Can't get multi flash to fire on Pentax

Dericali

I'm having trouble making the multi-flash fire on the Pentax K1. 

I have the latest firmware installed on the V6II and two RF60X. I can do multi flash with the RF60X on the camera in L mode. I have set up the multi-flash on the V6II and it successfully multi-flash fires when I press the test button. 

But, it doesn't not multi flash fire when mounted on the K1 in any of the various modes I have tried, including Manual and X. Any ideas if I am doing something wrong? I've tried all setting options I think on the V6.

Antonio

Hi @Dericali,

First, could you confirm that there is a good connection between camera and the V6 II?

To check:

Adjust ISO settings on camera

Adjust lens zoom range

Observe if values pop up on V6 II's display screen.

If you see numbers changing, then there's a good connection. If not, then check if the hot shoe of V6 II is inserted properly onto camera hot shoe. 

Next, make sure the shutter speed is set to a long-enough to capture the number of flashes / duration.

Thank you.

Dericali

Hey @Antonio , 

You were right, I have worked out how to make the multi-flash fire. I really appreciate the helpfulness of your customer service here. 

I have on additional question: 

When I am shooting at night and the red light from the focus auto-assist comes on, sometimes there is a residue of this light evident in the photograph. (including when I use the V6 II without any flash).  

I've not fully tested this as to whether it also happens with the assist light from the flash units. 

Is this normal behaviour? is there a way to prevent this happening?   

Antonio

@Dericali,

About AF-assist, we never expect users to use the V6 II when no off-camera flash needs to be triggered. So we never test such a shooting scenario.

To prevent his from happening, you could switch off the AF-assist function, or simply switch off the V6 II.

Or did you intentionally left the V6 II on the camera to use it as an aux AF-assist device?  This is not how the V6 II was designed to work...

Thank you.

Dericali

Hey @Antonio, 

I understand what you are saying about the AF-assist above. Yes, for me it could be interesting to use it when no flashes are firing purely for this function. 

Attached is a photo where the red AF-assist light is evident when a flash did fire.

Dericali

By the way if you look closely in the reflection on the bottle you can see multiple red lights, one from the flash on the right, and the red from the V6II on the camera, which is what is creating the red on the label.

Antonio

Try this.

On the V6 II, under AF CONTINUOUS

Set it from AUTO to OFF.

Cheers!

Dericali

Okay. But will solve the problem if I want to use the AF-assist function? Actually the AF assist light on Pentax K1 is quite poor, and doesn't regularly activate, so it would be useful if this function actually worked, so it shut off sooner when a photo was being taken, or e.g. was activated by half shutter depress or back-button function. 

Antonio

The problem of leaving a red color light in the image?  Have you tried the setting I recommended above? 

We do not have the K-1 yet, so cannot verify for you right now.

Thanks!

Planfoto

I use a Pentax K-1 camera. I want to use one RF60x flash as key light. Triggered from an on camera V6II. Can I put a Pentax AF540FGZ (or other flash) on top of the V6ii, and make this work as fill light (less output)?

I guess the firmware updates for making V6II and RF60x work with Pentax are now available, aren't they?

Jens, Denmark

Class A

Actually the AF assist light on Pentax K1 is quite poor, and doesn't regularly activate, so it would be useful if this function actually worked,

If the AF-assist function on the V6II is set to "AUTO", it won't behave differently compared to the K-1's regular AF-assist light. The V6II should just mimic the K-1's behaviour. In particular, if the K-1 wouldn't turn on it's own AF-assist light, the V6II's AF-assist light won't turn on either.

...so it shut off sooner when a photo was being taken, or e.g. was activated by half shutter depress or back-button function. 

It seems best to manually control the AF-assist light of the V6II. You can configure it such that you can turn it on and off manually. This will will give you full control and you won't have to be angry at the K-1 for trying to do it without any AF-assist light.

Class A

I guess the firmware updates for making V6II and RF60x work with Pentax are now available, aren't they?

Yes, they have been available for quite a while now. 

Are you after automatic exposure control or not? 

Only the X-TTL firmware variant for the V6II will give you automatic exposure control. This variant will probably support running the AF540FGZ in P-TTL mode with a relatively heavy negative exposure compensation, so that it acts as a fill-light only. 

The multi-brand variant will definitely support your scenario, but you'll have to control all flash power levels manually. This latter approach gives you more control and consistency as well, but you will have to have the time for setting the levels up. 

Planfoto

C

I am afgter P-TTL auto. And I wnat o be able to shoot HSS with two flashes. I have Pentax AF540FGZ. I wnat to add Cactus RF60x or Metz 58 AF-1. Is it possible to shoot HSS wih two flashes? One one top of the tranciever, the other on top of the receiver...

I guess the firmware updates for making V6II and RF60x work with Pentax are now available, aren't they?

Yes, they have been available for quite a while now. 

Are you after automatic exposure control or not? 

Only the X-TTL firmware variant for the V6II will give you automatic exposure control. This variant will probably support running the AF540FGZ in P-TTL mode with a relatively heavy negative exposure compensation, so that it acts as a fill-light only. 

The multi-brand variant will definitely support your scenario, but you'll have to control all flash power levels manually. This latter approach gives you more control and consistency as well, but you will have to have the time for setting the levels up. 

Class A

I am afgter P-TTL auto.

OK, then you'll need the X-TTL firmware variants (on both V6II and RF60X). They both start with an "A.".

And I wnat o be able to shoot HSS with two flashes. I have Pentax AF540FGZ. I wnat to add Cactus RF60x or Metz 58 AF-1. Is it possible to shoot HSS wih two flashes?

There is no Metz 58 AF-1 (for Pentax) profile on the V6II but I understand that it still works using the 58 AF-2 profile. If you are going to either purchase the 58 AF-1 or the RF60X, I'd recommend the latter. The built-in receiver makes life quite a bit more convenient.

One one top of the tranciever, the other on top of the receiver...

That should work in principle, however, at pentaxforums.com, user mcgregni has reported that he cannot get his AF-540FGZ II to work on top of a V6II (on a K-7) so there may be a bug in the current X-TTL firmware variant for Pentax.

I hope Cactus will see this discussion and comment on whether or not there is a bug that can be addressed.

If it helps, I could try and see what happens when I mount my Metz 58 AF-2 on top of a V6II but as you have a Pentax AF540FGZ the result may not be that relevant to you.

Planfoto

That would be lovely Class A. Thanks.

Jens