how to use this old flash?

[noob117]

i found my dad's old flash.
its a soltron D25T THYRISTOR...
it works... can it be used wif my eos 350D? will it spoit my cam?
i dun think its supports TTL so do i nd to do any manual settings?
thx

sample pix taken wif it i juz set it to auto. shutter speed was 1/80(TV mode). n juz snap

the back of the flash

 

[tommon]

This is a auto flash, meaning the red ringed hole is where the light sensor is. Thyristor means it is safe for use on most modern SLR or DLSR (very small tigger voltage). As long as you set you cam to manual mode (shuttle & aperture) you will be ok, a safe setting is 1/60 at f/5.6 then do the stuff by trial and error.

 

[noob117]

thx for the reply...
tt means cannot be used wif auto or TV or AV mode?
wads bout the dial at the back?
this model must be quite outdated rite? i did web search not a single review bout it.
does the light sensor detect how power the flash must be?

 

[newtoforums]

thx for the reply...
tt means cannot be used wif auto or TV or AV mode?
wads bout the dial at the back?
this model must be quite outdated rite? i did web search not a single review bout it.
does the light sensor detect how power the flash must be?

Hi noob117,

Its a very old flash, should b more than 20 years old. looking at the back panel, it tells you the ISO/Film Speed settings, the range of the flash output in m/ft with the corresponding F/Stop setting.

Try it out yourself on all settings.. ie, manual ,auto, TV or AV mode who knows you may find one that works for you.

cheers

 

[noob117]

whats the red and blue arrows?
can switch between blur and red..
wads the difference???
thx

 

[genegoh]

whats the red and blue arrows?
can switch between blur and red..
wads the difference???
thx

Hi, I have a cheap Suntax flash that I used. I think it works in the following way...
The setting is for manual mode.
First, set the ISO setting of your camera. In the photo, it is 100.
Now, you have to estimate the distance to your subject. Let's say it is 5m.
So, reading off the inner circle of numbers, your aperture should be at f5.6.
Not sure what letter is on the red line. On the blue line, looks like a W.
So I think select blue for wide angle shots and red for tele shots. That's my guess.
So with all the above settings in place, the exposure should be correct. As for shutter speed, I think 1/60 should be about right.

Best is to try and test it out.

Cheers!

 

[noob117]

thx alot alot!!!!
so tt means dun change the shutter speed? onli the ISO and F-stops?
the blue n red i think u guessed rite.
the switch tt switches between the red n blue has a big n small circle...
thx

 

[genegoh]

yup, using flash, shutter speed doesn't matter too much... so just keep it under 1/200.

 

[ronaldjace]

just set to f2.8 or lower if you are going to shoot far.

 

[Lolrence]

I have a very similar flash like this at home.. from my dad's time too. :bsmilie: :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

 

[noob117]

thx for replys

 

[cjtune]

yup, using flash, shutter speed doesn't matter too much... so just keep it under 1/200.

Shutter speed will need to be the slower of either the flash's minimum sync speed or camera's minimum sync speed. Some books from the 80's I've read mention of sync speeds (of flashes in that era) as slow at 1/60 sec!

I have a Sunpak 383 -a 20-year-old design- and it works fine with my Olympus E-330 up till 1/200 sec. Faster than that, you'll see a portion of your shot that's very underexposed. That's the portion the shutter is already sliding in when the flash hasn't fully delivered its intended level of light output yet.

 

[cjtune]

just set to f2.8 or lower if you are going to shoot far.

I used to have a cheap Sunblitz flash whose auto mode was fixed at only f/2.8, and I was using a f/3.5-5.6 kit lens -so the flash output was forever inadequate in auto mode. I had to bluff the flash to f/4 level by blinding its light sensor by pasting a piece of paper in-front of it.

 

[noob117]

I used to have a cheap Sunblitz flash whose auto mode was fixed at only f/2.8, and I was using a f/3.5-5.6 kit lens -so the flash output was forever inadequate in auto mode. I had to bluff the flash to f/4 level by blinding its light sensor by pasting a piece of paper in-front of it.

wah so pro:thumbsup:

 

[cjtune]

wah so pro:thumbsup:

Actually, in the end I still got fed-up and got the more proper flash... which is the venerable Sunpak 383 brand new from BHPhoto.com.

The Sunblitz was way too limited in controlling flash output levels but at least it swivels, tilts, zooms, and has a in-built slave trigger light sensor.

Next up... FL-50, if I'm still with Oly gear.

 

[noob117]

which falsh gun would u recomend me??

 

[cjtune]

which falsh gun would u recomend me??

Any flash that has a Guide Number of 35 or higher, conforms to 'standard' ISO hotshoe specs (Olympus, Canon, Nikon complies, Sony/Konica-Minolta does not), has 'auto' modes that work at various f-stop settings (f/2 till f/8 @ ISO100, for example), has manual override for flash power output (termed 'power ratio' control), and has a tiltable (up/down turning) and swivel-capable (left-right turning) head, are the minimum features you'll need to get started. Zoomable flash heads (has fresnel lens to focus the flash to match lens' longer focal length), slave trigger sensor, and a socket for sync cables are a bonus. Here is a shot of my 383's ancient analogue control panel on its back:

The ISO/ASA, F/stop and meter/feet range guides work in tandem and is just an adjustible visual reference scale that helps you determine if your manual or auto setting will give a correct exposure, but otherwise does not set the flash output. The green 'A' is the lowest f-stop auto mode (ie. lowest threshold of light output) and can be switched to f/4 and f/8 (corresponding to ISO100) if you need to work at higher f-stops with your lens. The 'full 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/16' scale is the power ratio control for you to use in manual mode, where the flash ignores its light sensor reading and relies solely on this scale's setting.

Having said this, the only flash I own that has these features and have used is my Sunpak 383 which is hard to find in Singapore. The newer, Sunpak 5000AF should be better a bit, having finer digital controls through a LCD panel and zoomable head, and I was told by Sunpak Japan that the Nikon-mount version of it should work with my Olympus E-330. But for you, a Canon user, it's TTL compatible! (not sure i-TTL or E-TTL).

 

[noob117]

thx alot
i think get original is the best rite????

 

[jeremyspk]

WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
20years old?
Look not bad for a 20yearold flash device