Canon A2 and Vivitar 283?

Hello everyone,

I just purchased a Canon A2 from a local camera shop. I also got a Tamron 28-75 2.8 (excellent lens for the money).

I know that it's been said to not use older flashes like the 283 on digital SLRs because the high voltage will burn up the circuitry. But, is it safe on the A2? I don't know if this rule is specific to digital SLRs, or also applies to "computerized" film SLRs like the A2 as well.

I use the Vivitar 283 with my holga all the time, and so far have used it off-camera with my A2 using a peanut, but I would like to at least know if it's possible to use it on camera as well.

Thanks!

If you have a volt meter you can measure the trigger voltage across your 283. There was quite a bit of reduction in voltage in the later models. Mine puts out about 300v, but it was bought in 1979.

If you had bought the camera when it was new and wanted a flash, you would have bought a 283 or something similar and just used it. There was none of the current paranoia or mythology associated with trigger voltages then, people just bought stuff and used it as intended.

In those days, things were designed to be compatible with each other.


Steve.

My concern is the A2 is a relatively new SLR, having been released in the mid 90's. And the Vivitar 283's voltage is right around 300v like yours, Tony. I'd imagine it was made in the mid to late 70's, but I got it at Goodwill for $3 about a year ago.

The 283 was long discontinued by the time the A2 came out.

Is it mythology or is it true? I don't want to mount it on my camera and end up frying something. I love my 283, but I love my A2 much more.

Not Mythology!!

Some years ago I burned out a circuit board in my Nikon FG using an older electronic flash. You may draw your own conclusions.

Steve and I seem to regularly have a difference of opinion on just this matter .

I certainly have been warned by camera repair technicians that they see a fair number of electronic cameras (both film and digital) that have been damaged after older, high synch voltage flashes are used with them.

The Wein Safe Synchs certainly became prominent before digital took over.

As I understand it, versions of the Vivitar 283 were made up until 2000. The Canon EOS A2 was discontinued in 1998. So if one has a later version (low synch voltage) 283, it could be newer than an A2

Fair enough. I'll continue to play it safe and use a Peanut when I use the 283.

CJBo001 said:

Some years ago I burned out a circuit board in my Nikon FG using an older electronic flash.

Click to expand...

Yet my FG has worked fine for many years with an old, high voltage Vivitar 285!

Before digital existed, no one gave a second thought about using existing flashes on their cameras old or new. It might be true that a few early digitals were rated only to six volts but all of the manuals I have read for DSLRs from the last five years show the sync. voltage limit to be 250 volts. There is probably a 400 volt rated device in the camera and the manufacturer is giving it a wide margin for error.

Another myth/fact/legend is that Canon cameras can handle high voltage on a PC socket but not on the hotshoe. I think the reasoning behind this is that the actual sync. contact on the hotshoe is rated the same as on the PC connection (and is probably connected directly to it) but there is a worry about sliding a charged flash into the hotshoe and having the centre contact momentarily touch one of the other pins which controls TTL metering, flash ready lights, etc. and some damage being caused through this.

CJBo001 said:

You may draw your own conclusions.

Click to expand...

That would be my conclusion.

The reason I think it is largely mythology is because the component necessary to have a protected high voltage sync. circuit costs almost nothing to include in the camera and given the number of flashes already in existence, only a completely incompetent designer would create a low voltage circuit which is incompatible with existing equipment.

I also think it mighht be scaremongering from camera sales and marketing departments to get you to buy new flashes!


Steve.

OK, You can believe what you want. I'd play it on the safe side. Run the flash off camera with a slave or buy a Safe-sync. You could also look for a shoe mount Canon flash or low synch voltage 283/285.
I use one all the time an my Canon G2 but own no camera that can be zapped.

You

I may use this as an excuse to buy a few of the LumoPro flashes...


Thanks everyone for their input.