Older flash with new camera?

larz07 · 11 Mar 2008

I'm moving home and have found a Vivitar Zoom Thyristor 2500 flash in a forgotten part of a cupboard. Will this be ok to use with my Canon 400D? I recall reading something about older flashes burning the circuitry of newer cameras.

daftbugga · 11 Mar 2008

AFAIK modern cameras such as canon 400d are o.k with flash guns that use a trigger voltage up to 6 volts ,anymore than that it may well fry the electrics ...

http://www.botzilla.com/photo/strobeVolts.html

have a look here.

cherryrig · 11 Mar 2008

Yea it depends on what the voltage is of the flash as some are know to fry the inside like dafbugga said.

The link does have the answer thou!

larz07 · 11 Mar 2008

Excellent response guys. Much appreciated. Unfortunately the flash produces about 11-15V while the Canon shouldn't use flashes producing a trigger voltage over 6V. Guess the flash is for the bin then. 'C'est la vie'.

andrewc · 11 Mar 2008

put it on Ebay, and if it doesn't sell, bin it.

larz07 · 11 Mar 2008

That's an idea, although there are 3 on ebay right now. I'll watch them in the meantime. Nothing to lose I guess. Thanks.

cherryrig · 11 Mar 2008

Dont bin - try using it off camera. There are loads of ways fro doing that.

hepburn · 11 Mar 2008

I agree. Check out a slave minicell such as this:

http://www.jessops.com/Store/s9094/...ortBy=UndefinedASC&IsInStockOnly=False&comp=n

Although you lose metering functions they can be handy.

You might also want to check out strobist.com for ideas with flash.

mole2k · 11 Mar 2008

I know my 20d is capable of a trigger voltage of 250v. I regularily use mine with a vivtar 823 which has a trigger voltage of 110v. My girlfriends 350d has the same 250v limit and i've used the flash with it before too.