Combining dedicated external flash with Godox 160 Mini Pioneer
Posted 18/10/2022 - 12:00 - Helpful Comment
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Morten wrote:
Being a bit of a flash newbie....
I've got a Yongnuo flash which in function should be like the dedicated external flashes.
I want to set up a classic 3 point studio light and need some additional studio flash.
The Godox 160 Mini Pioneer is very affordable and includes a built-in flash trigger.
Am I right that this will only work in fully manual mode as the preflashing in P-TTL will fire the Godox to early?
Being a bit of a flash newbie....
I've got a Yongnuo flash which in function should be like the dedicated external flashes.
I want to set up a classic 3 point studio light and need some additional studio flash.
The Godox 160 Mini Pioneer is very affordable and includes a built-in flash trigger.
Am I right that this will only work in fully manual mode as the preflashing in P-TTL will fire the Godox to early?
Hi Morten
First, I dont know anything specific about the Yongnuo or Godox flash units, but can give some general advice. You are correct that the pre-flash in Pentax P-TTL will cause issues when using optical triggering. Using manual flash on all three units will get round that problem. In fact you are far better off using manual flash as you will consistently get the desired result from your key and fill lights without having to worry about flash ratios and compensation. I would advise you invest in a hand held flash meter which will save a lot of trial and error. Sekonic do a relatively inexpensive one.
As an alternative to optical triggering, you could look at radio triggers. I use Cactus triggers, but sadly they are no longer in business. Radio triggers avoid any issues of line-of-sight that you can encounter with optical triggering.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
ps I have seen some flash units advertised as having "anti pre-flash" protection, but have never used them myself.
Peter
My Flickr page
My Flickr page
Posted 18/10/2022 - 13:07
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pschlute wrote:
Hi Morten
First, I dont know anything specific about the Yongnuo or Godox flash units, but can give some general advice. You are correct that the pre-flash in Pentax P-TTL will cause issues when using optical triggering. Using manual flash on all three units will get round that problem. In fact you are far better off using manual flash as you will consistently get the desired result from your key and fill lights without having to worry about flash ratios and compensation. I would advise you invest in a hand held flash meter which will save a lot of trial and error. Sekonic do a relatively inexpensive one.
As an alternative to optical triggering, you could look at radio triggers. I use Cactus triggers, but sadly they are no longer in business. Radio triggers avoid any issues of line-of-sight that you can encounter with optical triggering.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
ps I have seen some flash units advertised as having "anti pre-flash" protection, but have never used them myself.
Morten wrote:
Being a bit of a flash newbie....
I've got a Yongnuo flash which in function should be like the dedicated external flashes.
I want to set up a classic 3 point studio light and need some additional studio flash.
The Godox 160 Mini Pioneer is very affordable and includes a built-in flash trigger.
Am I right that this will only work in fully manual mode as the preflashing in P-TTL will fire the Godox to early?
Being a bit of a flash newbie....
I've got a Yongnuo flash which in function should be like the dedicated external flashes.
I want to set up a classic 3 point studio light and need some additional studio flash.
The Godox 160 Mini Pioneer is very affordable and includes a built-in flash trigger.
Am I right that this will only work in fully manual mode as the preflashing in P-TTL will fire the Godox to early?
Hi Morten
First, I dont know anything specific about the Yongnuo or Godox flash units, but can give some general advice. You are correct that the pre-flash in Pentax P-TTL will cause issues when using optical triggering. Using manual flash on all three units will get round that problem. In fact you are far better off using manual flash as you will consistently get the desired result from your key and fill lights without having to worry about flash ratios and compensation. I would advise you invest in a hand held flash meter which will save a lot of trial and error. Sekonic do a relatively inexpensive one.
As an alternative to optical triggering, you could look at radio triggers. I use Cactus triggers, but sadly they are no longer in business. Radio triggers avoid any issues of line-of-sight that you can encounter with optical triggering.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
ps I have seen some flash units advertised as having "anti pre-flash" protection, but have never used them myself.
Thanks for your response!
I don't think I have used a light meter for 40 years and never used a flash meter 😉
Is it handy for balancing the individual flashes?
The final tuning I guess will still be tuning the F value on the camera? Or is the meter handy there too?
Posted 18/10/2022 - 15:03
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Morten wrote:
I don't think I have used a light meter for 40 years and never used a flash meter
Is it handy for balancing the individual flashes?
The final tuning I guess will still be tuning the F value on the camera? Or is the meter handy there too?
I don't think I have used a light meter for 40 years and never used a flash meter
Is it handy for balancing the individual flashes?
The final tuning I guess will still be tuning the F value on the camera? Or is the meter handy there too?
Lets say you use two lights for the subject, key and fill. You will set the fill light to say 1 or 2 stops less than the key light. Then holding the flash meter in position where the subject will be standing/sitting trigger your flashes by remote. Based on what ISO you have told the meter you will be using it will tell you what aperture to use. If you want to use a wider aperture than it says, then wind down the power of the flash units and try again until you get the desired aperture. Use Manual exposure on the camera with the shutter speed set to sync speed and away you go. Perfect exposure each shot.
I use the Sekonic L-308. It also works as an ambient incident meter for daylight shooting. Handy if you are shooting a black cat against a black wall !
Peter
My Flickr page
My Flickr page
Posted 18/10/2022 - 15:20
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You don't "need" to splash out on a flash meter immediately. You can always start off by using the histogram on your camera to assess the exposure after you have taken a shot. Start off with full power on the key light, -2 stops for the fill, ISO 100 and f8/f11 depending how far the subject is from the lights and you can adjust from there.
Peter
My Flickr page
My Flickr page
Posted 18/10/2022 - 15:48
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Thanks for all the info - I have tried reading on it, but I tend to get a bit irritated on the complexity 😁
I will start out without the flashmeter - the Sekonic L-308 is actually what is sold "anywhere" but at least here in Denmark it is quite pricy - it costs like 4 of the Godox flash units I intend to buy.
Once again thanks!
I will start out without the flashmeter - the Sekonic L-308 is actually what is sold "anywhere" but at least here in Denmark it is quite pricy - it costs like 4 of the Godox flash units I intend to buy.
Once again thanks!
Posted 18/10/2022 - 16:30 - Helpful Comment
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Morten wrote:
Thanks for all the info - I have tried reading on it, but I tend to get a bit irritated on the complexity 😁
I will start out without the flashmeter - the Sekonic L-308 is actually what is sold "anywhere" but at least here in Denmark it is quite pricy - it costs like 4 of the Godox flash units I intend to buy.
Once again thanks!
Thanks for all the info - I have tried reading on it, but I tend to get a bit irritated on the complexity 😁
I will start out without the flashmeter - the Sekonic L-308 is actually what is sold "anywhere" but at least here in Denmark it is quite pricy - it costs like 4 of the Godox flash units I intend to buy.
Once again thanks!
Yes they have gone up considerably in price since I bought mine (hasn't everything).
Have a look at these resources. I really recommend the two videos on shooting seamless white background by Zach Arias. I learned a lot about general flash photography, even if seamless white background is not your goal.........
https://nofilmschool.com/2015/03/light-shoot-seamless-white-background-start-fin...
https://sekonic.com/classroom/
https://www.picturecorrect.com/portrait-photography-lighting-the-5-classical-typ...
Peter
My Flickr page
My Flickr page
Posted 22/10/2022 - 20:57
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Damn, I wasn't aware that the built-in flash ALWAYS do preflashing even if you set camera to manual. This means the Godox optical slaves fire to early (at the preflash).
I hope that adding the dedicated external Yongnuo flash as a slave flash set to manual will make the Yongnuo only fire once. Then I probably can simply cover the built-in flash. Unfortunately I do not have the Yongnuo at hand now.
I hope that adding the dedicated external Yongnuo flash as a slave flash set to manual will make the Yongnuo only fire once. Then I probably can simply cover the built-in flash. Unfortunately I do not have the Yongnuo at hand now.
Posted 22/10/2022 - 23:52
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Morten wrote:
Damn, I wasn't aware that the built-in flash ALWAYS do preflashing even if you set camera to manual. This means the Godox optical slaves fire to early (at the preflash).
Damn, I wasn't aware that the built-in flash ALWAYS do preflashing even if you set camera to manual. This means the Godox optical slaves fire to early (at the preflash).
Setting the camera to Manual exposure is not the same as setting the built in flash to operate at a manual output.
Setting the camera to Manual and not changing any flash settings will still give you P-TTL flash, including pre-flash.
If you want the built in flash to operate at a manual output you need to select that in the flash menu.
Peter
My Flickr page
My Flickr page
Posted 23/10/2022 - 08:35
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Unfortunately it seems like that is not possible on the K-5.
Googling reveals that you can trick the camera if you mount a lens with an aperture ring and move it away from A though
Googling reveals that you can trick the camera if you mount a lens with an aperture ring and move it away from A though
Posted 23/10/2022 - 10:25
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Morten wrote:
Unfortunately it seems like that is not possible on the K-5.
Unfortunately it seems like that is not possible on the K-5.
Your other post says you are using a K3 ?
Peter
My Flickr page
My Flickr page
Posted 23/10/2022 - 10:28
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Morten wrote:
Googling reveals that you can trick the camera if you mount a lens with an aperture ring and move it away from A though
Googling reveals that you can trick the camera if you mount a lens with an aperture ring and move it away from A though
You can now see why I use radio triggers
Peter
My Flickr page
My Flickr page
Posted 23/10/2022 - 10:48
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Sorry yes, I was miss-typing camera model.
Might end up with radio for the Yongnuo flash and from there optical to the two Godox to eliminate the internal flash.
Then I will not use that the Yongnuo actually can "speak Pentax" - but apparently it has to involve the internal flash😉
Might end up with radio for the Yongnuo flash and from there optical to the two Godox to eliminate the internal flash.
Then I will not use that the Yongnuo actually can "speak Pentax" - but apparently it has to involve the internal flash😉
Posted 26/01/2023 - 16:53
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The simple solution to this. Is to put the K3 in "X" mode or manual. Mount the Yongnuo flash on the K3. You say that the Godox units have built in receivers. But you have nothing to trigger them with. So you can only fire them in optical mode. So make sure this is enabled. Then all will work fine in a basic manual mode. (The best mode to use in my opinion.) I'm not familiar with your model of lights. And cannot find it on the Godox UK site. But the next upgrade to look at is a radio trigger for the lights. The xpro will combine well with the Pentax camera. But will not trigger the Yongnuo so this woould have to remain in optical mode. A light meter isnt essential. As the lights can be manually set by eye, But as Peter suggested. They are very handy and certainly speed up any set up needs. Especially in a studio. you dont want to keep any models waiting.
K-1Gripped K-1 ungripped K-5ii K7 Various lenses
Stuart..
Stuart..
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23 posts
15 years
I've got a Yongnuo flash which in function should be like the dedicated external flashes.
I want to set up a classic 3 point studio light and need some additional studio flash.
The Godox 160 Mini Pioneer is very affordable and includes a built-in flash trigger.
Am I right that this will only work in fully manual mode as the preflashing in P-TTL will fire the Godox to early?