Hi hefty1

I've long understood the basic principles behind the anti red eye function and the inevitable delays that occur as the system starts to function, but I was slightly taken aback when you said:

You sure got that last bit right......(you often lose the moment).....just tell me about it...LOL ! So it looks like I'm left with two options here. Either turn off the RE mode and obtain a faster response from the pop-up flash, or ditch the red-eye mode altogether and spend hours post-processing peoples eye-balls ! Neither of which ideas particularly fill me with joy....oh well, back to the drawing board again ! Incidentally, I noticed mention of the Metz 48AF-1's Preflash function (for reducing the red-eye effect) in the instruction manual, but can't seem to find how to select it ?

Best regards
Richard

Hi Dan

Re your observation:

Well at the risk of stating the bleedin' obvious, YES I DO actually, because I naturally assumed that the point of having this mode enabled was to prevent photographs of peoples faces from being spoilt by red-eye ! Am I missing something obvious here or not, because now I'm even more confused than ever !

Best regards
Richard

Hi Chris



I suppose it all depends upon how you define the word "slight" ! There probably has to be a very good reason why having just pressed the shutter release on the K10D, the pre-flash on the Metz 48 AF-1 is virtually instantaneous, whilst it most definitely isn't with the pop-up on the camera itself. Maybe it's something to do with voltage supply, or is the Metz simply better per se ? Answers on a postcard to......

Best regards
Richard

Hi all

Firstly, may I express especial thanks to Mannesty and other forum members for your comprehensive answers. It's unquestionably confirmed one of the lingering doubts I may have held about my hot shoe query:

I realised that my proposal seemed slightly dodgy, but at least there is no doubt in my mind any more. In addition, thanks also for your useful suggestion:

Thanks also for your invaluable solution, which I'd considered momentarily, but wasn't entirely sure of:

I thought I'd read that when using the 'bounce' technique, the pull-out wide angle diffuser throws out/deflects a slight amount of light in the forward direction, which also serves to highlight people's eyes ?

As for the next point:

.......I have to disagree slightly. To date it's been my experience that whenever I've employed the pop-up flash on it's own using the K10D's green mode, the pre-flash always creates an infuriating delay. This interferes greatly when attempting to take spontaneous photographs, spoiling what should otherwise have been an intuitive moment. I may be doing something obviously wrong here, so I'm open to any suggestions which might cure this anomaly !

Finally, the store where I purchased my K10D from have kindly updated the firmware to v.1.3, which I believe is the latest release.

Once again, many thanks for explaining this subject in such depth. It's certainly a great resource for someone who is trying to 'learn the ropes', so to speak !

Best regards
Richard

Hi Unlocker

Thanks for your reply. Re your comment:

As a total newcomer to the world of dedicated flash photography, I obviously seem to be having some slight problems fully grasping the underlying principles that lay behind this technology, so let me try again !

If I've understood things correctly, the primary purpose of wireless flash operation is to be able to trigger external flashguns that are mounted somewhere off-camera. This is in order to avoid the harsh & unflattering lighting that usually results from photographing subjects head-on with a flashgun.

I have read somewhere that the Metz 48 AF-1 can only act as a Slave in wireless mode. If the pop-up flash of the K10D IS the wireless mode, is there ANY way in which it can trigger the Metz 48 AF-1 (mounted on the hot-shoe of my K10D) WITHOUT the pop-up flash actually firing, or does it HAVE to flash in order to trigger the Metz ?

I'm guessing that if the built-in flash were left in the "up" position with the Metz 48 AF-1 mounted on the K10D's hot-shoe, the pop-up flash would undoubtedly interfere with the normal operation of the Metz 48 AF-1 ?

Secondly, if employing an advanced flashgun such as the Metz 58 AF-1 which is equipped with a forward facing 'secondary' reflector, could one use this to highlight the subjects eyes slightly, whilst using the main reflector in one of it's 'bounce' modes ? I assume that you can't achieve the same sort of thing by using a combination of the K10D's pop-up flash in conjunction the Metz 48 AF-1 ?

As mentioned previously, I've found that the speed of P-TTL operation is greatly improved when relying solely upon the Metz 48 AF-1 for illumination, rather than the sluggish response of the pop-up flash. Has anyone else noticed this anomaly ?

Best regards
Richard

Hi all

I'm trying to come to terms with the myriad complexities that surround flash photography. I recently obtained a Metz 48 AF-1, with whose build quality and operation I am generally impressed overall.
I have to say at the outset that I've always been slightly underwhelmed by the P-TTL implementation of the K10D's pop-up flash, especially where it's infuriatingly sluggish response is concerned. That's perhaps to be expected, given it's limited output ?
However, I'm glad to report that the Metz 48 AF-1 is a vast improvement in this respect, but I'm still wondering if there is any way to avoid the dreaded pre-flash, which is probably a contradiction in terms when discussing P-TTL ?
It occurred to me that as the pop-up flash supposedly puts out an infra-red AF assist beam in dark conditions prior to firing so it can establish how far away the subject matter is, could I not simply cover over the tube of the pop-up flash with something like black gaffa tape and then use it's wireless controller mode (if it has one ?) to trigger the Metz, as I believe the 48 AF-1 can only be set up a slave unit ?
I think I read somewhere that having used the infra-red AF assist beam of the pop-up flash to calculate the correct distance, you can then close it down just prior to taking a shot, but I'm sure this procedure would start to drive me mad after a very short while ! If all of the above proves impractical, could I possibly use the flash compensation setting of the pop-up flash to reduce it's output, when using it in conjunction with the various bounce modes of the Metz 48 AF-1.
I appreciate I'm skating on thin ice here, but if it's not a daft question, why on earth didn't Pentax consider including an infra-red beam and/or wireless controller in the body of the K10D itself, rather than just in the built-in flashgun, as it surely wouldn't have added greatly to the overall cost of the camera ?
Additionally, can anyone please inform me how the Spot Beam (SB) mode functions and if it would be any use in such a situation ? I've been told that it's primarily intended to assist the AF system in dark situations, where the camera itself is having problems locking onto a subject. Apologies if I've misunderstood some of this, but I'm kind of struggling here ! All assistance much appreciated.

Best regards
Richard

P.S. I did try RTFM, but then my eyes started to glaze over.......zzzzzz !

Hi all

Here is a sneak preview of the hitherto top-secret K25LR prototype, which has been under rigorous development for many months. This fabulous 25MP DSLR boasts an ergonomically ambidextrous pair of hand-grips with independent shutter releases, meeting the requirements for both left or right-handed photographers. The camera is endowed with both Left and Right sensors which are controlled by a concealed smart-cell in the eyepiece surround. The cell intelligently detects which eye the photographer is holding up to the viewfinder and then selects the appropriate CMOS sensor. A unique Heads-Up viewfinder display projects a 'live' Histogram overlay that is linked to a 'smart' thermometer, banishing White-Balance issues once and for all. The R&D department were naturally given free reign in this unique project, so the camera body is unsurprisingly packed with a plethora of exciting features including built-in Wi-fi and Hi-fi too, courtesy of an internal 100Terrabyte MP3 player. A wireless connection enables you to listen to your favourite tracks via a pair of Bluetooth headphones whilst continuing to take photographs. Provision will shortly be available for an iPod dock and the K25LR is also supplied with a compact slide-out Qwerty keyboard in the base of the battery-grip, designed by Origami. A VoIP client is preinstalled so that you can converse with your colleagues at any wireless AP free of charge. There's also a Skype plug-in, allowing you to conveniently keep in touch with members of your family whilst you're working on busy assignments. It functions on both CDMA and GSM networks, supporting GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS and EV-DOx1 (with optional heated grip for use in sub-zero temperatures). A terrestrial HD Freeview receiver is included, enabling you to watch all the goals from 'Match of the Day' on Saturday nights via the incredible 3D rear-screen ! The K25LR will also come preloaded with a number of the latest free games such as 'Solitaire' and 'Space Invaders', helping wile away a few hours when not much else is happening. The uniquely designed range of matching water-resistant lenses incorporate a patented supersonic vibration device, which prevents moisture from adhering to the front element during severe weather conditions. These exceptional optics will doubtless hold wide appeal for both Press and Sports photographers, ensuring perfect results especially in rainy conditions. This model is scheduled for future release at a date to be specified, but demand is expected to outstrip supply by a huge margin. Remember, you heard about it here first........

Best regards
Anonymous


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Hi all

Just curious to know why:
I can do this quite easily on PentaxF****s !

Best regards
Richard

Hi Gasman295

Welcome to PentaxForums. Sounds like you got an excellent deal.....

Incidentally, I contacted a local Asda store and was informed that some branches had been selling-off old stocks of the K100D, NOT the K100D super, which is currently retailing for £349.95 ? I'm somewhat confused.......

Are you sure it was the super version ? Furthermore, did the price include the kit lens or was it just the body you purchased ?

Best regards
Richard

Hi ikillrocknroll

Either the poor bloke was trying to impress the bridesmaids with his enormous prowess or else he was desperately attempting to inject some much needed 'va-va-voom' into his 'za-za-zoom' photographs. Anyways, I don't reckon much to his choice of subject matter !

Best regards
Richard