Is the Pentax KP built-in flash much weaker than the K-7's?
Asked 1/3/2021
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I'm comparing the built-in flash on the Pentax KP and Pentax K-7. The manuals list different guide numbers, and I want to know whether the KP's pop-up flash is really significantly less powerful than the K-7's, or if the difference is smaller in practice.
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Photography Stack Exchange contributor
5y ago
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Yes. Based on the guide numbers cited from the manuals, the KP’s built-in flash is substantially weaker than the K-7’s.
- Pentax KP: guide number 6 m
- Pentax K-7: guide number 13 m
That means the KP’s guide number is a little under half of the K-7’s. In practical flash output, the difference is larger than it first appears, because guide number relates to distance and light follows the inverse-square law. A flash with GN 13 can illuminate noticeably farther or allow a smaller aperture/lower ISO than one with GN 6.
So if you rely on the pop-up flash for direct illumination, the K-7 has a clear advantage. The KP’s better high-ISO performance may help offset this in some situations, but it does not make the built-in flash equally powerful. Community feedback also suggests the KP’s onboard flash is often better treated as a basic fill light or as a wireless controller for off-camera flash rather than a strong primary flash source.
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