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WTB: Sunpak 120J
Im looking for a good dela on a Sunpak 120J. I love this flash, but I cant
find any "great"deals on them used. Ive been using Viv283 and 285's but have never been 100% happy with them, The 283 is a bit limited (no power selection) and the 285 has that damned weak foot! (Ive even installed the replacement feet which also break - just in a different area!) So i just want to get a 120J and call it a day. Ilike the reflector "look" and have always been impressed with 120J shots. Anyone have one they want to sell? I shooting my MF right now on a basic 500CM, so not TTL needed, as a matter of fact, id rather not have the 120JTTL, just the plain 120J or perhaps the Auto, if the metering is good on these flashes. Thoughts anyone? Thanks to all for your time and help! Mike Lachance |
#2
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First off the bat - a WTB should go in the marketplace, and you
should leave some method (an email address) to contact you off- line. But.... Wasn't it Michael R. Lachance who said... Im looking for a good dela on a Sunpak 120J. I love this flash, but I cant find any "great"deals on them used. Ive been using Viv283 and 285's but have never been 100% happy with them, The 283 is a bit limited (no power selection) and the 285 has that damned weak foot! (Ive even installed the replacement feet which also break - just in a different area!) So i just want to get a 120J and call it a day. Ilike the reflector "look" and have always been impressed with 120J shots. Anyone have one they want to sell? I shooting my MF right now on a basic 500CM, so not TTL needed, as a matter of fact, id rather not have the 120JTTL, just the plain 120J or perhaps the Auto, if the metering is good on these flashes. Thoughts anyone? If you're putting metal feet on the 283/285 and they're STILL breaking - you're not going to be impressed with the build quality of a 120J. The part that goes first on them is the detentes (the clickers) in the swivel head. If you're laying your flash down a lot (which you must be, to break so many feet) not only are you going to see the detentes wear out, but the foot on the 120J seems no stronger than the 283. (I know, I know that it's a screw mount, but the foot - let's say the "leg" seems to be as thin as that on the Vivitars.) That being said, I love my 120Js. I use them primarily off- camera, as self-contained studio flashes for location work. Two or three 120Js on light stands, with radio slaves makes a great lightweight studio set up which doesn't need an external power source, though I usually hang a six-volt power pack from each strobe. Using a multi-clamp, I can also modify the light with an umbrella on the strobe, swiveling the head around so that the auto sensor can read the subject. The exposure is generally dead-on with this set up. On-camera, it's a nice, inexpensive bare-bulb light. But I wouldn't expect it to take a lot of abuse. It's just not up to it. Another thing, the Vivitar 283 has an variable power accessory available - the VP-1. It's available for about $20 at most dealers. You might want to look into that. Also, Holly Enterprises makes a very heavy duty metal foot for the 283/285 called the Flash Foot One. It has a HH synch socket, and a screw mount (no hot shoe.) You might look into that, too. In fact, I have three of them leftover here if you're interested. They're $30 apiece. -- Joe Pucillo Baltimore, Maryland USA To reply by email, please remove the .xx |
#3
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Joe thanks for the info, (exactly the kind of info I am looking for!)
....that being said, hey, lighten up (smile of course)... the foot ive ever broke consistently was on 285s, never on a 283. The 285 is just too heavy for its foot. The metal replacement foots that have broke have not been the "metal" sections, but the plastic sections that attach to the 285 body (thus the "break" simply moves from the foot on OEM to the base-body attachment on replacement feet)... Ok, I have heard that the 120J is not the sturdiest unit, and this is why I wanted some more info on it. I dont, however, plan on getting a hotshoe mount 120J necissarily, so it may not be an issue. My 285 broke (the second time, while it was attached to my hassy flash grip, I often keep the flash on teh grip, and after a mixed lighting shoot last time around the flash grip was used on and off, in traveling to shoot, and out and about the flash was set down picked up, attached detached picked up set down picked up, etc. end of day flash was broken at foot/flash interface. Plastic just could not take the stress of all that mass/weight. The foot itself (metal shoe) was intact, but its attachment piece to flash body was broken. I love the 285 but am near positive I will enjoy a 120J more so. As Ive said Ive seen 120J results. Very nice stuff. Also, any wisdom on the Quantum Qflash? Looks to be very similar? Thanks again, Mike "Joe Pucillo" wrote in message k.net... First off the bat - a WTB should go in the marketplace, and you should leave some method (an email address) to contact you off- line. But.... Wasn't it Michael R. Lachance who said... Im looking for a good dela on a Sunpak 120J. I love this flash, but I cant find any "great"deals on them used. Ive been using Viv283 and 285's but have never been 100% happy with them, The 283 is a bit limited (no power selection) and the 285 has that damned weak foot! (Ive even installed the replacement feet which also break - just in a different area!) So i just want to get a 120J and call it a day. Ilike the reflector "look" and have always been impressed with 120J shots. Anyone have one they want to sell? I shooting my MF right now on a basic 500CM, so not TTL needed, as a matter of fact, id rather not have the 120JTTL, just the plain 120J or perhaps the Auto, if the metering is good on these flashes. Thoughts anyone? If you're putting metal feet on the 283/285 and they're STILL breaking - you're not going to be impressed with the build quality of a 120J. The part that goes first on them is the detentes (the clickers) in the swivel head. If you're laying your flash down a lot (which you must be, to break so many feet) not only are you going to see the detentes wear out, but the foot on the 120J seems no stronger than the 283. (I know, I know that it's a screw mount, but the foot - let's say the "leg" seems to be as thin as that on the Vivitars.) That being said, I love my 120Js. I use them primarily off- camera, as self-contained studio flashes for location work. Two or three 120Js on light stands, with radio slaves makes a great lightweight studio set up which doesn't need an external power source, though I usually hang a six-volt power pack from each strobe. Using a multi-clamp, I can also modify the light with an umbrella on the strobe, swiveling the head around so that the auto sensor can read the subject. The exposure is generally dead-on with this set up. On-camera, it's a nice, inexpensive bare-bulb light. But I wouldn't expect it to take a lot of abuse. It's just not up to it. Another thing, the Vivitar 283 has an variable power accessory available - the VP-1. It's available for about $20 at most dealers. You might want to look into that. Also, Holly Enterprises makes a very heavy duty metal foot for the 283/285 called the Flash Foot One. It has a HH synch socket, and a screw mount (no hot shoe.) You might look into that, too. In fact, I have three of them leftover here if you're interested. They're $30 apiece. -- Joe Pucillo Baltimore, Maryland USA To reply by email, please remove the .xx |
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