Peifer, William wrote:
>Rob Brigham wrote:
>> What is the best way to set up off camera flash.
>Triggering an off-camera slave using the RTF, as you suggested, is
certainly
>one option. Another is a third party dedicated cable and flash. I've got
>an MZ-50 and a Sunpak 444D TTL flash dedicated for Pentax (bounce, swivel,
>and GN120), with a dedicated off-camera cable on the way. I like the 444D
>because you can use it on different bodies by purchasing different
dedicated
>shoe modules.
When I needed a flash setup, I thought about how I wanted to use it (on a
flash bracket for macro shots of insects in the "wild") and what features I
needed from it (flash separate from camera body, securely mounted to
homemade flash bracket (holes for tripod screw being easier to make than
hotshoe mounts) and whole setup able to be held at odd angles without
sliding around or falling apart). I ended up with exactly the setup
described above.
I got it because, with the extender cord, the flash gets a tripod screw
mount on it and the module attaches to the camera securely with a
thumbwheel. This setup is secure no matter what angle I choose to shoot at.
I also considered a mixed solution of Pentax parts for the flexibility and
other-brand flash to save money. While this is more flexible and can be
made to work with any brand flash (the Sunpak extender cord certainly will
not), it sounded like the setup would not be as securely fastened -- the
part that connects to the camera hotshoe does not lock down and the part
that attaches to third-party flash units does not have a tripod mount that I
recall. Because of lack of secure mounting for this mixed solution, I
didn't opt for it.
An equivalant Pentax flash and parts to do the same thing just as securely
were significantly more expensive than the Sunpak flash and parts and out of
my price range at the time. I understand that they can be made almost as
secure (the camera-hotshoe adapter still doesn't lock down, but that is less
likely to be much of a problem anyway).
By choosing Sunpak's solution in particular, I gave up flash functionality,
the Sunpak does not have flash-confirmation in the viewfinder (is on the
flash body, but that's still a major pain), and flexibility, I cannot easily
(if at all) use parallel flash units nor can I use another brand of flash
with the cabling. I figured I could add the Pentax parts to create the
mixed-brand solution any time I needed that flexibility. Maybe someday
(maybe soon :-) I'll want to spend the money on the Pentax-brand flash and
cables so I can get flash confirmation in the viewfinder.
hope that helps,
patbob ([EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED])
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