Electronic Flash

ProgramPlus said:

That’s exactly the style of flash I’ve been looking for the same reason as you, mounting on a TLR, in my case Mamiya c33 which has the flash mount pointing out to the side. I’d like to be able to rotate the flash head so that it points up. Do most of this style of flash allow you swivel the mount to either side of the flash?

I want the flash to have a built in pc cord, be a thyristor style and have adjustable output (full, 1/2, 1/4...etc). I think the Sunpak Auto 322 fits the bill.

Click to expand...

So so often the terminology is mixed up by common misunderstanding, let me clarify....

1. PC flash cord triggered
2. Hotshoe contact triggered
3. 'Thyristor' circuit to divert unused electricity for reuse (resulting in faster recycle time only for partial power flash output)
4. 'Auto' mode Photosensor', for flash to read the reflected light from the scene and determine when to stop light output
5. 'dedicated' contacts which cause viewfinder verification, and which might (or not) cause camera shutter to default to X-sync
6. 'TTL flash' (as found in film cameras of the 1980s-1990s), where a sensor looking at the film plane within the camera determines when to shut off light from TTL flash during the exposure
7. 'nTTL flash', as found in digital cameras)(, where a sensor in the bodyt reads a preflash, and then sends a command to the flash to output a predetermined amount of power, via 'dedicated' hotshoe contacts.
8. manual partial power settings

I presume from your posts that you

• want #1 and #3,
• do not need #2,
• questionable desire about need for #4, and
• do not need flash with #6 or #7...
• you do want #8

Is that right? And you want tilt/swivel capable head.
BTW, any flash 'dedication' (#5) appears to be needed only in ONE of your camera bodies. For most flash units with dedication, that inherently makes them difficult to work with any non-decidated cameras unless the 'extra' contacts are insulated via non-conductive tape so the added contacts do not get shorted.

Today, there are FEW flash units made like that, most are 'dedicated'. One non-dedicated flash that seems to match your wish list and no photosensor) is
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1341884-REG/godox_tt600_camera_speedlite.html

But as it has both manual power setting AND zoom head FL settings, setting exposure is especially challenging without use of a handheld flash meter!

^^^ thanks. I did end up getting a Sunpak 322. It’s a lot bigger than I thought it’d be, but it checks the boxes: built in PC cord, auto mode, thyristor, base swivels to both sides, etc. Its in great shape, barely used it appears. I’ll also be able to use it on the cold shoe Spotmatic SP.