Will this old flash kill my DSLR

maninsuitcase

maninsuitcase

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Chris
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I have an old Jessop 270TBZ flash I got for use with my old pentax film SLR. Question is can I use this flash with my D50 or am I going to blow something up the 1st time i fire it?

Also would anyone be able to tell me what all the stuff on the back does? I can only find reprints for sale not a pdf.

There's:
ISO switch (64/100, 200, 400, 1000) which I guess basically the power setting?
M, A1, A2 - Manual, and 2 autos?
O, M/P, N, C - This i have no idea about at all!

I can post a picture if that will help.

Thanks for any help.
 
Best bet "if in doubt, don't!"

I have seen far too many people mention the issues with voltage difference between old flashes and DSLRs. It may be fine for the first few times, then just burn it out.
 
I think it was the canon cameras that were easily damaged but easiest way is to measure the voltage yourself to be sure - a £5 meter from maplin will suffice if you don't have access to one.
 
tim_uk said:
I think it was the canon cameras that were easily damaged but easiest way is to measure the voltage yourself to be sure - a £5 meter from maplin will suffice if you don't have access to one.
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Anything over 12v and you run the risk of damage on a Nikon...
 
ruvor said:
nikon quote 250V in their manuals (or any negative voltage) as the limits before damage may be done.
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For connection to the pc port, yes, not on the hotshoe, in fact it may only be 5v at the hotshoe, I'd need to check...

Did a bit of reading and for the newer "pro" cameras - D300 and up (not sure about the D50) Nikon say up to 250v is safe, however there is a fair chance that the Jessops flash puts out more than that...
 
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tim_uk said:
I think it was the canon cameras that were easily damaged but easiest way is to measure the voltage yourself to be sure - a £5 meter from maplin will suffice if you don't have access to one.
Click to expand...

I have the £5 meter, how do I measure what the flash puts out? I probably wont' use it on camera,but if I can possibly use it I might get some wireless triggers so worst case I kill £30 of trigger not £150 of body.

If it's anything over 5v I will hide it away again.
 
maninsuitcase said:
I have the £5 meter, how do I measure what the flash puts out? I probably wont' use it on camera,but if I can possibly use it I might get some wireless triggers so worst case I kill £30 of trigger not £150 of body.

If it's anything over 5v I will hide it away again.
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Anything over 12v will definitely kill a set of triggers
 
Is it worth getting one of the Wein safesynchs, if they're still available?
From memory, they filter out any excess voltage, so that the flash still works but the camera can't be damaged.
 
Garry Edwards said:
Is it worth getting one of the Wein safesynchs, if they're still available?
From memory, they filter out any excess voltage, so that the flash still works but the camera can't be damaged.
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They're still available, but at £50 each the op would be as well getting a new Jessops 360AFD for a few pounds more...
 
It's not so much to have a flash at all, more as I want to learn to use off camera flash and I already have this and a vivitar lying around that might be useful if they won't destroy my equipment.

I am looking at getting a new one for Christmas, probably a YungNuo but need to look at the alternatives.
 
maninsuitcase said:
I have the £5 meter, how do I measure what the flash puts out? I probably wont' use it on camera,but if I can possibly use it I might get some wireless triggers so worst case I kill £30 of trigger not £150 of body.

If it's anything over 5v I will hide it away again.
Click to expand...

Switch the flash on and measure the voltage across the two contacts - one on the base of the foot and the other in the groove on the side of the foot.
 
old vivitar guns kill rf602 triggers but courtney 18v neg is ok if you switch the poles on the leads, with my kit anyway
 
Tset it with a voltmeter. Its the only way to know.

I have an old sunpak 622 that runs over 350volts!
 
Cant the Yongnuo CTR triggers take huge voltage though? My pt04tms work fine with the 622.
 
Kris said:
Cant the Yongnuo CTR triggers take huge voltage though?
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No, 12 volts max, the only triggers I can think of that will definitely handle over 12v are the old Cactus V1 and V2 (not the V2s), but those are really, really poor.....
 
just strap a voltmeter across the central pin and the other contacts until it flashes. The voltmeter will then read the trigger voltage it puts out.

This was my test on a Canon 300EZ unit...


Canon 300EZ by The Big Yin, on Flickr
 
TheBigYin said:
just strap a voltmeter across the central pin and the other contacts until it flashes. The voltmeter will then read the trigger voltage it puts out.

This was my test on a Canon 300EZ unit...


Canon 300EZ by The Big Yin, on Flickr
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Oh my goodness,that was a dodgy thing to do.The central pin is the main pin,the side contact is the common earth. That is where you connect the meter. All the other pins are the electronics. :bonk:
 
classcams said:
Oh my goodness,that was a dodgy thing to do.The central pin is the main pin,the side contact is the common earth. That is where you connect the meter. All the other pins are the electronics. :bonk:
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They all came out with the same voltage - as did the side contacts -the photo was the only one I could take with the probes held in one hand! Plus, surely, any of the connection points which could show a voltage would need to be checked - it matters not a jot if they are supposed to be data path connectors for the flash and camera to talk, if they whack 300v down them it'll still fry the camera. Obviously the 4 subsidiary connectors "should" work at TTL voltages or similar, but it doesn't always follow - especially with a second hand flash (as this was) which may have been fiddled with by prior owners. Okay, so I'm paranoid, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the world isn't out to get me, does it :shrug:
 
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TheBigYin said:
They all came out with the same voltage - as did the side contacts -the photo was the only one I could take with the probes held in one hand! Plus, surely, any of the connection points which could show a voltage would need to be checked - it matters not a jot if they are supposed to be data path connectors for the flash and camera to talk, if they whack 300v down them it'll still fry the camera. Obviously the 4 subsidiary connectors "should" work at TTL voltages or similar, but it doesn't always follow - especially with a second hand flash (as this was) which may have been fiddled with by prior owners. Okay, so I'm paranoid, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the world isn't out to get me, does it :shrug:
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Looking at your photo, is your name "lefty". What was your other hand doing ?or shouldn`t I ask. :lol:
 
I have made 3 measurements, firing the flash and letting it charge between them each time. They all read 5.4v so sounds like I need to have a word with nikon as to if thats safe or not.
 
Had a reply from Nikon UK:

Nikon UK said:
As stated in the FAQ article that you have linked to, the flash units used with Nikon cameras must conform to the ISO10330-1992 and their voltage must be within the 0-250v range. If you have measured the voltage of your flash to be within that range, then theoretically it should be fine to use it. However, as we do not test our cameras with 3rd party equipment, unfortunately we are not able to guarantee that no damage will be caused.

We recommend that you contact the manufacturer or the vendor of your flash unit for further confirmation and reassurance that it is safe to use it with your D50 should anything go wrong.
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Which appears to say 'any' Nikon with an ISO hot shoe can handle up to 250v, though in a very non-committal way. This should mean I am okay to use my flash as it's only good for 5.4v and the manual states a "Standard ISO hot-shoe contact with safety lock".

Or do I just wait to new year and get some 602s and a TTL YungNuo and scrap the tripod I was going to get?

Decisions, decisions.
 
Well I risked it.

Nothing happened. Played with all settings on it and nothing, changed to manual on the camera menu, still nothing. Flash fires manually still so its not that.

At this point I was worried I had done something silly so checked the hot shoe for continuity. None when shutter closed, and fine when I fire the shutter so I am sure thats okay.

Guess the flash and camera just aren't compatible.
 
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