Re: Vivitar 283 flash unreliable?


"Burt Johnson" <burt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1j50nfv.1xd0zfaut96t7N%burt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"PDM" <pdcm99[deletethisbit]@tiscali.co.uk> wrote:

Never ever had a problem with mine. And I bought it new 30 years ago.
Note
that the trigger voltage is very high on these things. Modern cameras are
not designed to cope with these voltages. It is adviseable if you are
using
the camera to trigger the flash then use a Wein SafeSync which lowers the
trigger voltage.

I wonder if that is the problem. Perhaps the hotshoe I got to interface
between the Pocket Wizard and Vivitar doesn't produce enough voltage to
fire the flash reliably?

If that is the problem, do you have any suggestion on how to address it?

I have a few of these in my gadget box, and have been using them:

http://www.amazon.com/Wein-Slave-Range-Digital-Cameras/dp/B00009UU0X/ref
=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=miscellaneous&qid=1251248770&sr=8-2

The Amazon reviews say it doesn't work with Canon flashes but works fine
with "cheap Vivitar flashes", from which I would assume they would work
here.

Note that I am not really using the optical sensor though. I am using
the PC terminal to feed the trigger. Now that I read the specs again, I
wonder if maybe it isn't set up to do that after all...?

--
- Burt Johnson
MindStorm, Inc.
http://www.mindstorm-inc.com/software.html

Not familiar with the Pocket Wizard. Don't have much experience with radio
triggers.

Remember it's the flash that provides the trigger voltage. The 283 produces
up to 18 volts (depending on model). And some old flash units produce even
higher voltage. The effect of this is to ruin the camera's electronics.
Modern cameras require about 4 volts. Even old cameras don't like this kind
of voltage. I've had a pentax spotmatic damaged by the 283.

I think the safesync's converted output is 4.5 volts. It sits in the hotshoe
and provides a pc terminal with a lowered voltage. Connecting the 283
directly to the cameras own pc (or hot shoe) is asking for trouble.

Suspect that the problems you are experiencing may relate to the trigger
voltage. Do the 283s fire when connected to something else? Are they
triggered via a slave ok. Could be you have damaged 283s.

Nice shots by the way.

PDM


.

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