Cool Find at Goodwill - Will it work?

[DGMPhotography]

So I found a hotshot flash at the Goodwill, a Sunpak Auto 121C, which is meant for film cameras. I don't have a film camera, I have a Nikon D5100. I'm trying to figure out if I can use this flash with my camera. Maybe some sort of converter, or perhaps find some way to manually fire it. I'd appreciate any help!

I also bought a cool Polaroid today, and altogether only spent $6! Either way, good deal.

 

[480sparky]

I would find out the trigger voltage on the speedlight before I did anything else. Too high and it may damage the camera.

 

[DGMPhotography]

I would find out the trigger voltage on the speedlight before I did anything else. Too high and it may damage the camera.

Any suggestions on how to do that? I'm no engineer, and if it was too high, perhaps there could be some sort of transformer I could use to lower it?

 

[480sparky]

I would find out the trigger voltage on the speedlight before I did anything else. Too high and it may damage the camera.

Any suggestions on how to do that? I'm no engineer, and if it was too high, perhaps there could be some sort of transformer I could use to lower it?

Maybe Google the make & model, with the words Trigger Voltage thrown in?

 

[Overread]

Check this site here
Photo Strobe Trigger Voltages
Note this isn't official info its pooled data from other uses over a wide range of cameras and flashes. Do check as older film cameras simply made a complete circuit for the flash to fire it from the hot-shoe whilst modern cameras have the hot-shoe linked to the internal electronics and components more directly - as a result those old higher voltage units can cause significant damage.

 

[DGMPhotography]

Maybe Google the make & model, with the words Trigger Voltage thrown in?

Genius.

 

[DGMPhotography]

Check this site here
Photo Strobe Trigger Voltages
Note this isn't official info its pooled data from other uses over a wide range of cameras and flashes. Do check as older film cameras simply made a complete circuit for the flash to fire it from the hot-shoe whilst modern cameras have the hot-shoe linked to the internal electronics and components more directly - as a result those old higher voltage units can cause significant damage.

Thank you. I tried Googling the flash, but haven't gotten a lot of results. Right now I want to figure out if there's some way I can possibly use it as there's no port for me to plug the flash in. I was reading somewhere about a hotshoe to to pc adapter, but it wasn't really clear...

 

[amolitor]

My D3100 manual says 'no negative voltages, and nothing over 250V please'. While the D3100 is not the same as the D5100, there are likely similarities. Consult your manual. The link Overread gave you says your flash goes up to 215V. I would use it without hesitation on my camera. It should slip right into the hotshoe and go POW every time you take a shot, if you turn it on.

It also has an Auto mode which isn't as good as TTL but is surprisingly useful if you look around a bit.

Hotshoe to PC adapter is the easiest way to go off-camera with this thing, but you could also get some radio slave thingies.

 

[KmH]

. . . perhaps there could be some sort of transformer I could use to lower it?

Wein Products W990560 (SSHSHS) Safe-Sync Hot Shoe To Hot Shoe

 

[cgw]

It's manual only. If the trigger voltage is OK, either use cheapo radio triggers, a Nikon AS-10 for a PC cord, or Nikon SC-17 or other Nikon-type flash cord for off-camera shots.

 

[Patrice]

Try this to connect the flash to your camera.

Nikon AS-15 Sync Terminal Adapter (Hot Shoe to PC) 3066 B&H

As for the trigger voltage you should not have to worry, modern Nikons will support voltages up to 250 volts. If you want to check just to be sure then you need to get a voltmeter and check between the middle pin and the side ground contact on the flash's PC connector. I'm surprised that flash does not have a simple hot shoe contact as well as the PC cord.

 

[DGMPhotography]

Try this to connect the flash to your camera.

Nikon AS-15 Sync Terminal Adapter (Hot Shoe to PC) 3066 B&H

As for the trigger voltage you should not have to worry, modern Nikons will support voltages up to 250 volts. If you want to check just to be sure then you need to get a voltmeter and check between the middle pin and the side ground contact on the flash's PC connector. I'm surprised that flash does not have a simple hot shoe contact as well as the PC cord.

Haha, I've never used a hotshoe flash before so I didn't realize all you had to do was slide it in and be good to go. I thought the cord had to plug in somewhere so I had no idea. It does seem to work! I'm not sure how powerful it is, but it seems to do the trick! I hope it doesn't fry anything in my camera, I'm trusting that 215v measurement is true. Why did the voltages use to be so high?

Looking at that link you listed, however, it says it shouldn't be used with flashes over 6v.

Can you tell what connection that is in the photo I posted? Is that the standard connection for flashes?

 

[Patrice]

The connector in the image you posted looks like a standard male PC connector.

The 6v warning on the B&H link is a conundrum. The nikon website has no such warnings. Anyway, seems your flash is working fine when simply mounted directly on the camera so stop worrying about it and go play with it.

 

[DGMPhotography]

The connector in the image you posted looks like a standard male PC connector.

The 6v warning on the B&H link is a conundrum. The nikon website has no such warnings. Anyway, seems your flash is working fine when simply mounted directly on the camera so stop worrying about it and go play with it.

I'm not worrying, I"m just curious. So does having a speedlight, even if it's still mounted just on top of the camera make a big difference in photography?

 

[amolitor]

You can fill with it. There are certain fashion looks that are done more or less that way. You can get a sort of paparazzi look out of it.