Vivitar 285 flash

Could anyone tell me please is the Vivitar 285 flashgun suitable to use with the Pentax K5? I think something about the voltage could make it unsuitable but am not sure. Thank you.

Not familiar with this particular unit BUT you need to be very wary of flashguns from the pre-digital era...some of them use extremely high trigger voltages quite capable of frying the circuitry of a digital camera
The only unit that I have found suitable and regularly use is the Vivitar Microflash 5000 which, as its name implies is designed for a specific purpose.

You have been warned!

Roger

Pentax dSLR flash trigger circuits are more rugged than some other marques.
Yes, you do need to check the voltage on the flash - ideally it should be low (e.g. 5V or 12V), and not in the hundreds of volts

Quick Google: http://www.wireheadarts.com/blog/vivitar_285hv_guide/
Should help

Matt

you can check the trigger voltage by swichting ilt on and measuring between the centre contact and the metal contact on the side of the hot shoe. There is also a website that tells you the compatibilty, but you would have search for it.

Regards

Jeff

If it's made anywhere other than Japan you should be fine.

I think all 285's were marked as Made in Japan, at least mine are and their voltages vary by a factor of > 30!

The compatibility charts won't help much with the Vivitar 285. Unlike the 283 which had different countries of manufacture which corresponded with the different voltages, all 285's are marked identically.

Very early units were OK ( below 12V, around 8 or 9 ) - at least mine is. Newer variants are supposed to be safe too, but many (most?) in between were not. The 2 voltages seem to be below 12V and above 240V, so you don't have to worry too much about meter accuracy! But you will need to test!

Note the camera failure is reportedly accumulative, so just 'cos you try it once and it's OK ...

OTOH the Vivitar 285HV should be safe, but it is nowhere near as good a flash gun, by all reports.

[ Why doesn't the < character without a space not work here? ]

I picked up one of these "safe" hotshoe adapters so I could put my Vivitar 283 back into action. Works a treat and is considerably cheaper than the Wein units. As a bonus, it'll also solve the problem of flashes with reverse polarity triggering, like my old Achiever TZ250.

Al

Thanks everyone for your comments, may get an adapter if I don't get a new flash