Rangefinder Magazine
Archives

May 2000

Problems and Solutions by Bill Hurter

From: Kris Colbert
e-mail: ckris@erols.com
I have just purchased a Nikon F100 to replace my wonderful Nikon F. I have used the Honeywell Strobonar Pressman Auto 880 all these years and have loved it. I do not know if I can use it with my F100. I have written to Honeywell but they no longer have that product. Thank you very much for any help you can provide.

You can use your Honeywell strobe with a sync cord in manual mode with your F100, and it would prove to be a powerful flashgun, however, it would offer none of the automated functions that the F100 provides; TTL flash, for example. For this reason and also because the SB-series of Nikon speedlights are so amazingly versatile and surprisingly powerful, you might consider replacing your old war-horse with something a little more contemporary.

From: IPerello@aol.com
I thought I would pass on my experience. Years ago when I was working in the newspaper biz, complaints about the plastic foot breaking on the bottom of the popular Vivitar flashes were common. When we first saw these aluminum flash feet come out, we thought that they would be the saving grace, but that was far from the case. What began happening was that when the flash was impacted, instead of the foot being destroyed, the top of the camera was absorbing the brunt of the shock and in a couple of instances tore off the top of the camera. If the equipment is going to be damaged, I would much rather have it be the bottom of the flash foot which is easily replaceable rather than a camera which is not. Just thought I would through my two cents in on this.

Thanks for passing this along. I seem to recall hearing this before.

From: Mark E. Greiwe
e-mail: m.lgreiwe@worldnet.att.net
I have owned a Sunpak 120J for several years now and within the past year I've had this recurring problem of the flash not going off. I have tried these solutions with no luck; 1) new sync cord, 2) had the pc connection on my Mamiya replaced, 3) I even bought a new Mamiya 645 last February. My last attempt was to have Tocad check out the unit while it was in for repair for another reason. They fixed that problem but didn't address the misfire problem. I have called and sent them e-mail and have not been able to get any response. I don't want to change flash systems because the battery systems can be used for two older Sunpak flashes. Do you have any suggestions?

It would seem that Sunpak would have the most current data if the problem has occurred in other flash units, but it may also be an isolated problem. You might also try sending the unit to one of the following companies that specialize in hard-to-diagnose flash repairs:
* Flash Clinic, 9 E. 19th St., New York, NY 10003; (212) 673-4030.
* Holly Enterprises, 7555 Woodley Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91406; (818) 988-7111.
* Keith Murphy Electronics, 15715 Martin Rd., Roseville, MI 48066; (810) 779-0030; FAX (810) 779-0037.
* Strobesmith, 44 Lispenard, New York, NY 10013; (212) 219-3636.

From: Bill Meriwether
No Address given
I have been a professional photographer for over 50 years and during that time I have used many labs. Concerning Rebecca Beer's request in a recent Rangefinder, the best lab I've ever used is H&H, 8906 E. 67th St., Raytown, MO 54133; (800) 821-1305. You may have to wait to get to be a customer since they usually take on new customers at the first of the year. The reason for this is that it enables them to give good service and not get bogged down during the rush season. In all my career, H&H is the only lab where the president has visited my studio. The owner and his staff are wonderful people and will really help you when you need it. I had used another lab for 17 years, but they starting printing my work too light. When I called them several times about this, they told me to send the work back and they would redo it. I did not have time to be sending the work back and they should have been more aware of how I like things after 17 years. When I went to H&H, it looked like a different photographer had made the photographs. They were printed the way they should have been the first time.