P-TTL flash news: Xotopro to sell Tumax flashes in the US

[matthew miller]

<p><a href="http://ww.xotopro.com/" target="_blank">Xotopro</a> , who currently make a twin-flash macro unit (with three flashes, actually) for Pentax, will be importing and selling the Chinese-make Tumax flash guns they use in the QMM1 directly. <br /> <br /> From Xotopro directly:<br /></p>

 

<blockquote dir="ltr" cite="http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=0#post0">

The next products will most likely be the DMR Ring Flash, the DMF880 AFZ<br /> separately, the DTP386AFZ and the DSL20AF. But the QMM1 with Tumax twin<br /> flash system has to sell as well.

</blockquote>

 

<p>The Tumax DTP386AFZ is like the Sakar/Digital Concepts 952AF/Pen; the DMF880AFZ is like the Digital Concepts 918AF/Pen we just talked about. And the DSL20AF is a interesting beast — a little compact flash with only guide number 18, but a <a href="http://www.icorpandtumax.com/product_info_a.php?cat=110&id=75&pre=95" target="_blank">weird little tilt/bounce-reflector</a> (and a focus-assist beam). No idea on the pricing but if they can make the DSL20AF really cheap it's pretty interesting.<br /> <br /> Even though the DTP386AFZ is nothing we haven't seen before, I think it is big news because Xotopro is <em>good at answering their e-mail</em> . Sakar/Digital Concepts isn't, and if I bought something from them, I would consider it a one-time no-warranty purchase. Xotopro will offer a one-year warranty. And they were able to provide me with guide number information (which seems relatively trustworthy), so I can finally fill out that portion of my <a href="http://pttl.mattdm.org/" target="_blank">pttl flash guide</a> .</p>

[musings]

<p>Very cool! I have stopped getting excited about PTTL flashes in general, but this little Tumax unit looks interesting! With a GN of 18, you're not going to reach Aunt Gertrude in the back of the family portrait, but it could come in handy for smaller jobs.</p>

[andrewg_ny]

<p>Coverage angle isn't so good either--35mm (equivalent, I assume). But its nice that they incorporated a bounce head into the design like Pentax should have done with the AF-200FG.</p>

[trw]

<p>DTP386AFZ looks cool as it's manually controlable and has a built-in optical slave, and looks to be more compact than the 285HV. I don't see a PC sync jack, but I've got PC to hotshoe adapters.</p>