Flash Reccomendations...Please Help

[Munky]

Hey guys some of you may know i'm still kind of a Noob in the SLR scene ; i want to buy a Flash for my Olympus E-510 ; but budget is a little tight right now; i have head a few good thing about the Bower Brand but i not convinced...then i came across the Vivitar 285HV which is like $100 which would be in my Range...what do you guys think???

 

[usayit]

285HV is very popular among the 'strobist" population. Mine continues to serve me well. I would not hesitate to recommend to others.

BUT

1) I am not familiar with the Olympus line of DSLRs. I am not sure if they have the typical "X-sync" hotshoe
2) Check trigger voltages
3) Realize that the flash will not E-TTL meter with your camera. You'll have to shoot manually.

 

[Munky]

Can You Explain a Little Bit Point #3 if is not to much a Bother...

 

[Dao]

It is basically means the camera is not able to communicate with the flash. So it will not know what camera settings (aperture/shutter speed/ISO) it need for a particular scene with the flash.

So you need to set the camera settings manually.

 

[Sodak]

I just bought a Vivitar DF400MZ. I'm happy with it, for what I'm using it for, and I paid $99 for it -ETTL, Variable power, tilt and swivel. Sure beat the heck out of paying $250-$450 for a Canon flash, although if the funds were there I certainly would recommend the name brand to avoid problems.

Down side to cheap flashes:
1. Not as well built or sturdy.
2. Slower recycle times
3. Some don't sync as well as others (ETTL, i-TTL, or whatever Olympus calls it)

If you go in knowing that these problems are there and can live with it you can get a lot of flash for your buck going this route.