Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I'm looking for a little help and some information.

After visiting a friend's studio, I would very much like to upgrade my very simple (i.e. cheesy and not very effective) lighting set up. My concern regards the compatability of light meters/receivers & transmitters and my camera. I have a Pentax K2000.

Since your K2000 has a hotshoe, you can connect the PCB CST radio trigger, etc.

You would not be using your camera's meter to directly set lighting levels (other than chimping test shots, checking histogram). You would likely end up wanting a separate light meter (I have and like the Sekonic 358, but you can also use the PCB Cybercommander as a light meter)

Initially, and maybe indefinitely, you can get by without a separate meter. Test shot, chimp, adjust, rinse, repeat as needed.

If you can visit your friend's studio again, you could assure yourself of this by putting his trigger on your camera, setting your ISO the same as he uses, and manually set your shutter speed and aperture, and fire off a few shots.

It does not matter that you are using a Pentax vs. any other camera. Your camera has a standard hotshoe, which works fine with our hotshoe adapters and triggers (it does not have its own PC terminal, however). If you have a flash meter, it should work fine. If not, you can get the Cyber Commander or any other flash meter or none at all. External meters do not care what camera you are using.

Greeting fellow Pentaxian :-)

I'm a K20D user (used to have a K10D). They work fine, so no worries. Look at getting the cybercommander if you haven't ordered it yet...