[UncleVanya]

This article Pentax K-50 Plus Extras for $307.99 - Deals and Savings | PentaxForums.com brings up the point that the K-50 may not be around much longer and that the KS2 has essentially succeeded it. If that's true (and I'm not sure the two have anything to do with each other) then Pentax's new lineup would consist of the KS2 and the K3II neither of which can control a remote flash without an add-on device.

Is in body wireless control of external flash something Pentax is moving away from?

My thinking is that there have been hints of a replacement body coming but no dates. I am hoping this comes with wireless control of external flash intact and adds the higher sensor resolution of the KS2 with more traditional styling.

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Last edited by UncleVanya; 05-21-2015 at 05:30 PM.

[jatrax]

WIreless, RF not IR, control of flashes would be a great feature. Possibly built in to some bodies, added with a small module that mounts on the hot shoe for other models. There are a number of third party solutions to this, so the technology is available and the units are not large so it could be done.

Might be a way forward for Pentax to finally have a world class flash system.

[Adam]

Restricting an advanced feature like wireless flash control to the flagship (i.e. the K-3 and its true successor) would be a good way to convince people otherwise considering a K-S2 to step it up to the flagship model.

Also, because of this I think that the K-3 will remain to the lineup alongside the K-3 II until we see the next flagship.

[CarlJF]

I think the problem isn't removing wireless flash control (although it's a move difficult to understand), the problem is that there's no "Plan B" with Pentax. You don't have a cheap P-TTL flash controller available as you have with Canikon, and no P-TTL radio trigger actually exist. If Pentax would get us a P-TTL compatible radio trigger, losing wireless control from flash would not be so bad... I would happily buy one, simply because when shooting outside the pop up flash control is just too unreliable to be useful.

[mattt]

De featuring is a mistake. It alarms me to the possibility of future arbitrary feature eliminations. What engineering reason could exist to remove this useful feature from KS2? I used wireless flash often enough on my Kr to be shocked to read the feature is absent from a "better newer" body.

[UncleVanya]

I still don't think the KS series is intended to be the replacement for the entry range body. It has a smaller buffer (likely not smaller technically but smaller effectively due to the larger files), it shoots at a slower rate, and it lacks the wireless flash control. I still think we will see a replacement for the K50 this next 6 months but that could be wishful thinking on my part.

[monochrome]

I still don't think the KS series is intended to be the replacement for the entry range body. It has a smaller buffer (likely not smaller technically but smaller effectively due to the larger files), it shoots at a slower rate, and it lacks the wireless flash control. I still think we will see a replacement for the K50 this next 6 months but that could be wishful thinking on my part.

K-3 is the functional replacement for the K-50 if they keep making and selling oit at this price until there is a proper new APSc flagship..

[UncleVanya]

K-3 is the functional replacement for the K-50 if they keep making and selling oit at this price until there is a proper new APSc flagship..

That's an interesting idea but I somehow doubt that the K3 will fall much farther than it is and I'm not sure it will even be sustainable at the current prices.

[Kozlok]

Does the KS2 NOT control flash wirelessly?

[UncleVanya]

Does the KS2 NOT control flash wirelessly?

It does not. Many threads have talked about this - some were people complaining they didn't know it didn't do it until after they tried to use it that way.

Look at this comparison and focus on the flash section.
Pentax Cameras | Pentax K-S2 vs. Pentax K-50 - Pentax DSLR Comparison - PentaxForums.com

[GeneV]

That was one of my issues with the K01 as well. I use this feature, and, absent a successor to it, It is very unfortunate to see it go. As we have said on other threads, an AF202 which adds this capability would help a lot.

[stevebrot]

Might be a way forward for Pentax to finally have a world class flash system.

That is my thought as well. Has anyone considered that the K-2S is historically unique for the Pentax line in that it has a functional radio transmitter built into camera. The feature shift may be evidence of a new flash control protocol from Pentax to be back-ported to the K-2S as compatible flashes come to market.


Steve

[jatrax]

The feature shift may be evidence of a new flash control protocol from Pentax to be back-ported to the K-2S as compatible flashes come to market.

I'm hoping for something like that. But it is odd they just released, not that long ago, two new flashes. I remember some posts theorizing that there were hidden features in the flashes that would work only with as yet unreleased cameras. If the K-S2 is one of those 'new' cameras then where is the wireless protocol to make them work together? Maybe the K-S2 was not one of the cameras with the new features. Maybe there are no new features. Maybe those flashes were released before they settled on a new protocol. Maybe I am just dreaming.............

[mcgregni]

It seems odd, given that its been a standard feature across the range for a long time. I can understand it for the K3ii (that's lost its flash!), but its harder to fathom for a model that still has pop-up .....



So I'm guessing the K-S2 has no ' wireless ' mode on it's flash mode options? (What about the K-S1?).



I can only assume its to do with market positioning, and trying to push people to consider the higher models. The K-S range is a new type with the'innovations' tag line, to appeal to the younger generation. Maybe Pentax feel that wireless flash triggering is for a different user group? They may want to limit advanced features on the innovations bodies to keep them simpler ... But also to distinguish the higher end models more.

[Kozlok]

Will the KS2 wirelessly trigger an external flash with a "real" flash on the hotshoe?