Decent flash for use off camera

foodpoison

foodpoison

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Sean
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Here's the deal.
I have a 430ex and a set of skyports.
I want another flash that is easy to figure out and just as powerful as the 430ex (obviously I don't mind if it's a few guide numbers out), because I find the light too harsh off just one flash and I have a few shoots coming up where I need more than one flash.

I've read about the 430ez, and possibly some old vivitar ones or even the nikon sb-24 and nikon sb-26 (i think those are the right numbers)
But I'm not sure which one to go for!
Ideally I'd like to keep it to £80 max, and I don't mind second hand.
 
lots of people talk about the vivitar flashes but I can't find them in the UK so am also looking at the sigma and equivalent offerings, sorry I can't be more helpful
 
foodpoison said:
I've had a look at the Sigma 530 DG ST flash, and it looks pretty okay. Anyone have any practical use of it?
I'll see how much I can find it for.
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Do a search on here re that Sigma flash, something in the back of my mind says there are issues with them. Alternatively, pop into Jessops and ask one of the sta......:LOL:

£80 won't get you much new, a Vivitar from HK at around £65 is about it, so it's either that or or a 20 year old Nikon SB-24/25 or maybe a 26...
 
the sb-24's seem to be common cos they were cheap and had pc sockets on them. Both the vivitar 285 and 283 are pretty good too although you have to get the 'china' model as the korean and japanese ones are high voltage.

I bought a 283 and changed the foot to an aluminium one with a pc socket, it works a treat !


the vivitar 285hv's from hk are great flashes tbh and worth considering
 
The manual options on the sigma 530 DG ST are not great, the 530 DG Super is much better in this respect.
 
CScottMcQueen said:
the sb-24's seem to be common cos they were cheap and had pc sockets on them. Both the vivitar 285 and 283 are pretty good too although you have to get the 'china' model as the korean and japanese ones are high voltage.

I bought a 283 and changed the foot to an aluminium one with a pc socket, it works a treat !


the vivitar 285hv's from hk are great flashes tbh and worth considering
Click to expand...

The SB-24 is (y) but they're all very old now and a lot seem to suffer from corrosion of the battery terminals.

I'm not sure if the 283 and 285 have the same wiring at the foot, but anyway,which wire goes to the centre contact, can you remember? My 285HV has 3 (iirc ) and I can't remember which one it is :bang:

I assume only one wire gets soldered to the centre terminal and the others taped up?
 
a1ex2001 said:
The manual options on the sigma 530 DG ST are not great, the 530 DG Super is much better in this respect.
Click to expand...

Agreed the 530 DG Super is much better but manual isnt manual on the settings you have to go to slave and turn of the sensor if your using with remote triggers :thinking:
 
Flash In The Pan said:
The SB-24 is (y) but they're all very old now and a lot seem to suffer from corrosion of the battery terminals.

I'm not sure if the 283 and 285 have the same wiring at the foot, but anyway,which wire goes to the centre contact, can you remember? My 285HV has 3 (iirc ) and I can't remember which one it is :bang:

I assume only one wire gets soldered to the centre terminal and the others taped up?
Click to expand...

Normally have 4

Red to the center, Black to the side, leave white and green loose but taped up (y)
 
Quite a few 285's popping on ebay at the moment (in the UK), just bought 2 for £45!

They are the older manuel versions though, which is fine for off camera IMO.
 
CScottMcQueen said:
the sb-24's seem to be common cos they were cheap and had pc sockets on them. Both the vivitar 285 and 283 are pretty good too although you have to get the 'china' model as the korean and japanese ones are high voltage.

I bought a 283 and changed the foot to an aluminium one with a pc socket, it works a treat !


the vivitar 285hv's from hk are great flashes tbh and worth considering
Click to expand...

Excuse my lack of knowledge in lighting, but why does voltage matter if it's going to be off camera? :thinking:
 
the issues with voltage is it might blow up the trigger ;) don't know how skysports cope with high voltages some triggers are fine some less so
 
david1701 said:
the issues with voltage is it might blow up the trigger ;) don't know how skysports cope with high voltages some triggers are fine some less so
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I think most 'radio' type transmitters are designed to trigger low voltage flashes nowadays and using them to trigger a high voltage flashgun will indeed damage it :eek:

foodpoison said:
Watching a couple of viv 285hv's on the bay. How much should I be looking to pay as a max?
Also, what's the 283 like?
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The main difference between the models is the 285hv has full manual control and the 283 needs a variable power module that replaces the thyrister module and only buy a 283 if its from china (some of the korean ones are ok but better not to take a chance)

Another thing to note is it uses a bespoke fly lead and you will need a new lead to connect it to the skyports or a double pc connector or better still replace the foot with an aluminium one with a Pc Socket built in.

good luck (y)
 
foodpoison said:
I've had a look at the Sigma 530 DG ST flash, and it looks pretty okay. Anyone have any practical use of it?
I'll see how much I can find it for.
Click to expand...

The super version has far more options/control than the ST-andard.
Check the 500 super, it's only slightly less power than the 530.
 
Thanks for the replies guys.

I can get a brand new Jessops 360AFD from work for only £50, staff discount and all that, so I'm gonna go for that. It's powerful enough and has decent manual settings so it should be sufficient :)
 
can get a brand new Jessops 360AFD from work for only £50, staff discount and all that, so I'm gonna go for that. It's powerful enough and has decent manual settings so it should be sufficient
Click to expand...

Can you do a quick review on that please, think it will help a few people on here....
 
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