Using ringflash Sunpak auto DX 8R with shoe NE-1Af on Nikon D90

[Schnitzler]

Hi,
I try using a ring flash Sunpak auto DX 8R with shoe NE-1AF on a Nikon D90, but don't seem to get anywhere. Can someone give me some advice on what I might be doing wrong or whether I will need a different shoe.
Cheers

Rudi

[listowel48]

Hi,
I try using a ring flash Sunpak auto DX 8R with shoe NE-1AF on a Nikon D90, but don't seem to get anywhere. Can someone give me some advice on what I might be doing wrong or whether I will need a different shoe.
Cheers

Rudi

You are doing nothing wrong, the shoe for the Sunpak is old technology, probably for a film camera, and will not work on digital. I had the same problems with another ring light, made for film cameras, when put on the hot shoe, froze my D90, could not take a picture, took off hot shoe and shot to my heart's content

[photoguy]

Wow an old post but it may be of use to someone.... all you need to do is connect it to a hotshoe to hotshoe adaptor that ends with a single contact to the camera, as well as the ne-1af. It should work fine with the D90 and will not freeze the camera. You just need to stop the extra connectors making contact and just use a the single center contact, it should still work using the flashes auto regulation instead of the cameras.

[plixyloren]

Old Post but its usefull for me thanks for sharing

[ajohnw]

I'm using a cobra ring flash. It has a so called PC connector so I use it with an iso flash shoe to pc connector block off ebay. There are various types some have an additional flash shoe on them that are live or dead. The shoes on the camera usually have a standard iso layout along with sunken additional pins so the add on adapter doesn't make contact with these.

One thing to be very careful about is the flash trigger voltage. This can be a couple of hundred volts on older flash guns. Most modern cameras can only safely use much lower voltages than that. Olympus Pen's for instance 8v max. I believe Canon are lower. The info should be in the manual some where. There are web sites that give info on the trigger voltage of most guns. The best one is probably the one who gets emails from people who have measured it. I believe there are adapters that can get round this problem - comments from others - I couldn't find any.

For macro work it's also worth finding the manual for the flash gun. I was attracted to a sunpack unit in a case with all of it's bits and pieces. The information suggested that it would be difficult to use a higher magnification distances. To highly powered. The Cobra seems ok on that score because it's auto but not sure how that will work on say a spider in a web with little behind it. On manual it has power problem other than at low iso's. I've only had the adapter for a week so haven't fully evaluated the set up.

I've measured the Cobra at 5.5v. Also an amazingly cheap Hanimex hammer head - 5v. It seems the Cobra is also about under other names. Info on the web.

With say 100mm maco lenses it may be possible to use a cameras in built flash. Something like a 50mm F2.8 might block it at some working distance. These flashes have plenty of power if the ISO is cranked up a bit.

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[tunzi]

Hi. Thanks for keeping this post alive as I am so confused.lol
I just bought the sunpak auto dx 8r on ebay . I did not realize it was really just for slr cameras .When I asked the seller told me he used it on a nikon .I should of asked a nikon dslr or slr ? prior to bid.So the adapter is for a Nikon but slr and I have a nikon 3100 . Do I still need to find a hotshoe to hotshoe adapter that ends with a single contact ? I am a little confused

[ajohnw]

I would find an adapter that also isolates the flash gun just to be safe. There are plenty on ebay. A small block that fits in the flash shoe and has another on top with a single pin.

I've changed cameras since posting and haven't really made any use of the equipment I mentioned. There is also a typo in it plus incomplete info. 50mm should be 100mm. In other words if some one can make use of an early 100mm F4 macro lens there is a fair chance that they can use a cameras built in flash down to magnifications of about 2:1. I did this with an Olympus Pen so larger cameras may allow higher magnifications.

John
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