Pentax AF540FGZ Flash for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras (Includes Case)

by Pentax

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 3 x 5.6 inches ; 13.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000B8AFUG
• Item model number: B000B8AFUG
• Batteries: 1 Nonstandard Battery batteries required.
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 17, 2003

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Featuring a large guide number of 54 (at ISO100/m), this clip-on-type auto-zoom flash provides a variety of advanced flash applications, including P-TTL auto flash, high-speed synchronization and wireless P-TTL auto flash, when mounted on a Pentax SLR camera.

Large guide number
Despite its compact dimensions and clip-on design, the AF540FGZ auto flash offers a large guide number of 54 (at ISO100/m) to accommodate a wide range of flash applications.

Advanced auto flash functions
The AF540FGZ features a variety of flash functions, including advanced P-TTL auto flash in which a pre-emission from its spotbeam projector is detected by the camera's light sensor to accurately control the main discharge level needed for proper illumination of the subject. Other functions include TTL auto flash, auto flash, manual flash, high-speed synchronization and wireless P-TTL.

Auto discharge-angle adjustment
When mounted on a Pentax autofocus SLR (after the Z-10 and including digital-format models) equipped with an FA-, FA J-, DFA- or DA- series lens, the AF540FGZ automatically adjusts its angle of discharge to the lens' focal length (automatic function may not be available for certain combinations of a camera body and a lens).

Other Features

• "Digital" position newly provided on the focal-length conversion scale of the zoom head to accommodate digital SLRs.
• Bounce flash function, with adjustable angles of -10 to 90 degrees vertically and up to 180 degrees horizontally.
• Power-zoom flash head to cover angles of view for 24mm to 85mm lenses (in 35mm format).
• Built-in wide-angle panel that slides out to cover 20mm angle of view (in 35mm format).
• Built-in catch-light panel, which is useful and effective in portrait photography
• External power supply with the optional TR Power Pack II.
• Battery-saving auto power-off function (user cancellation possible).

Product Description

Pentax AF540FGZ Flash for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras (Includes Case)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good set features, but not the quality. Or am I just unlucky with it?, July 20, 2007

By 

6x9 "6x9" - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pentax AF540FGZ Flash for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras (Includes Case) (Electronics)

I have been recently forced by Pentax to buy this flash to complement my new K10D.

I already had AF500FTZ and a few other Pentax TTL flashes which worked perfectly well with my *istDs, but for some reason Pentax decided not to support plain TTL any more in the new K10D body.

My AF540FGZ broke almost immediately - when I turned it on the zoom was stuck in manual mode @ 16 mm. A brand new flash! If you look in the Internet, you will find out that it is not just a single isolated case, but a well-known bug. I would consider this to be a design/manufacturing issue.

The door of the battery compartment is not easy to open. Moreover, its locks are somewhere in the middle part of the door, the door is rather long and the material it is made of is not strong enough. When you put batteries in, the edges of the battery compartment door are pushed out. Not a critical issue, but product engineering should have considered this.

I own plenty of Pentax stuff which I am really happy with. Pentax quality used to be outstanding. So, this is my first bad experience. VERY dissapointed.

From the positive side, I liked the wireless functionality and the fact that 540 can be operated by the built-in flash of my K10D (no additional master flash is required).

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

UPDATE: Pentax USA have sent me the International Warranty Card for this flash - very good customer support.

UPDATE 2: I have received my flash unit back, repaired. It took almost two months: it was sent out to Pentax on July 31 (received by Pentax on August 7), and I got it back from repair on September 28. Even if the return shipping from repair took a few days, this is still much longer than stated on Pentax web site (15 - 20 working days). Just FYI.

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A lot of functionality in a camera mounted flash . . . but, May 21, 2007

By 

Donald G. Fraser (Ancaster, Ont., Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pentax AF540FGZ Flash for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras (Includes Case) (Electronics)

I've owned this unit since March 07 and have used it sparingly. The performance to date is as advertised and impressive for a camera mounted flash unit. However, the mounting arrangement incorporates a metal spring loaded 'lock pin' which fits into a receptor hole in the camera hot-shoe. The metal pin is pushed into the flash base by a cam on the tightening ring acting on a very small diameter plastic pin. If this plastic plunger pin breaks off, and it did, the flash unit stays locked to the camera hot-shoe. A very flimsy arrangement that can cause a lot of grief, inconvenience and possible hot-shoe damage. Disappointing Pentax.

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars this flash is not worthy to sit atop a Pentax K20D, July 8, 2008

By 

William Porter (Dallas, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pentax AF540FGZ Flash for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras (Includes Case) (Electronics)

I am a part-time wedding/event photographer who uses Pentax system (as of summer 2008 I have a K20D, K10D and an *ist DS). I own two Pentax AF540 FGZ units and my experience with both of them is decidedly mixed. The new Pentax K20D is one of the best cameras avaialable today for any price. The Pentax 540 FGZ flash, on the other hand, is old, badly designed and badly built. It's not worthy to sit atop the K20D.

I've encountered three problems with these units. If you search the Internet you will discover that these complaints are not uncommon.

First, I've had problems with build quality on both of my units. I purchased my first 540 FGZ in 2007. After only one or two events, the auto-zoom motor stuck. Flash had to be sent back to Pentax repair in Colorado, which kept it for a full month.

While the first unit was being repaired, I purchased a second unit. (NOTE: I needed this anyway so I don't complain about the second purchase.) After only a few events, the new unit got stuck on my K20D and could not be removed normally. Like the problem with the auto-zoom motor, this problem (with the flash getting stuck) is well known. Armed with info from the 'net, I was able to take the flash apart while it was still attached to the camera, take out the locking pin that is the cause of the problem, and remove the unit from my camera. If you visit pentaxforums.com you will be able to find the post in which I describe this process in detail. I have left the locking pin off the camera. The flash works without the locking pin although it becomes necessary for me to think while I'm shooting to make sure the unit remains firmly mounted in the hot shoe.

Finally, my first unit - which had been behaving itself for many months - also got stuck in my camera, and I had to do the same thing.

I hasten to add that I handle my camera equipment VERY carefully. THe K10D/K20D bodies are very well built. The 540FGZ simply is not, and there seem to be design flaws in the hardware as well.

Then there is the whole problem of P-TTL, Pentax's proprietary flash exposure system. These problems are harder to describe but they're worth mentioning. The preflash that P-TTL uses to measure exposure seems to have a marked tendency to cause subjects to blink. Equally bad, the exposure results are inconsistent. Without flash (using available light) I know my K20D so well I am confident of getting a good exposure nearly every time. Shooting with the flash, however, this isn't the case. If you practice a lot with the flash, you can get it to work pretty well most of the time. But the things I've read about Nikon's best flash units make me jealous.

The Pentax 540 FGZ is also not as strong as some of the units available for Canon and Nikon cameras. There is only +1 EV available - possibly not enough power to take wedding formals in front of an altar where there's strong back lighting. I now use both units and get better results - but that should not be necessary.

My next flash will be a Metz unit and I hope it works better than the Pentax 540.

On the plus side - and to explain why I give the unit 2 stars rather than 1 - when it doesn't break, the 540 can be effective. The tilt-swivel head works really well. Although the users guide is very old (and unaware of either the K10D or the K20D) and very badly written, if you throw yourself at it, you can figure out how to get the flash to work well in wireless mode. Controls are easy to use once you've figured them out. And I have the optional battery pack which is indispensable if you're shooting an event and need to take hundreds of shots and want quickest recycle time.

Bottom line, as I said before: Pentax makes GREAT cameras, but this flash unit is mediocre.