Triggering multiple flash with cord

[tkamiya]

There are many internet sources for these flash voltages. I didn't trust them because I have no idea how they were measured. I guess most everybody uses digital VOM nowadays.... I still like (and only have) analog ones here.

[Ian C]

Virtually all trigger voltage concerns relate to very old flash units—most of which have died by now and are no longer in use.

By 1985 or so most flash units were electrically compatible with the newest cameras. They had to be to be marketable, as flash units that fried camera electronics would be unsalable and be a tremendous legal liability for the maker.

[bdial]

A ganged connector certainly works, and is probably the cheapest solution, but I prefer to trigger the other units with optical slaves which are also cheap (relative to things like pocket wizards) and make positioning the flashes and camera much easier since there is only one camera to flash connection to worry about.

[Steve Smith]

There are many internet sources for these flash voltages. I didn't trust them because I have no idea how they were measured. I guess most everybody uses digital VOM nowadays.... I still like (and only have) analog ones here.

That's not a reliable method though. The Avo 7 meter I inherited from my grandfather has a low enough internal resistance to trigger any flash which I try to neasure with it.


Steve.

[tkamiya]

Yes, I know. That's why I followed up with an oscilloscope with a high-impedance probe. I KNEW near zero reading wasn't real.

I really don't like digital VOMs. When I use VOM, I'm more less looking for an approximate value and trend. I can read a lot from the speed in which the reading (needle) rises or falls. Besides, most consumer/non-professional digital VOMs are precise, but not accurate. They won't read transient spikes either.

[benjiboy]

I sometimes use 2 Metz hammer head flashes with umbrellas I have one on a stand with a coiled 15ft flash extension lead attached to the camera and the other on another stand with an optical slave trigger attached, I plug the extension lead into my flash meter to take an exposure reading, and then back into the camera. The multiple flash adaptors to fire several flashes to one camera sync socket we used to call Sputniks in the old days can damage the cameras flash sync ability.

[MattKing]

Virtually all trigger voltage concerns relate to very old flash units—most of which have died by now and are no longer in use.

By 1985 or so most flash units were electrically compatible with the newest cameras. They had to be to be marketable, as flash units that fried camera electronics would be unsalable and be a tremendous legal liability for the maker.

Sorry Ian - all of my Metz, Olympus, Bowens and Vivitar flashes are at least 25 years old, and they all work great.