Jim Brooks wrote:
>I currently use a small autoflash (Fotomatic, GN18) with my ME super.
>It has excellent exposure accuracy but not a lot of power. I'm looking
>for a more powerful flash but wonder if anyone has experience of the
>accuracy of the old Pentax units made in the same era as the ME super.
>Any recommendations for Pentax or 3rd party units that are accurate and
>well-built?
Hi Jim,
I've got a Sunpak 433D dedicated flash for Pentax bodies, and I really love
it. It's got a guide number of 120 (in feet, or roughly 36 in meters --
about double the power of your unit), a bounce and swivel head, three auto
modes, one manual mode, and the ability to set the output power in manual
mode to 1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, or full power. It's not a TTL flash, but
meters instead from a photodiode in the foot of the flash body. There are
two contacts on the foot -- one central contact which fires the flash, and a
second contact, offset from center, which communicates with the body, sets
the shutter to the correct sync speed, and tells the body when the flash is
fully charged and ready to fire. KEH had a used 433D for quite some time
for $29 -- this particular unit was modified by the previous owner, and it
has a notch cut into the battery door to accommodate a cable from an
external battery. They may still have it in stock. Goodwin Photo in San
Diego (http://www.goodwinphotoinc.com) had a couple of these at one time for
$65 -- about the same price KEH was asking for an intact, unmodified unit.
If you need a TTL flash, you may wish to look at the Sunpak 444D
multidedicated flash. (Not sure if the ME Super is TTL flash capable or
not.) This unit accepts interchangeable modules for use with a variety of
camera bodies. B&H carries the 444D for about $100 and the dedicated
modules for about $33. You can sometimes find a 444D on eBay -- but usually
with the wrong module -- for $50 to $75. Used modules on eBay often go for
very near the price of a new module from B&H, but you can sometimes get a
deal.
Hope this helps.
Bill Peifer
Rochester, NY
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