 Lori J. Belknap |
New Flash User I know this is going to seem like a very elementary question to a lot of you but I'm new and have done the research and can't seem to "grasp" the concept here. I have a Pentax SLR (ZX-60) that I have been taking classes with. I have always relied on the pop up flash until now I realize how "crappy" it is (for lack of better term) and purchased a better flashgun that fits on the hotshoe. I know that my camera and my Pentax AF280T are compatible. I have read both guides and according to them all I need to do is turn the flash on, let it charge, make sure it is on the TTL auto mode and my camera is on "auto" and take the picture. Am I understanding this? Here is the problem...all is as I stated but the shutter speed is slow, it is 1/6 WITH the flash firing. This seems slow to me with a flash. So when I remove the flash and use my built in flash with everything else being exactly the same only one second later....the shutter speed changes to 1/60. What am I doing wrong?? Why is the shutter speed so slow with the flash? Shouldn't they be communicating with each other and letting the camera know that the flash is on there and speed up the shutter? Or am I just missing something? Is this how it is supposed to work? Please help.
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
Is the AF280T the lens you're using of the name of the flash? Sounds like you're not using a flash that's not dedicated to the camera type. When you set the camera on auto, it's just like other cameras setting of program, sounds like. So it's just using a middle range aperture and whatever shutter speed the light going to give for that aperture. No surprise the pop-up flash makes the camera go to 1/60. If you put the camera on manual, you should be able to set the flash on auto, not TTL, and you should be able to set the corresponding film speed and an f/stop on the flash. And then set the same f/stop on the camera, and then set the camera to it's sync speed. That should work.
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Ryan Chai |
Lori, I have a Pentax PZ-1p and AF500FTZ flashgun. I am not sure about the AF280 but I believe that there is a slow shutter sync switch. I notice on my system if that is switched on then my camera meters for the background and the flash takes care of the foreground (granted that I am in TTL and Hyper Program on my camera). The pop-up flash on your camera might not be set for slow shutter sync that is why you are getting different Tv with the different flashes. Are you shooting at night? That switch might need to be changed. Hope it helps. George was right, if you shoot in manual then the program should be overridden.
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Ryan Chai |
Lori, I have a Pentax PZ-1p and AF500FTZ flashgun. I am not sure about the AF280 but I believe that there is a slow shutter sync switch. I notice on my system if that is switched on then my camera meters for the background and the flash takes care of the foreground (granted that I am in TTL and Hyper Program on my camera). The pop-up flash on your camera might not be set for slow shutter sync that is why you are getting different Tv with the different flashes. Are you shooting at night? That switch might need to be changed. Hope it helps. Gregory was right, if you shoot in manual then the program should be overridden.
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Ryan Chai |
Sorry guys, sometimes I am a clutz with my entries.
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
I looked at Pentax web site and they say that sync is set automatically with the pop-up and dedicated pentax flashes. They also talk about slow sync with flash is taken care of with their camera, so maybe their is a switch for it. And on their flashes, they don't give very much description of them. But the only one they mentioned as having TTL was the ring light. I saw your type of flash, but they didn't mention it having TTL. Although I'm not saying it dosen't have it.
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Lori J. Belknap |
Well thanks so much for taking the time to answer my question. I appreciate that. I'm not sure if I am more or less confused but I will do some more research on the flash and some of the info that you have given me. Thanks!
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