Pentax DSLR: remote control (no HSS) of a Metz MZ40-1i possible?

hhe

Is it possible to remote control (power and zoom) a Metz MZ40-1i from a Pentax DSLR?
I tried a V6II on camera (TX) and the flash with a 3701-M2 adapter on a second V6II (RX). The zoom control seems to work with the AF44 profile, but the power control didn't work. I tried different profiles.
Will it maybe work with the flash on a V6 (I)? There was a hint about analog TTL (V6I) and digital TTL (V6II).
I know, that there will be never HSS with that flash, but it would be nice, to have the remote control feature:-)

Class A

Hi Heike,

Perhaps Metz will still upgrade your 3701-M2 to a 3701-M3 for free? At least they did it for the 3702 M2 in 2012. Apparently you'd then get P-TTL? Not sure if it would play with the V6II, though.

Am I right in assuming that the 3701-M2 supports TTL (but not P-TTL)? Perhaps it will then be compatible with the V6, but it seems Metz has a lot of these modules and the combination with a particular flash model also seems to matter. Perhaps this old compatibility compilation post I once created might help?

hhe

Hi Class A,

yes, the 3701-M2 supports TTL and no P-TTL. And I think, there is no need to try to get an update to M3, because as I understand, the flash itself will never support P-TTL.
So, if the V6II needs P-TTL and the V6 is happy (supports only) TTL, I will get a V6 and give it a try in the next weeks, but not immediate. So it will need some time, until I come back with the results. :-)

Thanks for your support,
Heike

Class A

yes, the 3701-M2 supports TTL and no P-TTL. And I think, there is no need to try to get an update to M3, because as I understand, the flash itself will never support P-TTL.

Isn't it the idea of the adapters to add capabilities to flashes? I don't know them very well, though. Perhaps they cannot add features like HSS, if the flash itself was never designed to support HSS bursts. However, I wouldn't rule it out straight away.

So, if the V6II needs P-TTL and the V6 is happy (supports only) TTL, I will get a V6 and give it a try in the next weeks, but not immediate.

Yes, the V6II needs a digital protocol (like P-TTL), whereas the V6 uses an analogue protocol (like Pentax's plain TTL).

Note that with a V6 as a receiver you'd only get remote power level control up to the sync-speed of the camera. The only extra would be support for PowerSync, i.e., you could use the flash for HSS-type applications but only at full power.

Thanks for your support,

You're welcome.

hhe

I had a short mail communication with Metz and I will share the summary...
Only the SCA-3002 series adapters can be updated via firmware updates, but the is no remarkable difference between SCA-3701-M2 and SCA-3701-M3. The SCA-3702 supports P-TTL, but not with all flashes. The MZ 40-1i will never support P-TTL, so no need to change the SCA adapter.
So, maybe I will get one Cactus V6 (I) (in addition to the V6II) and hopefully will be able to remote control power and zoom :-)

Antonio

So, maybe I will get one Cactus V6 (I) (in addition to the V6II) and hopefully will be able to remote control power and zoom :-)

Kind reminder that a V6 (I) cannot trigger a V6 (II).

It only works the other way around, V6 (II) triggering a V6 (I).

One way to think of this is that, a smarter machine won't listen to one that is inferior to it. Only the smarter can act as the transmitter.  

Also, when V6 (I) is triggered by a V6 (II), the typical High-speed Sync will not work. Only Power Sync is supported - a full power flash that's fired as a normal flash pulse, like a bell curve shape. 

Just in case you want to get HSS to work off-camera.

And if you are, you can always consider the Cactus RF60X.

Cheers!