Sunpack 383 vs Vivitar 285 hv

I want to get a couple flashes to use as slaves setoff by my 580ex2. I've been looking at both mentioned flashes and have been wondering about the pros and cons. I know the 285hv is $10 more at BH if bought new. Any help would be appreciated. I'm a newbie when it comes to flashes. I normally shoot wildlife and landscapes.
Mike

Sunpak = Swivel head but no zooming head.
Vivitar = (manual) Zooming head but no swivel.

Pretty similar otherwise.

Take yer pick.

The real question is how will you set them off. You will need some sort PC mount slave. Or you could use a shoe mount slave as well (although I could never get the shoe mount digital slave to work for me). Wein makes slaves that are digital ready, i.e. the sense the preflash and then the main flash. Not sure that this will work with the 580EX II. I used to use a 285HV with Wein digital Peanut slave on a little Olympus 3020. But the Oly only had a single preflash and it worked perfectly.

I'm guessing that the 580EX may have more than one pre-flash, but I could certainly be wrong about that. Can the 580 be set to not do a pre-flash? I know the II model has manual external metering (like the Vivitar). I wonder if that uses a preflash.

I wonder what a pair of used 420Ex's would run. You could than take advantage of the 580EX master functions.

The 383 is smaller, less expensive, has one more manual setting, a rotating head, and does not seem to have the out of box failures of the 285HV.

The 285HV has a zoom head and is easier to find accommodating flash cords for.

383 by a nose.

Enjoy! Lon

dbdors wrote in post #4454869
I'm guessing that the 580EX may have more than one pre-flash, but I could certainly be wrong about that. Can the 580 be set to not do a pre-flash? I know the II model has manual external metering (like the Vivitar). I wonder if that uses a preflash.

With E-TTL metering there is one, and only one, pre-flash with each shot. It doesn't matter which flash unit is used. There is no pre-flash with manual flash mode, nor is there any pre-flash with the external flash metering (traditional automatic) mode of the 580EX II.

I like my 383 sunpacks.. work really well, and they were afordable in comparison to the 580's

heck I might even have a few samples as as soon as I get Operator error issues fixed.

dbdors wrote in post #4454869
The real question is how will you set them off. You will need some sort PC mount slave. Or you could use a shoe mount slave as well (although I could never get the shoe mount digital slave to work for me). Wein makes slaves that are digital ready, i.e. the sense the preflash and then the main flash. Not sure that this will work with the 580EX II. I used to use a 285HV with Wein digital Peanut slave on a little Olympus 3020. But the Oly only had a single preflash and it worked perfectly.

I'm guessing that the 580EX may have more than one pre-flash, but I could certainly be wrong about that. Can the 580 be set to not do a pre-flash? I know the II model has manual external metering (like the Vivitar). I wonder if that uses a preflash.

I wonder what a pair of used 420Ex's would run. You could than take advantage of the 580EX master functions.

Sorry I didn't get back to this sooner.I will have my 580 II off camera and fired via a sync cord in manual. I think I will go with the 383's I like the idea of one more manual setting since all flashes will be set to manual. I want to use the 580II as the main light and a 383 as fill and one more 383 as background or hair light. I will use optical slaves to fire the 383's. Thanks for all the replies.
Mike

what exactly is the one more manual setting?

I wish I knew about the sunpak's swivel head, I would have taken that over the zoom on the vivitar. But I have a 285HV (strobist influenced) and a picked up a 283 for cheap.

randomlinh wrote in post #4463087
what exactly is the one more manual setting?

I wish I knew about the sunpak's swivel head, I would have taken that over the zoom on the vivitar. But I have a 285HV (strobist influenced) and a picked up a 283 for cheap.

The 383 has 1/2, 1/4 ,1/8, 1/16 manual setting .The 285hv has 1/2, 1/4, 1/16.

claybuster wrote in post #4463131
The 383 has 1/2, 1/4 ,1/8, 1/16 manual setting .The 285hv has 1/2, 1/4, 1/16.

Ah, I see what you mean. Well, that 1/8 would be very nice to have... I'm more disappointed with grabbing that spare 283 now.. should have just saved for the sunpak... dang.