Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/05/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi Carl, I haven't tried this flash off-camera, but there's no reason why it shouldn't work just fine. I haven't seen a 283 in a very long time, so don't know if the hot shoe can be replaced. You'd have to have both in hand and take a look. But the hot show replacement isn't as necessary for the 2800 as it is for the 283, because the 2800 is so small and light. The 2800 is a dirt-simple auto thyristor flash circa 1978. You don't need a dedicated synch cord. Just get a generic one with a female hot shoe fitting on one end, and a male on the other. Bet you can find one at your local camera store for les than $10. I can see how you'd want to look for an alternative to the 283. The 2800 is better matched to the M6 since it is so light. Again, it's not a very flexible set up, so I expect to use it mostly for lightweight travel where everything must fit into a Domke camera satchel. I would think that, for events, or fast-paced reportage, you'd be better off with an EOS, Nikon, or R8. - --Jim Jim, Any experience yet using this off camera with extension synch cord and hand holding it for directional flash fill? Also, do you think it's possible to replace the hot shoe with the aluminum shoe that's available as a replacement shoe for the Vivitar 283? I've been trying to standardize all my flash synchs with household fittings rather than dedicated cords so the last thing I need is another set of different cords. Your experiences interest me and this sounds like a nicely balanced alternative to using the 283 mounted on a Leica. Yeah, I know, sacrilege and all that using a flash on a Leica. But, sometimes for some of the event photography I do, it's just nice and easier to zone focus at 6 feet at f 8.0 with a 35mm in a virtually dark room and know you'll have the pic. - -- Carl Socolow http://members.tripod.com/SocPhoto/