which flash gun to choose?

I have the K10D as you all know by now but I am not very conversant with flash but now feel the need to get one.
A friend has the Sigma EF-500 DG Super for his Canon and gets great results and recommends it, however, I am not sure how this compares with Pentax own make.
I really will not being using flash, heavily so if there is large difference between the two I would prefer the Sigma.
Any help, gratefully received.

The difference is in the price. The Sigma flash also has a weak battery comprtment door. And the manual is poorly written. Beside that, it supports all the camera functions and does the job rather well.

Others here have found some of the Metz range to be very good. I can't remember the model numbers right now but a search of this forum for Metz or Mecablitz should turn up something.

Pentax/Samsung flashes are more or less limited to the AF360FGZ and AF540FGZ. The latter has a tilt and swivel head, the former has only tilt. Other than guide numbers of 36 and 54 respectively, their feature sets are very similar.

The Metz range is AF48-1 or a AF58-1 I just purchased one of these but haven't picked it up yet.

You may have seen this one.

Would normally be suggesting the Metz 58, but I've just had my 2nd faulty one in about 4 months! Having doubts about the longevity of them now, another one with the zoom error.

My personal preference is the AF540FGZ. The only issue I know of with the AF360FGZ is that it has weak latches on the battery compartment cover. Those on the AF540FGZ are much more substantial.

Not a problem if you are aware of it and ensure the door is pressed fully down before sliding the cover into place.

Fitting correctly sized batteries helps too. I use Eneloop batteries exclusively now as they are a tad shorter than the various NiMH batteries I have and hence they don't exert so much pressure on the cover catches.

A major point to remember is that if you want to use TTL flash with your K10D you have to get one that supports the Pentax P-TTL variety.

Obviously the Pentax ones do, and when I was looking at some of the Metz flashes I noted they did too provided you bought the correct control unit.

Just check that whatever you buy has suitable auto settings for the way you will want to use it.

Good luck
BOb

I am similar to you Lilly in that I generally don't use flash, but recently felt the need to buy one because of some wedding photography in my near future.

I went for the Sigma 530 ST(the 500 is now discontinued). It is very basic, having only one control which goes "off, PTTL, Manual(full), Manual (low)", but it seems to do the trick fairly well.

Another bug! Seems that I am not being notified of new messages to my thread, again!... hence delay, box is ticked too!
Thanks for your help, I think I am going to go for the Sigma EF-500DG, seen at Photosolution for £155, but will check EBAY first, still bugs me such a lot of dosh for a flash, half the price of next lens I want!
But after being at a function last night and struggling and seeing the results of my incamera flash (not nice!) I have to get one.

Keep a look out for a second-hand 360. One went for £80 on here last week.

G

If Lilly had been notified of replies, she would have seen mine above where I pointed her to JohnMcD's AF360. Too late now Lilly, it's sold.

INDEED, lost out there...Oh Joy !!!

Have you considered the Samsung version of the AF540?

Amazon sell it for £181, although I had to wait ages for mine.

You might want to wait till they get their pricing mistake sorted out though...
_________
Edit: Actually, it might not be a mistake... it's one of these third parties they deal with. Chancers, fleecing the ignorant, obviously.

my 530ST was £109 from SRS.

Although it lacks the advanced features like wireless and HSS, it has Bounce, swivel and PTTL, so what more could an occasional flash user want?