Vivitar 285 & ETRSi

Hi - wondering if some kind sould would lend their thoughts...

 

I have an ETRSi with the motor grip and want to use a flash with a hot shoe.

 

I have heard the vivitar 285 is a good choice but have also heard all kinds of

horror stories about sync voltage and ruining cameras with this flash.

 

Is this flash compatible with the ETRSi and it's sync voltage requirements? If

not are there any other comparable flash units I should look at?

 

Would love to hear your opinion!

Thanks

Dan

Don't worry about the voltage...I've used all sorts of old flashes with my ETRSi with no problems. I think the voltage issue is primarily concerned with new cameras and really heavy duty flashes, like studio units.

I've used a 285 with several SQ-Ai cameras (6x6 sister of the ETRSi) for 15 years.

 

Even had a Vivitar 283/285 rule of thumb for candid event photography, which I was taught to remember "f8 on blue"

 

100 ISO Film

Set the 285 to automatic "blue"

lens on f8

shutter speed set to 1/60 (or however long you want to drag it)

 

...perfect flash exposure every time.

I've used a 285 with several SQ-Ai cameras (6x6 sister of the ETRSi) for 15 years.

 

Even had a Vivitar 283/285 rule of thumb for candid event photography, which I was taught to remember "f8 on blue"

 

100 ISO Film

 

Set the 285 to automatic "blue"

 

Lens on f8

 

Shutter speed set to 1/60 (or however long you want to drag it)

 

 

...perfect flash exposure every time.

I use the Sunpack equivalent, the 383. Works fine. It even works on my 400d in manual mode.

I use a 283 contantly. I also use an old Nikon SB16. No problems at all.

 

I don't know, because I've never seen the schematics, but my SWAG is that the older bodies use a form-c dry contact to fire the flash which is why the sync voltage doesn't matter and the new stuff uses a transistor. Too much amperage would fry a transistor, while a dry relay contact would be hard to hurt with batteries.