Film Camera Photoflash

[ajosephg]

How do photoflash attachments designed for film cameras (x sync) work with digital cameras. I was house cleaning and found my old Sunpak photoflash and think it might be better than the built in flash on my Panasonic DMZ FZ50 camera. Anybody been there, done that?

 

[pegleg]

It should work just fine! There is no difference between a flash for a film camera and one for a digital camera. Most sellers who try to make a distinction are simply marketing. As long as you can set the camera to accept external flash it will work just fine!

www.sweetlightphotomastery.com

 

[ajosephg]

Thanks, that is kind of what I thought because it makes a picture using the photoflash in a dark closet. Didn't have time to play around, so thought I would get some expert opinions first. (I asked a local camera store a month ago and they tried to sell me a new flash.)

The camera has a hot shoe. However, it does not have a jack to plug the flash into to get the flash away from the camera. I wonder if anybody makes a hot shoe to jack thingy to allow that?

 

[chrisburke]

i strongly recommend not using the cameras built in hot shoe, JUST incase there is a voltage difference.. it could fry your camera...you should really use a remote cord like this

 

[ajosephg]

Chrisburke
Good point, hadn't thought of that. Was thinking that there shouldn't be any significant voltage as the flash would just be looking for a switch closure. Are you sure that the extension cable truly electrically isolates the camera from the flash?

 

[chrisburke]

they say it does... everyone who i've spoken to has said if your going to use a flash that isnt directly made for your camera, to use either a wired slave or a wireless one.. its mainly because of the connectors on the bottom of your flash... if its a different voltage, and they hit the wrong spot, good by camera..

just to note though... even if your flash is made for your camera, it shouldnt be on the camera anyway...

 

[ajosephg]

I appreciate your response. The flash is going back into the junk drawer (or e-bay). I'm not ready to risk toasting the camera. It was/is a good flash designed for SLR film cameras but digital cameras hadn't even been thought of yet when I bought it 20 or so years ago. 10-4 about not mounting any flash on the camera (at least for serious stuff).

 

[malkav41]

What is the model number on the flash unit i.e. auto 2000 DZ Thyristor. You can also find out what the voltage is for the unit at:http://www.botzilla.com/photo/strobeVolts.html
It lists like what seems to be a jillion flash units with the coresponding voltages for each.

 

[ajosephg]

It is SUNPAK AUTO322 THYRISTOR use only SUNPAK AD-27A AC ADAPTOR