Vivitar 283 and ND filters....

[screeny]

Problem: I have a Vivitar 283 so no manual power control. On M is boost all the

power in a single flash. PLanning to find the VP1 unit but until then I was

wondering:

Question: I do have HiTech ND filters for stacking on my lens. Could I use those

IN FRONT OF the Vivitar? Could I do the same maths? ND.6 is a 2 stop ND filter

so placing it on front of a vivitar flash on Manual would reduce the output by 2

stops? Guess it's to easy but I though better ask if some one knwos whether I

can use the ND lens filters as flash control devices :)

 

cheers

 

Marc

[DickArnold]

I used to have three 283s for weddings and PR photos with MF. I had better control with them than I do with my Canons on auto although you can go to manual. It's been a while. You can vary the output for a given shoot on auto on the 283 by selecting the F Stop, I could compute flash fill by doing that. Like one or two or three f stops under ambient exposure. If your camera f stop is 11 and you want 2 stops under you just make the flash think your camera f stop is at 5.6 and it will under expose by two stops. This was great for fill at weddings where you wanted background to be revealed or to deal with high contrast. Is there some reason you can't control the flash output that way?. I also have a flash meter just to make sure I have the right f stop.

[picturesque]

Yes, you can use ND filters in front of the flash. In fact, some flashes, such as Metz handlemounts, have ND filters that fit the flash reflector specifically. You can also use clean white handerchiefs (or anything else similar). Not very scientific but it works. Keep folding for less and less light output. The latter is also an old photographer's trick.

[DickArnold]

I have a Canon P&S and I use Keenex over that glary little flash. Works well.

[screeny]

@Arnold: thx for your input, I'm aware of the use of the auto function and have good results with it also with "fooling" the flash when using fill flash technique. the reason I want to use manual and yet control the power is because I wan t to slave another flash (so basically ding a two flash set up). as i don't have the cash now to endulge me woth Pocket wizards and vivitars 285HV's I bought a flash triggered slave unit thingie which I connect to the other flash (old Braun Flash). From experience I know this two flash set up does not work in auto mode: the two flashes influence each others light reading. So I need to go manual, hwoever I'm tryying to find a some what predicatable way of controling the light. Hence my idea of using the ND filters which I wil certainly try straight away. oh btw I'm using film instead of digital so no direct feedback..hence my wish for soem predictability.

[craig_shearman1]

Yes you can definitely use ND filters as you describe. You can also use a layer or two of white handkerchief to get both output reduction and a bit of diffusion, but you have to experiment to see exactly how many stops difference it is. I have four or five 283s and 285s and love them.

[picturesque]

Actually, M.I., using multiple flashes in auto thyristor mode DOES work. The flashes do influence each other but in different ways depending upon brand. You just have to figure out how and adjust accordingly. In other words, given two identical flashes, both set to auto thyristor, if you compensate the one designated as fill to minus 1 stop (via the ISO dial), you will definitely get a ratio. You need to test. If you use two different brands, one may 'eat' the other, so different compensation is needed. Again--test.

 

Another thing you can do is experiment with blocking the light from the 'other' flash with a gobo over the flash sensor. Stofen used to make sensor covers for the 283/285 that did the same thing. I have them and they work pretty well.

[dbcooper]

The companies that make colored gels and color-correcting gels (you can tape them to the front of your flash) also make ND gels. I use 1-stop ND gels, and stack them when I need more. It's just like putting a CTO gel on...just use gaffer tape and stick it on the front of the flash. For gelling hotshoe flashes, you can buy a 'variety pack' and cut the gels down with ordinary scissors. If you can score a gel sample pack (Rosco swatchbook), so much the better - they have about every color under the sun, and ND .3 and .6 as well. And very, very cheap ($.01 for the whole swatchbook at B&H when they're in stock).

 

What the other posters suggest about using a diffuser will work fine, too. For white diffuser paper on the cheap, I use gift-wrap tissue...the thin white tissue paper used in several layers with gift bags and such. It's abundant at birthdays and Christmas, to stash for later. Even a piece of el cheap-o white plastic 'thank you' shopping bag will work. You could just layer either one to adjust light output, and soften it at the same time

 

I've just been reading about polarizing plastic film in the book 'Light Science and Magic". It's only just slightly thicker than a gel, and works the same way, only it's polarizing, and gets rid of a lot of flash glare. Use that with a polarizing filter on the camera lens, and you can shoot glassware, shiny metal objects and surfaces, glass and plastic-framed pictures, car windows, etc., and kill virtually all the glare, and like a polarizing filter on a lens, has a filter factor of about 2-2.5...in effect, a .6 ND.

[jimmy_english]

maybe this will help

 

http://www.krebsmicro.com/VIV283/index.html

[jimmy_english]

and another

 

http://www.genre.fsnet.co.uk/solved/v283/index.html

[screeny]

gosh , got to love this site! So much information and so many too leanr from.

 

Thx all

[steve_levine]

Be advised that "full power manual" eats a lot of battery power and slows cycling times considerably. And I can't think of any shooting situation were these two facts are a benefit? I would find a Sunpak 383 or a Vivitar 285, both of which have power adjusting settings for their manual modes.

[btmuir]

The VP-1 is under 20 bux at B&H but sure, ND filters will work fine.