Rugged Pentax AF540FGZ II and AF360FGZ II flashes unveiled

Ricoh is keeping itself busy with the introduction of the Pentax AF540FGZ II and AF360FGZ II flash guns.

Competition is getting fiercer in the world of digital photography. Sales are dropping so all participants must do even better in their attempt at attracting customers and bigger profits.

After Sony’s pair of cameras and trio of lenses got announced yesterday, soon it was Ricoh’s turn to play its cards. The day began with the HZ15 compact camera, then it continued with five new HD Pentax DA Limited lenses for K-mount APS-C cameras.

Pentax AF360FGZ II features a guide number of 36 at an ISO sensitivity of 100.

Ricoh announces weathersealed Pentax AF540FGZ II and AF360FGZ II flash guns

Since the day is not over yet, Ricoh has one more announcement to make. It consists of two Pentax-branded flash units, namely the AF540FGZ II and AF360FGZ II.

The new Pentax AF540FGZ II and AF360FGZ II flashes are replacements of current versions and they come packed in weathersealed designs, as they are aimed at weather-proof Pentax DSLRs.

Pentax AF540FGZ II flash comes packed with a guide number of 54.

Weatherproof imaging system requires rugged flashes, says Ricoh

If you plan to take photos in the rain or other harsh environments and want to bounce off light, then you will need a “Weather Sealed Imaging System”. This includes the recently-launched K-50 DSLR among others as well as the new Pentax AF540FGZ II and AF360FGZ II flash guns.

Ricoh says users should enjoy outdoor photography to its full extent. Capturing images in adverse conditions should be on anyone’s bucket list, as it could turn out into some amazing results.

The company added that weathersealed DSLRs and lenses are already available, so now the system is complete with these rugged flashes.

Pentax AF360FGZ II and AF540FGZ II flash units to go on sale in September

The Pentax-branded AF360FGZ II and AF540FGZ II come packed with 36 and 54 guide numbers at an ISO sensitivity of 100, respectively. The former has a recycle time of 5 seconds and the latter a 2.5-second one.

They also support P-TTL automatic flash, wireless P-TTL, and high-speed syncing. Additionally, the flash guns feature built-in LEDs, which can be useful for long-exposure photography.

Ricoh will begin selling both flash guns in September. The Pentax AF360FGZ II will set you back $429.95, while the higher-end AF540FGZ II will become available for $629.95.