Looks like another defective new AF-540FGZ flash.

[pcarfan]

I was so excited to get this flash in the package and I really need this for the weekend and now when I tried it for the first time, I find the zoom to not work at all. I did a search and did'nt have an answer ???

-K10D
-firmware 1.3
-flash fully seated
-ON switch fully to the right (not in the middle wireless)
-Tamron 18-250 lens fully seated
-flash and lens cleaned
-Charged battery (recycle time is instantaneous)
-LCD screen shows P-TTL
-LCD screen shows 'auto flash'
-The diffuser and catchlight fully seated

Yet the damn focal length keeps blinking at 16mm, nothing works.

I think i have to return the unit. THE ONLY REASON I PURCHASED IT NOW IS FOR THE WKND. Bought it from buydig.com...DAMN! what do i do?

 

[Brad99]

Sounds like the diffuser switch isn't working.

 

[pcarfan]

In the other forum several members have had this problem . It's the zoom motor being stuck, and was suggested to give a wack on the side of the zoom to get the gears loose, and it worked. BUT the gears are making a severe grinding noise, is this normal ????

May be I should wack it the other way to seat it better, WTF...what a joke!

 

[Wanchese]

Mine makes about 2x the noise of the normal Pentax AF. (100x more than the HSM)
--
You Will Never Walk Alone

 

[pcarfan]

Mine makes about 2x the noise of the normal Pentax AF. (100x more
than the HSM)
--
You Will Never Walk Alone

COOL, you made my day...I would say it's about twice the noise of the AF. I'm glad it's working for now, but some have had the problems crop up again as the 'wack to the side' solution may not be permanent. But, atleast I have the flash for the wknd, phew!..I hope it holds up until then.

 

[Wanchese]

I'm mighty gun shy too. I took the extra step with my flash to remove the locking pin in the flash mount. Saved the parts of course, but I don't want to have my flash stuck on the hotshoe.
--
You Will Never Walk Alone

 

[brandrx]

I'm mighty gun shy too. I took the extra step with my flash to remove
the locking pin in the flash mount. Saved the parts of course, but I
don't want to have my flash stuck on the hotshoe.

I mount mine to a Hotshoe Adapter F so I didn't have to remove the pin.

Cheers.

--

'Keep your eyes looking forward. However, glance back now and then to see where you've come from. It will put a smile on your face.' ~ brandrx

Ron ~ Retired.

 

[adker]

Bang the cr@p out of the flash and it will zoom. I always look so professional doing this during the wedding processionals.

--
http://www.adker.com

 

[apxmtb]

I sure hope it doesn't suffer from the same symptoms as your 540 because I also need it for the weekend!

Does anyone know if this is also a problem with the 360???

Alex P.

 

[AlexM555]

I have the same problem with my 540's zoom not working... I'd go back to the 360 but the battery door latch is broken and I can't use that one either!

 

[pcarfan]

I am glad it's working though. As for the pin, I left it alone (yeah, I know I am feeling adventerous). It looks like the locking lever as it rotates has this hump that pushes the lever in that disengages the pin. So I figure, even if the lever gets stuck I should be able to push that pin manually (which the hump on the rotating element pushes) and get it disengaged. Hope this makes sense.

I had problems with wirelss, but got it to work as soon as I chose wireless in the camera Fn button> flash> W on top of the wirless option in the custom menu.

Also, it says in the manual the mode indicator on the flash LCD and the flash icon in the camera viewfinder will flicker if the flash exposure is good. I have'nt seen anything flicker yet

 

[mutleybird]

to beat it in quality.

 

[pcarfan]

to beat it in quality.

Well, not too many users of it yet, and when thay do we'll know for sure. But, who wants a max. sync. speed of 1/120 for full power....I'd buy the Penatx 540 again.

 

[GaryDeM]

2 thoughts-

first. it makes NO DIFFERENCE WHAT THE SHUTTER SPEED IS if the area is so dark that you need flash to get the shot. any subject movement is being stopped by the duration that the flash actually fires. this is a tiny fraction of a second. when you see bullets being stopped in midair this due to flash speed not shutter speed.

second. in your settings you do not say what you have the camera set at. i have the 360 and 540 flashes and have spent a lot of emails to pentax techs trying to get the flashes to work with my *istD, also a pile of long distance phone calls to boulder colorado.

what i found out is the following: flash-sync all the way left, in p-ttl mode, auto zoom mode, DO NOT TURN ON FLASH all the way left till camera is powered up.

camera-put in manual mode, set shutter speed to 1/125sec(with *istD xsync speed is 1/150 you cannot go faster and keep sync, but if desired you can go slower), set fstop to whatever dof you want(note-the higher fstop the less distance your flash will be usable, check distance scale on back of flash while you turn fstop wheel), when all this is done on camera turn flash on and adjust fstop.

the camera/flash will now operate as a auto unit and give nice results. at any other shooting mode the camera's shutter speed and fstop behave weird. the simplest and working solution is to set camera in manual. mine then works great.

i had reached the point of no usable answers from pentax in email or phone and was about to send them the flash when i talked to a gal who knew how to get it to work. it did.
THE ABOVE WORKS FOR THE 360 AND 540 FLASH WITH THE istD.

and some body should tell pentax to rewrite their useless flash owner's manuals.

 

[RodConn]

I am glad it's working though. As for the pin, I left it alone (yeah,
I know I am feeling adventerous). It looks like the locking lever as
it rotates has this hump that pushes the lever in that disengages the
pin. So I figure, even if the lever gets stuck I should be able to
push that pin manually (which the hump on the rotating element
pushes) and get it disengaged. Hope this makes sense.

Here is a recent thread regarding "Pin Failure" at

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=23837148 although I disagree with the reason the plastic bracket gets snapped - see my reply at http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=25477355 in the same thread.

Rod
-
My Galleries - http://rconn.zenfolio.com/

 

[GaryDeM]

more-

xsync for the k10d and the k100d super are both 1/180sec. you cannot shoot faster and keep xsync.

 

[Paul van den Akker]

Have the 540 for over a year now and use it a lot. On and of camera. With the locking pin in place and zooming like bumble bee.

What I want to say: these are no general flaws to this flash. Only the unlucky ones complain. The lucky ones are in the silent majority.

Cheers,
Pol.

--
http://picasaweb.google.com/polvda
http://www.flickr.com/photos/polvda/

 

[pcarfan]

I am glad it's working though. As for the pin, I left it alone (yeah,
I know I am feeling adventerous). It looks like the locking lever as
it rotates has this hump that pushes the lever in that disengages the
pin. So I figure, even if the lever gets stuck I should be able to
push that pin manually (which the hump on the rotating element
pushes) and get it disengaged. Hope this makes sense.

Here is a recent thread regarding "Pin Failure" at

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=23837148 although I disagree with the reason the plastic bracket gets snapped - see my reply at http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=25477355 in the same thread.

Rod

Thanks for the link Rod (especially your post, which makes a lot of sense), and I see how I may get into this problem as well. I'll look into what's the best option for me as far as the pin is concerned.

For others, I have the unit working. It was the zoom.

My comment about the x-sync speed is for the Metz unit. I know the x-sync speed of the k10D is 1/180, but I hear it's further limited to 1/120 if you use the Metz 58AF as it can only dleiver full power upto 1/120 and then one has to use HSS (with loss of power as it is brief bursts in low power as you may know, FWIW download the manual for Metz 58AF and check page 180). Just do your research on it prior to getting the Metz 58AF. I am out.

 

[mutleybird]

to beat it in quality.

Well, not too many users of it yet, and when thay do we'll know for
sure. But, who wants a max. sync. speed of 1/120 for full
power....I'd buy the Penatx 540 again.

On the K10D it is 1/180 sec. The Metz also does high speed sync.

 

[a200user]

I have the AF360FGZ. Although I don't use it very much, it has been on and off my K100D at least a dozen times and I have never had a problem with the zoom locking up. It has always worked with my kit lens and the DA50-200mm.

Secondly, I have never had the problem of the pin lock staying jammed in the hot shoe socket.

Third - I have not had a broken battery door.

Having said all that - I am not very confident of the build quality of this flash. The battery door in particular always leaves me feeling that it could break very easily. Once you put batteries in and try to shut the door ... well it just does not feel right.

The hot shoe fit is very tight, and I can see the possibility of not getting the pin to seat correctly. You wouldn't realize the problem until you try to take it off.

So I am very careful with these two aspects of it's use.

If I had a K10D could I avoid the pin failure problem by investing in a flash bracket and just use either flash in wireless mode to by pass the hot shoe? Would all the flash P-TTL functions still work?