Another flash/strobe question...

BuS_RiDeR · Dec 29, 2010

Lately I've been looking at switching my low wattage florescent lamps for 1 or 2 strobes...

I have one old Vivitar flash... But it doesn't allow for any control over the power.

So, I thought I'd ask what the cheapest alternatives are to going and buying two new strobes... I know I'll need a trigger system... But are there any cheap strobes out there? I mean the Canon Speedlight 580EX II is like $500 Canadian....

I've checked strobist.com (and I keep returning to learn more...) But there is so much information on their site... I'm not even sure where to start. Its a bit overwhelming to me...

Disclaimer: I am broke and have VERY limited disposable income...

MohaimenK · Dec 29, 2010

check out some vivitar flash units. much cheaper. you don't get the ettl options so everything will be manual on the cheaper flash units

kundalini · Dec 29, 2010

BuS_RiDeR said:
Disclaimer: I am broke and have VERY limited disposable income...

Ever heard of the term 'delayed gratification'?

Save your pennies and study on the subject of lighting in the interim. There is no sense to buy cheap crap two or three times over because they fail or do not fit your needs.

Derrel · Dec 29, 2010

Vivitar 285HV is like $79 US from the bigger dealers...perhaps you could find a used flash of some type in the $10-$25 range at a pawn shop or second-hand dealer...there used to be a lot of OEM'd 3rd party flashes marketed under the K-mart FOCAL brand, or Crown, or Quantarary,etc,etc...smaller, 4-AA battery flash units with Guide Numbers in the 90/Foot/ISO range.

The majority of older 1980's era flash units will have 1 or 2 color-coded AUTO settings, plus M for Manual...the AUTO settings are ISO-dependent. One is usually for a wide aperture, like f/2.8 at ISO 100, and f/4 at ISO 200, and f/5.6 at ISO 400....as you can see, there's a pattern there...the flash always puts out let's say XXXXX lumens in let's call it the "RED AUTO" mode...depending on the ISO in use, that RED color mode will output light that will give the proper expousre with f/2.8, f/4, or f/5.6...

Pretty simple, the way the older flash units work. This technology was/is called AUTO Thyristor flash control, which is normally abbreviated as AUTO or AUTO-flash (usually in all caps). Cheapies like the Vivitar 3500, or the various Crown flashes are still usable,and do not cost much.