[manybobs]

I'm looking at a used Sunpak 422d on the B&H site, and am wondering about the least expensive, reliable way to use it off camera. Does this unit have a PC socket? Would an on camera hot shoe + non ttl cable direct to the flash work or would a flash hotshoe also be required?

I assume this flash would also work fine in manual and maybe semi auto when mounted directly on a K100D?

Thanks

[Chuck-B&H]

Hello,

I was not able to find a 422D in our Used Dept, but we do carry a 433D.

Used Sunpak Auto 433D Dedicated Shoe Mount Auto Flash 0438 B&H

The dedicated Sunpak units do not have a PC socket and are not TTL on a DSLR body, so I am a little unclear where you are going. If you want to use a non TTL unit, a Vivitar 285 which comes with a PC cable may be a better option. If you want TTL, you will need a digital ready flash. Please let me know what you want to do and I can advise you the best route.

C h u c k C a p r i o l a
Live Chat and E-Mail Sales Manager B&H Photo-Video

Thank you, we appreciate your business.
*** Peace on Earth ***

[manybobs]

Hello,

I was not able to find a 422D in our Used Dept, but we do carry a 433D.

Used Sunpak Auto 433D Dedicated Shoe Mount Auto Flash 0438 B&H

The dedicated Sunpak units do not have a PC socket and are not TTL on a DSLR body, so I am a little unclear where you are going. If you want to use a non TTL unit, a Vivitar 285 which comes with a PC cable may be a better option. If you want TTL, you will need a digital ready flash. Please let me know what you want to do and I can advise you the best route.

C h u c k C a p r i o l a
Live Chat and E-Mail Sales Manager B&H Photo-Video


Thank you, we appreciate your business.
*** Peace on Earth ***

Thanks

Sorry I tend to get the 422 and 433 mixed up ;-)

I want:
1. a used flash no more than $45.00
2. as much power and versatility as $45.00 will buy <laugh>
3. several manual power levels
4. a couple of semi auto "thyristor" settings would also be nice if possible (TTL would be ignored)
5. can be used with K100d both on and off camera


In other threads on this forum, the units that have been recommended to me include: Sunpak 322s, 422, and 433, Pentax 280t and Vivitar 283

I am leaning toward the Sunpac 422 or 433 but have not ruled out the others.

( my understanding is that the 422 and 433 are"almost" the same thing? )
thank you,

[SOldBear]

Many Vivitar 283 has very high trigger voltage (mine is 250V). It does not have manual variable power setting. Its head can tilt, but can't swivel. I wouldn't recommend it.

Sunpak 322s has only 2 aperture settings in auto mode, GN is 80.

I recommend: Sunpak 36DX (European name of 444D), 444D, 422D, 383 Super (or the clone Quantaray Q383). They all have GN of 120 (except for 422D having GN of 100), 3 aperture settings, and 5 variable power settings from full to 1/16.

Some of the models (422D for sure) have the "power saving" feature: the flash turns itself off after 5 minutes on idling. You may not want this feature for remote flash.

36DX, 4xxD are nice because you can use a Sunpak dedicated extension cord (model EXT-08). The flash is remote, but the sensor stays attached to the camera's hotshoe:




For Vivitar, I recommend Vivitar 5600 or 3700. 285HV is solid but does not swivel (285 without 'HV' in the model name may have high trigger voltage). Here's a Vivitar 5600 with a simple flash extension cord (the bracket and handle are recycled from a non-working Sunpak 522):




Pentax AF280T is very popular, but its GN (I think 90) is slightly less than the Sunpak units above, and it has only 2 aperture settings in auto mode and 2 levels of power settings in manual.

If you feel patient and lucky, try to get a Nikon SB-24, 25, 26, or 28. They are powerful, solid, and have a lot of features.

None of these supports p-TTL. But the auto mode works just fine. In fact, I mostly use Pentax 540 + K10D in A mode. I use p-TTL mode only when I absolutely have to (e.g. HSS, trailing curtain).

If you like hammer-head flash units, I can recommend some too.

---

Last edited by SOldBear; 02-22-2011 at 02:29 PM.

[SOldBear]

The dedicated Sunpak units do not have a PC socket and are not TTL on a DSLR body, so I am a little unclear where you are going. If you want to use a non TTL unit, a Vivitar 285 which comes with a PC cable may be a better option. If you want TTL, you will need a digital ready flash. Please let me know what you want to do and I can advise you the best route.

Chuck,

Please do not use "TTL" when you mean "p-TTL." They may look similar, but are two totally different animals. The last Pentax DSLRs that supported TTL were in the *ist series.

Using "TTL" for "p-TTL" is confusing at best.

Sunpak 4xxD flash units with module PT-2D in fact do support Pentax TTL, just not p-TTL.

Thank you.

[manybobs]

I didn't intend to start a flash discussion on the B&H section, but since I do prefer to buy from B&H, hopefully it's okay if I ask a couple more questions. Here is my current understanding:

1. Use of the dedicated cable with the Sunpaks would be a bit more expensive, but would preserve the auto functions. Even if I didn't start out that way , I could upgrade to it later.

2. A non-TTL, non-dedicated camera hot-shoe to non TTL wire to non dedicated flash hot shoe would save some money but lose the auto function.

3. A non TTL came hot shoe to non ttl wire directly to pc connection on the Vivitar 5600 would be the cheapest but also most limiting.

Questions:

1. Besides the 5600 do any of the other units accept a straight pc connection?
2. I read that the 422d and 433d were the same thing except that the dedicated unit was hard wired in the 433. If that is true, the 433 would be equally suitable?

Again thanks to both SOldBear and Chuck

[Chuck-B&H]

Hello,

With this cable, any shoe flash will work;

Paramount PMHSHSFM10 Sync Cord - Hot Male Foot to 17HSHSFM10 B&H


We currently have a 283 in our Used Dept;

Used Vivitar 283 Professional Auto Shoe Mount Flash 233952 B&H


Vivitar 283
Guide number 120 (ISO 100 in feet). Powerful automatic exposure range from 3 to 43 ft. 4 auto f-stop settings for controlling depth-of-field and maximum

Optional VP-1 variable power control for convenient fill flash and rapid sequence photography.

auto flash range.
Sunpak 433D
Guide No. 120'/37 m at 35mm

The 283 also accepts a PC


Paramount Vivitar to Hot Shoe 17VHS6C B&H Photo Video


The 433D is a dedicated unit while the 422D among others took the Sunpak Modules which I used for many years.

Chuck

[SOldBear]

I didn't intend to start a flash discussion on the B&H section, but since I do prefer to buy from B&H, hopefully it's okay if I ask a couple more questions.

This will be my last post in this thread.

1. Use of the dedicated cable with the Sunpaks would be a bit more expensive, but would preserve the auto functions. Even if I didn't start out that way , I could upgrade to it later.

2. A non-TTL, non-dedicated camera hot-shoe to non TTL wire to non dedicated flash hot shoe would save some money but lose the auto function.

Not exactly. The auto function will work with or without the dedicated extension cord. The flash uses its own light sensor to determine how much light to output. Depending on the design, the sensor can be in the flash body, or in the "dedicated" module.

A nice thing about the Sunpak dedicated module is that the sensor is always on top of the camera body, facing the scene being photographed. This is particularly useful in the case you have the flash off camera, and bounce the light. You can turn the flash any way you want and still have reasonable flash exposure.

A drawback of the dedicated extension cord is that it is, well, dedicated. You can't use it for other flash units.

3. A non TTL came hot shoe to non ttl wire directly to pc connection on the Vivitar 5600 would be the cheapest but also most limiting.

We are talking about used equipment here. Many times the price has nothing to do with the capability or the usefulness of the equipment. The Sunpak dedicated extension cord in the photo in my post above cost me only $3.

1. Besides the 5600 do any of the other units accept a straight pc connection?

The Vivitar 5600 does support pc connection. But in the photo, the extension cord is hotshoe-to-hotshoe (note that the K10D body does not have PC port).

Because the only signal you need to transmit from the camera body to the flash is the sync signal (and of course ground), no data, almost any flash supports "straight" connection.

The "recommend" list in my post is by no means exhaustive. I listed only the flash models I'm familiar with.

2. I read that the 422d and 433d were the same thing except that the dedicated unit was hard wired in the 433. If that is true, the 433 would be equally suitable?

I don't know much about the 433D. But I know the 422D has the "power saving" feature and the GN of 100.

[manybobs]

Copied the link & bought the 433.

[Chuck-B&H]

Thanks, we appreciate your business.

Chuck