Mayima RB67: which cable adapter can I use to sync with flash

[peterB1966]

I recently bought a Mayima RB67 and want to sync it to my studio lights, but it is difficult to work out what cable to get... The one below is described as a "Kaiser 1301 Flash Shoe Adaptor with Sync Cable" - would that be the right type for my x socket on my lens?

 

[ChristopherCoy]

You’ll need something like this for a studio strobe.

 

[Pieter12]

Depends on your studio strobes. I suggest looking at www.flashzebra.com

 

[MattKing]

Welcome to Photrio.
The small PC ("Prontor-Compur") connector at one end of the Adaptor you linked to is the connection at the RB67 end.
The other end will depend on what your studio strobes use. The example Christopher linked to has a connector that many studio strobes use.

 

[peterB1966]

You’ll need something like this for a studio strobe.

View attachment 273054

The lens connecter looks pretty much the same, is that right? (The other side would connect to my radio trigger, so that part is okay).

 

[MattKing]

One further thing to be aware of - the RB67 lens shutters have quite robust synch circuits, that are designed to be able to handle flashes with relatively high synch voltages (and currents?). Some of the modern flash equipment, including radio triggers, use low synch voltages (and relatively low current?). If the contacts in the RB67 shutter's synch circuit are in need of cleaning or adjustment, you may have trouble triggering the radio trigger.

 

[AgX]

The coaxial PC sockets at lenses or cameras are of the female type. Thus you need a male PC plug, which is the more common one anyway. The adapter you show got such, but on the other end it got a "hot-shoe", meant for on-camera flashes. For studio flashes you need on the other end a plug that fits your studio flash, these connections vary.

 

[narsuitus]

Kaiser 1301 Flash Shoe Adaptor with Sync Cable

The Impact SCS-MPC PC-male to Hot Shoe Sync Cord that I use on my RB67 is very similar to your Kaiser sync cable. It provides the hot shoe needed for the remote flash controller.


Mamiya RB67 sync cord by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[peterB1966]

One further thing to be aware of - the RB67 lens shutters have quite robust synch circuits, that are designed to be able to handle flashes with relatively high synch voltages (and currents?). Some of the modern flash equipment, including radio triggers, use low synch voltages (and relatively low current?). If the contacts in the RB67 shutter's synch circuit are in need of cleaning or adjustment, you may have trouble triggering the radio trigger.

Thanks for the word of caution!

 

[peterB1966]

Thank you everyone for your responses. THis has helped a lot.

 

[Edmundas17]

Hello everyone, can someone tell me which cable I need to connect my Mamiya RB67 Pro S to the old Vivitar zoom thristor 285? Thank you.

 

[xkaes]

Hello everyone, can someone tell me which cable I need to connect my Mamiya RB67 Pro S to the old Vivitar zoom thristor 285? Thank you.

I think the 285 has the same connection as the 283 -- and several other Vivitar flashes. It's a standard PC connection on one end (for the camera or lens/shutter) and a pointed plug on the other (for the flash) which connects in a hole on the side of the flash shoe. The cord that comes with the Vivitar flash is short (8"???), but long enough if the flash is on the camera's flash shoe. If the flash is off-camera, you need a standard PC-to-PC extension cord to use with the short Vivitar flash cord (or one of the extension cords that Vivitar sold).

Vivitar and others used this push-in, pointed connection -- maybe there is a term for it. I call it a Vivitar flash connection. There are similar pointed connectors that look the same, but don't fit -- just to confuse us.

 

[Edmundas17]

I think the 285 has the same connection as the 283 -- and several other Vivitar flashes. It's a standard PC connection on one end (for the camera or lens/shutter) and a pointed plug on the other (for the flash) which connects in a hole on the side of the flash shoe. The cord that comes with the Vivitar flash is short (8"???), but long enough if the flash is on the camera's flash shoe. If the flash is off-camera, you need a standard PC-to-PC extension cord to use with the short Vivitar flash cord (or one of the extension cords that Vivitar sold).

Vivitar and others used this push-in, pointed connection -- maybe there is a term for it. I call it a Vivitar flash connection. There are similar pointed connectors that look the same, but don't fit -- just to confuse us.

Thank you!

 

[Donald Qualls]

The other obvious option (in case, for instance, the PC to Vivitar cord has been lost or damaged) would be a PC to hot shoe adapter that can then be mounted to either the camera's accessory shoe or the shoe on the left hand grip.

 

[xkaes]

The other obvious option (in case, for instance, the PC to Vivitar cord has been lost or damaged) would be a PC to hot shoe adapter that can then be mounted to either the camera's accessory shoe or the shoe on the left hand grip.

See post #1, for example.

 

[Donald Qualls]

See post #1, for example.

Yep. What I get for not reading the whole thread before answering (which, if were an enforced rule, would largely limit all threads here to a couple pages at most).

 

[xkaes]

Those adapters can be helpful, and sometimes they are the only option.

My experience has been hit and miss. With some adapters, I've had no problems at all. With other adapters, they won't work with anything. The real frustrating adapters are the ones that will work with some cameras, but not other, or some flashes, but not others. Real hair-pullers!!!!

 

[Donald Qualls]

The real frustrating adapters are the ones that will work with some cameras, but not other, or some flashes, but not others. Real hair-pullers!!!!

Too much circuitry inside the adapter. Just a plain through-wired connection is all that's needed, as long as the flash would be safe with the shutter when directly connected.

 

[xkaes]

There's no way to tell what's inside before you buy them. I assume the least expensive ones are the simpler ones.

 

[Edmundas17]

The other obvious option (in case, for instance, the PC to Vivitar cord has been lost or damaged) would be a PC to hot shoe adapter that can then be mounted to either the camera's accessory shoe or the shoe on the left hand grip.

Thank you Donald, that is exactly what I have ordered.

 

[harlequin]

another black box that can fail

i only use pc to plug for my older norman
strobes and speedo black packs, no
problems. ymmv