Flash... AHHHHHH!!! Part 1

Yes, It's that time...
Flash photography is often seen as an expensive endeavor, but if your not afraid of prying apart some 30 year old Vivitars and doing some soldering to make sure that you dont fry your camera or remote trigger, then you can do flash OTC no problem!





Before I continue, a disclaimer. Flashes contain a high voltage (~350 volts or so) capacitor which can cause 3rd degree burns, if not DEATH. Do NOT and I repeat, DO NOT continue on with the following modifications unless if you are a competent modifier of electronics and understand the danger involved in messing around with these flashes. I take absolutely no responsibility for your actions, and you hereby agree to continue with these modifications by your own choice. 

Now that that is done, lets continue.

Vivitar 283s and Vivitar 285s have been a standard in the off-camera photographic world for years. They are durable, and when modified appropriately have as much control as you would ever need from an off camera manual flash. No, you don't get TTL, and yes, you will have to fiddle with it... but this is the digital era... if it doesn't work, just adjust and re-shoot. eventually you'll get it right.

Some issues with the old flash modules:

High Trigger voltage, sometimes over 300 volts. Not all modules have high voltage triggers, but to be sure you should check them using a volt meter (Positive hooked up to the hot shoe button and negative to the side of the hotshoe). If its less then 10 volts, your good for using it on camera and with remote receivers. Otherwise you'll need to modify them so that they don't fry your pretty camera that you got such a steal on.

Misfiring with low battery life: Not an issue, well be ditching those dumb AA batteries which cost a fortune for some larger 6 volt batteries anyway! can you say 6 second charge times?

Limited flash control: Unless if your Vivitar 283 came with the now very rare VP-1, its going to shoot at full power, unless if the automatic light detector thinks otherwise. No issue; well be making our own controller. Unlike the units most people are building which have infinite control using a 100k potentiometer, well be making one with hard stops that stop down to around 1/2 power, 1/4, etc. The Vivitar 285 does have a controller, which some of you may find sufficient, but it will be changed out on my units as I find that the stops they give you are sometimes too high or too low, and using ND filters is a royal PITA, so lets make our lives easier, shall we?

Now, where to get the flashes? Well, if I were to reveal my sources outright, they would no longer be as cheap, which is a lesson that has been learned the hard way by the guys over at Strobist when they told the world of the awesomely cheap Nikon SB flash series. now those are PRICY! But, they can, HEK- excuse me; be found, if you so much as look carefully enough.

What will I be working with?

I bought one good Vivitar 285HV, for 40 dollars. then i bought 4 Vivitar 283s and Vivitar 285, for about 3 dollars average a piece. They were "parts only" units, so I took a risk, but they all charge and fire, so they are usable for some serious modification. Plus, if we screw up, your out 3 bucks!

Stay tuned for Part 2: Digging into a Vivitar 283, where I show you how to begin work on your Vivitar