holgaguy
Established
Anyone have any ideas for a flash for the cold shoe Bessa T.
Please remember the T body only cost $229 so I don't want to spend too much for a flash.
Thanks
holgaguy
Please remember the T body only cost $229 so I don't want to spend too much for a flash.
Thanks
holgaguy
Jason Sprenger
Well-known
In the cold shoe? Isn't that where the viewfinder goes?
If I was shooting a Bessa T with a new flash, I'd get an inexpensive handle bracket with its own cold shoe and a flash with a PC cord, like a Sunpak 383. For used, I'd get a Sunpak 544 handle flash. Either setup should be less than $100.
If I was shooting a Bessa T with a new flash, I'd get an inexpensive handle bracket with its own cold shoe and a flash with a PC cord, like a Sunpak 383. For used, I'd get a Sunpak 544 handle flash. Either setup should be less than $100.
pvdhaar
Peter
Voigtlander used to offer an accessory that you could put in the cold shoe, and that had a double cold shoe on top: http://www.cameraquest.com/voigtacc.htm I'm not sure whether they're available anymore, but it might be an idea.
Personally, the only time I use the T with flash is when I've got the flash on a stand and connected with a pc-cord..
Personally, the only time I use the T with flash is when I've got the flash on a stand and connected with a pc-cord..
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
Get any 1970s-or-later electronic flash. One thing to look out for is having a flash with an automatic flash mode. Manual flash is bothersome because you need to set aperture on the camera in proportion to the subject distance, while with automatic flash you set film sensitivity and aperture on the flash unit and it automatically regulates the brighness of the flash using a small sensor built into the flash unit - then you can just set the flash unit, say, to f/4, set the same aperture on the lens, and flash away without bothering about exposure at all, and it's surprisingly accurate (better than in-camera TTL in some situations). A flash cord is nice as well if you need the camera's shoe for something else, as the others have pointed out, but there are external hot shoe blocks with a cord attached to them which you can get for $1 on eBay, so this is not a must.
Myself, I'm using a Metz 32CT3 which has a manual mode, three automatic flash modes for different apertures, is comfortable and easy to use, uses standard AA batteries, can be used with the standard SCA system of flash accessories so you can use it with more modern SLRs as well, and works with a flash cord if you get either the right SCA foot or a simple hot shoe block with a cord. I've been using that with a Bessa R for quite some time, and the flash set me back 25 EUR. So you don't have to spend a lot of money.
Philipp
Myself, I'm using a Metz 32CT3 which has a manual mode, three automatic flash modes for different apertures, is comfortable and easy to use, uses standard AA batteries, can be used with the standard SCA system of flash accessories so you can use it with more modern SLRs as well, and works with a flash cord if you get either the right SCA foot or a simple hot shoe block with a cord. I've been using that with a Bessa R for quite some time, and the flash set me back 25 EUR. So you don't have to spend a lot of money.
Philipp
tbm
Established
Phillipp is correct in stating that automatic mode is the preferable method. I use it with my Bessa R3A and get outstanding images!
payasam
a.k.a. Mukul Dube
An automatic flash is generally better than a manual one: it can be misled if the reflective subject is off to one side. A very real problem these days is that few flashes come with sync cords, and adapters are sometimes difficult to find.
holgaguy
Established
Thanks for all the advice. I'm bidding on a Sunpak 383 on the bay. i have also ordered an Sunpack handle bracket from Amazon.
holgaguy
holgaguy