[epileatheral]

Hi,
I have a K10D, and an older film era AF260SA flash. Can I use this flash for the K10D? I heard older flash have trigger voltage that can hurt DSLR. Is that true?

Can anyone clear this confusion for me? Anyone using a DSLR with an old flash?
What is the trigger limit of a K10D?

Thanks!

[ryan s]

Assuming you've found this site already...it's not listed So you would have to measure the flash with a multi-meter unless someone here has done it.

The common consensus seems to be that 6V is safe, and some say 10V max could be safe.

I use a Nikon SB-24 with no problems.

[epileatheral]

Thanks Ryan. I guess its better for me to measure the flash before usage.
Anyway, just to share with all Pentaxians.. , I've written to Pentax USA and this is what I got from the personel;

Dear Chan,

Thank you for contacting Pentax.

Pentax Japan has never released the hotshoe trigger voltage specification for the K10D. If you are planning on using a non-Pentax flash on the camera I strongly recommend you use a Wein Safe Sync hotshoe adapter to protect the camera circuits.

If you are in need of further assistance, please respond to this email or call our technical support center at 800-877-0155.

If you would like to participate in our new Pentax Survey, please call 1-800-350-3891.

Sincerely,
Randall Schumacher
Pentax Imaging Technical Support

[dave sz]

I would say 15v is perfectly safe and I'm sure even more than that is probably safe.

[Lowell Goudge]

you need to consider also the type of meter you will use. it should be a digital meter with an input resistance of 20 Meg Ohms or more. Many low cost multi meters (moving needle meters) will load down the flash and give a false reading.

also, what do you want to do with the flash. The K10D only shoots P-TTL and this is only available with the Pentax AF540FGZ and AF360FGZ. all other flashes will need to be shot in manual mode only

[marcdsgn]

The K10D only shoots P-TTL and this is only available with the Pentax AF540FGZ and AF360FGZ. all other flashes will need to be shot in manual mode only

And with this in mind, the cheaper alternative to using the Wein Safe Sync is to use a wireless trigger (eg: Cactus) and mount both the camera and the flash on a $20 flash-bracket (see below), rather than mounting the flash directly to the camera's hotshoe.

[ryan s]

^Or even old school style with a hotshoe-to-PC cord...you know, the coiled one. Pro looking for sure

Also wouldn't have as many errors as the Cactus system...

[marcdsgn]

^Or even old school style with a hotshoe-to-PC cord...you know, the coiled one. Pro looking for sure

Also wouldn't have as many errors as the Cactus system...

?? I have no experience with hotshoe/pc cables, but I don't think they do anything to adapt the voltage, do they? That's why I recommend wireless: no direct connection = no damage.

Also, I've got a bunch of generic Cactus-style remotes, and provided I use standard batteries in the flash (not rechargeable), they rarely misfire, and never when mounted in close proximity to the camera via a bracket. Good odds for the price.

[SOldBear]

The K10D only shoots P-TTL and this is only available with the Pentax AF540FGZ and AF360FGZ. all other flashes will need to be shot in manual mode only

I would like to clarify this statement.

By "manual mode," you mean the camera in manual (M) mode, not P nor Av nor Tv nor .....

On the flash, you can use auto (A) mode. This uses the light sensor on the flash body to squelch the flash's output when there has been enough light. Many flashes have this A mode. The results are in general as good or even better than P-TTL (see below)

Note that there are flashes that do not have A mode. If you are buying a flash, new or used, do NOT buy one without A mode, even though the flash may support the dedicated metering mode (e.g. P-TTL) of your current camera body. Many perfectly good flashes that suppored only Pentax TTL mode now become next to useless when Pentax dropped TTL and adopted P-TTL (Pentax is not the only one guilty of this crime, other camera makers are equally guilty).

In fact, I do have a Pentax AF540FGZ, but more often use a Nikon SB-24 in A mode. And if I use the Pentax, when I don't need advanced features (high-speed or wireless), I use it in A mode (the camera in M mode). Why?

- Pentax P-TTL is very easy to be fooled by a reflective surface in the photo, even when the refective surface is small compared to the whole photo.

- Pentax P-TTL in general produces underexposed images. What makes it worse is that sometimes the image is properly exposed (thus overexposed when you try to compensate for the underexposure ).

- Because of the preflash strobe, P-TTL mode can't be used to trigger optical slaved.

- Some people are sensitive to the preflash strobe, thus close their eyes during the actual exposure.

I'd rather buy a flash with A and no P-TTL than one with P-TTL and no A.

Shame on Pentax - when the AF540FGZ is in A mode, there is no communication (ISO and aperture settings) between the camera and the flash. I heard that the Metz 58 can do this. Also, when the AF540FGZ is turned on, it is always in P-TTL mode, not the mode when it was turned off

[ryan s]

?? I have no experience with hotshoe/pc cables, but I don't think they do anything to adapt the voltage, do they? That's why I recommend wireless: no direct connection = no damage.

Also, I've got a bunch of generic Cactus-style remotes, and provided I use standard batteries in the flash (not rechargeable), they rarely misfire, and never when mounted in close proximity to the camera via a bracket. Good odds for the price.

I think they do, but not sure A Wein Safe Sync could also be used in-line.

How many shots can you get with non-rechargables? I never thought the flash batteries caused issue...I though it was always the triggers' fault?

[Lowell Goudge]

I would like to clarify this statement.

By "manual mode," you mean the camera in manual (M) mode, not P nor Av nor Tv nor .....

no the flash is in manual mode, you set its power and based on lens apature and ISO and distance to subject calculate the correct power setting

On the flash, you can use auto (A) mode. This uses the light sensor on the flash body to squelch the flash's output when there has been enough light. Many flashes have this A mode. The results are in general as good or even better than P-TTL (see below)

yes if the flash has an auto mode sensor like the AF540FGZ

Note that there are flashes that do not have A mode. If you are buying a flash, new or used, do NOT buy one without A mode, even though the flash may support the dedicated metering mode (e.g. P-TTL) of your current camera body. Many perfectly good flashes that suppored only Pentax TTL mode now become next to useless when Pentax dropped TTL and adopted P-TTL (Pentax is not the only one guilty of this crime, other camera makers are equally guilty).

In fact, I do have a Pentax AF540FGZ, but more often use a Nikon SB-24 in A mode. And if I use the Pentax, when I don't need advanced features (high-speed or wireless), I use it in A mode (the camera in M mode). Why?

- Pentax P-TTL is very easy to be fooled by a reflective surface in the photo, even when the refective surface is small compared to the whole photo.

this is a matter of opinion. I disagree, I used an AF500FTZ for 15 years between PZ-1 and *istD and find the esposure is better than with K10D and AF540FGZ in P-TTL mode

- Pentax P-TTL in general produces underexposed images. What makes it worse is that sometimes the image is properly exposed (thus overexposed when you try to compensate for the underexposure ).

- Because of the preflash strobe, P-TTL mode can't be used to trigger optical slaved.

- Some people are sensitive to the preflash strobe, thus close their eyes during the actual exposure.

I'd rather buy a flash with A and no P-TTL than one with P-TTL and no A.

this is true, especially if you shoot non A lenses which cant under any circumstance shoot P-TTL

Shame on Pentax - when the AF540FGZ is in A mode, there is no communication (ISO and aperture settings) between the camera and the flash. I heard that the Metz 58 can do this. Also, when the AF540FGZ is turned on, it is always in P-TTL mode, not the mode when it was turned off

I wouldn't know, I use the 540 in TTL mode on the *istD with K lenses and in P-TTL mode on the K10D with A lenses

[monochrome]

Per Tom Maher, the Promaster 7500EDF is completely P-TTL cmpatible for pentax digital cameras. I purchased one based on this review (cross-postd here somewhere, but I can't find it).

Promaster 7500EDF for Pentax P-TTL mini-review - Photo.net Pentax Forum

[Stratman]

Where did you get your Promaster? I am very interested in getting a P-TTL flash with bounce AND swivel, and just don't wanna put out the cash for the 540, or the Metz 58 ( or is it 54? ) I have a Promaster 5550DX, and bought the P-TTL module for it, but either it is really bad, or it was defective, EVERY photo was massively over exposed with it. ( as in almost completely white ) So I just use it in auto mode and take a few test shots to get exposure correct.

[philbaum]

Hi,
I have a K10D, and an older film era AF260SA flash. Can I use this flash for the K10D? I heard older flash have trigger voltage that can hurt DSLR. Is that true?

Can anyone clear this confusion for me? Anyone using a DSLR with an old flash?
What is the trigger limit of a K10D?

Thanks!

There's an older thread on this forum that claimed two sources at pentax reported 30 volts maximum.

Pick up a digital multimeter and measure the highest DC voltage between the center point of the flash and any other connection. I've successfully used the K10D with AF280T, AF200T, AF200S. The highest voltage i got out of those 3 was about 7 volts, the other 2 were under 6 volts. From that thread, i'm satisfied that anything under 12 volts is satisfactory. The real reason i wouldn't go above 12 volts is my Cactus radio triggers are limited to 12 volts. :-)

Phil

[SOldBear]

I disagree, I used an AF500FTZ for 15 years between PZ-1 and *istD and find the esposure is better than with K10D and AF540FGZ in P-TTL mode.

So, AF500FTZ + PZ-1 and AF500FTZ + *istD are better than AF540FGZ + K10D.

If that's the case, you don't disagree with me.

I got much better results with TTL. The nice thing about TTL is that you can attach anything to the body and still get good results. P-TTL is just too picky.