# Old flash with new camera?



## zaroba (Jun 13, 2014)

I was just at an estate sale and among all the old 35mm Canon SLR cameras I found a Promaster Powerwide FTD 5400.
It was only $10 and I didn't have an external flash yet so I bought it.  It doesn't have a case or instructions with it so when I got home I looked up details on it on google.

One of the first topics I found was somebody asking about using the old flash and possibly frying their new nikon camera.


So now I am wondering, is there any risk of frying my Rebel T3i by using this old flash on it?


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## tirediron (Jun 13, 2014)

There may be.  That sounds like one of thousands of 70s/80s vintage generic flashes.  Some older units used a much higher trigger voltage which could actually damage your camera's electronics.   Do some research on line and see if you can find out what the trigger voltage is; if it's a single-digit value, you're fine, if it's a couple of hundred volts, then I wouldn't use it.


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## KmH (Jun 13, 2014)

Nikon DSLRs can use flash units that have up to a *+*250 volt trigger voltage, but a flash unit that has a - (negative) trigger voltages will kill some of the camera electronics in Nikon DSLRs. If you have a Nikon DSLR make sure the trigger voltage of an older flash unit is not a negative voltage and does not exceed +250 volts.

Photo Strobe Trigger Voltages

The Promaster 5000 series flash units look to have trigger voltages of less than 6V.

Since you have a Canon camera - Secrets of Powershot Flash Photography


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## tirediron (Jun 13, 2014)

KmH said:


> Nikon DSLRs can use flash units that have up to a *+*250 volt trigger voltage, ...


Really?  Huh... I did not know that.  Cool! You learn something new every day; thanks Keith!


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## zaroba (Jun 13, 2014)

Thanks for the info guys.

And wow, such technicalities for simple flashes.  lol


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## WayneF (Jun 13, 2014)

tirediron said:


> KmH said:
> 
> 
> > Nikon DSLRs can use flash units that have up to a *+*250 volt trigger voltage, ...
> ...



This is in all the Nikon DSLR camera manuals.  If you have the PDF version, just search for 250 V .   
Otherwise, it will be in the Optional Flash Units (Speedlights) under Use Only Nikon Flash Accessories.




zaroba said:


> Thanks for the info guys.
> 
> And wow, such technicalities for simple flashes.  lol



I think this old flash can only be a disappointing try, and there are surely much better modern efforts, actually useful.

The manual for this one is at http://www.promaster.com/instructionbooks/FTD5400_Electronic_Flash.pdf

At most, an old flash can do Manual flash (no modern digital TTL), and/or maybe auto self metered flash.

This old one however, I think it may offer three choices for auto.  That's how we worked in the 1970s.  
 And manual flash on this one appears to offer only full and 1/16 power level.
It's really not the flash you would want.
Times change.

If you have a modern camera, surely you want a flash that can do the things todays camera can do?


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## zaroba (Jun 13, 2014)

hmm...Manual: 1/16 and Full.  Auto TTL

Anyway, I'm not going to bother using it.  I'll just sell it at the flea market later in the year.
Even if it does work fine and it's voltage ratings are within the camera specs, I'm not going to risk it.

At the end of the day, a new flash is much cheaper then a new camera.


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## WayneF (Jun 13, 2014)

zaroba said:


> hmm...Manual: 1/16 and Full.  Auto TTL





No, the TTL is film TTL.  Extremely different than (incompatible with) modern digital Canon ETTL or Nikon iTTL.


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## Warhorse (Jun 13, 2014)

zaroba said:


> hmm...Manual: 1/16 and Full. Auto TTL
> 
> Anyway, I'm not going to bother using it. I'll just sell it at the flea market later in the year.
> Even if it does work fine and it's voltage ratings are within the camera specs, I'm not going to risk it.
> ...


I have been using my old Vivitar 285HV with good results. No it is not TTL, but it is a solid performer, and does not hurt my D3200.


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## fooby (Jun 13, 2014)

From what I hear, it's pretty risky to use any Canon flashes prior to EX, or at least they just won't work. Ancient EX's work though. I have a 380EX that was made for the earliest EOS film SLR's that works fine on my 6D.


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