Flash on New APS-C DSLR

I was looking a bit more closely at a recent picture of the new APS-C DSLR (here). Assuming that the picture is of a working prototype and not just a dummy to indicate shape and button location, the panel boundaries suggest that that either:-

a) it won't have a flash or,

b) the lump just in front of the shoe must move in an unusual way to pop the flash up the usual distance.

Most top end cameras these days whether aps-c or FF do not have flash. I dont have one on the K1.

I did have one on my previous camera the K10D and never used it. Any flash work I do today is either multiple off camera units or a single unit on the hot shoe. Much more satisfactory.

It's more like to have a built-in GPS than a flash. I rarely remember that my K3 even has one.

Likewise, I never used the flash on any of the DSLRs and now don't have the option anyway on my K-1 and K-3II. Sue has kept the flash by opting for the K-3 although I can't say that I can think of many times when she has used it.

And the K3ii has exchanged it for GPS

Most on camera flash, are not really useable. Being to small and not powerful enough to produce good results on their own. Giving a hard light. Mainly, just being used as a trigger to trigger other off camera flashes... I.E The AF540FGZ.

I use the flash on my K-3 very, very rarely and probably about 50/50 between lighting a dark area for a functional (rather than artistic) shot and for fill-flash when the subject is in shadow. It's certainly more useful than a battery-sucking GPS unit.

However, flashes are generally not provided these days on anything other than lower-grade bodies, apparently the manufacturers are extremely confident in the abilities of users to raise shadows in all circumstances.

Whatever the reason, the high ISO performance of sensors is so good that the need for a low powered flash may have faded away.

On the few occasions that I used the built in flash on a DSLR I often encountered the issue of light cut-off due to the pentaprism or lens obstructing part of the illuminated area.

My solution now is to keep a Pentax AF201FG in the bag - it's a surprisingly good, compact, Weather resistant, bounce, P-TTL and manual (including 1/4 power setting) flash unit and what a bonus to find that it works with the Ricoh GRIII

With the range of the ISO settings flash is not needed as I found out when I went to Switzerland last year. I took this image when we arrived in Leysin and it was dark with just a bit of light coming round the distant mountain and I was very surprised to see the result.

I will second that, and also use it perched on top of the camera mounted Cactus trigger as a secondary flash. A little gem nice and light with just two AAA batteries.