Vivitar flash on Canon D60
 

..... I use a Vivitar 728AF flash for occasional stuff (usually use the
onboard flash for most things)on my Canon 300d... works well in Manual
up to 1/200 (max)..

When I put in on a Canon D60 the flash emitted is very low (not as
strong as the onboard flash) and the camera allows me to put the speed
up to anything i like (above 200) ???

although the flash fires it doesn't seem to be 'communicating' with
the camera... anyone know why ????

ps. Same on a friends Canon D30 - the flash fires but not very
strong...

Vivitar flash on Canon D60
 

I have a D60 and sometimes use my Metz flash in its own AUTO mode and set
the D60 for about 1/60 to 1/125 at F5.6 in its MANUAL mode. Seems to work
fine then. I don't know why the Vivitar should be any different, except
does your Vivitar "know" the aperature of the D60? The Metz knows this from
its comm link with the D60.

"advid" wrote in message
om...
.... I use a Vivitar 728AF flash for occasional stuff (usually use the
onboard flash for most things)on my Canon 300d... works well in Manual
up to 1/200 (max)..

When I put in on a Canon D60 the flash emitted is very low (not as
strong as the onboard flash) and the camera allows me to put the speed
up to anything i like (above 200) ???

although the flash fires it doesn't seem to be 'communicating' with
the camera... anyone know why ????

ps. Same on a friends Canon D30 - the flash fires but not very
strong...

Vivitar flash on Canon D60
 

I have a D60 and sometimes use my Metz flash in its own AUTO mode and set
the D60 for about 1/60 to 1/125 at F5.6 in its MANUAL mode. Seems to work
fine then. I don't know why the Vivitar should be any different, except
does your Vivitar "know" the aperature of the D60? The Metz knows this from
its comm link with the D60.

"advid" wrote in message
om...
.... I use a Vivitar 728AF flash for occasional stuff (usually use the
onboard flash for most things)on my Canon 300d... works well in Manual
up to 1/200 (max)..

When I put in on a Canon D60 the flash emitted is very low (not as
strong as the onboard flash) and the camera allows me to put the speed
up to anything i like (above 200) ???

although the flash fires it doesn't seem to be 'communicating' with
the camera... anyone know why ????

ps. Same on a friends Canon D30 - the flash fires but not very
strong...

Vivitar flash on Canon D60
 

I have a D60 and sometimes use my Metz flash in its own AUTO mode and set
the D60 for about 1/60 to 1/125 at F5.6 in its MANUAL mode. Seems to work
fine then. I don't know why the Vivitar should be any different, except
does your Vivitar "know" the aperature of the D60? The Metz knows this from
its comm link with the D60.

"advid" wrote in message
om...
.... I use a Vivitar 728AF flash for occasional stuff (usually use the
onboard flash for most things)on my Canon 300d... works well in Manual
up to 1/200 (max)..

When I put in on a Canon D60 the flash emitted is very low (not as
strong as the onboard flash) and the camera allows me to put the speed
up to anything i like (above 200) ???

although the flash fires it doesn't seem to be 'communicating' with
the camera... anyone know why ????

ps. Same on a friends Canon D30 - the flash fires but not very
strong...

Vivitar flash on Canon D60
 

I did some investigating into the flash shoe interface on digital cameras.

There is an ISO standard that the flash shoe adheres to for al cameras,
but...

Film cameras usually use a mechanical switch to fire the flash. The switch
can handle several hundred volts, over the years it will become corroded and
pitted from the spark produced at each flash.

In Digital cameras, the switch is an SCR or transistor and some camera
manufactures claim that attaching a flash that has more than 12 volts on the
contacts can damage the camera. I took out my voltmeter and measured one of
my manual flash units as having a 65VDC switching voltage and the other at
6VDC. Just because it fits, doesn't mean it will work properly or not cause
damage.

Some cameras such as my Nikon 5700 do not control the flash through the lesn
systems, it is doen with a little sensor near the flash itself. Witht he
proper Speedlight attached, the camera will use this sensor to tell the
flash that sufficient light was produced for the image being taken. Because
there is some minimal interaction with the camera, the camea may recognize
an external flash has been connected and therefore not fire the internal
flash. With my manual flash on my camera, the cmaera doesn't know htis, so
it always fires the internal flash and the external flash fires as well, it
uses it own sensor for the scene. Thus, the two seperate systems can get
confused. For instance, if the internal flash fires first, and it's output
is sensed by the sensor on the external flash, the external flash may not
provide as much power for the flash as expected.

You may have to provide a cone or shielf around the Vivitars light sensor to
prevent it from picking up the internal flash and being fooled.

rtt

Always check your flash switch voltage before connecting it to yur camera

Vivitar flash on Canon D60
 

.... on the Canon 300D I usually set it to Manual 1/80 and f8 in normal
room settings and it works a treat..... On the D60 (or D30) with same
settings it fires but not even as much as the on board flash (in fact
its so low as to be almost useless) - totally defeats the object of
using flash....



"Dave" wrote in message ...
I have a D60 and sometimes use my Metz flash in its own AUTO mode and set
the D60 for about 1/60 to 1/125 at F5.6 in its MANUAL mode. Seems to work
fine then. I don't know why the Vivitar should be any different, except
does your Vivitar "know" the aperature of the D60? The Metz knows this from
its comm link with the D60.

"advid" wrote in message
om...
.... I use a Vivitar 728AF flash for occasional stuff (usually use the
onboard flash for most things)on my Canon 300d... works well in Manual
up to 1/200 (max)..

When I put in on a Canon D60 the flash emitted is very low (not as
strong as the onboard flash) and the camera allows me to put the speed
up to anything i like (above 200) ???

although the flash fires it doesn't seem to be 'communicating' with
the camera... anyone know why ????

ps. Same on a friends Canon D30 - the flash fires but not very
strong...