dedicated flash for canon FTB

[vincent_sebastiano]

<p>Hello,<br>

I'm back as my Vivitar 5600 body module pins crumbled and the flash is useless. I read over my previous posts and I don't think I explained myself very well. I would like to use a zoom flash for the FTB and I know any non dedicated flash will work as they have one pin. I looked at Keh and Ebay and there are quite a few dedicated zooms that would work fine on a non dedicated camera, I just have to set the aperture and shutter speed myself and let the flash's sensor do it's job.<br>

What is confusing me is the 2 additional pins on the FTB hot shoe. I know they were meant for the semi dedicated Speedlite 133D but will they interfere if I put a Nikon or any non Canon zoom flash on the hotshoe? If they don't I'll have quite a few options for a zoom flash other than a dedicated Canon. I have a Pentax MX and a Nikkormat FT3 so I'd like the flexibility of using one flash on all three cameras. If the two extra pins do interfere with a non Canon dedicated zoom I might go for a Canon 299T or a Vivitar 3500 zoom. <br>

Sorry for the long posting but the FTB is in mint condition and I would hate to screw it up by using the wrong flash.</p>

<p> </p>

[dave_s]

<p>OK, disclaimer: I'm not an FTb guy, never had one, and I'm not really a flash kind of guy either, but-- if it were me, I'd just isolate the two extra contacts on the hot shoe, by covering them with a piece of 99-cent black electrical tape. They are then no longer a problem.</p>

<p>Heck, no, I take that back. If it were me, I'd get the flash off the camera, and then it's not a problem either. Get a PC cord-- either use a flash bracket, or hold the flash in your left hand and the camera in your right. I used to do that with a crude bugzapper Minolta flash, a Vivitar coiled PC cord, and Canon AT-1/AE-1s.</p>

[awahlster]

<p>The pins will only work with the 133D flash system and will have no effect on any flash with a single center pin. I would avoid dedicated system flashes that have more then one pin just to be safe.</p>

<p>And yes those two pins could easily be isolated with a small piece of electricians vinyl tape.</p>

[jeffrey_winn]

<p>Vincent,</p>

<p>I have the Canon 299T, and I believe that it will work with your camera. I'm on the road right now, so I don't have access to the manuals. Anyway, the 299T is a good flash with a manual zoom. I get consistant results with this flash.</p>

<p>I like a dedicate flash for my cameras. This removes some of the guess work, and allows me to concentrate on the photos, not the technology. I still use my Canon T-70 for this reason. I know how to make it work the way I like, and I don't have to worry about menus etc. Slap the flash on top, check the film iso, and either select an f-stop, or use program, and let it do ALL of the thinking. Good stuff.</p>

<p>If you plan to take the flash off the camera, try looking into the wireless flash setups. If you look on that auction site, you can find the inexpensive ones there for about $25 to $30. I bought a set and with an extra trigger, so I can drive two different flashes in two different umbrellas. This will really change they way your photos look, and really open up many options to you. Using a flash remotely, I always use a flash meter. Some here are smart enought to do the math, but I just prefer the ease of using a meter. 100% accurate results.</p>

<p>There is a ton of information on a website called the Strobist. ( <a href="http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/">www.strobist.blogspot.com/</a> ) This site will make you want to use your flash more, and use it in different ways. Good Stuff.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>Jeff</p>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>I use the 299T with the FTBn and it works great. The hot shoe on the camera is actually a bit shorter than the foot of the flash so the two dedicated prongs hang off the back slightly. However, when locked down, the flash is quite secure. I have used a Vivitar 285HV with similar good results but the Canon flash is a superior unit IMHO. It's very easy to use to boot.</p>

[bsharpe411]

<p>Vincent<br>

I've owned an FTb for over 35 years now and I'm of the belief that it's virtually impossible to "screw it up" regardless of the flash you use. As Mark said, those 2 extra pins are for the 133D flash which was part of Canon's CAT system. Later "dedicated" Canon flashes also used 2 extra pins but were not spaced the same as on the FTb and would not be of any benefit for the FTb. I'd stick with a non-dedicated single pin unit. Over the years I've used a Vivitar 272 and 283 unit, but my personal favorite is the Sunpak 411. It has a supplemental diffusion cover for wide angle, but is NOT a zoom flash. Another unit that works well on it is the Canon 277T...but only in the "F No. Set" mode. It's very compact unit and also has a diffuser option.</p>