Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!
SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

My Famous VIVITAR 283 'Light Machine' set
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Equipment Gallery
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2022 3:25 pm    Post subject: My Famous VIVITAR 283 'Light Machine' set Reply with quote
i have gathered a Great Set of the Famous Vivitar 283 'Light Machine' flash outfit and have done a VIDEO all about it in action which you can see here :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OUxaLUXhhk


PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2022 4:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
A great workhorse. I used mine for 20 years doing wedding photos and a pair with brollies for portraiture. I still have them, the newer one has a trigger voltage of 6v making it perfect to use on my Sony A7

I've never seen the mains adaptor. It would have been useful many times in the past.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2022 5:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Good bit of kit, but mine is the older high voltage version - I measured 244 volts across the terminals ! Shocked


PostPosted: Thu Jan 06, 2022 12:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
my HV one is 'only' 100volts


PostPosted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 7:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Of those accessories, I have only the SB-4 for my 283. I'm thinking the other items are kinda rare.

Speaking of which, the 283 has to be Vivitar's most reliable flash ever. It was the workhorse flash of the pros throughout the 80s. I don't know how old mine is, but I bought it used over 30 years ago and it's still going strong.


PostPosted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 10:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
cooltouch wrote:
Of those accessories, I have only the SB-4 for my 283. I'm thinking the other items are kinda rare.

Speaking of which, the 283 has to be Vivitar's most reliable flash ever. It was the workhorse flash of the pros throughout the 80s. I don't know how old mine is, but I bought it used over 30 years ago and it's still going strong.


I was selling them through the 70s and 80s it must be the longest running flashgun model ever sold alongside its replacement the 285 for over a decade.

Korean and Chinese models are measured at below 9v my Korean one is 6v. Though I'd check any flash first with a volt meter before using on digital

The sensor extensions can be had for about 10 uk pounds. Though I found one for about 62pence in a local shop once


PostPosted: Wed Jan 12, 2022 3:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
philslizzy wrote:
cooltouch wrote:
. . .

Speaking of which, the 283 has to be Vivitar's most reliable flash ever. It was the workhorse flash of the pros throughout the 80s. I don't know how old mine is, but I bought it used over 30 years ago and it's still going strong.


I was selling them through the 70s and 80s it must be the longest running flashgun model ever sold alongside its replacement the 285 for over a decade.

. . .


Sadly, I've found the 285 not to be nearly as reliable as the 283. I own two 285s -- one that was my brother's and another that I bought used. Both are deader than doornails. When I first bought my 283, it was unresponsive, but after having plugged it into my SB-4 for a couple of days, it came around and has been a reliable partner ever since. No such luck with either 285. I've left them plugged into my SB-4 for days at a time, hoping they would come around, but no such luck. I suspect their main capacitors have expired -- and good luck finding replacements.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 12, 2022 8:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have a a 283 & 285 with some accessories.

Great flash guns.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 12, 2022 4:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
cooltouch wrote:
philslizzy wrote:
cooltouch wrote:
. . .

Speaking of which, the 283 has to be Vivitar's most reliable flash ever. It was the workhorse flash of the pros throughout the 80s. I don't know how old mine is, but I bought it used over 30 years ago and it's still going strong.


I was selling them through the 70s and 80s it must be the longest running flashgun model ever sold alongside its replacement the 285 for over a decade.

. . .


Sadly, I've found the 285 not to be nearly as reliable as the 283. I own two 285s -- one that was my brother's and another that I bought used. Both are deader than doornails. When I first bought my 283, it was unresponsive, but after having plugged it into my SB-4 for a couple of days, it came around and has been a reliable partner ever since. No such luck with either 285. I've left them plugged into my SB-4 for days at a time, hoping they would come around, but no such luck. I suspect their main capacitors have expired -- and good luck finding replacements.


Yep, my experience too. The283s were much better
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Equipment Gallery
Page 1 of 1