Yet another K100d/K10d flash compatibility thread!

It now seems there is a samsung SEF 36PZF as well as the SEF 54PZF. these guns are £149-99 &£181-99 at Amazon etc. As I said before they are rebadged Pentax guns.Well what do you all think?

If they really are identical to the AF360 and AF540 (and therefore fully compatible with the K10D, and provide all the cool features that the Pentax guns do), then I'll get the 54.

I won't be paying an extra £150 for a Pentax badge just for a flashgun. But the £30 more than the Sigma gun (EF-500 DG Super) probably is worth paying for what I'd guess to be slightly better build quality and compatibility.

Having looked at the Samsung (both models) there is no mention of features such as trailing curtain sync or high speed sync.

But they do have those features.
I have the Samsung SEF-36PZF
Besides the branding I can see absolutely no difference between the Pentax and Samsung units.

Here's a shot of the backside of the Samsung flash. (yes I know it is a crappy shot and the bottom part isn't in focus )

They're identical? In that case, and if the Samsung on that Amazon link is the same as the AF-540, then is Pentax asking £150 more for nothing more than the name "Pentax"? That does not seem smart to me, though it does remind me of my criticisms over their pricing of Tokina/Pentax lenses. One of my favourite things about Pentax was the value for money I felt you got with their equipment. This is certainly still the case with camera bodies, but it seems less so many lenses and flashes

If it is the case that the flashes are operationally identical then I really think Pentax needs to rethink their prices.

you know, there are ways to cut costs (usually cheaper components) and maintain the same specs on paper....
Ever compare an old volkswagon rabbit to a dodge omni/plymouth horizon?
incredible difference in build quality from the same design/tooling.

I remember having to replace my oilpan on my omni with a pan from a rabbit, after hitting a porcupine...the quills went throough the pan. The omni,'s pan had 8 bolts and felt like a tinfoil roasting pan, the rabbits pan felt like a stainless steel cooking pot, and had sixteen bolts (eight of which lined up perfectly with the omni's engine block (which co-incedentlty had "made in germany" stamped in it.).

rabbits, porcupines, roasting pans, hehehe
sound like a redneck dinner party!!!

Don I'd like to believe you're right, but I can't just take it for granted that the Pentax is better built; just like I can't automatically take it for granted that Pentax lenses offer enough of an improvement over their optically equivalent Tokinas for the price difference. I'd need to know that it was the case before I accept having to pay a not insubstantial amount of money.

Oh and roast roadkill porcupine sounds tasty

there's two ways to find out.
A) buy one of each and gut'em.
B) watch samsungs forums, and compare the amount/type of complaints, thier equipment gets over a 5 year span, and calculate the percentages of problems, and durability of thier products, compare to pentaxes.

I see your point that there's no way to know. Would I be wrong in assuming that you think the Pentax is the safer choice, a guarantee of quality? Personally I am naturally suspicious, and I wonder if the flashes are identical bar the name and that Pentax knows that there are many Pentax users who assume the name guarantees a higher quality, therefore they feel they can get away with charging so much extra

People who bought Pentax, Nikon, Canon, Leica, etc. 35mm SLR film cameras are still in the game. Where are those who bought Rollei, Mamiya, Prinzflex, Miranda, Chinon....the list is long.

Also, don't forget that Samsung cameras are Pentax this year, but next year they may be sourced elesewhere. Samsung don't make them, so when the contract is up for renewal anything could happen.

The Pentax is certainly the safer choice, the only question is just how much safer and does it justify the extra cost.

In a camera I'd say yes, in a lens, maybe depending on the difference. In a flash which is nearly double the price for the Pentax badge I'm afraid I'll be buying the Sammy if I ever scrape the money together.

Moi aussi.

G

The SEF-54PZF and the AF-540 FGZ are both 380g in weight, excluding batteries.

A bit of a coincidence if they're different inside.

On another note, a bit of a noob question if you'll forgive me... what extra bits would I need with either of these to mount the gun on a hammerhead? It weighs nearly a pound, so it would be nice to be able to have it off the camera.

Some very expensive bits of Pentax 5P connectors and cable

For the AF-540 (or equiv) there's a connector on the left hand side (not very handy on that side TBH), which means you'll need the hotshoe adapter Fg and a curly cable.
Will cost anywhere up to £30 each second hand for those two bits.

For the AF-360 you'll need the "Off camera adapter F" that connects the cable and provides a hotshoe. Again, up to about £30.

That's if you can still find 'em!

Matt