K-5 Flash problems? Anyone can confirm this?

Hi all,
there is some chatter in the 'other Pentax forum' that the K-5 is suffering from severe overburn when using a pTTL Flash.
I was not sure if I was to post this question in here or the Flash forum but as it seems somehow hardware related I thought that it may be better of in here.
I am planing of ordering my K-5 Set on Thursday from SRS plus I committed myself to buy the Pentax AF 360FGZ from 'incognitox' to which I will stand no matter what as I do with anyone else.
My worry is only now are those problems common or are they just down to people just don't know what they are doing?
Anyone has heard any problems like that or anything else with the K-5?
Also any word of the acceptance of SDXC cards with the K-5 yet?

I have had no problems using the K-5 with its built in flash or with the AF 360 on camera or off camera in wireless mode using PTTL. The only point I would make is that it is best to set the ISO manually as on auto ISO it tends to choose an unnecessarily high ISO. (I usually set Auto ISO to 100-800 or 1600 to take advantage of the K-5's high ISO abilities)

The recent firmware update to v1.01 according to Pentax in continuous shooting increases the number of RAW shots from 8 to twenty as well as improvements in stability. No mention of SDXC card compatibility as yet.

i had the same problem with the k7,

Apparently its when using the bounce facility on an external flash. Pentax are aware of it and will be issuing a firmware patch soon (according to someone on the other forum).

Yes I found that I had to set the ISO manually on the K-7. It took me a while to work out this solution. When I upgraded to the K-5 it was easy to continue with the same technique.

Many thanks for that. I thought as much as everyone was talking as well of high ISO.
I am aware of the update and got it already downloaded on my computer just in case that its not already installed (roomer has it that the latest shipments already ship with v1.01).
Will find out on Tuesday as a member of the local Legion is getting himself one on Monday with Tuesday delivery from Amazon. That's fair enough as he got £350 on Amazon vouchers for his 60th and he needs the body only anyway.
Cant wait to see it as mine will be ordered on Thursday from SRS with next day delivery.

Hi all. The someone in question is me. I have been in touch with Pentax the day after I got the camera. I sent them a load of shots at various settings after which it was escalated to Pentax Europe and then Japan. They had told me that the problem will be solved in the firmware update but it has not happened. I have contacted them again and the guy said he has escalated it again to their headquarters. So let's see what happens. Meanwhile I am restricting myself to taking shots without flash (and the camera is well capable) or if required, set a low ISO.
Cheers.

@NaimKhan
I did not expect it to happen in the first firmware update because time was too short.

Hope it gets sorted. Have you considered auto-mode instead of p-ttl?

The thread at pentaxforums is becoming a bit of a mess because everybody thinks they have a similar problem (which most of them don't).

Thanks Sterretje. I thought exactly the same as you do - it was too early for the firmware to sort out the problem and to be fair, the initial blurb about it did not mention anything about the flash.
No I haven't tried 'Auto' simply because I am not sure what it means Can you help me? I use a Metz 58 flash.

Let me first state that my experience with automatic flashes goes back to a Metz 45 (no zoom reflector) with primes on a Minolta X700 which made life very easy .
Although I have a AF540FGZ, I don't have much experience with it and rarely use it with bounce as I have coloured walls and ceilings or flash outside (the latter mostly so the sky is the limit, sorry, is the ceiling so not much use in bouncing). I have not used it on the K5 yet.
So my experience with modern flashes is limited (specifically when it comes to variable guide numbers due to zoom reflectors).

In automatic mode, the flash determines correct exposure instead of the camera by measuring the scene while the the flash is emitting light. At the moment that it thinks that correct exposure is achieved, it will switch the light off. To be able to do so, it needs to know the used ISO and aperture that you have set on the camera. I verified the K5/AF540FGZ combination and there does not seem to be communication in auto mode so I have to set those values myself. I don't think that it will be different with the Metz but you have to verify. I will leave zoom position on the flash out of the equation for now; it also looks that there is no communication regarding this.

So we start with the camera in manual mode, ISO 100 (NO auto-iso), 1/180sec (or slower). Calculate the aperture based on the rule that subject distance for correct exposure is equal to guide number divided by aperture. For now we assume that the zoom position is 18mm in which case the guide number is 25 (see your manual). Don't forget that when you're bouncing, the subject distance is the distance from the flash via the wall/ceiling to the subject, not the shortest distance. If you end up with an aperture wider than what is available on your lens, you have to crank up the iso (iso from 100 to 400 will double the guide number, from 400 to 1600 will again double the guide number etc). You can use an aperture wider than what is calculated (if available); as stated earlier, the flash will automatically cut the light off at the moment that it thinks that correct exposure is achieved (based on the values that you have set on the flash).

Copy the settings to the flash and start shooting. If exposure is incorrect, you must basically lie to the flash. In case of underexposure, you must tell the flash that you're using a narrower aperture or a lower ISO (so it will keep the light on longer) or you must use a wider aperture or higher iso on the camera and not tell the flash about it. In case of overexposure, it's the other way around. Your flash might have other options to adjust exposure, but I ignore them for now.

With your thumb on the rear e-dial, it's probably the easiest to adjust aperture on the camera.

The above are the basics.

In p-ttl, the camera will communicate all parameters including the focal length of the lens to the flash and the flash will select the proper zoom position. This results in a change in guide number as it concentrates the light more giving you more 'power' at e.g. 50mm versus 18mm.
In automode you have to set this yourself which is very inconvenient.

However, I have been told that when bouncing, the Metz will set its zoom to certain position; I could not verify this in the manual of your model but you can verify this yourself in real life. Check which position (in p-ttl) and check if it does the same in auto-mode; if not, you can manually set it to that position and check the corresponding guide number. This will make life easier as you now have a fixed guide number. Somebody on a dutch forum stated that it will go to 105mm position.

I think it will be a bit of trial and error before you get it right, but it's worth a try.

Thanks sterretje.
I am a bit busy right now and will possible try it out over the weekend.
Regards.

You sure about this, because all this gets comunicated with the K10D though, would be strange the K5 didn't.

@NaimKhan Yes the Metz 58 does have an Auto setting and in some cases it can be better then using the pTTL setting.

I can use Auto with my Lensbaby attached to my K7 whereas the pTTL setting just results in overexposure.

The Metz flashes are apparently very good, but the UI and manual are bewildering.

Anyway switch on the flash. By default there's a keylock, so you need to hit the Mode (1st on left) button twice.

A list of modes appears. TTL,A,M,Strobe (which kinda looks like lightning bolts) and SB (spot beam).

Hit the down arrow button from TTL to A and hit the set button.

The flash is now in Auto mode and will stay that way until you change it back. Settings cnanges survive power cycles.

Ah I see. I didn't realise there was this option because I have always kept it on (P)TTL. As I mentioned above, I am busy right now (going away tomorrow) but will probably try it out over the weekend. Thanks for walking me through the settings.
Cheers.

I've tried both K10D and K5 in combination with the AF540FGZ. Will verify tonight again. Just to make sure, note the we're talking auto-mode, not p-ttl