Tanya spent too much time in the Outback and fried her brain then wrote: "I am chasing a TTL ringlight flash of some description that I can use with my *istD. Preferably something with a fairly high guide number. I have a fashion shoot in about 5 weeks that I will be needing one for. There are only two listed on the B&H website - one is a Phoenix, and the other a Vivitar. They are very CHEAP (usd$99 and $89 respectively), and I am a bit weary about buying one that is so cheap.
I understand that there are Pentax ones out there and if anyone would like to part with theirs, I would love to take it off your hands. If you are international, I would have to pay via Paypal though." I'm not sure that any current market ringlights work with the *stD. The TTL flashes that work by reading the light bouncing off the film are a problem with many digital cameras. I don't know if that is the case with Pentax but I do know that the only one that works properly with the Canon digital cameras in TTL mode is the very high priced Canon unit. If I were you, I'd investigate this issue thoroughly before I bought one for use with a digital body. Most ringlight flashes are made for macro photography and are significantly underpowered for any working distance greater than a few feet. Make sure whatever you buy is packing enough power to do what you want it to do. You may decide that a shoe mounted flash and diffuser will be a better method to get a similar effect. I will have both the Phoenix and AF080C units with me at GFM. You're welcome to try them with the *stD and see if they work for you. I know that doesn't help you with your fashion shoot. Tom Reese
