Vivitar 285HV Auto Professional Flash
Details
- Availability:
- Usually ships in 1-2 business days
- List Price:
- $179.99
- Our Price:
- $84.89
- Savings:
- 52%
- Average Customer Rating:
- 4.5 out of 5
- Manufacturer:
- Vivitar
Ready to Buy?
- List Price:
- $179.99
- Our Price:
- $84.89
Features
- Vertical bounce flash
- Auto Thyristor circuitry
- Sufficient-light indicator
- Illuminated calculator dial
- Flash range up to 70 feet
Description
A smart flash with a "sufficient light indicator" that allows you to make the most of your photos Variable power control with optional VP-1 Remote sensor capability Sufficient light indicator Illuminated calculator dial Power source - 4 AA batteries that are NOT included
The built-in variable power of the Vivitar 285HV auto professional flash provides you with fill flash and the ability to shoot properly exposed rapid-sequence pictures. This vertical bounce flash gives your photographs soft, professional lighting. The four f-stops give you control over the flash distance range and the depth of field, while the auto Thyristor circuitry allows for a faster recycling time as well as more flashes per set of batteries.
Spotlight customer reviews
true work horse
[ Posted: 2008-12-25 ]
A really Strong Flash unit.. I recommend it to anyone. It would be and excellenet choice.
Great, if you know what you're doing
[ Posted: 2008-12-16 ]
Great manual control.
Not so much on auto mode. Better take a TTL flash, if you don't want to think.
High Voltage did Not Work on Mine Either
[ Posted: 2008-12-13 ]
I have also had disappointments with the newly manufactured 285. I purchased two brand new. The first one did not work with my turbo pack, and the second one worked with the turbo pack when I tested it, but failed at a gig. Very frustrating. I returned both for a refund. From what I understand is the new models are now made in China under the brand name Vivitar, and are no longer a Japanese product.
Chris Maness Photography
solid work horse with a gotcha
[ Posted: 2008-12-01 ]
I started out buying more expensive Canon flashes but didn't need the E-TTL features. Based on a web review, I bought a couple of Vivitar 285HV's and used them with my existing off-camera triggering system (which consists of Elinchrom Skyport radio triggers and Wein optical hot shoe triggers). All of my existing triggers fired through the hot shoe of the flash and have worked with a variety of flashes, including older Vivitar 283 flashes.
However, the 285HV is triggered on a different contact point than most flashes. It works fine on-camera, but doesn't work at all with any of these remote triggering options.
I've found that you need to use the trigger port on the side of the flash. Wein peanut slaves have a high failure rate, but Sonia triggers seem to work much more consistently well with this flash.
Once your system is working, these will fire consistently well. They don't recycle as fast as some of the more modern and expensive designs, but if you take your time and compose each shot well, you should be just fine. I've been replacing all of my other flashes and standardizing now on the 285HV for my field gear.
I use these for semi-professional fashion and art photography and it often surprises people to see me using such humble looking equipment and yet I get great results from them.
Great flash
[ Posted: 2008-10-24 ]
Great flash, works well. I love all the settings. the flash isnt too hard and bright. Only con is that there is no swivel head. Which isnt a biggie.