Oh What have I done????

I just bought myself a K10d...I have been using my K-m/k2000 since I crossed over from my K1000, almost two years ago

I was thrilled with the price and it came with a 3 year extended warranty, all under $300 Canadian.

That same evening, I bid and won a flash(e Bay)...Pentax AF-500 FTZ TTL Flash.

Thinking I had done my homeworkand knew what I was getting, but finding out that I may have made a mistake, because I am being told that this flash was the wrong flash for the K10d....I paid $170 Canadian for it....have I made error???

I do own a Metz 60 CT...with the big box and the dryfit battery...soo I thought something lighter might be a treat..and I am still working out how to use this one with my K-m.

Any advice....or enlightment on this flash....Pentax AF-500 FTZ TTL Flash would be appreciated.

As Ever;
Judithann:

I'm not an expert on Pentax flash, but I think you'll find that your flash is a TTL type and you ideally want a P-TTL.

However, all is not lost as you can still use the flash in standard Auto mode and Manual.

I'm sure there will be others along in due course with more detail!

Hi Judith, (happy New Year),

I believe that you will find that the Flash will fire on full power all the time. It is a TTL flash and not P-TTL. You might have some control in manual mode on the camera but it's guess work on the correct exposures.

You will need I believe, to use either A or M modes. To use A mode, you set your flash for the aperture and ISO you want to use and fire away. The Flash will measure proper exposure for your shot but the camera will only be Triggering the flash. To use it in M mode, you set the output power. This will be a 1/1, 1/2, 1/4 etc setting.


So all will not be lost, just more work.

Kind Regards

Paul

I tried my af500 ftz on my k10 and it is not really compatible with any pentax digital camera.It ofcourse will work manually and auto mode,though you may not like the results of auto mode.Regards Walter

Hi JA - and happy 2011 as well!

MattMatic (of this site) has a very useful 'e-booklet' about flash use and flash / camera settings for digital use, that will make any flash very useable indeed.

Not entirely true, it will work perfectly with all Pentax DSLRs up to the *istDS2.

Your AF500FTZ is one of the most versatile TTL flashes ever produced by Pentax, but it's not P-TTL compatible and will not work in TTL/P-TTL auto modes.

That's no reason to get rid of it though. Just get used to using it manually.

The AF500FTZ will work in TTL mode on the earlier Pentax DSLR's, namely the *istD and *istDS, possibly some others also.

The AF500FTZ is I think the only Pentax flash that can 'strobe' several flashes in sequence.

i didnt think it actually has an auto mode - unless i am mistaken, just like the 330 it only has TTL and manual. The only mode you will be able to use is manual.

Depending on the subject matter, Manual use will produce perfect results but is not as quick as using an auto or p-ttl flash, hence most people shy away from manual flash.

Thank you one and all....and yes, Happy New Year to all of you!!

I am glad that NOT ALL IS LOST. I will try to learn a few tricks of the trade with it. I did mistakenly think it would work like the P-TTL.

On the Bright-Side....I am excited to receive the K10d. I read the Manual from cover to cover yesterday, and it was very well written. It made me excited to try my hand at the bigger and better camera. I have been thrilled with the K-m...but it did have a fall and ever since the AF when fully extended, will not retract. It is fine on manual!

I have been feeling somewhat limited with it...especially when the weather is wet....and sometimes I have been wanting to try more, or maybe I should say different exposures..ect.

About the flash, you know I wanted it mostly for portraits, because when outside shooting, I almost never use one. I do have a portable studio and love taking pictures of babies and kiddies, and a good flash is important. Like I said I do have my old faithful MetzC60.(the big old LUG!)

Thanks for your help, you're such a wonderful group of photographers and I am honoured to be a part of the UK site.

Regards,
Judithann

ps i-Berg...I will look into Matt's 'e-book'...thank you for info.

It actually has 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8,
1/16, 1/32

Hi Judith you bough the best flash.
I don't care much for the p-ttl auto everything flash features, and use mainly manual, occasionally auto (vivitar 283's) with primes or constant aperture zooms.

play with the flash you bought, (the strobe function is fun..).
Once you get the hang of manual and shooting modes, trailing curtian sync... etc...
you'll want to keep that flash forever. it works great with multi flash setups as well.

If you buy yourself an af 360 fgz flash to go with it, you'll be able to use them both together for some really nice multi light setups.... you will never out grow the 500 ftz.

To get the best out of manual flash, and to help you initially, it might be worth investing in a light/flash meter.

It should help you enormously to achieve the right exposure, then tweak your camera settings to achieve the desired result.

Thank you Mannesty and Don...I am feeling somewhat better about it.