Metz flash on the K10D?

Hi, all - new member with a question.

I've had the Z1 since it came out and I'm going to upgrade to the K10D as soon as I can.

My flash has been with a Metz 45CT-4 (hammerhead, tilt & swivel, with front fill-in) and a dedicated infra-red module that fits to the hotshoe and plugs into the gun just below the head.
I've used it almost exclusively on the TTL mode and it's been great, especially for contra-jour fill-ins!

My question is, do you think that this flash setup will work on the K10D as is, with some additions, or not at all?

TIA

Ray.

Ray,
The manual that I saw on the K10D only mentions the AF360 and AF540 flash guns...

However, from the wording I strongly suspect they just simplified their table in the manual rather than listing all the older flashes. They started this with the *ist-DL - and unfortunately I haven't had a chance to test a DL with my Metz 50MZ5.

None of the Metz modules offer P-TTL flash with Pentax bodies.

Judging by Pentax's stand on backward compatibility, I suspect that the K10D will work with all older Pentax flash guns (and therefore your Metz on TTL). But I'll have to rootle around and see if I can find some concrete evidence for you and get back
Matt

Just found this link:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BOUNCE-ZOOM-TTL-FLASH-GRIP-for-PENTAX-fits-ist-D-DS_W0QQit...

Which suggests that the DL/DL2/DS2 don't support TTL at all
You can use "A" or "M" modes though.

Still looking for more evidence...

Matt

Here's a document:
http://www.geocities.com/ricehigh/P-TTL_Vs_TTL.html
and
http://www.geocities.com/ricehigh/K100D/RiceHighs_Pentax_K100D_Full_Review.html#P-TTL_Exposure_Accuracy

Worth the read (even if it is extremely "picky" in parts ). I forgot that for TTL flash you require a sensor built in to the body that reads the ambient light reflected off the film. In a CCD DSLR, the reflected light reading isn't necessarily such an accurate method - it's better on matte film.

So, it looks like all the DSLR bodies are now P-TTL (or plain old "A" or "M".

HTH,
Matt

I should warn you that this Ricehigh is a well-known troublemaker and troll, who has been banned from DPReview.

He dresses his stuff up with pseudo-scientific jargon, but in reality he is a pixel-peeper and nit-picker of the worst kind.

Take everything he says with a pinch of salt, and double check anything he claims to be a fact.

Some, even all, of what he says may be true, but there is no guarantee. It's just as likely to be balderdash.

G

Having read it all, I agree with you George.

Sorry for linking

One day I'll give it a whirl with my brother-in-law's *ist-DL... but I'd rather try it with a K10D

Matt

Thanks, Matt, for your research and thanks George for your comments (I had to look up "pixel-peeper" but once I had, I agree!).

I'm just going to have to try it myself, I guess. Hopefully, that should only be a couple more weeks away. As long as I've got some time to try it out before my daughter's wedding on December 9th. Push comes to shove, I could always get a new flash, but - as I'm sure you'd agree - don't really want to replace the Metz if I don't need to, even if it means using a different mode.

Thanks again!

Ray.

Argee,

I have read somewhere that Pentax was forced to abandon the use of a sophisticated built-in flash on the K10D that would be able to trigger an external flash in full P-TTL mode, like the *ist D. The reason had something to do with the SR machinery.

However, as Matt, I think, said earlier, most Pentax bodies can operate satisfactorily with earlier flash guns, and I personally would be surprised if the K10D can't work with your Metz.

G

Ray,
I don't think you'll get the K10D before the 9th:
https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2825

Matt

Rats - my dealer said middle of November. Hey-ho!

Ray.