Amazingly! Flash Pentax af260sa works perfectly with Nikon!

[Buga]

Today i bought i used flash Pentax af260sa for 3$ )) the flash works perfectly.and as i dont have a pentax camera, i decided to test it with my Nikon D70. And what i surprise i got! i put the exposure of 1/500 and got a perfect shot. And then i set the exposure to 1/60, and got the same result! it means that the flash comunicates with the camera and sets the right exposure!(though the camera doesnt show me any flash attached) but how? the flash doesnt even have TTL!
please note! the flash doesnt move nor up neither by side.so i cant test it bounced of the ceiling.

anyway, these are the results!
[url=http://forum.mflenses.com/userpix/201210/big_5948_DSC_4814_1.jpg]

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[url=http://forum.mflenses.com/userpix/201210/big_5948_DSC_4816_1.jpg]

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[url=http://forum.mflenses.com/userpix/201210/big_5948_DSC_4817_1.jpg]

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[url=http://forum.mflenses.com/userpix/201210/big_5948_DSC_4818_1.jpg]
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[Buga]

1 picture : exposure 1/500
2 picture : exposure 1/60
3 picture : the Pentax Af 26Sa
4 picture : the connecting pins
5 picture : note the flas doesnt have any manual mode

[Attila]

Big surprise indeed

[Buga]

if anyone can check this,or has tried this also, please reply!
i am actually searching for a bigger and more powerful pentax old flash with adjustable head)

[Nisseliten]

Depending on the light in the room, 1/60 and 1/500th would have absolutely no influence on exposure, only ambient exposure is affected by shutter speed. Try the test with different apertures, if it did ttl the exposure would still be the same up until the flash does not have enough power. That it fires from camera is not that weird if it fits, they are designed for that but only in manual control. The old flashes I have and the yungnuo flashes I use with my canon 550D does not register as a flash being mounted either. But I use several flashes from different manufacturers, nikon flashes are pretty popular for strobists using both nikon and canon. They work in manual mode, and I guess even tho yours does not have manual controls, it pops off a full load.
What is interesting is that your camera flash syncs at 500th of a second, that is just plain sweet.

[Buga]

i will try the flash outside in the dark, and i will see if it overexposes the subject (if it does, then it works only at full power)
i will post some samples at different shutter speeds

[Buga]

an observation:
when i shoot a subject that is 5m or further,the flash takes longer to recharge (in complete darkness). when i shoot something close less than 1m, the flash recharges immediately ! this means, that they are somehow *talking* to each other.
the flash work properly when i change shutter speed and F-stops, but when i change iso, it becomes another story. it gets blown out!
p.s. not a single burnt out shot yet (except the iso changes)

[Nesster]

Some things that MAY be going on - while the flash has no manual mode, it does look to have a thyristor/light sensor. That's why you get different length recharges at different distances.

But the more amazing thing is the 1/500 thing - it may be that the flash and camera talk enough that the camera limits itself to max safe shutter speed.

I would try setting the camera at different ISO speeds and see if that makes a difference in the exposure. If ISO is communicated to flash your exposures should be even... but if not, you'll get variety in your exposures.

[Nesster]

Hmmm>
Nikon layout
http://dptnt.com/2010/04/nikon-flash-interface/

Pentax
http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/technology/hot-shoe/index.html

Seems like Pentax and Nikon have relatively reversed Ready/Mode but the digital/handshake (i.e. ttl flash quench) is in the same spot. But who knows if the quench methods are the same.

I use a SB28 with my K100D in auto thyristor mode.... I'll have to check what else it may be capable of

[Buga]

when i change the iso speed, this is not communicated to the flash, and everything gets blown out.I already checked that. but thats not too bad, since i can have some control over the lighting (for example if i will use a diffuser).
And yes, i think the light sensor does the job.

[Buga]

my Nikon d70 sync speed is 1/500 . And i use manual mode. Its just the fact that i know that this is the maximum sync speed for my camera, and i dont get the exposure higher than that, since i it will not fire.
yes , 1/500 sync speed is great, though i didnt start using flashes, yet )

[philslizzy]

A fantastic discovery. I've seen a couple of Pentax flashes at my local Cash Converters. I'll check it out.

BTW I looked up the trigger voltage of this unit and it is about 7.7v, safe for a modern digital camera, but be aware that older flashes may have a few hundred volts which will not do the camera any good.

[Buga]

yes i am aware. i always search for the old flash voltage on internet. i usually dont put on my camera flashes with only one connection pin, since these one are older and almost all of them have o high voltage. what i discovered with this pentax flash, is that it has to be f3.5 or f5.6 in order to avoid overexposure, and i always get an overexposure outside , when is plenty of light. but in a room, or at night, it works just fine!