canon1d mk 2 + bowens

hi can anyone advise i recently bought a mint conditoin bowens flash head although it about 30 yrs old just to get an idea of studio lighting before going onto more expense. my issue is ive read that the bowens 200 e can fry the camera if connected direct instead of via a remote . but also read that it is safe if linked via pc port .

can anyone advise please .

If it is not safe in the hot shoe, it is not safe connected to the pc port. You need to determine the trigger voltage of the flash and what the limit of the camera is.

A quick search shows voltage claims all over the place. mostly 170 to 250 volts. I would not consider connecting these to my camera without a Safe-Sync device in between.

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …afe_Sync_Hot_Sh​oe_to.html

If you ring Bowens themselves (01255 422807) they will be able to tell you the SPECIFICATION of the 200E (yes - there are still people there of that era, I spoke to one a couple of months ago). This assumes that nobody has had the case off and done anything strange inside (though I can't imagine what they'd do or why). Then it's your call what to do. I'm not massively familiar with Canons of the 1D Mk2 era but if you look through the instruction book, I'm pretty certain you'll find that the PC SOCKET will handle up to 250volts. There's no earthly reason you'd use the camera hotshoe so I wouldn't worry about that area. You'll find all sorts of numbers bandied about, as Dale says, but it stands to reason that the makers of the camera and the makers of the flash are the most likely source of accurate specifications.

You're going to have fun finding 'L' fit modifiers for this unit - hens teeth are easy by comparison.