Syncing old flash and new flash

[zstatus]

Hi

I have this old 'popular 30BA' flash. My dad reckons its 30years old. Basically I was setting up to buy 2 vivitar 285hv this week when dad presented this flash so iv been having a re-think.

Would it be possible to sync this old flash with 1 of the vivitars from my nikon d5000, ie by using remote triggers? With the popular flash in the hot shoe the quickest shutter speed sync is 1/250 before i get a black line. Im assuming its not going to be as powerful as the vivitar, would this be ok? There is also no options for the popular flash, so i cannot dial down the power or whatever.

Going down the 2 vivitar route, what would be the best way to sync using my d5000, remote triggers, hot shoe with pc sync attachment?

Is it just worth me getting the 2 vivitars?

Thanks

 

[tirediron]

If you're not able to adjust the power output on the flash, it's going to be of limited use to you. It's also going to be fully manual, so all of your exposure control will have to be via aperture/shutter-speed.

The 285 is an excellent unit for strobist type work, and if you can, I would get the two of them, and reserve this for those times when you need a little more light somewhere.

As far as triggers go, there are a slew of inexpensive radio triggers you can get from eBay for <$15/unit, or you can get optical triggers for even less (but those will require the flashes being able to 'see' each other.

 

[Big Mike]

It shouldn't be a problem to sync that flash with one or two Vivtars (or any other flash).

If you get radio remote flash triggers, just buy two receivers and put one on each flash.
The limit of 1/250 shutter speed, is a function of the camera, not the flashes. Any faster and the camera's shutter is actually in the way while the flash fires. So all you have to do, is keep the shutter speed under that and you should be able to sync with any flash. You may want to actually use 1/160 or 1/125 when using the remotes, just to be safe.

As for that flash not being as powerful...that is OK...but if you are using two flashes, you will have to be away of what amount of power it is putting out, and how that balances with the other flash and the ambient light.

When you use cheap off-brand flashes and/or radio triggers, you have to figure out your exposure manually. So you'll have the camera in manual mode and you'll have to set the power & position of the flashes manually as well.

 

[zstatus]

Thanks guys thats helped a great deal. Just a quick one does it matter that the connection on the bottom of the old flash is just a single pin?

 

[Dao]

Thanks guys thats helped a great deal. Just a quick one does it matter that the connection on the bottom of the old flash is just a single pin?

It doesn't matter. That is all you need.

OR you can use the PC sync socket on the size of the 285HV flash if needed.

 

[Fender5388]

just throwing this out there,

I started off with the 285hv's they are awesome flashes and if they get knocked over at the park, wont break the bank. i use cybersync triggers and receivers for them.

link to the receiver Paul C. Buff - CyberSync Receivers
but for the receiver to work with the 285hv i had to get this sync cord FlashZebra.com: Vivitar to Pocket Wizard, CyberSync or Elinchrom Skyport (Item #0028)
they have been very reliable for me