Help on manual flash 285HV...

[yuanzai]

Hi ppl... I've been shooting for a few months now with a 40D and I am currently considering buying a 285HV. Reasons for buying it would be because its cheap. i personally dun really use or need flash much but when i actually do (like indoors gatherings/events), the in built flash is better than nothing..

Im also quite keen on exploring some studio or staged shooting so a cheap flash would be handy. And I refuse to pay for any of the ttl flashes because Im certain I will not use flash so often to justify the cost.

My problem is that i have no idea how a manual flash works at all. I have zero exp with flash other than the in build one. And i shoot in aperture priority almost all the time so im wondering how does a manual flash work with a camera in non-manual mode. Must I use manual mode to shoot? Or is there some auto setting on the flash itself?? Or am I better off just using the inbuilt flash for indoor snapshots?? Thanks =]

 

[eleveninth]

Hi ppl... I've been shooting for a few months now with a 40D and I am currently considering buying a 285HV. Reasons for buying it would be because its cheap. i personally dun really use or need flash much but when i actually do (like indoors gatherings/events), the in built flash is better than nothing..

Im also quite keen on exploring some studio or staged shooting so a cheap flash would be handy. And I refuse to pay for any of the ttl flashes because Im certain I will not use flash so often to justify the cost.

My problem is that i have no idea how a manual flash works at all. I have zero exp with flash other than the in build one. And i shoot in aperture priority almost all the time so im wondering how does a manual flash work with a camera in non-manual mode. Must I use manual mode to shoot? Or is there some auto setting on the flash itself?? Or am I better off just using the inbuilt flash for indoor snapshots?? Thanks =]

you planning to use the 285 on cam?

 

[flipfreak]

without knowledge and experience in flash photography, using a flash in manual mode is not a good idea. u will take too long to figure out how much flash power to use.

 

[pegasus1010]

studio dun use flash on cam..

 

[J-Chan]

for studio, set-up kind of shots I have no qualms abt the 285HV since you have all the time to get the exposure right.. but if you're shooting indoor events, speed is key thats part of the reason why I got the 430EXII eventually after getting 3 285HVs for off-cam lighting stuff..

 

[GavinTing]

You just poke in the power on the flash, e.g. 1/1 power, 1/2 power, 1/4 power, etc.. The flash legs and the hotshoe will connect, and will shoot out a flash burst when the camera tells it to.

 

[yuanzai]

Thanks guys for the replies!

you planning to use the 285 on cam?

studio dun use flash on cam..

So its supposed to be used off camera only???

without knowledge and experience in flash photography, using a flash in manual mode is not a good idea. u will take too long to figure out how much flash power to use.

I suppose i could learn.. speed isnt really the issue because I dun realli take professional events or stuff.. maybe this would be a platform to a 430exii or 580ex one day but could say just testing water...



So there in the end, can I use like Av mode with this manual flash? or am I forced to go manual for everything?

 

[adiknaim]

yes u can use it in Av.. i started off that way... dialing down the flash compensation (-2 or -3 EV) depending on situations...

but after time i realise its better to use in M mode.. u have better control.. its difficult if u can only control 1 aspect e.g. aperture (Av) / shutter speed (Tv)...

 

[flipfreak]

I suppose i could learn.. speed isnt really the issue because I dun realli take professional events or stuff.. maybe this would be a platform to a 430exii or 580ex one day but could say just testing water...

So there in the end, can I use like Av mode with this manual flash? or am I forced to go manual for everything?

if u are fine with experimenting and ppl u are shooting are in no rush, by all means try out manual flash settings.

 

[catchlights]

FYI,
#1, Vivitar 285HV have lower trigger voltage, safe to use on modern DSLR

#2, Shoot flash on manual mode is not a cup of tea for newbie, the aperture value represent flash power output keep changing when you use difference flash zoom head setting, and you are at difference distance with your subjects.
Unless you have very good memory to remember all f stops value at different distance, good in gauging accurate distance via visual, fast in mental calculation when you need to use difference power output on flash. Can you do that in a flash and set your camera accordingly?

#3, Vivitar has four "ranges" for automatic flash exposure, which you can use, just set the flash ISO same as your camera ISO, select a F stop range which you want to use from the flash, and set your lens aperture accordingly, and you just stay in the working range recommended by the flash will be fine.

 

[yuanzai]

yes u can use it in Av.. i started off that way... dialing down the flash compensation (-2 or -3 EV) depending on situations...

but after time i realise its better to use in M mode.. u have better control.. its difficult if u can only control 1 aspect e.g. aperture (Av) / shutter speed (Tv)...

oh okok... good solution.. but doesnt seem foolproof though.. but good enough for newbie i guess... at most pp for the exposure again.. or are the results really unusable? unusable being like maybe at least half are too over or underexposed beyond pp?



er anyway the flash sounds good to me la.. im lazy to use manual but if its ok i dun mind la.. and too poor to buy a ttl flash... so just go old school lor...

Another question.. I was reading up and i realise that the sunpak 383 is another option... difference being the sunpak has swivel head and the 285hv has a zoom head. any difference? for an on camera flash the swivel seems more useful rite??

 

[yuanzai]

anyone any ideas on the difference between the sunpac 383 and the vivitar 285hv other than a swivel head v a zoom head??