off camera setup

I'm getting a Vivitar 285 flash. I'm not sure how to set it up.

• the options:
  
• (ttl?) cord
  
• infrared
  
• old pocket wizards
  

First, please clarify: Is it the 285HV that Vivitar has recently re-introduced? Is this a new unit or a vintage unit?

It's the HV zoom thyristor, which is the old one, right?

According to the information on this web page, the trigger voltage is well within the safe range for connecting to your PC socket.

There is also some info about that unit on this page of the Strobist blog.

It has a sync socket and comes with a short PC cord. The easiest way to connect it to your camera is with a PC cord (one end to the flash unit's cord, one end to your camera's PC socket). They're available in various lengths at a reasonable cost. Check your local camera shops or the usual internet retailers. with the right adapter cable, it should also work fine with PocketWizards or other radio systems. Also, you could get a slave adapter to connect to either the foot of the flash or the PC cord. But you would need another manual flash to trigger the slave. Connecting any of these things is pretty simple.

It's a non-dedicated flash so a TTL cord would be an unnecessary expense (though it would work). These auto-thyristor flashes metered their own output with their own built-in sensor. The 285HV also has a variable manual mode.

Why is the 285 HV under Vesta? Isn't it made by Vivitar?

HV version is safe for the 20D.

Cheapest off camera setup is to extend the supplied sync cord. Cut the cord in half and solder in the extension wire in length of your liking.

The Wein Peanut costs about $20, will plug straight into the 285's sync socket. It's a optical slave sensor, so still needs a flash to trigger it, and does not work well under the sun.

There are 2 Ebay tiggers, one is a 4-channel with hot shoe adapter, one is the 16 channel without the hot shoe, both for about $30 each and should work with the Vivitar.

Used PWs are hard to find because they work every time and last forever (well, almost), I wouldn't sell them if I own some thing like that However, a new pair Plus II cost $380, ouch.

The cutting/adding wire option sounds pretty good.

http://cgi.ebay.com …tem?hash=item33​0091747787

There's the 16 channel one.

What is the difference between that and a pocket wizard?

dirt lover wrote in post #2767967
What is the difference between that and a pocket wizard?

About $350

Oh, and quite a difference in range and reliability.

What's the range on it? What factors would cause it to not fire (not reliable) as opposed to a wizard?

I'm thinking I should do the PC cord extension and get the ebay setup.

Would I need an attachment when using my wide lens at 17mm? I would also get an omni bounce.

The range on the Ebay trigger is advertized at 100 ft, though most of the user reports are at about half of that. Because of the low price, Ebay ones use cheap materials and "door bell" technology, with poor soldering joints, and subject to surrounding electrical interference. I haven't used a PW before, but all I heard from the PW owners is that, you plug it in, it will fire 100 % of the time. PWs have years of reliable track rocord and are tools of the Pros.

And yeah, the + $350 thingy.

Yeah. Pocket Wizards would be nice, but the small problem of $350 each...

Check out the Sunpak 383 also. It is $10.00 less expensive than the new Vivitar 285HV, and seems to be just as capable.

See this review by Curtis:

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=242847

You should also check out this related thread by Lotto:

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=273624

Enjoy! Lon

The eBay transmitters do NOT work well with NiMh batteries. Use alkalines. I have not figured out why this is so, but the ones i inherited from another photographer would not wotk with the rechargeables batteries. Alkaline batteries make them very reliable units.

Just don't drop anything to the floor. They do break easily.

Modine wrote in post #2769399
The eBay transmitters do NOT work well with NiMh batteries. Use alkalines. I have not figured out why this is so, but the ones i inherited from another photographer would not wotk with the rechargeables batteries. Alkaline batteries make them very reliable units.

Just don't drop anything to the floor. They do break easily.

I use these inexpensive radio slave units (I have three sets) and I am please with them, and think they are a good value.

And, alkaline cells do work much better (they are 1.5 Volts and NiMH cells are 1.2 Volts), but they are hardly "reliable" regardless of what cells you use with them.

Enjoy! Lon