Vivitar 285 and Canon 40D safe together?

Hi all,

I bought two used Vivitar 285 varizoom flashes today with lots of accessories like PC sync cords, lenses, AC-adapter and all sorts of goodies, so I am quite excited to use them tonight when I get home.

I want to use them with my 40D. As I already have a 580 EX II I am only going to be using the Vivitar's off camera via the PC Sync cord.

One of the goodies that came with the camera is a splitter that allows splitting a PC Sync cord into multiple outlets so presumably I am going to use a PC Sync cord from 40D to the splitter and then PC Sync cords from the splitter to each of the Vivitars.

Can anyone tell me if it is safe to plug in two Vivitar 285 flashes together into my 40D via this PC Sync cord and splitter method? Is the only danger the trigger/sync voltage used by the Vivitars?

I found some posts (using Google) saying the 40D can take 250V on the PC Sync cord. Is that correct?

I will have to measure the voltage on the pc terminal on the Vivitars tonight to find out what it is...

Finally, if I measure the trigger voltage to be above 250V then what do you all suggest is the best option? Mod the flashes to use lower voltage (there seem to be various hacks described around the place)? Use a Wein sync cable thing? Go for light detecting triggers? Radio triggers? Note I am trying to do this on the cheap... I only bought the flashes as someone had them in the cupboard and sold them with all the goodies to for 30 GBP (42 USD) which I thought was a bargain... So I guess I don't really want to invest a lot of money on radio triggers except perhaps the eBay cheapie ones. What do you all use as a safe trigger?

Thanks a lot in advance!

Best regards,

Anton

Oh, forgot to ask: If I want to trigger both the Vivitars and my 580 EX II via the PC Sync cord splitter, is it ok that the trigger voltages are potentially very different between the Vivitars and the 580 EX II? I am worried the 580 EX II could get damaged by a higher voltage from the Vivitars...

Recently (last couple of years) manufactured Vivitar 285 HV has 6 volts on the PC terminal, nothing to worry about.

I'm getting ready to experiment with the Catus Triggers. I wouldnt take a chance connecting a 285 to my 5D (or 40D if I had one). The trigger voltages are all over the map. If you bought used, you really dont know what you have.
I orderd one of these: http://www.gadgetinfin​ity.com …ctid=16766&cat=​274&page=1
I need to now order another reciver as I just picked up 2 285's myself, maybe two more for 3 total, 580EX II, 2 - 285's.

The 40D can tolerate up to 250 Volts on the sync circuit.

The Vivitar 285 (no HV designation) can have a sync Voltage from 6 Volts tom 500 Volts. It just varies from unit to unit.

I suggest that you measure the sync Voltage on your particular 285 and a label each flash with a durable label indicating the sync Voltage of that particular unit.

Only connect flash units on one cord if they have sync Voltages that are about the same.

Older 285HV units have sync Voltage in the 12 to 15 Volt range.

The most recent 285HV version of about the last 1.5 years has a sync Voltage less than 6 Volts.

Enjoy! Lon

Hi Lon,

I just measured (black tester of my multimeter touching little contact on side of flash hot shoe connector and red tester of the multimeter touching the metal pin under the flash hot shoe connector). Whilst the flash is charging up volate is less than 1V. Then when it gets up to half power (red ready light on) the voltage picks up and when it reaches full power (green ready light) the volate remains completely stable.

One of the units stabilizes at just over 7V whilst the other unit stabilizes at a little over 8V (sorry forgot to write the exact values down!). So they should be perfectly safe, right? And do you think this is close enough that I can plug them both into the same sync cord? I would think the 1V difference would be ok?

My 580 EX II works the same way and stabilizes at 4.49V. That is only just over half that of the 285s. Do you think that would be safe together with the 285s on one sync cord?

And one final question. I have now gone through all the bits I got with the flashguns and whilst I now have enough PC Sync cords (only one SB-6 A/C adapter though so will have to drive one of them on battery) but I only have one of the little cables with the funny prong connector that plugs into the 285 on the side and has a PC Sync connector on the other end. Do you know where I can find one of those so I can make use of both 285s at the same time?

Oddly I also got some things I apparently can't use with the 285! So I guess they will be going on eBay or if anyone on this forum wants them let me know (if you are curious: Vivitar FA-1 lens adapter for a Vivitar 283, Vivitar LK-1 complete lens set fitting the FA-1 adapter, Vivitar LVC-3 low voltage cord - there is nothing I can plug this cable into!)

Thanks a lot for your advice!

Best regards,

Anton

I can verify that running each of the 285s work fine with the PC Sync cable from my 40D.

And I found at least one place I can buy the missing PC to Vivitar cable: from flashzebra.com of course! Sadly delivery is prohibitively expensive (more than the cable)... Anyone know somewhere in the UK that sells these?

Thanks a lot in advance!

Best regards,

Anton

Tried this guy?
http://thecamerahunter​.com/