Cheap manual flashes...

[lederK]

Yep, another "What should I buy"-question. Slightly different this time though (ie not 430 vs 580).
I'm looking to add a few new flashes to my current gear. Since I dont have the money to add a 580 and another 430 to my bag, I thought I'd go manual instead and buy a couple of cheap second-hand flashes with manual power setting and trigger them with simple optical hot-shoe triggers.

I will use the flashes for upcoming (low budget) studio-work, but I dont want to get dedicated studioflashes (AB:s or the sort) since I would also like to have portable light to bring to out to locations.

So far, the only candidates ive found are the Nikon SB-24 or 25 units, who seem to fit my needs. My question is: Do you have any suggestions for other flash-units that i should look for. All I need is reasonable power and manual control of output. Preferably dirt cheap, but around the price of (used) SB-24:s is ok. Oh, and hot-shoes, so I can attach them to my lightstands...

And if you think my lighting idea is bad, please suggest any alternative.

Thanks
Andreas

[stupot]

take a look at vivitar 283's and 285's. i dont have any but they're cheap and fully manual.

[DocFrankenstein]

I am using the vivitars. I have a couple of 283 and a couple of 285. They're OK if you wanna experiment and see what an off camera strobe is like, but if you're shooting people more often than twice a month it's better to go with somethin that feeds off a power outlet.

1) There's too many batteries you have to carry around.
2) The recycle time drops to 10-14 seconds and when you're shooting a lady, she'll be changing poses every second. Stopping her and explaining that it takes forever to charge the flash really interrupts the flow.
3) They do break.
4) there's no snoots, no barndoors for them.
5) The light falloff is jaggy. It's not smooth.


I'd rather buy 100 joule popper that feeds off the outlet.

[DocFrankenstein]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=176340&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

[Mark_48]

I've got a couple of Sunpak 383's that I use with optical triggers and they do the job and not too expensive.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=52799&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

I also have a few vintage Vivitar 283's around as well. They run around 250vdc at the pc cord and shoe, so I don't use them much except with older camera gear which can take it. The 283's need the Varipower module to operate manually.

[FlashZebra]

The 283's need the Varipower module to operate manually.
No Varipower module is required if you are content in using a Vivitar 283 in full power manual mode. Often this is just fine.

The Vivitar 285 has full, 1/2, 1/4 and 1/16 power modes without any additional power module required.

Don't overlook the Sunpak 383. It is a real bargain at $80.00 new and has built in manual power control to 1/16th and a sync cord connection.

Also, see this thread.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=229815

Enjoy! Lon

[lederK]

Thank you for your suggestions. I'll look around for the Sunpak and Vivitars aswell. No doubt the monolights would be nice, but I have neither the money, studio space (my 1-room apartment) or experience to justify them. Besides, they require external power.

By the way, what is the recycling time for the vivitars? (in case anyone is interested, Sunpak 383 is stated to recycle in 8.5 sec, the SB-24 in around 7)

/andreas

[Mark_48]

This is from the 283's manual. Not sure it was mentioned here, but the Vivitar 283's are no longer in production, so only available as used.

[DocFrankenstein]

Recycling time is about 8-12 seconds depending on how lucky you are.