another camera Question

[Sean Troy]

Ii all, I have an old Sunpack flash unit I used on a Nikon n2000 35 mm camera. Does anyone know if that would fit a Digital SLR? Thanks for any advice, Sean

[Jim Becker]

If it uses a standard hot shoe setup, it should work.

[John Lohmann]

The old ones I had had a cable to sync the flash with the cameras shutter speed. Do the new SLR cameras have them? Or am I talking too long ago?

[Eric DeSilva]

The old ones I had had a cable to sync the flash with the cameras shutter speed. Do the new SLR cameras have them? Or am I talking too long ago?

I know all four of my Nikons dSLRs have all had connections for an external flash sync cable...

The one thing I'd note, however, is that using a flash like that I think will mean losing out on a lot of the capabilities for auto-exposure control and the like. I also really like Nikon's CLS control features. That said, new Nikon flashes are pretty spendy.

[Dan Bundy]

Be very careful. Some older film camera flashes sometimes put out a lot of voltage into the camera and can fry the digital camera's electronics.

Here is a web page that has a chart of voltage output of flashes and whether they should be used with a digicam or not (I have no affiliation with this site): www.botzilla.com/photo/strobeVolts.html

I have a Vivitar 285 and found this site that explained how to measure the output of that flash with a multimeter. I suppose it would work on other flashes as well. Again, no affiliation: www.lifeisaprayer.com/articles/photography/measure-voltage-vivitar-flash

Wein makes a hotshoe adapter called a "safesync" that sits in the hotshoe and has another shoe on top for the flash. It "absorbs" the extra juice. I got mine for about $50 at Adorama. the bonus for it is that it also has a PC cord jack (which my Rebel lacked), allowing me to move the flash off camera.

If I goofed and posted links I shouldn't have, contact me and I can send you the links via PM or email.

Hope this helps.
DB

[Sean Troy]

Thanks, thats good info to have

[Mike Cutler]

Sean

You not only have to worry about the actual voltage, but also ensure that the polarity is the same.

[Sean Troy]

I take it, the best thing to do is get a flash made for a particular camera is the best way to go?

[Mike Cutler]

I take it, the best thing to do is get a flash made for a particular camera is the best way to go?

That , or just do a little googling and ensure that your new camera is compatible with the flash.

[Colin Giersberg]

The nice thing about Nikon and the CLS (Creative Lighting System) is that you can use the built in flash on the camera, if so equipped, and set it to "master", and then set several SB-800 or SB-900 flash units to slave, and shoot somewhat like in a studio. You can set up different groups, and vary the light output of all of the flash units from the camera. The one requirement is that the "eye" on the flash base be oriented so that it faces toward the camera. When the camer's flash fires, they all fire simultaneously. If you don't like the result, go into the menu (setting E3) and select the group that you want to change, and make the changes in camera. Shoot again and the flash group that you changed will respond with the new settings.
One caveat though. This only works on the D90 and above, but if anyone knows different, please correct me.

Regards, Colin

[Ed Harrow]

I've got this Sunpack 522. The good news is I could use it as a slave.

Thanks for the link!

[Ed Harrow]

I was just reading a D200 Guide Book by David Busch, and on page 115 there is a photo of the Wein Safe Sync, which isolates one's camera from the stobes triggering voltage. I know NOTHING about this unit, but it would seem worth investigating.

[Larry Frank]

I have a Canon Rebel and bought the Canon Speedlite flash for it. I am amazed at the way the flash communicates with the camera and the other way around. The screen on the flash actually shows the camera settings and the amount of zoom if using a zoom lens. It works extremely well with a very wide range of flexibity. I would suggest taking a careful look at what each flash does and how it works with your camera. My experience is that buying a flash from the same company as your camera may work out best as they are built for each other.

[Sean Troy]

I,m finding that a good flash unit made to fit a particular camera is really not that expensive