AF360FGZ...is it me or...?

Been using this beauty on a short telephotozoom lens (28-80). The Flash unit doesn't correctly read the lens focal length if I change the zoom from, say 50mm to 80mm. I have to power the flash unit on and off again. Not a big problem, just something to remember. Or am I doing something wrong?

Heehee - this is a good one, and it got me confused for ages

The flash has 24-85mm coverage in 35mm. This is down to angle of view, not real focal length... so when using digital the flash covers 16-50mm(ish) which is the corresponding AoV.

So, when you zoom to 50mm - that's what the flash says. But that's the most it can zoom to when using digital.

When you power cycle the flash it resets temporarily to 35mm film mode and shows 85mm as the max zoom. Half touch the shutter and the DSLR will tell the flash that it's digital and the display will change on the flash.

The AF540 now has extra info on the LCD showing which mode (35mm, Digital, 645) it's in.

Hope that makes sense!
(Will check the numbers and edit next time I use the AF360 )
Matt

Matt,

Hate to disagree with the fount of all knowledge, but here goes

Set lens to 28mm, power on camera, power on flash. Flash LCD shows "24mm"; half depress shutter, flash unit bleeps several times and "24mm" flashes on the flash LCD screen, when meter times out "35mm" flashes on LCD screen (and 35mm shows in small at top left of LCD screen) (this is all as it should be - page 180 of K10D manual)

Zoom to 50mm "35mm" still flashing; half depress shutter "24mm" still flashing.

Power flash off/on "24mm" shows (not flashing) half depress shutter, flash bleeps several times, "49 mm" shows on unit.

Therefore irrespective of whether the flash unit is showing 35mm or digital FOV equivalent, the flash unit has not detected that I zoomed from 28mm to 50mm unless I powercycle the flash.

And whatever I do, I cannot change the flash unit from AZoom to MZoom.

I have tried it with both the K10D and DS so it's not down to the body and tried it with the 28-80FA lens and the 16-45 and 50-200DA lenses with same results in all cases.

Confused? You bet I am!

There is something somewhere in the K10D manual which warns that the readings on the screen of the AF 360FGZ are a bit odd when working with digital cameras - probably because it is a relatively old (pre-digital) flashgun (it was developed for the MZS when Pentax were planning a full frame digital SLR after all). However it gets the zooming right. Just ignore the display!!!

Tim,

I have 2 x AF360FGZ flashes and both behave exactly the same way, but not quite as you describe.

I'm using AF360FGZ on a *istD hot shoe with an SMCP-F 28-80mm fitted.

When zooming to 50mm, my flash shows 48mm. Then when the metering times out this changes to 70mm but the head does not zoom. A half press of the shutter returns the display to show 48mm.

HTH,

Tim

I think certain 360's must be a little problematic, I have had the same with the A/M zoom business, also had the flash refuse to zoom at all, I found removing the flash from the camera then removing and replacing the batteries sorted the problem, I remember getting this once when I had been using the flash on one of my film bodies, cant remember if it was the MZ7 or 5n, maybe its some sort of "latent memory" thing in the circuitry?

Tim,
Sounds like your AF360 is faulty - maybe the zoom mech or sensors are defective.
On the K10D: 24-90mm lens, P mode on camera, flash zooms from 24mm to 58mm without bleeps or flashing LCD.

Press the zoom button and I can set the zoom manuall from 16mm to 58mm.
Flick out the diffuser panel and it shows 13mm and won't allow zooming.

I had a dud AF360 once that behaved in a similar manner - not quite though. Can't remember the exact fault now as it was a while ago.

I suspect the flashing LCD and beeps indicate an internal error

Matt

I was afraid of that!