AF-360FGZ, Can it be used with other brands?

[starkillerz]

Hi!
I was intending to buy a AF-360FGZ(I don't have the money for the 540) at the same time as the K10D (I don't have all the money yet, probably later in the spring).

However, I need a flash to make some portrait with my bridge camera (and the on-camera flash is not good enough in my opinion). So, is it possible to use the AF-360FGZ as a dumb flash that fires when my on-camera flash is fired (at the lowest intensity setting).

If it is the case I will probably buy it right now. Also, what is the name of that feature (firing when another flash is fired).

Thanks!

[manual_focus]

I'm not sure what you mean by "dumb flash" but there are two methods you can use the built-in flash to control an off-camera AF-360.

1) With the version 1.10 firmware for the K10D, the on-camera pop-up flash can be used with the P-TTL method to control the AF-360.  Pentax calls this "Wireless".  The on-camera pop-up flash can be set to be either the Master (it's suppose to be a main flash), or Controller (does all the pre-flashing, but doesn't actually flash).

2)  By using the off-camera AF-360 in either Manual or Automatic mode and the camera in Manual, you can use the built-in flash to fire the AF-360 as an optical "Slave".  You can use any flash attached to the camera's hot shot to do the same thing.

I would suggest you download the Owners Manual for the AF-360 to make sure it can do what you want it to.  Go here:
http://www.pentax.co.jp/english/support/
and you can get both the AF-360 Manual and Firmware 1.10 txt file which covers your question.

Did this answer your question?  What exactly are your trying to do?  Use an  off-camera flash as a Key light to take portraits, with the built-in flash as a Fill light?

[starkillerz]

Hi Manual_Focus,
Thank you for your answer. I want to use my Canon Powershot S2 IS Flash as a fill light (with little power), and the AF-360 as the key light (is it the term for an off camera hand held flash bounced on the ceiling?).

Obviously, my S2 IS cannot fire wirelessly the AF-360, thus I intended to have it fire as the flash for the S2 IS fire. I guess you called that mode Optical Slave. So, my question is, can the S2 IS be used as the "optical master" or only Pentax digital cameras?

[manual_focus]

I think I understand your question and the short answer is YES.

The Pentax AF-360 using it in Slave (SL2) mode can be triggered by any flash.  All it takes is a quick bright light.

My personal method is to use my AF-540 off camera, (I've done bounce, umbrellas, etc.) as my Key (primary light), in Manual mode (generally 1/4 power), triggered by my old AF-280 as my Fill, placed on my camera's hot shoe, in Manual mode (Low power).  I feel it works better than using P-TTL as the lighting is more consistent.  I've also found getting the correct lighting power and ratio is pretty easy.  Its the location of the Key light in relation to the face that takes the most time.

For your setup, you can save yourself some money and get any good flash with mulitple manual power settings and optical slave, like the Pentax AF-500 or the Nikon SB-26.  The Strobist is a good place to get ideas.
http://strobist.blogspot.com/

[starkillerz]

Thanks again for the answer. I will start to shop for it in the following days.

I intend to buy the K10D in the coming months, this is why I want the AF-360. However I just saw the Sigma that seems to have pretty much the power of the 540 for the price of the 360. Probably that it does not support the wireless mode though. Is there a good reason why I should get the Pentax AF-360 instead of the Sigma EF 500DG?

[manual_focus]

There is suppose to be some compatibility issues with the Sigma even after having it re-chipped.  (I believe it has problems with the K10D on-board flash and the new firmware under Wireless mode).  You may want to ask Sigma, or make sure you can return it if it doesn't work.  Other than that, most users like it.