How do I use flash with M lenses on the *istD?

This method is for the *istD only. It does not work on the DS or DL.

Set the camera in "M" mode. Then set a shutterspeed of 1/150 or slower on the camera, and set the aperture you want to use on the aperture ring of the lens.

Press the shutter button.

That's it.

The *istD measures the flash light during exposure off the sensor and shuts off the flash when enough light has been received (TTL flash mode).

The lens will stop down to the aperture you selected during exposure.

This works with the built in flash as well as with external TTL capabable Pentax flashes like the AFZ360. I have not tested it with older Pentax TTL capable flashes.

Note: Don't press the green button. The green button with M lenses is for measuring the ambient light.

Note: Custom function "F stop other than A" must be set to "on".

[roy]

TTL works just fine with older lenses 'K' & 'M' if you use an off camera TTL flash on the DS. why the onboard doesn't work?? you tell me.

[Khukri]

Hullo! I'm a new comer to digital 35mm Pentax. Reference a query by a fellow member: 'How do I use flash with M lenses on the *istD?' : Will the same procedure apply the K10D or is it different? Thank you.

[bluedog]

It 's always wrong exposure,when I use flash for M lens .
oh, I am K100D user.

[Ole]

Hullo! I'm a new comer to digital 35mm Pentax. Reference a query by a fellow member: 'How do I use flash with M lenses on the *istD?' : Will the same procedure apply the K10D or is it different? Thank you.

The K10D is different from the *istD. The K10D lacks TTL flash support.
You'll need an external flash instead and use the flash on its "auto" setting, so that the flash meassures the light and determines the exposure (by controlling the amount of light emitted). Or you can use the external flash in manual mode calculating the proper f-stop from the guide number.

Hi, please allow me to take a lift in this post.

I'm looking for a Flash (a cheap one hopefully) to use with my M lens. My cam is a K100D, and I already know I can't use TLL flashes, nor, with a P-TLL, flash use this feature trough my M lens.

So, I wanna (I think) a totally manual flash to "in manual mode calculating the proper f-stop from the guide number" [OLE]

This is all I know.

I have no idea how to use the guide number and hot shoe adapter sound to me like something belonged to a torture chamber...

I need some indications of Flashes which I can use in this conditions.

Thanks all, and sorry if the text is a little confuse, my english is really rusty at moment.

[Lowell Goudge]

*istD works great with K series lenses, in TTL mode. I use an AF500FTZ, and also AF540FGZ in TTL mode

If you want flash metering on K10D and K/M series lenses you need to use something like the AF540FGZ but in AUTO mode, not P-TTL

P-TTL requires the lense apature information to set the intensity after the wide pen pre flash

[germar]

I just ran out and fired off a series of shots with my K100D, AF360 and a SMC M 50 1.7. Flash was in auto mode with an iso of 200. Just to make it hard, I shot with f/5.6. The camera was left in manual mode. I shot with subjects as close as 7 feet and as far as say...20ft.

Images were good, though it looked a half-stop dark to my eye. But the flash seemed to compensate for distance quite nicely and required no intervention to deliver acceptable pictures without messing with guide numbers and mental math. I might dial in a little compensation for the next round of shots.

regards,

germar

[db2]

TTL sounds like a more sophisticated, real time arrangement whereas the P TTL , with it's pre flash not quite so 'on the nose'. I will try both now thanks to your thread Ole as have recently bought the 360 fgz.

[db2]

Tried the P TTL against the TTL on the *istD. I placed a bunch of apples on the kitchen bench took some photos with both flash methods. It seems the PTTL is better when the flash is pointed directly at the apples, exposing nicely but when bounced of the ceiling it underexposes quite a bit. With TTL and the flash straight on I get overexposure but when bounced the exposure is spot on.
I tried this with the 50 f1.7 A and the 28 2.8 M lenses with the same results.