Trigger voltage : Any simple cure ?

Smudger

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Bought an Achiever 321AZ flash recently which I hoped may suit an impecunious friends Nikon EM.
Gadzooks ! Trigger voltage of 240 Volts !
I can strip,clean, and reassemble an iris diaphragm, but I need help with this : can I solder a simple resistor into the base of the hotshoe to give this dear lady a flash she can use to photograph her adopted baby ?
( yes,I know about the dangers of charged capacitors,etc.)
-any input welcome.
 

David A. Goldfarb

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I also use a Wein Safe-Sync when I hook my Normans up to the camera that dare not speak its name on APUG.

Radio slaves are another option in the studio, but for the on-camera flash a Wein Safe-Sync HS (Hot Shoe) should do the trick.
 

Dimitri

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I'll second (well third in this case ) the Wein Safe Sync
 

John Koehrer

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fourth time recomended. Wein, that is.
No Wein before it's time!
 

MattCarey

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Hello,

in addition to the "Safe-Sync", paramount sync cords makes cables that reduce the sync voltage.

However, the EM is an older camera, right? Check the spec's, it may be able to handle the high voltage. I have an old Metz handle-mount flash that I use on an old FE without difficulty. It also works on LF shutters. I know to never use it on any newer cameras, though! If I did a lot of flash work with the LF, I would want to fix this problem. A few high voltage flashes are probably OK. A lot and the sync connections will likely have problems.

Matt
 

Roger Krueger

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Hello?!? It's an EM! Why would you screw around with a Safe-Sync on a mechanical sync camera? There is no problem here.

If you've got extreme pro-level shot volumes AND an unusual flash that pumps out excess current with the high voltage you might get some contact pitting, but that's 100s of rolls a year pro use, not aww-cute-pretty-baby use.

The only cameras with high sync voltage problems are amateur-level TTL bodies. Non-TTL bodies are nearly universally mechanical sync, not electronic, and have no problem. Pro bodies are designed to handle the high voltage.

FWIW I've used 200 volt 283s on a wide variety of manual cameras (Minolta XG-1/XD-11/X-370/Hi-Matic 9, Mamiya Press/RZ), as well as allegedly fragile digitals--a Sony DSC-700, an Oly E-10, and a Canon 1dsII. The XD-11 and E-10 both pulled event duty in their time and had many thousands of frames of 200v sync. No sync switch problems. Ever.
 

Nicole

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I'd never recommend using a flash to photograph a baby!!!

Natural light is much more humane than blasting their delicate little eyes with flash.
 

bjorke

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Save money, buy about 6 rolls of Neopan 1600 for the cost of a Safe-Sync.
 

roteague

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I would agree with Nicole.

BTW, we have seen you post a few times, but don't know anything about you. Why don't you post a welcome message in the Introduction section so we can get to know more about you. I've been to Dunedin a few years ago, I came in on the old Southerner, which I guess is no longer running. I'll be in Christchurch again this coming October, I have a close friend living near Alexandra.
 
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Smudger

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Thanks to all for your input. I onsold the Achiever to a friend with a Nikkormat FT3, which could probably handle a lightening strike..
My friend now has a Starblitz 250 BAZ, with a t/voltage of 6.8volts, which she will use in bounce mode for the little one's eyes.
Roteague : I'll put something together as you suggested. And,yes,the Southerner is no more,sadly.
Regards,
Ian
 

Rock Poper

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I found a website with a circuit diagram for a slave flash trigger thing, and it also doubled as a simple 'plug flash in here, plug camera in here' voltage reducer thingy... I got all the bits and a breadboard (circuit prototyping thing for those who dont know) ...

took about a week of phoning and waiting in traffic in lunch time to get all the correct bits - anyways

didn't werk

still on the shelf...

I had used my older Metz 45 CT with my Mamiya RZ often enough before I was made aware of its voltage issue - no problems - but I have started using my newer not as powerful yet safe 45CL (boring story) with my RZ just out of caution.. the CT does my Holga proud

If your a keen electronographer gizmo whatsit maker I can find the diagram again if you like

and also, hello from Auckland !

Nick
 

benjiboy

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Flash and babys

Nicole Boenig-McGrade said:
I'd never recommend using a flash to photograph a baby!!!

Natural light is much more humane than blasting their delicate little eyes with flash.
Click to expand...
I agree with Nicole, some nice soft natural light takes some beating, as far as I understand flash won't damage a babys eyes, but it's not ( as we all know) ideal, especially stuck on top of the camera, maybe you could give your friend some advice Smudger.
 

Rock Poper

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Yes, I've checked it earlier - its a baddy - my CL is fine tho, except the reflective chrome behind the lens has been eaten/blown away at some stage and I'm getting only half the reflection and therefore its more a 31 CL or something - wish I could combine the two good points of each for the two bad points - end up with one perfect metz and another not so
 

glbeas

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Might think about some chrome paint in the reflector. Krylon has some pretty good stuff.
 
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Smudger

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Rock - re your flash reflector..

I have a roll of chrome metallic mylar adhesive tape which would be ideal for refurbishing your flash reflector.
e/m me if you'd like a strip..
Regards, Ian.
 

John Koehrer

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The mylar tape sounds like a good suggestion BUT you need to discharge the main capacitor before you start playing with the flash tube area.
You can disharge the cap with a 100 ohm 10 watt resistor across the flash tube. You should also check the voltage to eliminate any surprises.
It won't kill ya, but you may want to pause for a moment after you've discharged it through you arm.
 

Rock Poper

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hmmm, I thought of opening it and having a look see once upon a time when I found some chrome paint at work.. but I have a great track record of opening working things and putting them back together dead - the upshot is tho, that on occasion I will open a dead item, find nothing and find it working upon screwing it back together (; I've got a few too many projects on the go at the mo' but I will do it one day - cheers for the offers! and the advice re. the discharge ...
 

jerry lebens

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I'm not familiar with your output unit - does it have a ir reciever? If so just get another cheap flash gun and filter it with the deep red & deep green filters from a Rosco filter swatch - that should be an adequate ir "transmitter" (I don't know why the green, but that's what I found when I dismantled an old Bowens ir trigger, I guess they should know what theyre doing).

As for flashing a baby's eyes - don't use direct lighting, diffuse & reflect to soften the effect and lessen intensity.
 
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