Hello Pancho, My understanding of the move by all camera manufacturers away from TTL is that the reflectivity of the sensor/filter in front of it, made it problematic at best to read from that surface. Every manufacturer has found it necessary to pre-flash and read to set proper exposure rather than meter on the surface during exposure. If my *istD was any indicator, the Old TTL system was not too good. I don't think there was any major conspiracy to force us to buy new flashes.
Nikon has been even worse going from TTL to D-TTL to I-TTL. So incomparability is even a bigger problem - especially if you had a flash for the middle version. -- Bruce Monday, March 5, 2007, 2:33:46 PM, you wrote: PH> Cory, PH> this is one point which really sucks in terms of backward compatibility. PH> TTL flash ability was one of the reasons to replace the K100D with an PH> *istDS, in spite of the silly name (other main reason was the finder). PH> I use it with my Metz 40MZ-2 (SCA 3000), Metz 32CT2 (SCA 300), and will PH> use it with my AF280T, Metz 45CL-4 and even my Braun Ultrablitz 38M (SCA PH> 300, too). I even can dial in flash correction, and it works fine, PH> giving very nice fill-flash effects if desired. What even sucks more PH> about P-TTL is that it won't work with pre-A lenses, opposite to TTL. PH> With an external flash, at least, I can use my K lenses and get correct PH> TTL exposure, even with correction factors. This won't work with the PH> crappy bulitin P-TTL flash. PH> The only reason I see why Pentax dropped TTL flash compatibility is to PH> sell new flashes, at the expense of really annoying long term Pentax PH> customers. But I do have a bunch of flashes and feel no need for another PH> one. PH> This sucks, and I see no reason to buy any newer body which lacks such PH> easy-to-implement features. PH> My MZ-S (well, since last week both of them) can handle both TTL and PH> P-TTL flash. Apart from that, it has a feature with was strongly hyped PH> in a K10D review I read lately: MTF program curves. Yes, someone raves PH> about a really old Pentax feature, "rediscovered". PH> Oh, and my MZ-Sn even can do program shift (which could have been easily PH> implemented in *istDS, methinks, maybe as a feature to be enabled by PH> advanced users in the personal settings), and have that aperture thingy, PH> hehehe... PH> Just my 2C, PH> Pancho PH> cbwaters schrieb: >> After reading some posts a while back about the possibility of wrecking the >> K10's flash circuit by using older flash units, I have been reluctant to >> mount my 280T or 200T to the camera. >> I looked at the new "digital ready" flashes online but I have really worn >> thin the good graces of the Finance Mistress with the purchases of late. >> The only remaining path was to ask Pentax if I could safely use my old >> flashes. >> >> Here's their response: >> "The K10D is not compatible with a TTL flash in automatic mode. The >> recommended flashes are P-TTL types such as the AF360FGZ or the AF540FGZ. >> The AF220T and AF280T flashes can definitely be used on the new K10D, >> however it will only work in manual mode." >> >> Now you know. >> >> Cory -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
