Vivitar 283/285 Flash

The Vivitar 283 flash was a little before my time, but they were still around when I was first getting into photography back in the 80's. Even then, that flash had a really strong reputation.

Almost every news paper journalist in town had one in their bag. I dont think I could afford one back then so my first speed-light was a Sakar. The guy at 'Crazy Eddies' the popular photography outlet back then, practically shoved it down my throat.

A few years ago I wanted to purchase a little bit of history since I heard that the 283 was one of the most popular speed-lights ever, so I purchased a Vivitar 283 from eBay. I think it cost me about $20. Since they were so cheap I purchased another one as a back-up. I figured I could use them with my Manual cameras.

Vivitar also came out with a 285 model which had Zoom Head. I dont't think the 285 was as popular, or as good as the 283, but they were going for less than $20 on eBay so I purchased one. Vivitar tried to make a comeback not too long ago with a new version of the 285. It cost about $75. It was called the Vivitar 285HV. I purchased one, because I wanted to compare the old with the new. Unfortunately when I got the new version of the 285, I was a little dissapointed. Not only did the older model look and feel a lot more rugged, it didn't light up like a Christmas tree like the new model did. As a matter of fact, the LED lights in the back of the newer model were so bright and annoying that I had to put tape over them.

Today I decided to go through my closet to see what I should keep or what I should give away/throw away/sell. I picked up the little black pleather bag with 2 Vivitar 283's and 2 Vivitar 285's + accessories. I decided to test the 2 283's from the 1970's to see if they still worked. The manual states that you should fire the flash at least 5 times a month to shape the Capacitors. So I fired the 283's 10 times since it's been a while... Everything seemed fine. Then came the old version of the 285. I fired it about 10 times also no problem. Then came the new version of the 285 and BANG ! After the smoke cleared my flash was fried. It went straight into the waste basket. The others went back into the little black pleather bag.

BTW I did a search on Vivitar the company to find out what happened to them. Apparently they are a subsidary of Sakar the manufacturers of my first speed light ? I still have that flash by the way and it still works ! .

Still have two of the 283 and just about every accessory. It was a very capable flash back then - I was using them for paid work and they were very flexible and reliable. Have to see if they still work, been a couple of years.

Edit! Check the voltage or DO NOT USE ON MODERN DIGITAL CAMERAS.

Vivitar 285 HV flashes were my dependable off camera flashes for many years--I purchased them in the late 1980's and early 90's. I have used them successfully on all of my DSLRS, so the sync voltage is low enough for modern cameras. I still have 3 of them snd they still work. In my experience the primitive automatic exposure system works as well or better than my Pentax 540Z flashes with their dedicated TTL exposure system. I can't vouch for the newer ones that are probably a knock off, but the old ones were reliable for me.

Having had a capacitor go in a studio flash once I can understand your shock when your 285 blew. I thought someone had fired a rifle in my studio until I noticed that the modeling light wasn't on and there was smoke coming out of the flash.

Vivitar the company to find out what happened to them

Only the name Vivitar was sold, No connection except the name with more recent incarnations.

I think the popularity of those Vivitar flashes was largely limited to the US. Not wishing to stereotype, but I get the impression that Americans are (generally) far more patriotic and willing to support home-brand products than most of the rest of the world - regardless of any failing in design or quality.

Those un-ergonomic Vivitars - underpowered*, no swivel head and needing a plug in module to change mode - fall into that latter category IMO.

In the 1970s and 80s, I saw almost zero professional use of Vivitars in the UK. Plenty of Metz and some Sunpaks in evidence, with later a predominance of Nikon or Canon OEM speedlights. Vivitars among the Paparazzi? Nary a one. And very few atop amateur cameras either.

*The Vivitar 283 and 285 models contain a main capacitor with a value of 1000uF; giving them a theoretical stored energy of about 50 Joules. Whereas the top line OEM speedlights from Canon and Nikon have a 1400uF capacitor with a storage of 70 to 75 Joules. Roughly 50% more 'power', and with built-in diffuser, multiple modes, swivel head and 'zoom' coverage angle. The interior build quality of Canikon speedlights is also far higher, using fibreglass circuit boards and fast and efficient inverter designs, as opposed to the paxolin boards and late 1960s style circuitry found inside a Vivitar.

I think the popularity of those Vivitar flashes was largely limited to the US. Not wishing to stereotype, but I get the impression that Americans are (generally) far more patriotic and willing to support home-brand products than most of the rest of the world - regardless of any failing in design or quality.

 

Those un-ergonomic Vivitars - underpowered*, no swivel head and needing a plug in module to change mode - fall into that latter category IMO.

 

In the 1970s and 80s, I saw almost zero professional use of Vivitars in the UK. Plenty of Metz and some Sunpaks in evidence, with later a predominance of Nikon or Canon OEM speedlights. Vivitars among the Paparazzi? Nary a one. And very few atop amateur cameras either.

 

*The Vivitar 283 and 285 models contain a main capacitor with a value of 1000uF; giving them a theoretical stored energy of about 50 Joules. Whereas the top line OEM speedlights from Canon and Nikon have a 1400uF capacitor with a storage of 70 to 75 Joules. Roughly 50% more 'power', and with built-in diffuser, multiple modes, swivel head and 'zoom' coverage angle. The interior build quality of Canikon speedlights is also far higher, using fibreglass circuit boards and fast and efficient inverter designs, as opposed to the paxolin boards and late 1960s style circuitry found inside a Vivitar.

Yup home brand products but not products made in the homeland. So they way they do is to support the big corporation but not the workers. Vivitar products rarely made in the USA. I thought their darkroom products were made in the USA.

Only the name Vivitar was sold, No connection except the name with more recent incarnations.

Indeed. A few years ago, I found a set of blue-tooth cellphone earbuds that were branded Vivitar. Nothing photographic about them. And the quality was pretty grim - nowhere as good as my old Vivitar 283.

In my parents' studio, we'd been using a Honeywell Strobonar "potato masher" flash with the clever Nikkor 45/2.8 GN lens (which automatically adjusted the aperture as you changed focus distance, based on the film speed) for 35mm flash work in the early 70s. When the much-lauded Vivitar 283 "self-quenching Thyristor" flash came out, we got one, and it was a great leap forward in simplifying flash use. We also eventually got another large Sunpak to replace the Honeywell, for times when a stronger flash was required, but the 283 was always a solid performer. (We also had a couple of rarely used slave flashes for studio work.)

And in the early 80s when I was assembling my personal OM kit, I got a Vivitar 2500 - a descendant of the 283 - that was also excellent... until its plastic locking ring for the hot shoe jammed open and it couldn't be dependably mounted. It still fires, though!

And that old 45/2.8 GN has for a decade-plus been my most-often-used Nikkor lens. Not for flash anymore, but because it's half the size/weight of any other pre-AI Nikkor lens and thus a pleasure to carry, and it produces lovely images.

I think the popularity of those Vivitar flashes was largely limited to the US. Not wishing to stereotype, but I get the impression that Americans are (generally) far more patriotic and willing to support home-brand products than most of the rest of the world - regardless of any failing in design or quality.

 

Those un-ergonomic Vivitars - underpowered*, no swivel head and needing a plug in module to change mode - fall into that latter category IMO.

 

In the 1970s and 80s, I saw almost zero professional use of Vivitars in the UK. Plenty of Metz and some Sunpaks in evidence, with later a predominance of Nikon or Canon OEM speedlights. Vivitars among the Paparazzi? Nary a one. And very few atop amateur cameras either.

 

*The Vivitar 283 and 285 models contain a main capacitor with a value of 1000uF; giving them a theoretical stored energy of about 50 Joules. Whereas the top line OEM speedlights from Canon and Nikon have a 1400uF capacitor with a storage of 70 to 75 Joules. Roughly 50% more 'power', and with built-in diffuser, multiple modes, swivel head and 'zoom' coverage angle. The interior build quality of Canikon speedlights is also far higher, using fibreglass circuit boards and fast and efficient inverter designs, as opposed to the paxolin boards and late 1960s style circuitry found inside a Vivitar.

When I bought my Vivitar 285 HV flashes, I wasn't under any illusions about where they were made. Metz flashes would have been a lot more money for a questionable gain in performance, and I had a bad experience with a Sunpak flash so that brand was out of consideration for me. As for the power question, my newer Pentax flashes are more powerful and recycle faster from the same rechargeable batteries. They are also 25 years newer so I would expect that the technology would have improved. Comparing a 285 from the late 1970's with a Canon/Nikon dedicated flash from the late 1990's is a bit like comparing a Nikon F2 with a Nikon F5 or 6. They were both excellent cameras for their day and some people would pick the F2 because it is mechanical and lacks electronics, but a working sports journalist from the 1990's would probably opt for auto exposure and auto focus to improve the odds of getting a salable picture.

In my parents' studio, we'd been using a Honeywell Strobonar "potato masher" flash with the clever Nikkor 45/2.8 GN lens (which automatically adjusted the aperture as you changed focus distance, based on the film speed) for 35mm flash work in the early 70s. When the much-lauded Vivitar 283 "self-quenching Thyristor" flash came out, we got one, and it was a great leap forward in simplifying flash use. We also eventually got another large Sunpak to replace the Honeywell, for times when a stronger flash was required, but the 283 was always a solid performer. (We also had a couple of rarely used slave flashes for studio work.)

 

And in the early 80s when I was assembling my personal OM kit, I got a Vivitar 2500 - a descendant of the 283 - that was also excellent... until its plastic locking ring for the hot shoe jammed open and it couldn't be dependably mounted. It still fires, though!

 

And that old 45/2.8 GN has for a decade-plus been my most-often-used Nikkor lens. Not for flash anymore, but because it's half the size/weight of any other pre-AI Nikkor lens and thus a pleasure to carry, and it produces lovely images.

I thought Honeywell came out with their auto strobonar before the 283?

The 283 puts out a lot of light for a camera mount flash, and covers a 35mm lens view.

This was especially useful, as my usual lens at the time was 35mm.

The 285 with built-in zoom lens, has a lower guidenumber for 35mm, but the same,

(or close enough) for 50mm.

I also had the lens kit for the 283, which includes diffusers for 24mm and 28mm,

and lenses for 70mm and 150mm. I used the latter with a 70-150 zoom for

a hockey game.

I thought Honeywell came out with their auto strobonar before the 283?

That could well be, but our late-60s Honeywell was strictly a manual flash. I thought they were already using "Strobonar" as a brand name before any self-quenching auto models, but maybe not.

Okay, a little research indicates that they were indeed already using "Strobonar" way back in the 50s.

Strobonar - Camera-wiki.org - The free camera encyclopedia

A look at the PDF manuals linked to from there would indicate that ours was probably the model 600 or 700 - a purely manual flash with no automatic mode.

That could well be, but our late-60s Honeywell was strictly a manual flash. I thought they were already using "Strobonar" as a brand name before any self-quenching auto models, but maybe not.

 

Okay, a little research indicates that they were indeed already using "Strobonar" way back in the 50s.

 

Strobonar - Camera-wiki.org - The free camera encyclopedia

 

A look at the PDF manuals linked to from there would indicate that ours was probably the model 600 or 700 - a purely manual flash with no automatic mode.

The do have Strobonar manual like yours but I think they are among the first that introduce the auto quenchiing feature with Auro Strobonar.

You're probably right, their first Auto Strobonar may have hit the market before the Vivitar 283.

I don't remember that, but I do clearly recall when the Vivitar 283 was introduced (as pros, we had free subscriptions to all the photo magazines, and I devoured them constantly as a teenager) - it was a great leap forward in affordable flash tech. Self-quenching (vs. manual), hot shoe mountable (vs. a cumbersome flash bracket), and using ordinary batteries (vs. rechargable NiCads), it was the game changer.

The early auto flashes dumped the rest of the charge, usually with an internal flashtube.

Later, there were the thyristor models that can stop the flash, and keep the rest of the charge in the capacitor.

The 283 and 285 are thyristor models, I don't know now about others.

Comparing a 285 from the late 1970's with a Canon/Nikon dedicated flash from the late 1990's is a bit like comparing a Nikon F2 with a Nikon F5 or 6.

I don't remember that, but I do clearly recall when the Vivitar 283 was introduced.... - it was a great leap forward in affordable flash tech.

I got my 283 in 1976 and a 285 in the 80's. I think the key to their success was that they were cheaper and smaller, but still powerful flashes that allowed off camera use.

That was then; this is now, and it's time people stopped banging on about old junk that belongs in a recycling plant. Let alone still being sought after on *Bay.

They are not, and never were, great for off-camera use. The lack of a swivel head prevents the sensor from pointing forward while the flash is bounced backwards, say, into a brolly.

Point is, that today there are far better choices on the used market, as there were new back in the 1980s. (I remember buying a far more versatile Osram flash in the late 1970s, maybe early '80s, and the SCA system was already around after 1982.)

(snip)

 

They are not, and never were, great for off-camera use. The lack of a swivel head prevents the sensor from pointing forward while the flash is bounced backwards, say, into a brolly.

(snip)

The 283 has an (optional) extender cable, SC-1, that puts the sensor on the camera pointing in the right direction, while the rest of the flash is up to 1.2m away, and pointing any direction. I have one, but rarely used it. (Maybe once.) It probably works well if you have the right reflector to go with it, which I don't have.

https://www.amazon.com/Vivitar-SC1-Remote-Sensor-Flash/dp/B00009UTWH

So, brolly is the British word for umbrella? Never saw that before. In any case, I never had a photographic grade one with any name.

The 283 has an (optional) extender cable, SC-1, that puts the sensor on the camera pointing in the right direction, while the rest of the flash is up to 1.2m away, and pointing any direction.

1.2 metres from the camera is very limiting for a portrait setup, and in AA mode you want the flash sensor to be pointing at the subject and controlling the light for that particular flash. An average reading from the camera position won't do that, and certainly won't regulate multiple lights individually.

Most flashes offering AA mode have the sensor and control selector built-in from the get-go at the factory. Not a fiddly add-on that's easily misplaced and at an additional cost.

So, brolly is the British word for umbrella?

'Brolly' is a common UK colloquialism for 'umbrella', either for rain or flash. Brolly-flash being common parlance in Brit studios.

1.2 metres from the camera is very limiting for a portrait setup, and in AA mode you want the flash sensor to be pointing at the subject and controlling the light for that particular flash. An average reading from the camera position won't do that, and certainly won't regulate multiple lights individually.

 

Most flashes offering AA mode have the sensor and control selector built-in from the get-go at the factory. Not a fiddly add-on that's easily misplaced and at an additional cost.

 

'Brolly' is a common UK colloquialism for 'umbrella', either for rain or flash. Brolly-flash being common parlance in Brit studios.

In case you can't tell from the picture, you move the sensor from the 283 to the adaptor, in the hot shoe on the camera.

Now that you mention it, I don't remember the angle that the sensor covers, but it is the same as when the flash is on camera.

You have to pull pretty hard to get it off, so it isn't likely to fall off and get lost. They used to be sold separately as

replacements, though probably not by now.

I don't follow UK colloquilism so closely, though I thought I might have heard that one by now.

There is an art/music festival in Seattle in September called Bumbershoot.

I always thought that was named after the UK word for umbrella.

(Maybe it gets rained on, so got that name. That was from before we moved here.)

I looked in the 283 manual, and it doesn't say what the sensor angle is.

In Mr. Rockwell's review, it says 15 degrees.

That sounds about like I thought, not spot but no averaging over the whole flash

field of view. (Covers a full-frame 35mm lens.)