AF400T flash guns

I have two AF400T flash guns with TR power packs which I used with my 645 & ZiP. Is it OK to use them on my *istD & my shiny new K10D. HELP.

They will work in TTL, Auto, Manual modes on the *istD. Auto & manual only on the K10D as it lacks TTL capability.

Thanks for the info. I have used my AF280T on my *istD and also my AF500FTZ and all been OK. I have now found out why my AF500FTZ didn't work with the K10D. I have now read the manual a little deeper and now understand P-TTL. Well it looks like I need to save my pennies for a AF540FGZ. The wife will go mad she thinks the pension is for living on.

TTL guns work OK'ish on the *istD but, as I'm sure you can appreciate, the reflections from the glass covered sensor are way different to that of film. In certain circumstances, TTL flash on the *istD is a tad unpredictable.

That said, even these older guns work fine on the K10D, but in manual mode, which means you have to do a few calculations to determine the correct exposure settings. I use a flash meter to accomplish this bit as my mental arithmatic abilities are . . . well, mental.

Can't you explain your pension shortfall is down to slight variations in interest rates which, when compounded, can in certain hyperthetical circumstances cause the final figures to be occasionally misleading, and in extreme situations, wildly inaccurate.

That should keep her thinking long enough for you to nip out and get your AF540FGZ It's a highly capable flash gun which will work with both of your Pentax DSLR's in all modes, you'll not be disappointed. I too have the AF500FTZ and was considering selling it, but I've decided, for the time being, to keep it as it works perfectly well in manual mode, and as a dumb slave.

Good luck (explaining the missing pension fund, that is).

EDIT: If you have only Pentax DSLR's now, you might fund most of an AF540FGZ by selling your older guns, the AF400T's and the AF280T. The AF500FTZ, as previously mentioned, can be used as a dumb slave but the older TTL guns can't. Not easily anyway. Just a thought.

If you still need a 'hammerhead' style flash you could get hold of a Hot Shoe Grip + Bracket and modify the hotshoe on the grip to stop the 4th pin on the gun shorting to ground. Then you need a Hot Shoe Adapter F and a Synch Cord F 5P.

By sticking all this onto your K10D you have just about replicated a AF400T, but more powerful. Still only manual mode I'm afraid, but it does work.

I have a hotshoe grip which I used to use with the two AF400T's hard wired to the AF280T on my 645 as a 3 gun TTL set-up and it was great but now I'm going to have to think it out again and as you say maybe get out the old sekonic L-308 meter and start from scratch

The AF500FTZ will not work with the Hot Shoe Grip as it is. You'll need to drill a hole in the top of the grip, deep enough to allow the 4th pin of the AF500FTZ to drop into and not make contact. Then get the hot shoe adapter and synch cord. This makes an excellent hammerhead style arrangement.

If you attempt this mod. make sure that the edges of the hole are bevelled. You might get the flash stuck if it's not bevelled enough to push the pin back into the shoe of the flash.

I don't think I need to do any mods. on my hotshoe grip as I still have both of my AF400T's and the cables.I think I will experiment with the three flash set up as used on my 645 and as digital is easy to check on for exposure on the screen I'll see where I go from there. Also when using any single flash on a DSLR the exposure is easy to adjust after the first couple of shots. The main question was answered when you said the K10D was not TTL enabled and I looked up the manual for the P-TTL system which I now understand a lot better.