Vivitar flash with Bronica ETRS

Hi Everyone,

When it comes to using flash my brain completely freezes, so I would like some advice please. Along with the Bronica ETRS that I was given there was also a Vivitar 283 flash unit. In the booklet for the for the ETRS it says that it has an X-setting for flash so that it will synchronize with all shutter speed settings. In the AE-ii Finder booklet it says not to use the Automatic setting with flash as there is a danger of very slow shutter speeds. So in the real world what does that mean if I want to use flash indoors? (Sat here scratching my head). I would be grateful for replies that assume you are talking to a not very bright 12 year old (it is what the maths of flash does to my brain!).

Your help is much appreciated!

Kez (P.S. I managed to get hold of a new battery by post and that exposure scale in the viewfinder of the AE-ii is wonderful! I wish they put those on digital cameras.)

A Vivitar 283 has a sensor and a built in auto-flash capability.
To use it automatically on your camera, you set your camera to manual, set the shutter speed to an appropriate flash synch shutter speed - 1/60 is a good choice - and then read from the indicator on the back of the flash which aperture choices are available for the film speed you are using. Choose one that matches the range of distances that your subject is in, set that range on the flash and then set that aperture on the camera to that f/stop.
You need to make sure that the sensor on the flash is pointing at the subject, and it is best that the orientation of the flash match the orientation of the film frame - horizontal and hoorizontal, or vertical and vertical.
IIRC, you will need to use a pc cord from the camera to the flash.
Now fire away - the flash will read the light bouncing back from the subject to the flash, and adjust the duration to give you good exposure.
It works particularly well with bounce flash.
As your Bronica uses leaf shutters in the lenses, you actually have a choice of shutter speeds, which permits you to use fill flash and to balance existing and flash lighting - which is a real advantage. Leave that for now, until you have developed more familiarity with "straight" flash work.
The manual for the flash can be found on Mike Butkus' manual download site, along with a plethora of other useful manuals. Download it and read it carefully - after sending the requested donation of course.
Be sure to inspect the battery compartment on the flash. Leaking batteries have damaged many electronic flashes.
Have fun. Over the years, I've had great results from flashes like the 283.

There are two AE systems: the camera's and the flash's. Only one can be used at a time, as they will be at cross purposes. The finder on AE will expose for the dim light, which means slow shutter speeds. The flash will trigger as soon as the shutter opens, exposing properly, but the shutter will remain open after the flash. The additional exposure from the shutter remaining open will likely cause overexposure, and if there is movement of the camera or subject, you will get streaks or a blurred image along with the sharp image created by the flash.
To avoid any blur or overexposure, set the shutter to 1/500, and the flash's AE will figure the exposure.

Brilliant, thank you! I shall print that info out and put it with the flash and camera as no doubt I will forget!

lxdude said:

There are two AE systems: the camera's and the flash's. Only one can be used at a time, as they will be at cross purposes. The finder on AE will expose for the dim light, which means slow shutter speeds. The flash will trigger as soon as the shutter opens, exposing properly, but the shutter will remain open after the flash. The additional exposure from the shutter remaining open will likely cause overexposure, and if there is movement of the camera or subject, you will get streaks or a blurred image along with the sharp image created by the flash.
To avoid any blur or overexposure, set the shutter to 1/500, and the flash's AE will figure the exposure.

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Thank you. I shall print your info out as well.

lxdude said:

The additional exposure from the shutter remaining open will likely cause overexposure, and if there is movement of the camera or subject, you will get streaks or a blurred image along with the sharp image created by the flash.

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On the other hand, just this has been done by purpose. So it is a setting the OP may somehow keep in mind nonetheless.

AgX said:

On the other hand, just this has been done by purpose. So it is a setting the OP may somehow keep in mind nonetheless.

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Yes, absolutely. Sometimes streaks or ghost images are wanted as special effects, and there is also the practice of fill flash, in which a flash is used to add light to a subject to fill in shadows. I advise the OP to read up on these.
I should add that the flash can also be set manually (not AE). There is a scale on the flash to help with that. The manual explains it.

With the Bronica, set any shutter speed (usually faster than 1/60 so as to avoid subject motion capture).
For using the 283, set the camera lens to f-stop number shoiwn above color-code selected on dial, aim and shoot.

wiltw said:

With the Bronica, set any shutter speed (usually faster than 1/60 so as to avoid subject motion capture).
For using the 283, set the camera lens to f-stop number shoiwn above color-code selected on dial, aim and shoot.

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Thanks for your input, it is much appreciated.

lxdude said:

Yes, absolutely. Sometimes streaks or ghost images are wanted as special effects, and there is also the practice of fill flash, in which a flash is used to add light to a subject to fill in shadows. I advise the OP to read up on these.
I should add that the flash can also be set manually (not AE). There is a scale on the flash to help with that. The manual explains it.

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That isn't a style of photography that appeals to me: streaks, ghost images, so I will skip on that one.

Keezly said:

That isn't a style of photography that appeals to me: streaks, ghost images, so I will skip on that one.

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Electronic flash will freeze the motion of your subject. So if you wish to isolate your sharply focused, primary subject from elements around it, the slow shutter speed blur of the moving background can be really, really effective.

MattKing said:

Electronic flash will freeze the motion of your subject. So if you wish to isolate your sharply focused, primary subject from elements around it, the slow shutter speed blur of the moving background can be really, really effective.

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Yes, I can see how that could be effect.

I was so impressed with the 283 flashes capabilities, that I now own 3 ! I can light up a forest now ! Peter

I know that the Vivitar 283 was much more spread in the USA than over here, but nonetheless I do not understand that praising. To me it just is a middle of the road GNm 40-class flash. Maybe it is due to here having been more choice of models. To its benefit, it took primary cells when here still built-oin rechargable ones were used.

moto-uno said:

I was so impressed with the 283 flashes capabilities, that I now own 3 ! I can light up a forest now ! Peter

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I had a similar feeling about the Vivitar 285HV....but I think I have at least one 283 around here still. Good stuff for sure!

+1 for the Vivitar 285HV, I have a couple. Great flash for those cameras that I don't have dedicated flash for - the 285HV will work with any camera. The sync voltage also appears to be friendly with more modern electronic cameras. (At least my ancient Olympus E-410 has survived using the 285HV and it's not worth splashing out on a used dedicated gun for this camera.)

Keezly said:

Hi Everyone,

When it comes to using flash my brain completely freezes, so I would like some advice please. Along with the Bronica ETRS that I was given there was also a Vivitar 283 flash unit. In the booklet for the for the ETRS it says that it has an X-setting for flash so that it will synchronize with all shutter speed settings. In the AE-ii Finder booklet it says not to use the Automatic setting with flash as there is a danger of very slow shutter speeds. So in the real world what does that mean if I want to use flash indoors? (Sat here scratching my head). I would be grateful for replies that assume you are talking to a not very bright 12 year old (it is what the maths of flash does to my brain!).

Your help is much appreciated!

Kez (P.S. I managed to get hold of a new battery by post and that exposure scale in the viewfinder of the AE-ii is wonderful! I wish they put those on digital cameras.)

Click to expand...

Now you're 12 year old and you have problem using a flash that is 3 or 4 times older than you are that's not surprising. May I ask do you have any problem using the Bronica without flash in manual mode? Did you start with manual mode?

Chan Tran said:

Now you're 12 year old and you have problem using a flash that is 3 or 4 times older than you are that's not surprising.

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The OP used a film camera over 30 years ago... He just asked to be treated like "a not so bright 12 year old" to help him understand flash- and ambient-lighting when combined.

AgX said:

The OP used a film camera over 30 years ago... He just asked to be treated like "a not so bright 12 year old" to help him understand flash- and ambient-lighting when combined.

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So the OP is around 50 and no I can't treat him like a 12 year old. There is no way the op can think similarly to a 12 year old.

Keezly, it seems as though you're smarter than you think as your questions are very important to good photography. I used the Bronica ETRS and 283 combo for hundreds of weddings in the 1990's and 2000"s with great success. Let tell you my system and see if it helps you.
First you set up the flash by setting the film speed you're using on the right side of the flash by turning the clear wheel until the black arrow points to the film speed. Now on top of the wheel is a scale that shows what f/stops and color coded ranges to use for the flash at approximate distances. The flash only has so much power and the light gets less the farther away from the subject so it has a range for good exposures.
Next set up the camera by turning the dial on the left side of the camera finder to the correct film speed that you're using. Push the silver button and turn the dial until the speed is lined up with the white line.
Now that the system is set up you''re ready to take photos.
Let's say you're using 400 speed film outdoors for a portrait. Let's say it's very nice evening light. If you face the subject to the light they're all squinty eyed, so you pose them with the light behind or to the side.
So, the first thing you do is decide on the distance and composition. Once that is done you need to look on the right side of the flash and see the f/stop color setting to use for the distance. Let's say you're going to be photographing in the 10-20 ft range so you use the red setting on the front of the flash and it says F/8. Set your camera lens to F/8 then measure the background with the camera meter. It says that at F/8 you need 1/250 for a good exposure. Then on the left side of the camera you set the shutter speed to 250 and on the right side of the camera finder you set it to the M setting. Now you have a good exposure for the background and the subject. Compose and click pop you have a photo. Remember that in this method the flash exposure is controlled by the F/stop and the background exposure by the camera. Now for candid photos I'd set the camera at F/8 at 1/60 and the flash in the red range and shoot away. Most generally this will give good printable negatives.
Go out and take photos and make general notes so you can duplicate what works for you. I shot photos the other day with mine that are over 25 years old on Kodak T-Max 100 that expired in 2004. Worked great. Go out and take photos and enjoy