dick ranez

Vivitar was (and may still be) only a marketing shell to sell downmarket photo equipment. There were some excellent lenses in the 80's (Series One) but it's involvement and support was only as deep as the silk screened logo.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

I think that no matter how much more money you spend on it you’ll still have a flawed unit, but I hope I’m wrong.

74images Loc: Los Angeles, California

If it's a Slave Flash & You can't Use it to Attach on the Camera because the Circuitry is Different & it's an Older Flash, & if its Not a Digital Flash, Just a Flim Flash, then You're Up S**t Creek!

I have Two Flash Booster Slave Lights from Ritz Camera I Bought in 1994, but they Only Work for Film Cameras & Flashes Cause the Chemistry between Film Flashes, Even Slave Film Flashes Don't Mix with Digital Flashes, & Pocket Digital Cameras, & D.S.L.R's & Digital Flashes, the Story is that Digital & Film Flashes Can't Work Together Cause they Don't Sync, & you're Flash Photo Images will come out Bad Other words, They Are "Oil & Water" when you Try to Use them Together.

So Unless you're a Film Camera User, I'd Keep your Older Film Flash for the Film Camera, & Digital Flash for Digital Camera, as well as Slave Digital Light.

74images

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

The sun didn’t change his light due to digital imaging, what makes you think electronic flash would be any different?

SonnySearle

Hello Again:
I have decided to scrap the idea of finding a repair shop for my flash. I also dabble in electronics and found my old FL36 Olympus that still has some good parts including the nut type connector that I may
be able to adapt it to the Vivitor. That's if some of the parts match up. At least then I will have a spare
that will work. To everyone who replied thanks for your input....

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

I honestly don't see any reason why it has to be like that. In 2019 I am using the same flash with my digital Pentax cameras that I used in the 1990's with my film Pentax camera to photograph our daughters.

74images Loc: Los Angeles, California

If your Flash Photos are Coming Out Well you shouldn't have any Problems Using a Film Flash from the 90's.

As I Said I Tried to use Two Film Flash Boosters (Slave Lights) which I Bought from Ritz Cameras in 94, & they Did Not Work Well With My Pocket Digitals, Nikon's L-11 & 16, & My Canon Powershot SX-150, & I Haven't Even Use them on my Current Canon SX-50 Yet!

You have Vivitar & it's Very Reputable, I've Had 2 Vivitar Flashes in the 80's & 90's & they Worked Real Good with my Olympus OM-1, & Nikon F-301 (N-2000) Film Cameras.

But as People Say & I've Taken Serious Advice... Make Sure Your Flash is Compatible woke the Make of Camera you Have because on the Cameras Hot Shot Circuitry, Cause that's what you Don't Want to Burn Out by Using a Wrong Type of Flash on your Camera.

& As I was Told, Film Flashes & D.S.L.R.'s Don't Work Together, Their "Oil & Water" Because of Circuitry & Not on the Same Page With Camera Flash Sync.

74images

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

The main problem is with voltages.
These particular ones meet the digital requirement
{I tested with digital multimeter before I used}

74images Loc: Los Angeles, California

Looks Like the Back of a 550 Flash I Used with my Nikon F-301 (N-2000)

74images

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Firstly, the unit in question is not that old in that it is designed to integrate with current digital cameras so the trigger voltage is within a safe range.

It is a low priced unit so it is quite possible that the quality control on the locking mechanism is defective or perhaps inferior to some of the others in that it is likely to malfunction more readily with use. Hers's some interesting history about Vivitar flas gear.

For man years some of the Vivitar "Speedlight"- like modes were kind of industry workhorses for many press photographers, however, their weakness was in the foot, the part at the bottom of the unit that slides into the hot shoe. The units were slightly top-heavy and if impacted, there was enough leverage to actually break off the entire bottom of the unit, or worse, seriously damage the hot shoe.

Back in the day, besides my studio, I ran a side business of electronic flash repair, modification and custom builds. We modified hundreds of Vivitar flash units with a metal foot that enabled the use of a standard H/PC sync cord and hand an open flas button as well as a 1/4x20 threaded socket for bracket and light-stand mounting*.

The older units were made in Japan and were quite reliable. I don't know where the current units are made and if they kinda inherited the bad feet issue- bad industrial design!

Just to give you some perspective, the current line of Canon speedlights (very expensive) also have the lever type of locking mechanism. When functioning properly, they are superior to the older knurled rotating locking wheels which sometimes caused over-tightening, cross-threading, jamming, and breakage.

My best advice on the unit in question is to use it off camera if you can trigger it with a radio or photoelectric slave. Or find an inexpensive replacement for the foot*

If you decide to get a better or more current flas unit for on-camer use consider NOT mount it directly on the hot-shoe but by means of a small extension cable which will go between the shoe and the foot to integrate the synchronization and the TTL control, mout the flas unit on a bracket which will enable a distance of 12 inches above the lens and swing for both horizontal and vertical orientations. When used directly, the distracting background shadows will no be present, the light will still be flat but there will be a bit more vertical modeling a slightly more depth of lighting. In bounce operation, the angle of incidence will be more easily controlled.

Using a bracket also prevent all the additional strain n the hot shoe which will eventually lead to loosening of the locking device and poor electrical contact.

Attache images so the older Viviata conversion, the different kinds of locking mechanisms and the bracket configuration I use.

Sources: Brackets- B&H has a full line also check out "Stroboframe".

*eBay Has several Hot Shoe replacement parts- check them out. Low prices!

I hope this helps!

carl hervol Loc: jacksonville florida

did you flip the locking lever to the left it looks like what Nikon uses