Question about flash/strobist equipment

I am very interested in getting into strobist photography and have a couple of questions if anyone has experience of this.

The flash of choice seems to be Vivitar-285HV, would I need to buy ones specifically made for Pentax or is there a generic one?

Would the K10D be able to triger a set of flash guns OK?

Thanks

The type of flash doesn't really matter as long as it has many steps manual power steps and they are easy adjustable.

You can use all brands but some brands like Sony for example use a different hotshoe then the standard one but flashes for Pentax, Canon and Nikon are all triggered the same when they are put in manual mode.

You will probably be looking at wireless triggers to trigger the flashes.
The Cactus V5 might be a good start or the youngou RF602 (or something like that)
You fit a trigger on the camera and the receivers on the flashes hotshoes and that's all there is to it.




if you aren't experience with flash i would seggust looking at a newer flash that support P-TTL wireless triggering. The Metz 50 is a good one.
You don't need to use triggers for it since you can trigger it with the pop-up flash and the camera and flash comunicate with eachother so you can work with automatic modes instead of going fully manual.

For 'stobist' or 'off camera' usage using wireless triggers you have the option to pretty much use any flash thats ever been made by any company...
Trigger voltages of older flashes won't be able to fry your camera as they aren't connected to it...
When using wireless triggers they send only a 'fire now' message...

I use YN-560 as my main flash... It only has a 'fire now' pin in its foot and will work on or off camera with any system (except sony)...

I have 2 sets of triggers... YN-04 £13 ebay... Not bad have been reliable (for the price) syncing at 1/160 but not a massive amount of range...
New set are Cactus V4's got from 1stopbrighter... Only had a few days and been really busy with uni work but appear to be a big improvement...

We live in the same city so if you want to try them that's fine with me... I'll probably be selling the YN-04's shortly as I want/need an FA 50mm 1.4

I agree Anvh regarding triggers... Although I was unable to find a suplier of V5's in the UK... Heard good reports on the RF-602's tho too...

Having never used a T-ttl flash I can't really comment... But will say that manual flash is no real biggie and a massive amount less expensive...

Again... Cool if you want to try out somewhere in Bfd...
Also... Watch Zack Arias's 'OneLight'... It's brilliant!

Just get them from gadgetinfinity they are the offical suplier world wide, i haven't bought my v4 at them but i've had contact with their customer service and they were most helpful.

http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/product.php?productid=17567

avoid any used viv 285 that says "Made in japan" as the trigger voltage is really high on the oldest model.
the best way to learn these units is to find ones that have manual controls (yes the newer viv 285's are great).

Thanks all for the advice.
David it sounds like youre pretty much into this, I might give you a shout.

So, would these flash units be OK?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vivitar-Electronic-Diffuser-Exclusive-Cleaning/dp/B004S3...=pd_rhf_p_t_2

I have also seen this one which is not listed as fitting any brand of camera and is more expensive. Is there something different or better about this unit? Or is it the same?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vivitar-285HV-FLASH-FOR-CAMERAS/dp/B00004TVSP/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1304100802&sr=1-2

Too expensive if you ask me, these are cheaper and more powerfull
http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/product.php?productid=17497&cat=337&page=2

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Electronic-Speedlight-Speedlite-flashgun-Olympus/dp/B003...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1304270065&sr=1-1

They also have a less powerful version
http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/product.php?productid=17379&cat=337&page=2

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yongnuo-YN460-II-Speedlite-Flash-Control/dp/B004W5VMG0/r...=sr_1_40?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1304270018&sr=1-40

You can also find those on ebay.

If you want more quality look at a secondhand Nikon SB-28 or something like that.

The flash from Lumopro is also very nice btw.

Fairly recent thing to be honest... Had the yongnuo trigger as while and they are fun...

I think the Vivitar's are non-specific and just have a central-pin (fire-now)...
The 'auto' setting on them is related to a sensor on the flash itself and nowt to do with your cameras meter... Instead you tell the flash what settings you're using and it predicts the amount of light you need by using its own sensor... I think... (thats pretty much how my pentax-af240z works)

Of course for off camera your flash will most likely be in manual mode...
The 285 is really powerful but doesn't have the 'reduction value' of other (newer)flashes...

EG.. In the case of the YN560 I have there are 1/1 - 1/2 - 1/4 - 1/8 - 1/16 - 1/32 - 1/64 and 1/128th.... that's 8 STOPS of light...

In the Vivitar 285hv you only have 1/1 - 1/2 - 1/4 - 1/16 steps... so if at 1/16 and say f2.8 (max aperture)your still blown out by 2 stops you'll have to move that light right out...

Saying that... It is massively powerful for a hotshoe flash (some reviews say GN120!!!)

I wouldn't put it on your cameras hotshoe till you test its voltage though... There are new and old versions

I#ve also looked at the YN 560 and these look very good too.

Don't forget the Pentax AF500FTZ £40 - £50 SH on ebay.

According to various reviews on-line and the accessorries database on pentaxforums...

YN-560 (which I actually own and love) GN-58

Vivitar 285hv GN-120

Acording to that its around twice as powerful as the yongnuo version...

I did just read that the 285 has an 8-second recycle time after firing 1/1... That's not great...

But then... GN 120!!

For the amazon/ebay price of around £60 for either... They'll both serve you well... You can easilly use the YN-560 on camera and bounce off walls and such with the swivel... The vivitar is an older design no swivel but more powerful...

Either way get some triggers and you'll have a giggle

I can't believe any flashgun would have a GN in metres of 120
Even GN-58 on the other one sounds optimistic.

A few years ago the most powerful you could buy was a Metz with a shoulder pack battery advertised as GN 60.

Most of these GN's are for the telephoto setting as well.

Edit: 120 is probably the GN in feet so that would be
GN-40 in metres.... sounds better.

25QUID for postage!!!

NAH!!

I know, from America. Might be the yn 560s then