Off-Camera Flash

[mday]

Any suggestions for a small-(ish) manual flash that can be connected via sync-cord (either PC or Hot-Shoe) to my Zeiss Ikon.
Yes, I want to use a cord, more reliable.
Have a Canon 530EX II, but it is too big and heavy to carry around with my Ikon. Hoping there is a more compact, yet powerful manual solution.
Just need to be able to dial down or up the flash output manually.

Any ideas are welcome.
Thanks.

[wilonstott]

I use a vivitar 2800

cheap--good little flash.

I shot some off camera stuff with a pigtail cord at a friend of mine's wedding recently--here's a picasa album

https://picasaweb.google.com/1045219...CJOX16rW8o39fw


Ninja Edit:
While small, the 2800 is limited in that you can't dial the power down (Well, it has three settings: hi auto, lo auto, and manual). I have to close down the aperture to control the output. Hasn't hindered me, but that might not be what you're looking for. Check out the Vivitar 285HV---its bigger, but more control.

[gwg]

How about the SB-400 with the Nikon sync cord? I use the slightly larger SB-600 that way and am very happy with it.

[mdarnton]

I'm still looking for the perfect little flash with both a tilt and swivel head for the bottom of my bag. Still looking. . . .

[charjohncarter]

Originally Posted by mdarnton

I'm still looking for the perfect little flash with both a tilt and swivel head for the bottom of my bag. Still looking. . . .

Vivitar 2800 as stated above, con is it is not all that powerful, but as you can see his images are great. It does have two auto settings which in my experience work great. Just set the auto suggested f stop and walk around focus and shoot.

Minolta 320x: bigger than the 2800 (more powerful), so not as party friendly, pro; it does have power levels and auto settings.

My most enjoyable party or function kit is an Olympus 35RC (which has something called 'flashmatic' setting) this setting adjust aperture as you focus. Nikon made a few lenses with 'flashmatic' which would be nice for a party photographer on a SLR.

[135format]

Originally Posted by mday

Any suggestions for a small-(ish) manual flash that can be connected via sync-cord (either PC or Hot-Shoe) to my Zeiss Ikon.
Yes, I want to use a cord, more reliable.
Have a Canon 530EX II, but it is too big and heavy to carry around with my Ikon. Hoping there is a more compact, yet powerful manual solution.
Just need to be able to dial down or up the flash output manually.

Any ideas are welcome.
Thanks.

Sunpak PF20XD. GN20. small and compact and for such a small unit probably has the most manual control. Full 1/4 1/8 1/16 1/32 and if you employ the wide angle diffuser one further stop reduction in output level.
No PC socket but a cord with a female to male hot shoe fitting will work.
Only downside is those values aren't marked (click stops in dial) but easy to add marks with a white pen.

[Soeren]

Originally Posted by mday

Any suggestions for a small-(ish) manual flash that can be connected via sync-cord (either PC or Hot-Shoe) to my Zeiss Ikon.
Yes, I want to use a cord, more reliable.
Have a Canon 530EX II, but it is too big and heavy to carry around with my Ikon. Hoping there is a more compact, yet powerful manual solution.
Just need to be able to dial down or up the flash output manually.

Any ideas are welcome.
Thanks.

Hmm Why do you feel that cords are more reliable than radiocontrollers? I have a small PC hotshoe adapter and a long PC/PC cord, both are broken The main drawback to radiocontrollers are their size that ad to both camera and flash but some of them are quite compact and should do the trick. My yongnuo and hähnel controllers are effective within at least 10m with brickwalls between transmitter and reciever. re flash maybe some of the earlier nikon SB flashes (SB20 or SB22) or maybe Metz mecablitz 20 or 36.
best regards

[mday]

Thanks for all the suggestions.
Just picked up an Olympus T-32 in NY. Small, but puts out some light, can be manually dialled down. Not perfect, but does the job. Not too cumbersome when attached. Have had to hack a cord sync.

[charjohncarter]

Originally Posted by mday

Have had to hack a cord sync.

Glad you found something, yes we've all done hacked cords.