Mix & Match Flashguns

Apologies if this has been asked before.
Assuming voltages are ok, will flashguns made for other dSLR's still work on a Pentax body? Are the contacts on the hotshoe such as the flash will fire. I realise auto control would probably be out of the question but as I often use a Sekonic Flash Meter and trial and error that's not a problem. I occasionally see cheap dedicated flashguns in a local charity shop but unfortunately very few (none actually) Pentax compatable. Many thanks.

If the voltages are safe and the hotshoes match then they should work in manual mode. I think I remember seeing some generic flashes which worked in a similar way to the Pentax Auto Flash system (where you set the shutter speed/aperture/ISO to what the flash expects and it will then use its own light sensor to produce the correct flash level).

The physical size of the flash is no guarantee of its trigger voltage by the way - the two flashes I have with lethal (to DSLRs) trigger voltages are both little cheapies powered by a couple of AAs. I get the impression that cheap flashes often didn't bother with an extra circuit and instead put the full internal voltage of the flash on the trigger pins?

For safety, you could use " wireless triggers " to trigger the flash units, there's loads available, from cheap £15 a set to Pocket Wizards at £250+

Cheers

Thanks both.
Think I may look for cheap wireless triggers.

Yeah, I had thought that too. Then I thought BOOM!

Wireless triggers may also be affected by the voltage. You need to check the specs.

Just looking at the Cactus V5:

Together with the provided PC Sync and 3.5mm cables and 6.25mm plug adapter, photographers may use Cactus V5 with any** portable flash and studio strobe with trigger voltage under 300V or under.

Looks like hot-shoe use might fry the transceiver.

Unless using a very old flashgun, this is a non-issue these days. All modern flashguns have low trigger voltages.

By modern, I mean anything under about 20 years old.

G

I still find my tray of magnesium flash powder very safe; isn't that what the 'B' setting is for?

Actually I'm still waiting to hear from anyone on here who has actually fried a camera with a flashgun, I fear it may be a long wait...

Don't even joke about it Ken...I was sorting out some very old stuff in the camera club archive and came across a wooden box, helpfully marked "explosives" - inside it was full of flash powder. Couple that to the Magnesium ribbon that was at the back of a shelf and we could have had a very exciting event.

It wasn't piled on top some old reels of celluloid movie film by any chance? You could still buy flash powder certainly up until the 1970s, stage magicians were quite fond of it.

How did you dispose of it?

Police station? Wouldn't know where else to take it...

or

Could chuck it in a river to heat it up or as a de-icer on windsheilds...