K10D & AF360FGZ Questions

1) Can anyone give me the precise settings on both the K10D and the AF360FGZ flashgun to use the popup flash on the camera in wireless mode to control the AF360FGZ away from the camera. I have read and re-read the camera manual, the flashgun manual and the K10 firmware update feature list and am still unsure of what is correct.
2) What is the difference between Master and Control settings on the camera. ?
3) Does the popup flash contribute to the exposure of the subject. ?
4) How do you set the camera channel to the same as the flash channel.?
5) Does the external flash zoom to match the focal length setting of the camera or does the Flash have to be set manually to the correct focal length.? Sorry there is so much but I find it all cofusing.

Set the popup flash to wireless master or control (master contributes light to the composition, control does not).
Set the flash to Wireless Slave mode 1 (mode 2 is dumb slave) by pressing and holding the Light button.
The camera 'reads' the flashes communication channel when you attach flash to camera and power both on.
The external wirless flash does not zoom with the lens, for that you'll need a cable but it's not really relevant anyway since the flash is detached from the camera and the flash to subject distance is no longer the same as lens to subject distance. Set the flashes zoom manually.

1) Yes, we can help

2) Master = pop-up contributes, Control = pop-up just controls, doesn't contribute.

3) See (2). It's set in the new custom setting as you know.

4) Temporarily plug the flash on the hotshoe - this will sync the channel numbers.

5) No. Manual zoom control. That's why sometimes tethered can be more useful (but not in studio style setups).

Oh, and definitely, definitely set the "Slave" mode on the flash (as Peter mentioned). Slave 2 = dumb slave (will sync to any and every flash), Slave 1 = intelligent wireless mode.

HTH!
Matt

Many thanks Guys for all that info. Just what I needed and very succinctly put. I was particularly unsure of the difference between Master and Control.
A further question Matt in response to one of your answers :-
Does the Flash have to be put in the hotshoe to synch the channels each time one wishes to use wireless synch.?

You only need to re-synch (fit flash to camera and power on) the communication channel if you change it on the flash. It'll be re-synch'd each and every time you fit flash to camera anyway.

It is possible in a studio setup to have multiple cameras and multiple flashes. Each camera/flash/subject combination would then be set to different channels to avoid interference between setups.

I'm having the same issue here guys.
I had my 360 flash figured out on the *isd to handle wireless but can't seem to trigger it on the K10.

How do you set the popup flash to "wirelss master or control" on the K10. That's about the only thing I think I might be missing here.

Thanks.




quote="Mannesty"]Set the popup flash to wireless master or control (master contributes light to the composition, control does not).
Set the flash to Wireless Slave mode 1 (mode 2 is dumb slave) by pressing and holding the Light button.

On page 6 of the K10D's "Custom" menu you'll find an option labelled, "Flash in Wireless Mode". Option 1 allows you to use the pop-up as master, option 2 as commander.

If you don't have this menu item on your K10D it's because you're running an older version of the firmware - there are plenty of threads on here regarding updating so I won't repeat it all again...

Good luck!

Thanks Hefty.

Yes, you sent me on the right track. My firmware was v1.0. So I downloaded the 1.30 firmware version, installed it, and all I have to do on the K10 is hit the "fn" button, select the wireless there, and bingo, it all worked. Don't even have to go to custom menu.

Aside from that I do have an issue with that AF-360FGZ,,,,I don't get any change on the lcd display when I set it to HS, and the best I can crank in on shutter speed is 180second. I also find that operating the K10 in X mode, produces the best results, when the flash is mounted on the camera.

Also, I should not have traded in my *isD that was great for infrared work. The k10 is not cut out for that work at all so I invested in an older model Nikon Coolpix that does a great job.

I've gone through lots of pentax units since 1964 and used them for 30 years in my profession. I have a good selection of Sigma lenses and use a f2.8 rated sigma for indoor soccer shoots.

I just found this bbs board here today, similar set up and layout as my private bbs board for my photography students.

Looks like a great group of guys in here,,,,and I certainly appreciate the fast response I got.

By the way, I have the extra battery grip for the K10, and yeah, you best work out in the gym first if you are going to tote all this gear around. lol

Al in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Glad to be of help and yes, by selecting wireless from the Fn menu you're good to go, however, the pop-up flash is set as default to "master" and will therefore contribute light to the scene. If you want the scene to be lit exclusively by the remote 360 then you'll need to delve into the custom menu and set the pop-up's mode to "commander" instead.

HSS will work when the 360 is attached to the camera and it will work wirelessly if you have a pair of 360's (or a 360/540 combo) with one working as master and one as slave. Unfortunately, it won't work wirelessly with the pop-up flash (acting as master) as the pop-up flash is not compatible with HSS itself. The K10D manual is very vague on all this as it was written before the firmware update allowing any form of wireless operation using the pop-up flash.

Welcome to the forum!

Should the AF360 not work on HS when the flash is mounted right on the camera?
When I move that switch (#3 in the book) there is no change on the display.. I also get no contrast-control syn flash indication either. It's always been like this , so perhaps this is a bum unit, and since it is over 12 months old, no sense fighting over warranty. In any case it is probably a feature I would never use in any case.

I have a 1987/87 Pentax flash, AF280T, and many times I can get better results with that older flash unit than with the new one.



HSS will work when the 360 is attached to the camera and it will work wirelessly if you have a pair of 360's (or a 360/540 combo) with one working as master and one as slave. Unfortunately, it won't work wirelessly with the pop-up flash (acting as master) as the pop-up flash is not compatible with HSS itself. The K10D manual is very vague on all this as it was written before the firmware update allowing any form of wireless operation using the pop-up flash.

The 360 should indeed work in HSS mode when connected to the camera - if yours doesn't then you may well be right in suspecting you have a dud. This may also explain why you seem to be getting better results with your older flash, in my experience a 360 mounted to a K10D is an excellent combo!

As you're outside your warranty period I can do nothing but offer you my commiserations; all electrical goods have a limited lifespan but it would be nice if you could assume at least 5 years service from them...

Actually, I thought I'd try my 360 and noticed (for the first time) that the HS icon doesn't light up on mine when you switch it to HS mode either - it only appears when the 360 is switched to HS *AND* the shutter speed on the camera is set to a value faster than 1/180sec. As the shutter speed goes past the 1/180sec mark you can see the HS icon on the flash disappear again (which makes sense as speeds below 1/180sec are not "high".

Maybe yours does work after all?

ok, what mode are you on , on your camera I mean. I can't get a speed higher than 1/180th second, no matter how hard I try, even in manual.
Unless of course there has to be something in the setup somewhere that allows that, but I sure can't seem to find it.

Very interesting.

Al

The shooting mode of the camera shouldn't make any difference, however, the flash mode will. Make sure that the flash is set to the first icon (on the left) from the K10D's "Fn" menu.

Remember, the built in flash isn't capable of HSS so if you've left it set to wireless mode then the K10D won't go above 1/180 (as far as it's concerned it can't wirelessly control anything faster than 1/180 so it won't allow such speeds to be selected).

Does this get you any closer to making it work?

Nope, not a thing. I notice in the fn menu there is a setting for contrast control, that does not make any change in the external flash display either. I even tried a true blue Pentax lens. zip.

Even in manual on the camera, the best I can crank up is 180th of a second, plus any f stop,
in some of the other modes 1/60th of a second is the best that can be set up.

By the way, I had exactly the same issue with the *isD, when everything was brand new.

I find for studio work that using the X control, and setting the shutter speed to 1/180th second, and the f stop to f8 to f11 gives me the best results. I also have quite a few twist flourescent tubes in spot housing. Time to get a umbrella strobe unit down the road. Would make life a little bit simpler, maybe. lol

So wonder why I can crank in a higher number than 1/180th second do you think.


Just mounted that flash on my mz-6 film body. Soon as you turn on the flash, the shutter speed gets fixed to 1/125th of a second.

And you can't move it. Unless you turn off the flash of course.



Al