What flash for an R3A?

[Bingley]

I'm shooting a wedding in early October. Just got back from scouting the venue, and it looks like a flash may be necessary for certain shots. I will be using an R3A and an M2, w/ a Minolta X700 as back-up and for group photos. I'm thinking the flash would work best w/ the Bessa (I already have a flash unit for the X700). I need a small-ish unit that would work for bounce and fill.

Would a Vivitar 283 or a 285HV meet my needs? Is there another unit that would work w/ an R3A?

Thanks in advance for advice! 🙂

 

[Al Kaplan]

Either the 283 or 285 would make a good choice. Make sure that you have spare synch cords. Take your other flash with you for back-up "just in case".

If you use the shoe on the camera for verticals you'll get horrid side shadow so an adjustable bracket that can hold the flash over the lens is handy, unless you can hold the camera in one hand, the flash in the other. The 283 needs an accessory wide angle lens and holder for direct flash if you're using wider than a 35mm lens. The 285 has it built in in the form of an adjustable zoom front. The auto exposure on the Vivitars is very accurate but with color negative film it's best to give an extra half to full stop of exposure.

Shoot a practice roll before you go to the wedding!

http://thepriceofsilver.blogspot.com

 

[Bingley]

Al -- Thank you. I'm going to bump this thread to see if others have a comment.

 

[rxmd]

I used a Metz 32CT3 with the Bessa, which is compact, has three different intensity levels for automatic exposure and will swivel in two directions for bounce flash. I paid 25 EUR for it (plus 5 EUR for an SCA310 foot to give an in-finder flash ready light for the Canons I was using). Can't go wrong with the Metzes.

 

[Mablo]

If you choose the Viv 283 just make sure that the trigger voltage is normal (around 6V or thereabout). Some earlier Viv 283 versions have trigger voltage of up to 300V which is enough to fry your Bessa's circuitry. Using a synch cord doesn't help. It's easy to check the trigger voltage from the flash shoe with a simple multimeter.

Note that this applies only to some versions of Viv 283. There's no way to tell which one is safe and which is not without metering. Trigger voltage of Viv 285HV is completely allright. Both are my favorite flashes.

 

[rxmd]

If you have a high-voltage Vivitar 283 you can install a thyristor low-voltage trigger circuit.

 

[Bingley]

Thanks. Is the Metz 32CT3 still available new, or only used?

 

[telenous]

The recently reissued Vivitar 285HV has a low trigger voltage (around 12V) and is safe for modern electronic cameras. It's also quite powerful (120GN) though not particularly compact. Of the more compact options check out also the Metz 36 C-2. It's got three auto settings, zoom and tilt head and nearly as much power as the Vivitar 285.

 

[rxmd]

Thanks. Is the Metz 32CT3 still available new, or only used?

The CT3 probably only used. Note that this is a good thing, they're built to last anyway and that way they're cheaper. However, if you want new, in all probability Metz will have replaced it with a new model with guide number 32.

 

[Bruin]

I'd get a Sunpak 383 over the Vivitar 285, because it can swivel and tilt. All 383s have low trigger voltages, and the newer 285HVs are made in China and have some QC issues (older 285s are made in Japan).

 

[Bingley]

Thanks, everyone, for your advice. It looks like a Vivitar 283, Sunpak 383, or a Metz 36C2 would work. Question about the Vivitar 283: is the voltage likely to fry the electronics on my Bessa R3A?

 

[Mablo]

Regarding Vivitar 283, see: http://www.acecam.com/photography/2108.html

 

[chikne]

283 and 285 are huge....

 

[Al Kaplan]

The Vivitar 2500 looks like a miniature 285, has the tilt and variable angle features, and uses 2 AA cells.