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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
11-10-2011, 06:57 PM
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OOPS...Its a typo...I KNOW I've got the 360, I'm not a moron, just a poor typist! ;) I've been using my AF 360FGZ on my Pentax K5...and previously on my K7 & K20d, & in reviewing my EXIF info, when flash fired, No strobe return detected (EVER). I've tried changing the mode, the Zoom, using it on the hot shoe, and wirelessly. I've tried it with my 50mm lens & my 16-35 in a variety of settings.
I've read that if no strobe is detected, that means that my sensor isn't feeling the strobe...but my photos are lit, sometimes overexposed.
Can someone explain this to me? Happy to provide more info, but the variety of conditions that I've tried have all given me the same result. I'm anxious to learn what I don't know.
Thanks!
:)
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
02-27-2010, 09:15 AM
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Rustynail...thanks, I think the issue was more that I had my focus mode on SEL for earlier prop work...I was saying metering mode when I meant focus setting mode...I was frustrated this morning & made a mistake in my writing/thinking process.
amoringello...you have me the technique & tool I need for now & later (thanks again for the link). I thank you very much.
Burnie, I don't think thats relevant to my question. I believe my question has been fully answered.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
02-27-2010, 08:20 AM
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THANK YOU! I was exactly hoping for a technique that'd help me. So doing this, I wouldn't have to move closer or change my aperture? I'm just isolating my focus point?
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
02-27-2010, 08:18 AM
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The auto bracketing function would definitely have come in handy. I think I set the camera into spot metering mode to do some earlier prop shots & just shot this...when I saw that the indicator light telling me I had focus, I just didn't give it another thought...& I find the playback useless for focus detection, everything looks in focus in a 3 inch display.
So in summation, my problems were too low of an f stop for the distance I was shooting? Is that correct? My metering mode had nothing to do with it, and changing this would have little effect?
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
02-27-2010, 08:08 AM
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amoringello..thanks for the link....so what you're saying (as is enoeske, I think) is that my distance from the subjects is what dictates my f stop? So I should probably just default to Aperture priority as a setting, I'm thinking, then using the charts figure my need f stop. My fingers will be practically dancing around my setting buttons. I don't get it, I've been told that if I'm shooting at 5.6 I should get everything in focus...my God, I'd have to be sitting on my subjects for that to happen.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
02-27-2010, 08:03 AM
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Ok, enoeske, allow me to clarify... are you saying change the metering mode, or get closer? If I'm standing about 5 ft from my subjects, I need to do what to get the entire subject area in focus? Would the 16 point metering have been the more obvious choice? Is the 1.4 lens a poor choice? I'm not trying to be dim, but I need a clear direction.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
02-27-2010, 07:47 AM
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Rusty, yes I noticed that & that is the question.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
02-27-2010, 07:43 AM
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It was a wedding, I couldn't whip out a yardstick to measure & obviously I didn't expect such backfocus issue. I assume that your comment refers to the spot metering setting? If so, (and obviously I'm wrong) I'd assume that shooting at f/8 would increase the area of focus. Can you tell me why this is not true? Clearly I'm missing something because this is a consistent problem I have, & I do not have the ability, or time to physically measure my distances...I shoot weddings and events, I'm not in the studio. I can eye them, but thats clearly (pun intended) not working for me.
In addition, can you suggest what settings, and/or lens would be a better solution to helping me get greater areas of focus even in well lit situations?
Thank you.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
02-27-2010, 06:30 AM
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This was taken with spot metering...not center weighted.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
02-27-2010, 06:28 AM
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I took this photo at an indoor wedding using my K20D with an autofocus Pentax 1.4 50mm prime lens attached. ISO 800, f 8.0, 1/125, in manual mode, flash unit mounted, bounced off ceiling. My concern is focus...The people are very soft focused but the flowers behind the gentleman are quite clear. @ f.8 with this much light, my thought is that the entire photo should have been in focus. Any feedback as to why it is not?
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
10-24-2009, 02:17 PM
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No...a half press doesn't bring it back, & my sleep mode is as long as possible...& all other functions appear to be working, its just I can't see my settings...
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
10-24-2009, 01:59 PM
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Using my Pentax K10d & have noticed that after relatively short term use...perhaps 20 minutes or so of continual use, the settings data no longer appears in my viewfinder border, nor does it show on the display by the shutter. Its just blank.
I shut the camera down & turn it back on & the display returns, but the same thing happens again. Its a consistent problem...
I'm curious why this might be happening, & if you think any of my other functions might be affected by this...Finally, I'm curious where other Pentax owners send their equipment for repair...the Pentax repair centers in Chandler, AZ is quite backed up (I've been waiting for my 540 flash unit for almost 6 weeks now).
Thanks in advance...any suggestions or ideas much appreciated.
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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
10-06-2009, 04:23 AM
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Thanks, all... I do have the flash bracket & used my AF540 on that wirelessly, until everyone in the room started using their flash which would set off mine. I need the cable...
I'm looking at the Omnibounce now...
Thanks so much!
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Forum: Photographic Technique
10-05-2009, 07:24 PM
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Ok, Heroes (cause thats what you are to me...)
These are 3 shots I took within minutes of each other...
1) 1.7mm @f 4.5...I kind of like this shot, though its a little "soft" to me...a little dark as well..No flash discharged.
2) 1.7mm @ f 4.5...see the blur...feel the blur... no flash, ISO setting in Exif reads: 36865...I have NO idea what that means (I think I was shooting at 400, but it may have been 200...I don't see the data in my photoshop elements file info...see? I'm revealing myself to be an idiot, I think.)
3) 2.5mm @ 4.5...again no flash fired, but this looks soooo much better, I can't even describe it. Exif shows ISO as the same as above.
All shot with the K10d, w/ the promaster attached (but not fired)
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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
10-05-2009, 05:10 PM
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I have the K10d & the K20d, the Pentax AF540, the Pentax AF 360 & a Promaster 7400EDF...
I've got a lumiquest mini softbox I use on my 360 which is ok, a standard diffuser for the AF 540, & not much else...
I'm plagued by shadows when I can't bounce off a ceiling...so wondering what accessories are must haves to soften or direct the light?
Any recommendations greatly appreciated.
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Forum: Photographic Technique
10-05-2009, 04:36 PM
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I'm noting that my K10d often produces very soft images... they look slightly out of focus, even.
I'm shooting in AF S mode, camera shake on, & so the camera must identify the image as in focus before it will the shutter to close. So...what am I doing wrong here? There's the little hexagon in my viewfinder, telling me the image is in focus...& yet, once I get home & upload, so many photographs are clearly (pardon the pun) out of focus.
Any ideas or suggestions? I'm generally shooting in low light situations if that helps.
Thanks!
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Forum: Photographic Technique
10-05-2009, 04:32 PM
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I've had the K10d for about two years now, & generally love it...but this weekend I shot a wedding using my K10D & too many of my images came out soft & blurred (not motion blurred, just out of focus)...
I was outdoors, but under a gazebo on a very rainy & cloudy day, using my K10D with a Sigma 17-35mm...no flash used...
The first photo was shot at focal length 1.7 mm, f/4.5...the effect is somewhat dark, very soft...
The 2nd photo was shot at focal length 2.5mm, f/4.5...the effect is completely crisp, much brighter....
No ISO change...In Elements its showing as 36865 for both pics (this is totally bizarre to me, I think I was shooting at ISO 400...)
My question is could that small change in focal length make such a HUGE difference?!
Thanks, any input much appreciated.
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Forum: Photographic Technique
10-05-2009, 04:19 PM
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I love shooting musical artists in small venues & have some good & bad experiences. Definitely you want the fastest lens you can get: I live by my Pentax 50mm f/1.4 & my 50-135mm f 2.8. I bring a hot shoe flash unit (love my Pentax AF 360 if I can bounce off a wall or ceiling) but generally if there's some cool lighting, take advantage of that & skip the flash. I usually stick between ISO 400 -800 if there's decent stage lighting. Experiment...you can get some cool effects with slower shutter speeds. Move around... See if you can get up on stage either to the side or the back facing out). If its a heavy metal venue, be careful for mosh pits & flailing dancers...Have fun!
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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
08-25-2009, 06:41 AM
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Love Matt's Pentax flash guide! Thanks so much, it was very helpful.
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
08-25-2009, 04:19 AM
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Hi all: Thanks so much for your help. I tried everything you'd suggested, & was so frustrated that I couldn't get my flash to function as the manual (and my instinct) told me it should. When I tried to put it into manual zoom function, as Edl suggested, I couldn't get it back to Auto.
I called Pentax, described the problem, reset all my camera settings, then tested, tested, tested. Finally the tech, says: yeah, its not connecting to the camera fully. I get trigger with shutter release, but there's no communication between the two other than that. I've got to send it in.
Then I took it to a not so local camera shop to see if they could fix it, exchange it, confirm that the unit (and not my hot shoes) is what is defective. They confirmed the issue with the flash unit.
So I'll send it in. &! I'm buying a backup flash unit (though I can't afford another 540 right now) to get me through the two weeks I won't have this one. I'm off to the product review sections.
Thanks for all your help!!
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
08-24-2009, 07:28 AM
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Thanks for the help. I turned everything off (always do), changed the lens to the 50-135, but no change in my flash display...that 16mm continues to blink at me!
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
08-24-2009, 06:36 AM
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Thanks again. I'm really working this out, I've scoured the manual & can see that the blinking zoom indicator is a signal that the focal length cannot be covered. This kind of made sense to me when I had my 70-135 lens mounted, so I switched to my 17-35mm, focused on a subject within my range. The flash pivot is set dead center, facing front.
I am not using the wide angle panel, but have pulled it out & set it back in to ensure its really in. No other diffuser is attached.
I do get a flash, & can adjust the EV settings appropriately, so perhaps the zoom indicator light flashing is irrelevent, but it doesn't seem right & I'm not so skilled with flash units to know if I'm missing something I don't even know about.
I appreciate your patience.
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
08-24-2009, 05:12 AM
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Ok, thanks all. in re: to the recycle time (which wasn't really my question,but I appreciate it anyways), I insert fresh batteries frequently. I do understand that lengthened recycle time = low battery life.
The flash does discharge with the shutter, but that blinking 16mm is what concerns me most. It seems that should change as my settings do.
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
08-23-2009, 08:05 PM
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Hi all,
I'm shooting weddings using my Pentax k10D & AF-540FGZ flash unit. I hardly understand this flash unit at all, & find the manual pretty frustrating.
Generally, I'm shooting weddings at a 400 ISO, shuffling my aperture & shutter speeds around like a madwoman. (f/5.6 at 125 is a favorite place of mine, but I have trouble keeping things there). My flash unit sits directly on my hotshoe, & the default settings are:
On button set all the way to the right. The button on the right that can go up or down is up, so that white shows. Settings:PTT-L, A Zoom, 0.0 compensation...but I ALWAYS have 16 blinking next to my mm setting. No matter what my camera readings are, the flashing continues! This can't be right, can it? What am I missing?
I generally shoot on Program mode on the camera.
I have on occasion tried to change my mode to A, but the blinking 16 continues. regardless again of my camera settings (even though I've thrown it into M & tried to photograph at 125 f/5.6 from there...the result: completely black images).
Then, I notice it often takes so long for the flash to ready itself, that by the time it does, I've missed the shot. I am attentive to my battery power, keep fresh batteries in & change frequently.
Oh, my lenses: a Pentax DA 50-135 f 2.8, Sigma 17-35 f 2.8 & a Pentax prime 50 mm f/1.4.
I should mention that the switch to fix the flash to the shoe is quite loose...it doesn't snap into place & there have been times when the flash has fallen off (I caught it!) so I have to keep checking to confirm its affixed.
I appreciate your help.
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Forum: Photographic Technique
08-23-2009, 07:37 PM
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I've been shooting weddings for two years now & I want to tell you this is the most comprehensive & best quick guide I've seen.
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