Vivitar DF 383 Review

[blueKAPTIN]

i'm wondering if this is compatible to fujifilm hs20? :)

[LetsGitTrippy]

Do you know the expected battery life?

I guess I would be using Duracell coppertops if that is a factor in determining battery life

[trainlova12]

can it make a beep ready noise?

[jh3835]

hell yah, i can get 2 or 3 of these for the price of one brand name speedlight

[AshtonPhoto]

@jh3835

And 3x the batteries!!!

[TheDoyleExperiment]

my df383 recycles in 15 seconds! why is this happening?1

[nmotiontravelguide]

Hey, dosent the audio feature let you know when the flash had recycled? You didn't mention that and it seems that the sound us only for button press noise. Please confirm that.

[igetsmart]

Nice review - I loved your comment about Joe McNally - he really find it hard to listen or learn much from him - the thing is that only very very small part of us have the money to spend on gear like he seems to have - Nice to see like your review, common sense

Joe McNally is just way out there - I think in Show Off Land - look at all my toys

[sanoska206]

does this have the same power as the canon ex 430?

[sadikoification]

is that a speedlite flash and can you use it wireless i mean with radio slave

[slcantu]

Does it work with high speed sync

[ShotbyRobins]

What's the recycle time like?



[cocoesteves]

FOCUS!

[TheDoyleExperiment]

can you use this wirelessly?

[JakeOConnell]

@TheDoyleExperiment It has a wireless slave feature, so it can be triggered by another flash. Or you could get some type of receiver like a pocketwizard or cactus triggers

[CAJUNNSC]

For those if not already posted. This unit is the same exact flash unit as the opteka ef600dg-n So if you've been freaking out because you have the later and wanted to know what was up... How to use and beyond. Well this is the same unit. Thanks, nice work.. It's my understanding it is sold under many names and models so check that out if you have another one...of these under another name. They are nice units for far less the the SB Nikons...not as nice but good.

[marcoayon]

Hi Friend, my name is Marco and i'm from Perú. First sorry for my English. I bought this flash but my question is whether, it is compatible with Canon SX20 IS Thanks

[biz0923]

Hi: I pursue this item for over a month now, it was working perfectly but all of the sudden is not working, I try everything changing battery, camera, leave it a whole day with battery, but nothing .. Everything on the flash turns on fine but it doesn't flash.. Not in the camera or on the ready/test Should I return it or theirs a solution for this?

[887898a]

How do you sync this flash to your camera

[jamesphotos6569]

Hi Jake, great review on the flash. One question to ask please. I have hooked it up to my D700 and my fuji S3 pro. When a photo is taken the ok light comes on no problem, however, I can not get the "auto ok" light to come on at all. My "auto ok" light is the same as your "ETTL". Why doesnt it come on like it does in your review. Any clues? I have put the camera on P,M,A, Tv. no luck. I have also ensured it is in ettl mode on the camera. thanks. James.

[JakeOConnell]

@jamesphotos6569 James no clue, I assume the flash is in TTL mode correct? Other than that, I really don't know--I primarily use mine off camera anyway! Sorry!

[SkaterMarvin]

@jamesphotos6569 you should make sure all you auto feature are turned on and try it again...

[elysia05]

Why does this sometimes under expose the photos? Also, what is the recycle time? I have mine at 1/60 at f5.0 and I only get about three shots.

[rhenzq]

Will this work for the Cactus Wireless Flash Trigger V4?

[JakeOConnell]

@rhenzq

It should

[Factus66]

Hi Jake, thanks for the video. I just got my 383 today and am playing with it on my Canon XTi. I've noticed that the ISO and f/stop ONLY shows up on the back when the flash is at the 90º position. When I tilt it up to avoid the harsh light, it all goes away and the zoom says 50mm and flashes all the time. Why is that?

[JakeOConnell]

@Factus66

No Clue why, but mine does the exact same thing. I think it probably has to do (the zoom going to 50, that is) probably has to do with getting a nice wide burst of light up at the ceiling or whatever, not to narrow to really bounce around and not too wide!

Ultimately I think that the ISO/f-stop is only used when calculating the strait on flash and that's why it only shows it then.. But I really don't know the actual reasoning for it.

[hotwave4u]

hi jake the video is nice and explane very well ,i have a quick question that i have sony A380 ,can i use this flash with my camera because the sony HVL 58 flash is so expancive almost $400, and where i can find in toronto gta if its posible.thanks.

[JakeOConnell]

@hotwave4u

Yes just get the Sony Version!

[volumeclips]

does this have wireless trigger so you can put the flash some where ells when you take the photo ?

thanks Marcus

[JakeOConnell]

@volumeclips Marcus..Yes it has a slave sensor, that senses when another flash goes off, and it goes off too.. So in order to trigger it without wireless RF triggers or something you'd need to use the on camera flash!

Jake

[javajoe1974]

Hi Jake, thanks for the review. I just bought one myself.

Quick question - when I attach the flash to my Nikon D40 it works fine (ie. zooming the lens in/out and the flash automatically adjusts, ttl flash works) - but if I swivel or even angle it - the flash unit does not automatically register.

Is it broken?

[JakeOConnell]

@javajoe1974 Mine works at all angles and tilts, so I want to say there's probably some kind of malfunction, if I were you I'd either call Vivitar and ask them, or see about the return policy wherever you ordered it!

Good Luck!

Jake

[Factus66]

@javajoe1974 Mine does that exact same thing on my Canon XTi. It just flashes "50" and the other information goes away. It does this on all my different lenses. Did you figure this out, or have a chance to call Vivitar? I just got mine today...thanks.

[Wilmie82]

Can u use this with a 35mm camera? Like an f5 Nikon?

[JakeOConnell]

@Wilmie82 to use it with a Nikon you'd have to get the nikon shoe one, but I see no reason why it wouldn't work with a film camera..

[nakedrunner7]

so blurry....

[billrhea]

Does this thing work with an ST-e2?

[pomeranets]

great review - thanks a bunch

[HaxXx1]

Hi, I have a canon Rebel XS (EOS 1000D) Since i bought it out of 100 pictures, ive only used my flash about 6 times, due to it raising the red's in my pictures, What is the sole purpose of an external flash? is it worth getting? does it produce differently than the normal flash does on my camera?

Please let me know as im very confused about this topic..

thanks!

annd good review!

[velozalejandro]

nice review, helpful, THX

[Paula4284]

Does the TTL function work off camera as well? I'm having a hard time deciding between the Vivitar 285HV and this one. What do you think after owning this one?

[JakeOConnell]

@Paula4284 TTL wont work off camera. If you want your flash off camera, and don't want to buy triggers you'd want the 383, as it has the optical slave sensor, where as with the 285 you'd need to buy a sensor or triggers to get it off camera!

[Paula4284]

@JakeOConnell Thanks, this helps! :)

[luigihope]

Jake,

I hope you don't mind asking a question.I own one of these flashes and it has the most annoying feature that I don't know how to get rid of. The power save at 3 minutes. Is that something you can remove oir turn off?

[JakeOConnell]

@luigihope you could put it in slave mode? but other than that I haven't found a way.. Sorry.

[Paula4284]

@JakeOConnell So... does the slave mode eliminate that problem when off camera? Does the 285HV also have a standby mode?

[JakeOConnell]

@Paula4284 The slave mode does get rid of the auto power off when its off cam. and no the 285hv does not go into stand-by mode!

[whitecottonglove]

Will it work wireless with WL mode on Sony?

[vladislaowilly]

nice, but wich flash trigger would you use for this??

[JakeOConnell]

@vladislaowilly You Could trigger it with the On Camera Flash if you'd like?

[Paula4284]

Would you say the flash power is somewhat comparable to the SB 900? And do you know how many you can slave at once? Oh, and what is the recycle time? Thanks! :-)

[JakeOConnell]

I think the SB 900 is a bit more powerful to be honest. Never used one, but it's nikon's top of the line..so I'm assuming its got a bit more power, and it can throw the light a bit further (it zooms to 200mm)

I haven't really tried, but I do suppose you can slave as many as you want.

Recycle time on brand new AA's (alkaline) is like 4 sec to fully charges from a full power shot.

[logbi77]

May I know how many fires in a single set of batteries you have? the specs says 80 fires but I am curious if you could get more than 80 fires.

[JakeOConnell]

Um I don't really have a number for you, but I know I've done more than 80 on a set of batteries. I normally don't shoot at full power however, and maybe that number is a quote for full power. I don't change my batteries very often though.

[logbi77]

thank you very much!

[kuraz07]

Yes you can get more than 80 fires with a fresh set of good rechargeables. Its rated at 80 at full power at 1/4 power you might be able to get 160 or so and so on.

[logbi77]

thanks for a detailed info! :D

[billrhea]

@logbi77 you could get way more them 80 as long as you shoot at high ISO and you have fast glass like f2.8. I will shoot iso 1600 at F2.8 and shoot all night on one set of batteries

[Spanish4Point4]

Hey.. thanks for the vid.. just wondering..

if i have my Canon 580ex II attached to camera triggering my canon 430 ex ii that is on a light stand will i be able to trigger this to go off too??

[JakeOConnell]

Yes you can trigger it using the "Salve" mode

[kuraz07]

I'm Thinking about getting this flash as a first flash and wanted to start playing with off camera lighting with this flash. How would this be done using this flash with no sync port or master flash?

[JakeOConnell]

Thanks for the comment.

I have not used it with an off camera TTL cord no, I think that the cord is too expensive for what it does.

I have used it as a slave fired by the on camera flash and it works pretty well.

Jake

[racer007]

Hey Jake,

Batteries NiMH Nickel Metal Hydride rechargable ... thats a good thing.

Have you used it with off camera cord for ETTL flash?

Have you used the df383 off camera flash slave with your on camera flash?

Enjoyed the review.