jessops 360 afd flash

hi just bought a jessops , 360afd flash ,i know nothing about flash, conected it to the k10 took some shots that came out well overexposed is it me (most probibly)or is the flash not working . i was under the impresion that i would fit the flash and shoot away and get perfect exposures ha ha
all help much appreciated
edwood

It's generally thought that this flash is not P-TTL, and therefore not compatible with the K10D (except in manual mode).

Personally, I prefer manual mode. That's why my most used flashguns are the two AF500FTZs, which have to be used manually (unless one is lucky enough to own a *ist D).

G

That's bit bit odd, since I have the 360's little brother the 300AFD and it performs really well. It also pre-flashes, although whether that means P-TTL is working or not I've no idea.

Otherwise, the flash works well in all modes - within it's limitations, just as with the pop-up jobbie.

Ok, Edwood. Find out if the flash you've got is P-TTL as follows:

- put it on the camera and switch it on
- jam your eye up to the viewfinder so that all you can see is the view through it (and close the other one)
- take a picture

Did you see a flash in the viewfinder?

The 'P' in P-TTL means "Pre" - the camera does its metering based on a so-called 'pre-flash'. Then it emits a second flash during the exposure, which is what illuminates the subject.

You see the first one in the viewfinder, but not the main one (since the mirror is up at the time).

This is how all the KxxD and KxxxD Pentax cameras work with compatible automatic flashguns.

So, can you confirm whether your Jessops one is emitting a pre-flash?

Another way is to set the camera to 2sec delay. The flash should fire just before the mirror goes up and again when the shutter opens. You can't miss it then.

Co-incidentally I've just read a thread on another well known site all about this flash... these were the guys comments (added a link for copyright/etiquette purpose)

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=28260612

"The PTTL works well, the design of the body is good, the LCD is excellent, it charges fast but the thing is pretty much unusable for even coverage regardless of focal length.. Fire across a room even in daylight and the light falloff is terrible, the Popup is 100% better even at 70mm .. Flipping the diffuser helps (it halves the output though) but the coverage is STILL better with the popup.. even the cheapo Cheesy build Sigmas don't suffer this ..

Think he took it back to Jessops !!

hi
thanks everybody for the advice ,still couldent get it to work so took it back to jessops today they faired no better ,the zoom on the flash even started chattering so i got my money back, thought it was a bargain at £49-99 just goes to show.
once again thanks everone
edwood

Your experience brings to mind the famous phrase:- "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is".

Save a bit longer and get a Pentax or Metz flash. You know it makes sense . . . now.

Apparently the Sigma EF-530 works well - I have no personal experience of it though, just what I've read

simon

Hi Gang,

I've just bought one of these flashguns as a back-up.....and I've been testing it out with my K10D....and it works fine for me??

I have been told that sometimes, the contact pins dont touch the hotplate pins on the camera,.....so if anyone is still having problems with it...see if pushing it on harder helps???

D

And is it definitely P-TTL?

It seems to be........I did the trick of looking through the view finder and take a pic....and ya can see a flash in the view finder before the mirror goes up??

I must admit, when I first bought it...it did over power and blast the image with too much light......but I just took it off and put it back on with more force....and now it works perfectly ok.
But with all the scare stories, I shall be keeping an eye on it...

Hi Gang...

Just to had information further more about the Jessops flashgun...

I've just used it for the first time in anger at a Prom I was doing the portraits at...
The flashgun was used with my walk-about-camera...(K100D).....
and it worked perfectly......in fact I was surprised just how well it worked.

Not used it properly on my K10D yet, although the snaps I've taken with it so far look OK