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Smallest strobe with an "auto" mode?

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BetterSense

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I'm sometimes jealous of modern cameras that have pop-up flashes. I have some flashes, but they are all so big and heavy that they tend to be left at home. I wish I could find a flash, preferably one with an "auto" function, that was very small, maybe even that took AAA batteries. I don't really care if it is slow, or not very powerful, I just want a very small and light flash. I
 
Someone asked a similar question in another forum not too long ago, and one of the rather promising (i.e. tiny) looking recommendations was for the Nikon Speedlight SB-30.
 
Q.G.

To my understanding (from just looking at the flashlight's settings) the SB-30 should work in non-TTL auto-mode with any camera with standard flashlight-shoe, but your reference says no. At least I read it that way.
 
I'm only passing on information. But i believe that the non-TTL auto mode should work, no matter what camera is used.
A possible issue is with the Nikon foot and 'standard' hot shoes. Will a standard hot shoe short the extra contacts on the Nikon's foot?
 
Any little flash with an "eye" somewhere on it will have some sort of auto feature. I am sure that there are many options. Just keep your eyes peeled.

I listed a Viv 252 in the classifieds a few weeks ago, along with bunch of other stuff I would like to clear out ((there was a url link here which no longer exists)). This is nice and small, and has M and two autos: orange (8-10 ft.) and blue (15-20 ft.). The original GN was about 55 at ISO 100, according to the distance scale. I don't know what the GN is now, but it does work. It can be triggered via hot shoe or via built-in synch. cable. They should be all over the place and dirt cheap, including on E-Bay.

P.S. Your title for the post caught my eye. Even though we all know what you mean by "strobe" in a photographic context, this is a good thing to know: A "strobe" is a light that flashes repeatedly at a set interval, and is used for various purposes; mainly study of movement via apparent stopping of motion. For instance, it will flash over and over onto a crankshaft turning, or assembly line workers working, appearing to break down the movement into many still pictures, kind of like a cartoon. (Also for entertainment: It makes dancers look like robots! Additionally, they can be used to set the ignition timing on an internal combustion engine.) What you want is an "electronic flash" (or just "flash" nowadays, since the "electronic" can be assumed because those using flashbulbs are few and far between). This is the "correcter" terminology for both on-camera/portable units and for in-studio units. The "strobe" nickname for electronic flash comes from the speed with which it can be used compared to flashbulbs, but is technically incorrect.
 
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Q.G.

To my understanding (from just looking at the flashlight's settings) the SB-30 should work in non-TTL auto-mode with any camera with standard flashlight-shoe, but your reference says no. At least I read it that way.

I've used it as a remote slave, on a Wein converter for synch cord connections for cameras without hot shoes. The only thing I don't like about it is a lack of a test button, but the Wein voltage converter has a test button.

What it doesn't do from the hot shoe is bounce, but it will synch and do TTL with a Nikon SC-28 TTL remote cord on my N90s.

Works in auto-thyristor mode with a D-50 set to manual flash.
 
Well the SB-30 is kind of ugly, but I guess small and light is what counts. I have a T32 Olympus flash; i was kind of thinking there must be something even smaller...
 
The T20 is quite a bit smaller than the T32.

Matt
 
Pentax AF160S 1.5"X2.5"X3" Two auto ranges + manual. Should be less than a $10 bill.
 
I agree with the prior mention of the Vivitar 252. That's about the smallest nice automatic flash you can get. And they are pretty easy to find. Another good choice would be a Sunpak Auto 101 or Auto 140
 
I have a Viv 252 -- sync voltage is 175V -- ok for older cameras with mechanical contacts -- but not for use on semiconductor controled cameras without a Wein safe sync or some other way to reduce the voltage
 
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