Pentax *ist D and Remote Flash

I've recently been trying to use a Pentax *ist D with remote flash - using a flash hot-shoe mounted remote trigger. This works fine on other cameras, such as my Panasonic LX5 (I just put it on, set the camera to manual, and away it goes)...

But for some reason I can't get the Pentax to fire the flash in manual mode - yet bizzarely the camera will trigger the flash if I have the Pentax on Bulb mode. (I then have to set the aperture to as high as possible to get photos that aren't overexposed).

Any ideas or help would be appreciated,

Thanks

Josh

The popup flash will only do P-TTL mode (that's preflash TTL). Your 'dumb' slave module will trigger off the preflash

FYI, the "wireless" flash mode on the *ist-D is for full P-TTL wireless flash triggering to a remote P-TTL enabled flash (e.g. AF360FGZ or AF540FGZ). (The *ist-D can do all remote flash modes, including HS mode.)

If you need to do 'dumb' triggering then your best bet is to get a cheap 'dumb' flash to use on the camera. e.g. AF160 etc (or preferably one with full manual controls).

HTH!
Matt

Which hot-shoe mounted trigger are you using. Some of the earlier wireless (radio) triggers are known to cause misfires and other issues with Pentax cameras. I think it's due to the low trigger voltage used by Pentax, but I'm not certain.

: Sorry if I misunderstood
Do you mean a remote wireless trigger mounted on the camera hotshoe?

If so, some have firing issues because the Pentax has a slightly different circuitry to other makes. The Pentax is pretty rugged and trigger older flashes with higher trigger voltages, whereas other makes can blow up their flash trigger circuitry! The net result, unfortunately, is that some models of trigger will (a) not fire, (b) fire once only, (c) sync only at very slow speeds.

(IIRC, it's to do with the thyristor in the Pentax bodies being 'frozen' by the leakage current from the trigger)

Matt

What about trying with flash sync (x) mode? This is how I operate with my K7.

One point to note with the flash trigger I use, it will only operate at shutter speeds at 180th and below (I think), certainly won't trigger at 200th.