This won't hurt my camera... will it?

[mc_hudd]

Just bought this off of Ebay FLASH HOT SHOE PC SYNC ADAPTER FOR CANON NIKON CAMERA - eBay (item 280673657650 end time Jun-07-11 16:31:21 PDT) .

I read where someone was looking for one that wouldn't "fry" their camera... What did they mean by that? This won't hurt my camera will it?!

I have these that I will be using w/ it: Photographer's Warehouse PG4001ML - photographerswarehouse.com (x2) & Photographer's Warehouse PG3001MLB - photographerswarehouse.com (x1). The PG3001MLB is probably the one I'll sync w/ my camera.

TIA!!

 

[Tiberius47]

The fry the camera thing is to do with the flash itself, not anything you put between the flash and the camera. I doubt this would do any harm.

 

[clanthar]

The problem is voltage from the trip circuit of an non-OEM flash.

Voltage protection sync cords

 

[Big Mike]

As mentioned, the issue is the trigger voltage of the flash or strobe. It it's a model that has a rather high trigger voltage, it may fry the flash circuit of the camera.

So to be safe, you should find out the trigger voltage of the flash/strobe and also what your camera is safely rated for.
Some cameras have a rather low rating, I think that some Canon 35mm film SLR models (and maybe the first digital SLR models) were only rated for something like 6 volts. (Although, I've also read that devices were required to have a rating of at least 25v, so Canon's rating may just have been on the safe side). But my cameras have a rating of 250 volts, which is (I think) pretty standard these days.

I don't see what the trigger voltage is for those lights, but I have a feeling that most studio strobes are going to be safe to use.

As mentioned, you can get voltage protection devices...the Wein 'Safe Sync' is usually mentioned in that capacity.

But all of this aside, why are you even using cords/wires? You can get something like THIS wireless trigger and then you'll be safe and you won't have to deal with a cord from the camera to a light.

 

[KmH]

In general, flash units made and used before the days of digital had much higher triggering voltages (+250V+), than flash units today (+10V or less).

For older flash units, you can check their voltage here: Photo Strobe Trigger Voltages

Nikon DSLR's state in their users manuals that they can handle any voltage up to +250V. Note that + sign, because a negative (-) flash trigger of any voltage value may 'fry' the camera's electronics.

It is my understanding that Canon gear is much less tolerant of flash trigger voltages over +25V.

The issue has been adressed by Wein. They make an accessory that goes on the camera hot shoe between a high voltage flash and the camera, called a Safe Sync: Safe Syncs

 

[mc_hudd]

But all of this aside, why are you even using cords/wires? You can get something like THIS wireless trigger and then you'll be safe and you won't have to deal with a cord from the camera to a light.

I probably should've just gone w/ something like that. I guess I was trying to save a little $$... I'll probably end up spending more now!



OK, the 3001 says "AC 100/120V" & the 4001's say AC "110/120V". Does that help anyone? Where can I look this up?

 

[Big Mike]

That's not the trigger voltage...that's the input power (typical household power in North America).

I'm not sure where you would find the trigger voltage but I guess you could measure it yourself with a multi-meter.

I can't say with 100% certainty, but I'm fairly confident that you will be OK with just the adapter that you have...and in all likelihood, it won't damage your camera.

 

[KmH]

OK, the 3100 says "AC 100/120V" & the 4100's say AC "110/120V". Does that help anyone? Where can I look this up?

No. though those sound like the specs for the kind of power adaptor that plugs into the wall.

The complete D3100 user's manual is one of the discs that you got with your camera. You need to read the user's manual cover-to-cover several times while you have the camera right near by.

Though I have been doing photography for 30 years I still keep my gear user's manuals handy so I can look stuff up.

 

[mc_hudd]

That's not the trigger voltage...that's the input power (typical household power in North America).

I'm not sure where you would find the trigger voltage but I guess you could measure it yourself with a multi-meter.

I can't say with 100% certainty, but I'm fairly confident that you will be OK with just the adapter that you have...and in all likelihood, it won't damage your camera.

Yeah, I was pretty sure that wasn't what you all were looking for... Thought I'd throw it out there though.

 

[mc_hudd]

OK, the 3100 says "AC 100/120V" & the 4100's say AC "110/120V". Does that help anyone? Where can I look this up?

No. though those sound like the specs for the kind of power adaptor that plugs into the wall.

The complete D3100 user's manual is one of the discs that you got with your camera. You need to read the user's manual cover-to-cover several times while you have the camera right near by.

Though I have been doing photography for 30 years I still keep my gear user's manuals handy so I can look stuff up.

I'm not sure what you mean. D3100 isn't my camera; I have a Canon T2i. These lights were bought used so I didn't get a manual w/ them. I don't know where to look in my camera manual (or how it would help me) since I don't know the voltage of the lights. I looked up the user manual for the lights on the internet, but can't seem to find anything.

 

[KmH]

You edited your post (#6 - Last edited by mc_hudd; Today at 07:03 AM). When I quoted it it said, "OK, the 3100 says", now it says, " OK, the 3001 says".

So that's why I referred to the Nikon D3100 users manual.

 

[mc_hudd]

You edited your post (#6 - Last edited by mc_hudd; Today at 07:03 AM). When I quoted it it said, "OK, the 3100 says", now it says, " OK, the 3001 says".

So that's why I referred to the Nikon D3100 users manual.

Oh, OK. I have a Canon T2i... I actually thought I put that in the OP, but didn't apparently. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[mc_hudd]

OK, I emailed the company & got a reply back that each model was 6v. So this should be OK w/ my camera, right? Or should I double check in the Users Manual?