Shutter synch with Flash

A photographer told me that I could use a Metz Flash with a Pentax and a shutter synch of 1/500. I this is true, how can it be done? If not, what is the greatest shutter synch possible on the K10?

If the flash supports High Speed Flash, then yes, 1/500s is fine. If not, synch speed is 1/180s.

Dan

It's not just a Metz - it's down to which flashgun supports HS mode (High Speed sync). The reason is technical and down to the physical construction of the shutter in the body.

1/180s is the fastest shutter speed where the two curtains in the shutter are at their extremity. In other words, the leading curtain has finished its travel, and the trailing curtain hasn't yet started its travels.

At faster shutter speeds the trailing curtain starts moving before the leading curtain has reached its end. Think of it like a slit moving down the frame.

For flash to work at faster than 1/180s, the flash gun has to "pepper" the sensor (or film) with lots of smaller bursts of light.

The Pentax AF360 and AF540 both have this mode


But usually it's worth asking just why you need faster shutter speeds with flash (After all, several generations managed with even slower sync speeds ) Of course, there are perfectly valid reasons why you want fast sync speeds... but often it can be down to misunderstanding of what's needed for a particular setup.

Matt

I found it useful sometimes as fill-in-flash outside in the bright sun but other then that I haven't used it.