3rd party flash for nikon d50...

[doctahjones]

so before i get flamed for "get a sb600 or 800", i know. really i do. but it's much easier to part with $10-20 for "a" flash for now, and get the one i really need later....(and since the 900's are out, i would expect to see everyone dumping their 800's for relatively cheap ).

anyway, to the point. so i bought a $10 (including shipping) flash from ebay. it's some "achiever dz260". well i forgot to read the part that said "for nikon FILM cameras" when i have a digital, but it says it does TTL and i figured a flash is a flash (when in full manual) right?

well i can't get it to work with my d50 (go figure). i set the flash to what i think is manual, and set my d50 to full manual, but the flash won't fire (does that blinking flash icon deal in the viewfinder and on the top panel). i read in the d50 manual that it means the flash won't do ttl and to set to manual. well i did and still just the blink..soooooo what gives?

i've looked online but can't seem to find a manual for the flash. apparently it's some company out of hong kong (go figure, again). i sent an email earlier today and am awaiting their response.

ok, so to recap, i've tried every combo on the flash itself (i was thinking on the front set to ttl m, and on the back m), and tried both ttl and m (thinking that m should at least work) on the camera, but i just get the blinking flash icon. also, the 4 pins on the flash line up with the 4 pins on the hotshoe. and the flash does fire when i hit the test button, so i don't think it's broken...

anyone have any recommendations (except the obvious get a real flash!)?

i was hoping it would be something easy like when i first tried to use a d lens...and didn't know you had to lock the aperture with the switch with the orange dot.....

[crazeazn]

the voltage could be off?

[90 5.0]

I know this isn't what your asking but older nikon flashes can be had relatively cheap on keh.com,e-bay etc. I have seen sb-28's for as low as 50.00. I would try to go that route if I were you. Also the older "film" flashes work differently and the voltages are off, you should be able to shoot it manually I can fire my sb-18 off my d80 that way but you will not get tt-l with it. I would get that thing off my hot shoe if it was mine before you accidentally smoke the circuitry in your cam.

[Daniel W.]

Well shucks were are you seeing the 28's for $50? Since David Hobby made em' so popular the SB28 is a prized posession.

[90 5.0]

Originally Posted by Daniel W.

Well shucks were are you seeing the 28's for $50? Since David Hobby made em' so popular the SB28 is a prized posession.

I have seen them that cheap on keh and e-bay in the past, they have some from 85-125 on keh right now though.

Here is a sb-50 for 41.00 in excellent condition that would be much better than what you have

http://www.keh.com/OnLineStore/Produ...&GBC=&GCC=&KW=


here is a sb-28 currently going for 36.00 with 21hrs left on the auction.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-SB-28-TTL-...3A1%7C294%3A50

[doctahjones]

ahhh voltage...yeah ok.

so the sb50's are ok to put on the hotshoe then? there was a local guy that had one on craigs for $50 when i first got my cam...he said it probably wouldn't work so i didn't get it. dang it!

oh well, $10 down the drain...i'll see about snagging a 28 or 50...

then again....i should still be able to use this as a slave/off camera deal with a transmitter (wired/less) right?

thanks for the help ya'll!



thanks!

[ngoduyviet]

Be very careful with older or unnamed flashes, it might fry your camera.

I know you said it already, but a 600 or 800, will last you much longer than 10 of the $10s combined, plus you have the benefits of iTTL and all that. I doubt you'd get any decent ttl capability for your camera for anything cheaper than $100.

[toverman]

I have a low budget, but even the SB600 looks like a good deal to me! I'd rather pay a little more for something that will work seamlessly with my equipment.

It was hard for me to drop money on a Canon 580 EX II but I don't regret it one bit. Other than getting another one or two for off-camera use, it will do everything I need it to do as long as it works.