Something cheap, to get me started

Hi, although I prefer to use natural light when I can, there are times when I can't and the pop up flash on my K100d is not powerful enough. Examples are award ceremonies inside [fluorescent] and outside [poorly lit]. Just a few meters from the subject.

I thought I was being clever and got a very nice old Sunpak Auto301 v cheap from ebay, then found it was pretty uncontrollable....and then read about the trigger voltage problem...this reads 50v so it will end up back on ebay.

I don't have £170+ to buy a decent Metz, the camera cost me £180 and as a learner I don't want to make expensive mistakes, or spend money I don't have.

I have seen item 270552993586 on ebay, speedlite YN-460 for £36. Would this be a good starting point or should I look for something second hand but better...possibly with TTL.

Any advice gratefully received please..

Thanks

Andy

I believe that flash is well thought of on strobist. There may be two versions though as they recently released a better one that cost a little more. I was so impressed by the spec I nearly bought one and then realised I couldn't possibly need it!

You could consider a new Vivitar 285?

Mike

The Pentax DSLRs don't support TTL flash AFAIK?

You can still use that over-powered flash as an off camera slave unit, you just need a £5 slave flash trigger from ebay. I keep meaning to have a go with mine using the camera flash to trigger the slave with an old AF200T attached to it. As doing it this way means you have no electrical connection between the camera and the high-voltage flash it's fine.

The AF200T is actually a pretty handy flash, has a fair bit of manual power control.

I'd suggest getting a wireless trigger and then you don't use the pop up at all. I have a wireless transmitter on the camera, wireless to the main manual Vivitar 283 unit, then an optical slave on another old manual flash that cost a big £5 and if needs be I also use the dinky Pentax slave flash I bought off this site for a fiver. Not at all powerful but very handy.

Thanks for the tips.

The more I look into it the the more options I find. I think I really should get the YN460 but the tinkerer in me wants to get a wireless remote and put a potentiometer in place of the light sensor in my current Sunpak301 to make it manually adjustable. I did see a circuit diagram to reduce the trigger voltage but it was a lot more complicated than the pot hack.

Any recommendations for wireless remotes?...some say they will only work on flashes with a 12v or less trigger voltage.

Thanks

Andy

Cactus V4 is the cheapest you can get that are good and are rated up to 200 volt

As for the tinkering that's of course great but worth the effort when the YN460-II is so cheap?

Or the shop on this site has wireless triggers at modest cost. I have one and it seems to work well.

Mike, do you mean SRS or is there a missing link?

Andy

Well I meant this shop link but they don't sell them any more.

There are loads of cheapies on ebay.

Like link which looks like what I got for the same money.

The first shop still has the tiny Pentax slave at a fiver I see.

Mike

Mike,

I have already ordered one of the £5 jobs..still deliberating on the YN460II. Thanks for the link. Birthday soon...might get the 406 AND wireless for the old sunpak!

Andy

I'll be interested in your reaction to the YN - as I say I was tempted.

Same here so let us know something

I'm using a Cobra d700 flash. It works fine as a manual flash - shooting stuff around the house I set the camera to f8 and iso 100 and bounce the flash off the ceiling. Digital means you can easily correct your exposure. I thought about a yong nuo flash, but thought that if an old manual flash had survived for ten years or more and was still working, It's probably well built and reliable- and it cost a fiver.

Admittedly my flash needs are pretty basic! The voltage is under 10v, I believe.

Well I have a week to wait till the YNII arrives...or gets wrapped up for me! I'll give you my thoughts after that, although I'm a complete noob at this so bear with me.

Might go to 'maplin' tomorrow..

Andy