Old flashes

Joshua James

Joshua James

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Hi All,

I've been given an OLD Mamiya SLR which came with a couple of OLD flash guns.

Can I use these with my DSLR remotely?

I really have little experience with flash. I've had a quick look at radio triggers and they all seem to indicate that I will require a more modern flash.

Would optical triggers work?

Am I right in assuming that all an optical trigger will do is send the signal 'Fire!' to the flash.

Am I correct in assuming then that the hotshoe mount on my flash must have something in comment with the hotshoe optical trigger in the first place?
 
Optical triggers will work with any flashgun, it would depend which flashguns you have as to whether they will work with the newer HK radio triggers or whether you would need something like the older V2 version, which is designed to work with higher voltage flashes.
 
Your first concern is, what is the trigger voltage of these old flashguns. Beg borrow or steal a digital voltmeter to check the voltage from the centre pin on the mount to the side contact. Anything greater than 6 volts do not use on digital cameras, or get a safe adaptor to put between the gun and camera. Of course if theses guns are used as an off camera flash there is no bother
 
Only FUJI have stated their max voltage. Canon and Nkon not a word.
 
classcams said:
Only FUJI have stated their max voltage. Canon and Nkon not a word.
Click to expand...

Most Canon and Nikon DSLR sync. voltages are 250v. My Nikon D100 (paperweight) was 250v.

Nikon D40 Manual said:
Negative voltages or voltages over 250v applied to the accessory shoe could not only prevent normal operation, but damage the sync circuitry of the camera or flash.
Click to expand...

Canon 40D Manual said:
Do not connect to the camera's PC terminal any flash unit requiring 250v or more.
Click to expand...



Steve.
 
Optical triggers are only connected by light!

What are these old flashguns you speak of? If they emit light, you can use them. They won't "talk" to your camera, but then they don't need to. They only need to know when to throw you a handful of photons, and how many to chuck out.

You can control simple, full power flash guns quite happily with TTL fancy metering cameras...you just put them further away or closer to your subject.

Simples.
 
Lensflare said:
Optical triggers are only connected by light!

What are these old flashguns you speak of? If they emit light, you can use them. They won't "talk" to your camera, but then they don't need to. They only need to know when to throw you a handful of photons, and how many to chuck out.

You can control simple, full power flash guns quite happily with TTL fancy metering cameras...you just put them further away or closer to your subject.

Simples.
Click to expand...
Are you not excluding something ?
 
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