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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-30-2011, 07:36 AM
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For me, being a Pentaxian means learning to use Manual. Not because I'd like to, rather because I'm forced by inaccurate AF, light- and flash metering. Dealing with all those and sticking with Pentax after all means being a Pentaxian for me.
Ben from Hungary
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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
09-28-2010, 11:59 PM
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Hi there, it's an EF-500 DG Super.
"I think the problem I'm facing now is beyond my capabilities, so I need your help.
Recently I bought a Vivitar Series 1 DF-283 P-TTL flash. It's a p-ttl only, no manual flash. The problem is: when I put in on the K-x, it does not communicate with the camera body 7 out of 10 times. The contacts are on spot, the flash is secure in place. And even when it does communicate, it just stops it randomly. I mounted it on the body, put it down onto a table, left the lcd of the camera on to see what happens: shutter time indicator was showing 1/50 and then, nothing touched the camera, it changed to 1". Thats when the communication stopped. Noone did nothing with the body or the flash, the flash didn't turn of, or went to energy saving, it was on, nothing happened, but communication stopped. When this happened, the AF-assist lamp on the flash turned on and it cannot be turned off, only by turning the flash off. And in this no-comm mode the flash always fired on full power blowing out everything. Kinda sucked so I quickly sold it, but guess what, the next user had no problems. I don't know what camera he uses it with.
But I needed an external flash, so I bought an used Sigma EF-500 DG Super PA-PTTL flash. But it's not working on the K-x as it should. The AF-assist lamp and the flash coverage indicator is always blinking/flickering when in p-ttl mode (the af-assist should blink in wireless slave but it's in p-ttl mode)
So when this blinking/flashing occurs, the flash is in p-ttl mode. Absolutly sure about this. The scrren shows "ttl" and a "P". Yesterday I was playing with it to find out some more. When in ttl mode, and the metering on the K-x is active (for example in Av mode when the camera is metering the light to calculate shutter time...the duration of how long the metering is active can be set to 3, 10, 30 seconds) so when metering is active, the flashing occurs and the flash coverage indicator is also jumping to the end of the bar and back to the actual position (changing between these two values). And when the camera stops metering (because I don't touch it for some time - 3, 10, 30 seconds, depending on the setting) the flickering of the AF-assist and the coverage indicator also stops. When I touch the exposure button, the metering turns back on, so do the flickering of the lamp and indicator.
Also, when metering is active, the flash unit does not react to the "mode" button. Only when metering is off. It reacts to the "sel" and "+" "-" buttons, but not the mode button. When I set exposure compensation in P-TTL to anything other than "0", negative or positive compensation, at exposure the flash goes off on full power, blowing out everything.
I also contacted Sigma support, but frankly, this being the second flash I bought for this body, I don't think it's the Sigma flash's fault.
Have you ever met this type of problem? Can you suggest something? Thank you for your help.
Bence Czeglédi
p.s.: the k-x has firmware version 1.01"
This has been sent to Pentax and Sigma support, I'm waiting for reply.
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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
09-28-2010, 05:02 AM
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Hi guys!
I've bought a Sigma EF-500 DG Super P-TTL flash for my K-x, and the problem is whenever I mount the flash on the body, the AF assist lamp constantly blinks/flickers, even if I dont touch the exposure button. The flash seems to be in secure in place, the contacts seem to be fine. What could cause this? Old firmware? Can you help me? Thank you.
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
09-20-2010, 05:40 AM
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Hi guys, I've found a good deal on a used Sigma EF-500 DG Super, and I'd like to know if it works on with my K-x or not. The P-TTL comparison suggests that it might need a firmware upgrade. The current owner used it on a K20D. What do you think? Thanks.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-05-2010, 11:16 PM
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Yes, USING APERTURE RING is set to PERMITTED, everything is set up as specified on Pentax self-support. And on many other pages. So I really don't know.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-05-2010, 10:48 AM
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Yep, I can use optical preview with the kit 18-55, and with a Pentax 50-200 too. How can I do a complete reset? I've managed to restore some settings on the camera, but that left my customized settings. The firmware version is 1.01, the latest. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-04-2010, 08:23 AM
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The camera is set to manual exposure and manual focus, if that matters anyway, the hanimex has an aluminium mount, which does not have a finish, but I've cleaned it anyway, it haven't done anything, still cannot stop it down. I'm out of ideas.
How about you guys?
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-03-2010, 12:48 AM
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Yup, I've forgot to mention, the lenses are K-mount, without an "A" setting on the aperture ring. All manual. So K-mount, no auto aperture. I'm close to selling those lenses and buying someting similary fast auto lens.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-02-2010, 07:41 AM
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The Hanimex is metalic, the Cosinon is painted. :)
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-02-2010, 06:35 AM
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Thanks for the tips, but I've already done those. The camera is set to manual, the Green Button is set to Tv Shift, aperture ring isn't set to 2.8, and yet if I press the Green Button, EV +/-, AE-AF-L buttons, it takes a meter reading at 2.8. Doesn't stop down. And if I set the Green Button to Optical Preview and press it, still nothing happens. The camera does not release the lever in any scenario, only at exposure. I own a Cosinon 50mm f/2 manual lens, I have just tried it to see if the problem occurs, and guess what, it does. Same as the Hanimex. And this one is working off-camera too, blades/lever/ring working properly.
I have no idea what could be the problem. I hope someone does. Thanks in advance.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-02-2010, 03:37 AM
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Thanks for the reply, I've seen your post about using manual lenses on digital bodies, and I think I've tried all those tips. No, the screen doesn't get darker when I turn the aperture ring, because the aperture lever is locked by the body. It's released only before I fully press the exposure button. Thats why I can't use stop down metering. It meters wide open then at exposure applies the wide-open measured shutter speed to the aperture value set on the ring. And if that's not 2.8, it underexposes. I'm thinking about selling it. I think I've tried everything.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-02-2010, 01:19 AM
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Hi there guys, I'd like to ask for some help. Recently I bought a Hanimex 135mm f/2.8 manual lens. It looks used, but mechanically it works like a charm. The aperture blades aren't stuck, the aperture lever is working as it should. At least in my hands. The problem is when I mount it on my K-x, and try to use it in manual exposure, I can't stop it down using any of the buttons, EV +/-, AF/AE-L, Green Button set to Tv Shift, nothing stops down the lens even though the aperture ring isn't set to 2.8. USING APERTURE RING is set to PERMITTED. And yes, the ring is working while the lens is off camera. It doesn't have an "A" setting. So when I push the Green Button while the ring is set to 11 for example, it does not stop the lens down, instead takes a meter reading at 2.8. When I take the shot, the camera stops down to the ring setting and takes the shot with the shutter setting metered to f/2.8. So shots taken on other aperture value than f/2.8 are always underexposed. But it seems like the aperture lever is operational because at exposure the lever is released. But to take a meter reading I simply cannot stop down.
Do you guys have any ideas what could cause the problem? Thank you for your help.
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