Trog . . . he, he, he

davemdsn · 01-12-2007, 09:13 PM

My *istD has this problem from time to time. Removing the batteries and putting them back in would usually fix it. Replacing the button cell in the bottom of the camera always helped.

I have not had this problem with the K10D, but then I have not used any cables with it. I took the oportunity to get a cheap radio trigger when I got the new camera. In the K10 it can't be a bad CR battery because it does not use one.

Wish I had a great answer for you. I spent three weeks shooting a calendar of lovely ladies for a local radio station and the *istD gave me flash problems at almost every shoot. I got it done, but it was a little embarassing at times. Good thing they loved the pics so maybe they'll forget about the flash issues.

Michael Rothman · 01-13-2007, 05:03 PM

Well looks like there have been a lot of viewers of this post but few responders.

I'm still perplexed about this.

Michael

Alvin · 01-13-2007, 10:35 PM

Sorry Michael, I think you may have stumped all of us here. You mentioned using a Fuji S9000 with your strobe setup. I haven't tried flashes on my K100D yet, but I'd still like to help you out with troubleshooting by doing some brainstorming. Have you tried using another lens instead of your screwmount? What mode was your camera in when trying to shoot?

Michael Rothman · 01-13-2007, 11:13 PM

Originally posted by Alvin

Sorry Michael, I think you may have stumped all of us here. You mentioned using a Fuji S9000 with your strobe setup. I haven't tried flashes on my K100D yet, but I'd still like to help you out with troubleshooting by doing some brainstorming. Have you tried using another lens instead of your screwmount? What mode was your camera in when trying to shoot?

Thanks. I tried two Pentax autofocus lenses the standard kit lens and a 100MM f/2.0 Macro, on the K10 with the same negative results. I didn't even try the Zeiss 180. I had the camera set on Green, P M and X I went into flash menu with the Fn button and set it to flash. Nothing. I fired studio strobes at a friend's studio earlier this week using a Pocket Wizard remote on the K10 earlier this week.

I moved the SafeSnych from fully foward against the front stop of the hot shoe to almost falling off the rear in very small increments to be sure the spring loaded contact was in the correct location. I even turned the Safe Synch front to back to be sure the contacts were touching.

When all that failed I put the SafeSynch on my Fuji S9000 and the strobes fired as they should. Glad I had my 'former' main camera along to complete the shoot.

When we went outside to shoot, I used the K10 with both Pentax lenses and the pop up flash fired as fill. NO Problem.

Is the configuration of the terminals in the hotshoe especially the center one not standard? Are the sides of the shoe conductors? They should be ground.

Thanks again all!

Michael

davemdsn · 01-14-2007, 10:09 AM

I did try out a safesync at the store once before deciding to go wireless and I did have problems with it. We did eventually get it to work but it did take a while.

In another test my Pentax 540 would not fire from a hot shoe adapter for a light stand. There was some metal on the hot shoe that was not part of the contact but did come into contact with the additional contacts on the flash. I wonder if the Pentax hot shoe system disables itself if there are contacts made that it can't read, ie the dedicated contacts can't touch any metal. I can't remember the construction of the safesync so I don't know if the problems would be related.

Alvin · 01-14-2007, 10:25 AM

Someone here correct me if I'm wrong.

The FujiFilm S9000 has a TTL flash hotshoe so it works. (I'm was a Fujifilm fanboy to some degree, so I think I'm right about the Fuji spec.)

I think I read in an earlier post that the Pentax K100/110/10D series only supports P-TTL and not TTL. That could be why your strobes aren't working. I'm taking a stab - missing contacts per davemdsn for P-TTL information hence strobes won't fire.

davemdsn · 01-14-2007, 11:34 AM

Well, Michael is trying to fire them with a safesync, which should work. My comment about the contacts is a question of the contacts touching metal that is not a contact but manages to confuse it, or disable it in some way. I am not in anyway sure that this is the cause, just wondering. I don't have a way to test it.

JeffScottSF · 01-14-2007, 07:54 PM

Dave, you certainly got yourself into an interesting puzzler, and I hope it gets resolved because I have similar questions related to external flash for my K100D. Am definitely thinking now of using a Wein SafeSync for belt-and-suspenders insurance and the PC jack it'd provide. And am considering biting the $350 bullet by using PocketWizard Plus IIs, as advised at the Strobist blog - if I could just figure out how my Pentax AF-360FGZ flash connects to it (although an additional Sigma EF-500DG might be an option).

The OK1000 Pentax blog (OK1000 Pentax Blog: Flashes) has some related info you might check out.

davemdsn · 01-15-2007, 09:20 AM

Jeff, I don't think it is necessary to spend so much on radio triggers. Pocket Wizards may be nice but there are more cost effective alternatives. I had been wanting to go wireless for some time and the Strobist put me over the edge, too. I picked up a cheap wireless unit at a local store for $85, complete with trigger and receiver. The same product is also available on E-bay for around $25. It attaches to hot shoe flashes via a pc socket on the receiver so for the 360 you would need a hot shoe adapter, one that has a pc cord attached to a hot shoe with a threaded socket on the bottom for attaching to a light stand. About $10-15.

This set up works great for me. No more cords! Well, a short cord from the receiver into the flash. Freedom!!

peted · 01-15-2007, 12:54 PM

Originally posted by davemdsn

I have not had this problem with the K10D, but then I have not used any cables with it. I took the oportunity to get a cheap radio trigger when I got the new camera. In the K10 it can't be a bad CR battery because it does not use one.

Sorry to sort of change the subject but what "cheap" radio trigger are you using?

Thanks.

davemdsn · 01-15-2007, 03:50 PM

Originally posted by peted

Sorry to sort of change the subject but what "cheap" radio trigger are you using?

Thanks.

It is a RPS Studio brand, but it looks identical to these...
eBay: 16 Channels Wireless Radio Slave Strobe Flash Trigger (item 110073049002 end time Jan-21-07 22:00:00 PST)
or this...
Gadget Infinity :: Digital Camera :: Flash Trigger :: 16 Channels Wireless Studio Flash Trigger
except mine is a single channel and I actually paid more for mine. If I were to do it again I would get the cheaper one, since they are obviously the same thing. They work very well, I am very happy with it.

peted · 01-15-2007, 08:53 PM

Originally posted by davemdsn

It is a RPS Studio brand, but it looks identical to these...
eBay: 16 Channels Wireless Radio Slave Strobe Flash Trigger (item 110073049002 end time Jan-21-07 22:00:00 PST)
or this...
Gadget Infinity :: Digital Camera :: Flash Trigger :: 16 Channels Wireless Studio Flash Trigger
except mine is a single channel and I actually paid more for mine. If I were to do it again I would get the cheaper one, since they are obviously the same thing. They work very well, I am very happy with it.

Thanks Dave, they look amazing for the price.

Dana G · 01-15-2007, 09:02 PM

Originally posted by Michael Rothman

Well no matter what settings I used on the K10D I could not get the strobes to fire. X, M, P, what ever.

Now to make matters more interesting, when I had the camera at a friend's studio two days ago, we were triggering his Speedotrons with a Pocket Wizard wireless transmitter on the Pentax hot shoe. Plus the built in Flash would fire today without a problem.

So what was I doing wrong???

Not using the Pocket Wizards. I had no problems with my K10D and a studio flash setup, but I didn't like using the hotshoe adapter and kept getting tangled up in cables.

Pocket Wizards are not for convenience. They are for the safety of the photographer and the models.

Cough up enough for a pair, they're cheap enough.

01-12-2007, 08:08 PM	#1
Michael Rothman Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ChicagoLand, IL Photos: Gallery Posts: 27	K10D and external Flash What am I doing wrong? Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here. Well here I am at a two Model shoot with a brand new K10D, some great lenses, including a Zeiss 180 f/2.8 for the 645 with adapter ring, AND my Speedotron 1205 strobe. The Speedo was being triggered off the K10D through a Wein SafeSynch and cable as a short in the Speedotron would probably cook the K10D. Well no matter what settings I used on the K10D I could not get the strobes to fire. X, M, P, what ever. Nothing. I went into the strobe menu and it was set to fire the strobe. I know the SafeSynch and cable were OK because when put it on my Fuji S9000, things fired as they should. I even moved the SafeSynch fore and aft to be sure the thing was making contact. Now to make matters more interesting, when I had the camera at a friend's studio two days ago, we were triggering his Speedotrons with a Pocket Wizard wireless transmitter on the Pentax hot shoe. Plus the built in Flash would fire today without a problem. Nothing like impressing two beautiful Models with a new camera, some awe inspiring lenses and a flash that won't work off the new toy. I did the shoot with the Fuji indoors and the Pentax outside using the built in flash for fill. So what was I doing wrong???

01-14-2007, 10:25 AM	#8
Alvin Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,517	Someone here correct me if I'm wrong. The FujiFilm S9000 has a TTL flash hotshoe so it works. (I'm was a Fujifilm fanboy to some degree, so I think I'm right about the Fuji spec.) I think I read in an earlier post that the Pentax K100/110/10D series only supports P-TTL and not TTL. That could be why your strobes aren't working. I'm taking a stab - missing contacts per davemdsn for P-TTL information hence strobes won't fire. Last edited by Alvin; 01-14-2007 at 10:33 AM.

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01-12-2007, 08:40 PM	#2
rprii Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Florida Photos: Gallery Posts: 178	Wow!!! I was shooting Jenna Jameson the other day and had the same problem . . . came up with a quick fix . . . hope this helps To quote Trog . . . he, he, he

01-12-2007, 09:13 PM	#3
davemdsn Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Boise, Idaho Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,413	My istD has this problem from time to time. Removing the batteries and putting them back in would usually fix it. Replacing the button cell in the bottom of the camera always helped. I have not had this problem with the K10D, but then I have not used any cables with it. I took the oportunity to get a cheap radio trigger when I got the new camera. In the K10 it can't be a bad CR battery because it does not use one. Wish I had a great answer for you. I spent three weeks shooting a calendar of lovely ladies for a local radio station and the istD gave me flash problems at almost every shoot. I got it done, but it was a little embarassing at times. Good thing they loved the pics so maybe they'll forget about the flash issues.

01-13-2007, 05:03 PM	#4
Michael Rothman Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ChicagoLand, IL Photos: Gallery Posts: 27 Original Poster	Well looks like there have been a lot of viewers of this post but few responders. I'm still perplexed about this. Michael

01-13-2007, 10:35 PM	#5
Alvin Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,517	Sorry Michael, I think you may have stumped all of us here. You mentioned using a Fuji S9000 with your strobe setup. I haven't tried flashes on my K100D yet, but I'd still like to help you out with troubleshooting by doing some brainstorming. Have you tried using another lens instead of your screwmount? What mode was your camera in when trying to shoot?

01-13-2007, 11:13 PM	#6
Michael Rothman Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ChicagoLand, IL Photos: Gallery Posts: 27 Original Poster	Originally posted by Alvin Sorry Michael, I think you may have stumped all of us here. You mentioned using a Fuji S9000 with your strobe setup. I haven't tried flashes on my K100D yet, but I'd still like to help you out with troubleshooting by doing some brainstorming. Have you tried using another lens instead of your screwmount? What mode was your camera in when trying to shoot? Thanks. I tried two Pentax autofocus lenses the standard kit lens and a 100MM f/2.0 Macro, on the K10 with the same negative results. I didn't even try the Zeiss 180. I had the camera set on Green, P M and X I went into flash menu with the Fn button and set it to flash. Nothing. I fired studio strobes at a friend's studio earlier this week using a Pocket Wizard remote on the K10 earlier this week. I moved the SafeSnych from fully foward against the front stop of the hot shoe to almost falling off the rear in very small increments to be sure the spring loaded contact was in the correct location. I even turned the Safe Synch front to back to be sure the contacts were touching. When all that failed I put the SafeSynch on my Fuji S9000 and the strobes fired as they should. Glad I had my 'former' main camera along to complete the shoot. When we went outside to shoot, I used the K10 with both Pentax lenses and the pop up flash fired as fill. NO Problem. Is the configuration of the terminals in the hotshoe especially the center one not standard? Are the sides of the shoe conductors? They should be ground. Thanks again all! Michael

01-14-2007, 10:09 AM	#7
davemdsn Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Boise, Idaho Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,413	I did try out a safesync at the store once before deciding to go wireless and I did have problems with it. We did eventually get it to work but it did take a while. In another test my Pentax 540 would not fire from a hot shoe adapter for a light stand. There was some metal on the hot shoe that was not part of the contact but did come into contact with the additional contacts on the flash. I wonder if the Pentax hot shoe system disables itself if there are contacts made that it can't read, ie the dedicated contacts can't touch any metal. I can't remember the construction of the safesync so I don't know if the problems would be related.

01-14-2007, 11:34 AM	#9
davemdsn Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Boise, Idaho Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,413	Well, Michael is trying to fire them with a safesync, which should work. My comment about the contacts is a question of the contacts touching metal that is not a contact but manages to confuse it, or disable it in some way. I am not in anyway sure that this is the cause, just wondering. I don't have a way to test it.

01-14-2007, 07:54 PM	#10
JeffScottSF Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Bay Area, California Posts: 6	Dave, you certainly got yourself into an interesting puzzler, and I hope it gets resolved because I have similar questions related to external flash for my K100D. Am definitely thinking now of using a Wein SafeSync for belt-and-suspenders insurance and the PC jack it'd provide. And am considering biting the $350 bullet by using PocketWizard Plus IIs, as advised at the Strobist blog - if I could just figure out how my Pentax AF-360FGZ flash connects to it (although an additional Sigma EF-500DG might be an option). The OK1000 Pentax blog (OK1000 Pentax Blog: Flashes) has some related info you might check out.

01-15-2007, 09:20 AM	#11
davemdsn Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Boise, Idaho Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,413	Jeff, I don't think it is necessary to spend so much on radio triggers. Pocket Wizards may be nice but there are more cost effective alternatives. I had been wanting to go wireless for some time and the Strobist put me over the edge, too. I picked up a cheap wireless unit at a local store for $85, complete with trigger and receiver. The same product is also available on E-bay for around $25. It attaches to hot shoe flashes via a pc socket on the receiver so for the 360 you would need a hot shoe adapter, one that has a pc cord attached to a hot shoe with a threaded socket on the bottom for attaching to a light stand. About $10-15. This set up works great for me. No more cords! Well, a short cord from the receiver into the flash. Freedom!!

01-15-2007, 12:54 PM	#12
peted Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Canberra, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 133	Originally posted by davemdsn I have not had this problem with the K10D, but then I have not used any cables with it. I took the oportunity to get a cheap radio trigger when I got the new camera. In the K10 it can't be a bad CR battery because it does not use one. Sorry to sort of change the subject but what "cheap" radio trigger are you using? Thanks.

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01-15-2007, 03:50 PM	#13
davemdsn Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Boise, Idaho Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,413	Originally posted by peted Sorry to sort of change the subject but what "cheap" radio trigger are you using? Thanks. It is a RPS Studio brand, but it looks identical to these... eBay: 16 Channels Wireless Radio Slave Strobe Flash Trigger (item 110073049002 end time Jan-21-07 22:00:00 PST) or this... Gadget Infinity :: Digital Camera :: Flash Trigger :: 16 Channels Wireless Studio Flash Trigger except mine is a single channel and I actually paid more for mine. If I were to do it again I would get the cheaper one, since they are obviously the same thing. They work very well, I am very happy with it.

01-15-2007, 08:53 PM	#14
peted Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Canberra, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 133	Originally posted by davemdsn It is a RPS Studio brand, but it looks identical to these... eBay: 16 Channels Wireless Radio Slave Strobe Flash Trigger (item 110073049002 end time Jan-21-07 22:00:00 PST) or this... Gadget Infinity :: Digital Camera :: Flash Trigger :: 16 Channels Wireless Studio Flash Trigger except mine is a single channel and I actually paid more for mine. If I were to do it again I would get the cheaper one, since they are obviously the same thing. They work very well, I am very happy with it. Thanks Dave, they look amazing for the price.

01-15-2007, 09:02 PM	#15
Dana G Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Masachusetts Posts: 243	Originally posted by Michael Rothman Well no matter what settings I used on the K10D I could not get the strobes to fire. X, M, P, what ever. Now to make matters more interesting, when I had the camera at a friend's studio two days ago, we were triggering his Speedotrons with a Pocket Wizard wireless transmitter on the Pentax hot shoe. Plus the built in Flash would fire today without a problem. So what was I doing wrong??? Not using the Pocket Wizards. I had no problems with my K10D and a studio flash setup, but I didn't like using the hotshoe adapter and kept getting tangled up in cables. Pocket Wizards are not for convenience. They are for the safety of the photographer and the models. Cough up enough for a pair, they're cheap enough.