Yes, the Pentax flashes behave the same way, flicking automatically into and out of HS Sync mode as you cycle the shutter 'speed' up and down around the max-sync figure. So long as the sync mode is set to 'HS' this will occur, which is very handy in changing light (say the sun was coming and going behind the clouds) .... then you have to juggle the ambient exposure a bit, and the nice thing is you can leave the flash and sync mode to just get on with it.

I'm not sure if Metz flashes are different, but the Pentax ones offer only P-TTL mode for HSS operation .... This is fine for me, as managing manual flash power control during HSS shooting is a further complication that is best done without.

Again, well done here Adrian ... for me, the real treat with these shots is the well controlled and balanced lighting, which has allowed both aspects of your images (ie the backgrounds and the subject) to be correctly lit and exposed. Without flash then one or the other would have been a compromise.

Yes, that's the case in principle. Personally, for all on-camera flash work, I use P-TTL mode (with autofocus lenses). I just find it far more intuitive to let the automatic flash metering do its stuff, adjust as needed with the compensation. (which uses the logical units of 'stops', and is therefore easy to relate to in relation to the ambient exposure).

Juggling manual mode flash power with an on-camera flash is quite fiddly I find, especially given that the circumstances for on - camera flash work are usually quite fluid and dynamic.

Wow, they've worked really well! You've got control of that bright glaring sky, and with an aperture wide enough that has given a nice OOF look to the background .....plus your subject is nicely exposed and brought out by the flash. They are classic HSS examples , nice work, I'm very pleased the technique has been useful for you .

No problem , any excuse to babble on about flash with Pentax cameras, that's my purpose in life

The flash compensation settings, for an on-camera flash, can be made either on the flash itself or with the camera FC setting (on the flash mode screen). They can actually be used together and their effect cumulates. But really, the most direct and intuitive way is to just stick with the flash set one ....that way you're controlling the flash exposure from the flash control, and the ambient exposure with the camera controls (and that's all nice and neat!).

For the run down on the newer cameras and their flash modes etc then check out that other recent thread I put on here, that has a new section on 'Pentax DSLR Models and Flash Options' which will form part of the new Guide supplement in future.

Basically, for your on-camera Shanny flash work, then just set the default 'flash on' mode on the camera.

Seeing these again, I really do think they are the best looking of all the Pentax series.

(Gareth, you jumped in there! ..... great, are you going to be making yellow and pink flash gels, or yellow and pink fish????)

Richard, thanks, I'm glad you've seen these shots .... I imagine you and I will be on very much the same wavelength in terms of likely subjects for our flash photos! As a quick reference and to put a Pentax specific angle onto it, please refer back to my Guide (the 2nd Edition, I think you probably have that), and check out the section on 'Understanding Flash & Ambient Exposures' / 'Controls for Flash & Ambient Exposure'; pages 25 - 27. It makes no difference that you have a Shanny flash .... all the principles and practical stuff is the same.

So we are balancing the two, and the actual means of controlling them depends on the working camera mode (for ambient exposure) and the working flash mode (for the flash exposure). There are only two camera exposure modes that I use for flash photography .... M or Av. They are the only ones that I consider to be really logical and intuitive personally.

If using Manual mode , then the background exposure will most logically be controlled by adjustments to the time value (shutter 'speed') ...

If using Av mode, then the background exposure will be controlled with the camera exposure compensation setting.

In P-TTL Flash mode, then the flash exposure is controlled with the Flash Compensation setting (set on the flash, or via the camera flash screen setting)

In Manual flash mode the flash exposure is controlled with the Flash Power ratio setting (set on the flash) (but distance, aperture and ISO also directly affect manual flash exposure).

In these examples here I have used P-TTL exclusively for the flash exposures .... the adjustments I made to the flash compensation will have varied, anything from around -1.7 through to +1.7 ..... this often depends on how much of the frame is taken up with the subject. Very close in faces will usually require more + compensation.

I have used a mixture of Manual camera mode and Av mode for the ambient exposures ..... it depends on the situation. In more fluid, dynamic places (like the playground ones) I'll use Av, and for the more static ones (like the ones at the coast in the evening) then I used M mode. With Av mode I will generally set approx. -0.5 through to -1.5 stops compensation. For M mode working then I will dial the shutter 'speed' shorter than the metered indication, again to around half to 1.5 stops under the metered value. Obviously I'll then take a test shot and adjust as needed.

It can help to have the flash off at first while setting your preferred ambient exposure .... this keeps things simple and allows you to concentrate on one thing at a time. Once you have set and fixed your ambient exposure, then switch on the flash and allow its effect to mix in .... another test shot or two and make the flash compensation adjustments as needed .... then you're ready to just keep on shooting!

I just noticed the last photo of my series here, the one of the two girls with Swanage bay in behind ..... this shows the difference that the 1/4 CTO gel makes, as this is the only shot WITHOUT a gel on. This shot is using HSS, as a 'fast' shutter speed was needed to reduce the bright background. But you can see the colour of the faces, which has a cooler tone to the other photos in the series. That's the effect of daylight WB with uncorrected, not gelled, flash. I don't mind it there, but probably the warmer look in the other shots is better overall, and of course especially necessary when the sun is lower and tones are warm anyway.

Thanks Gary, the Waddon Swan was playing ball that day and the light was bright but with some cloud cover, which helped keep contrast manageable.

Ok great ......(I think ) .... so I don't have to check the autofocus then ?

Cheap, effective and a bit smelly! .....that seems to be the agreed consensus here It certainly has brought a surprising amount of light onto the flower, and no batteries required .