Older flash with new camera?

[larz07]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[larz07]

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]

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

[hepburn]

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

http://www.jessops.com/Store/s9094/0/Slave-Units/Jessops/Minicell-Slave-Universal/details.aspx?&&SortBy=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]

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.