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Best way to put an old Vivitar 283 flash to use
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 2:12 am    Post subject: Best way to put an old Vivitar 283 flash to use Reply with quote
I've got this Vivitar 283 thyristor flash that has a high trigger voltage (300 V has been quoted). Looks like a nice powerful unit with a tilting head. Obviously I can't put it on camera. Would it work with a slave trigger such as for example this one Click here to see on Ebay or will it fry it too?


PostPosted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 8:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
That's how I use my 283, with light slaves. I mount the 283 on a small tripod and use the nex flash pointed high to fire it.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 8:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I use them with radio slaves... the cheap type.. with no problems so far. I've also used them via the sync cable on various digi cameras where the stated limit was 250v. You might not want to risk it though.....

Edit:... In case you didn't realise the voltage varies with the 283. later units were only 6v but the earlier ones, going from my examples were either 300v as you read or 120v. The only way to be sure is to test.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 9:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
My favourite flash gun.

I remember Orio, I think, posting the plan for a simple electronic circuit to electrically isolate the flash from the triggering mechanism in the digicam

I cant find it offhand but he may help if he sees this.

But anyway this gadget will be absolutely fine. They have been made for decades intended for use with 300v+ flashes. Be aware that more complicated devices e.g, those with transmitter and receiver will not handle the trigger voltages.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 1:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks guys. So you say it's not safe to use it with a wireless receiver such as this one Click here to see on Ebay, but SYK-3 is fine, is that right? Or wireless receiver with a hot shoe simply won't trigger the flash? I have the above set already, but am hesitant to plug the receiver into the flash for fear of frying it. My flash is guaranteed to be 300 V, I've read on the strobist that made in Japan Vivitar 283 are like that (according to some Vivitar honcho).


PostPosted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 7:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
99% not safe to use. You will fritz the circuit in the receiver as easily as your DSLR. My suggestion is you use on camera flash (in manual mode)on the lowest power. The cheapo trigger (SYK-3) will power the 283

So this is what I'd do using a 283 on a DSLR. And using the SYK-3.

Select manual power on your built in flash and set it to the lowest power. It will be enough to trigger the 283 but (probably) not enough to cast its own light on the subject. The SYK-3 has a plain plastic foot so this can go directly onto a flash bracket. The flash sits on top of the SYK-3. Set the camera to manual, set the shutterspeed to the maximum flash sync. My DSLR's use 1/125th of a second. If you are not sure use 1/60th. On the 283, set the ASA (ISO). The sensor has a rotating dial with a little window in the side. It goes M, Yellow, red, blue, purple.

If its left on Yellow, look on the dial what aperture to use with Yellow (if I remember right it is F2.8 with 200ASA) Red will give you a smaller aperture and so on. The flash will recycle any unused power and when you are doing close ups the 283 is almost always charged.

I have a Wein Safe Sync. This allows you to use your flash directly on the camera. Expensive but worth it if you use old flash guns regular.

Hope this helps. Here is a manual for your 283

http://www.cameramanuals.org/flashes_meters/vivitar_283_larger.pdf


PostPosted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 8:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks a bunch Phil, it sure does Very Happy Basically that answers all my questions.

Am I correct assuming that those red/blue/yellow/purple settings are nothing else as power output control? I am planning to use this not only as a standalone flash, but also as an addition light in my studio set, so manually setting the power output would be useful.


PostPosted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 12:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
fermy wrote:
Thanks a bunch Phil, it sure does Very Happy Basically that answers all my questions.

Am I correct assuming that those red/blue/yellow/purple settings are nothing else as power output control? I am planning to use this not only as a standalone flash, but also as an addition light in my studio set, so manually setting the power output would be useful.


Ok. The coloured settings are explained in the manual, but briefly; on the yellow setting the flash will automatically calculate the exposure from a distance of 5 feet (1.5m) to 43 feet (13m), great for using flash in big room or bouncing it off a ceiling or brolly. On the other settings the usable distance is shorter because of the aperture you are using. On the purple setting you can use the flash no further than 11feet (3.4m) as you will be using f11 or something.

The coloured settings will not affect the power of the flash manually. If you use them in a multi flash setup your 283 may get confused and give the wrong exposure.

If you put the flash in M mode you get the full burst of power. The only way to control it would be to filter it. You'll laugh at this but when I did assignments in pre digital days I used a 283 for everything it was so versatile, anyway If I was using it on a brolly doing portraits and wanted some degree of manual control I used a ladies stocking, a black one. Usually 10-20 denier. Fold it over the head once, twice or as many times as needed to get the light right. Hold it tight with a rubber band. It works perfectly. I used a flash meter then but a digicam has instant preview and it will only take a couple of shots to get the filtration/aperture sorted out.

good luck!

Anyway I hope this has helped and if its all too much and you wish to dispose of your 283 at any time please let me know!!


PostPosted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 3:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
philslizzy wrote:

Ok. The coloured settings are explained in the manual, but briefly; on the yellow setting the flash will automatically calculate the exposure from a distance of 5 feet (1.5m) to 43 feet (13m), great for using flash in big room or bouncing it off a ceiling or brolly. On the other settings the usable distance is shorter because of the aperture you are using. On the purple setting you can use the flash no further than 11feet (3.4m) as you will be using f11 or something.

...
Anyway I hope this has helped and if its all too much and you wish to dispose of your 283 at any time please let me know!!


I've read the manual, but I thought it was a simplified guide on how to get the right exposure with a film camera and this flash. Obviously for me this is much less of a concern as I can always get the right exposure by trial and error. I still don't quite understand why this is not a power control thing. If I tell the flash that I am using f4, while setting the camera lens to f5.6, wouldn't the flash fire weaker?

Nice tip on the stockings, very helpful. I am not planning to dispose of the flash anytime soon, it came with a lens attachment, a set of 4 lenses, and bounce card holder - too many nice goodies not to play with them first Laughing


PostPosted: Wed Jun 19, 2013 1:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
fermy wrote:

... If I tell the flash that I am using f4, while setting the camera lens to f5.6, wouldn't the flash fire weaker?


No, you will be 1 stop under exposed. The flash tells you to use f4 because the power it gives out will be enough for F4, but not enough for 5.6. Remember the flash does not communicate with the camera at all. f4 is f4 you can't change it without messing up the exposure.

The coloured settings are there to make life easier the flash takes care of the exposure. In the old days a totally manual flash had a fixed output. Every flash had a guide number in metres or feet, the 283's is 36 in metres at ISO 100. You had to calculate the distance to the subject then divide the the distance in metres by the guide number and the answer would give you the aperture to use. Then the flash whopped out all its power and you may have to wait 20 seconds while it recharged. The 283 had a thyristor that recycled unused energy back into the capacitor. I sold them for £69.99 in 1979 (a week and a half's pay!).

The sensor on the 283 measures light reflected by the subject and controls the flashes' output. If you are close it will be a short flash, if you are distant the flash will be a longer one. On auto (using the coloured settings) the flash will vary its output according to the distance from the subject. The four colours are there to give you some flexibility - you can choose what aperture to use providing you keep within the working distance.

You can NOT control the power of the flash with the sensor . On the M setting there is only one power output - FULL. Hence my suggestion for filtration.

If you use the 283 as part of a multiflash system you MUST use the M setting. Adjust the distance of the 283 from the subject as an alternative to filtration. Using an automatic setting will probably result in uneven lighting as the other flashes output could be picked up by the 283's sensor and in turn it may shorten its own output.

However get a trigger and try it out, I don't know what other flashes you are using, it may fit in perfectly, it may not. Just have a little play. Digital costs nothing and you can see the results right away.

I have had much experience with this unit and I know what it can and can't do. I used it as a hair light when i had my Bowens units, its puny power (compared to the Bowens) was just enough to do the job from about 3 feet (1m). I never had much success mixing it with others.

I hope this clears things up. Very Happy
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