Pentax AF160FC Ring Flash

Click on the photos to see them full screen; the ants are more impressive that way, if you like that sort of thing.

Pentax finally made a ring flash compatible with my K20D digital camera. I bought it here in Vancouver because it was only marginally cheaper to order from BH Photovideo in New York, and by buying here I get a two year warranty.

Anyhow, I took it to Smithers and photographed the ants behind Bulkley Lodge where my Mother now resides. Mounting the camera underneath the tripod kept it steady and made it possible to do the job without being so up close and personal with the subjects, although these are friendly critters compared with the fire ants I encountered last year in Panama. I decided a piece of white pork fat looked best against the black ants, and they attacked it with gusto.

Two curious guys watching me do this set me off on a all-I-know-about-ants lecture. They thought it was great that the females did all the work, but after I explained that the drones just have sex once with the queen and then die, they decided our society was better after all.

Pentax AF140 Ring Flash

I recently bought a Pentax K20D which takes great pictures and uses all my old Pentax lenses, but my Pentax AF140 ring flash will not work TTL (Through The Lens) with the digital camera; it fires, but only at full power. A ring flash fits on the end of the lens for extreme close ups, so that the lens shadow does not get in the picture. I have found a way around this by using a neutral density filter (cuts down the light transmitted, but does not change the color) to cut down the light from the subject. A 3-stop neutral density filter is just right at the closest distance to the subject (ie. 1:1) with my Tamron macro lens at f32 and the camera sensitivity at ISO100. This is fine for very small insects, and for larger subjects such as moths I either increase the ISO or go to a larger aperture, such as f22, or f16. I was using ISO200 and f16 for a praying mantis a month ago.

Lovely to look at but toxic to touch, as a friend of mine found out. This caterpillar lives in the Panamanian coffee growing town of Boquete.

I have no idea what the moth or butterfly looks like. Notice the false eye spots on its behind.


Pentax is bringing out a new ring flash, the AF160FG, which I suppose will work TTL on their digital products. Adorama describes it but says it is not currently available. Meanwhile, I am glad I can make my old one do the job.