Vivitar 285 question

[noah b]

Hey all, I've been using the vivitar 285 flash indoors with 400iso b&w film. Usually 60@2.8 does me well, but some of the negatives turned out really thin. In reading the manual it's confusing to figure out the manual operation of the flash. When in manual mode does the calculator dial determine flash power? I just want to get correct bounce flash pictures indoors.

 

[bmattock]

Hey all, I've been using the vivitar 285 flash indoors with 400iso b&w film. Usually 60@2.8 does me well, but some of the negatives turned out really thin. In reading the manual it's confusing to figure out the manual operation of the flash. When in manual mode does the calculator dial determine flash power? I just want to get correct bounce flash pictures indoors.

The calculator dial is just a dial, it does not affect the power output of the flash.

If you are using bounce, you need to add up the total distance between your subject and the flash, including the bounce. Sometimes people make the mistake of counting only the actual distance between the flash and the subject on a straight line, disregarding the bounce. Light scatters quickly, so this can have a major effect. Also remember the adjustable 'zoom' on the flash needs to be set correctly.

http://www.popphoto.com/lighting/3983/vivitar-285hv-review.html