Customer Reviews

Wein Products W990560 (SSHSHS) Safe-Sync Hot Shoe To Hot Shoe

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I know it's a pain in the neck to contact manufacturers and even worse to try and find one of their people who can answer your questions, but in this case it is CRITICAL. This handy gadget can reduce the sync voltage on your old flash unit to a level compatible with your digital camera. Doing this can save hundreds of dollars when you don't have to buy a new flash unit. However, do the homework and make sure that it provides sufficient voltage reduction for YOUR particular digital camera. I completely fried the hot shoe on a $400 Olympus Camedia by just assuming that it would work.

I am using a 283 flash on a Canon XTI and this little device works well.Rember this flash puts out 250 volts and with the Wein it is safe to use on my Canon. This is a must if you use an older flash unit.

It works. So far no melt down of my D70s. I have it going on a year now.

Today's digital cameras all seem to have a problem ... if you have older electronic flash units, the "trigger" voltage may well be MUCH higher than the camera can tolerate. Digitals usually require a max of less than 5v and some of my setups crank our over 100v. This adapter is a true digital camera lifesaver ... without it the camera circuits would be fried. It's a LOT cheaper than repairing a digital camera.

I got this to use my old 120J with my Pentax digital camera and it works very well.

Wein, if you are listening: get more technical details about your products on your web site. Far too many photographers are leery about your safe-sync products, and don't trust them due to the scant information available. I use this with my old Vivitar flash and Canon G7 & 50D with no ill effects so far. I'm going to get a Canon flash soon, because I'm still a bit uncertain and don't want to risk my 50D. My Vivitar puts out only 10v though so even with the wein I'm still not entirely certain that it will work with higher voltages. I would be nice to see a table showing what cameras are guaranteed to work with the weins. Also there are a number of Wein model changes SSHSHS SHSHSH or whatever, and no idea what the difference is. If Wein would publish this info more people might buy this unit, which seems to work for me so far.

Having made the transition into digital photography from my old medium format days I was not yet prepared to surrender my powerful vintage flash units (they are still one third to twice the lighting ability of the best on-camera flash Canon has to offer). But given that my flashes fire at 45v and Canon digital cameras only tolerate 6v on the hot shoe, I was stumped.

Though skeptical of its claims and not just a little worried for my camera if the thing did not work, I purchased this Wein voltage reducer based on Wein's longstanding professional reputation. Before attaching it to my Canon cameras I used my voltage meter to measure the reduced voltage off-camera with several vintage flashes (the unreduced native trigger voltages originally measured in at 205v, 200v, and 45v).

Surprisingly the Wein safe-sync reduced the voltage from all the flashes to less than 1v by my measurement for all three flash units (I am using an anolog voltmeter). Now I was concerned in the other direction: would the thing even allow the flashes to fire consistently at such a low voltage?

Live testing has produced this result: Firing the flashes off-camera using a sync connection via the Wein reducer has so far proven very reliable (no missed flashes on early tests); however, firing dedicated flashes installed directly on the Wein is a hit and miss proposition. I am guessing that the weight of a dedicated flash allows both units to shift a bit and misalign just enough to cause some missed flashes.

My learning point is to always connect the vintage flashes to the voltage reducer via a sync connection and move the vintage flashes off-camera. Since I have only had the reducer for a week there is nothing I can say with regard to durability except that I did contact the company and they noted the reducer has a warranty and other photographers use the reducers for years without problem. Nonetheless, I will keep testing the reducer on a regular basis to ensure it continues to keep the voltage under 6v.

In spite of the dedicated flash issue, I am giving the unit a full count on stars because it honestly works for what I need.

I am a photographer with more than 50 years experience. I own an old electronic flash that I once used to shoot weddings and other paid jobs. I joined the digital age just like most photographers. I shoot a Canon 50D, but have been afraid to use the old flash because of the difference in flash sync voltage. I saw The Wein Products W990560 (SSHSHS) Safe-Sync Hot Shoe To Hot Shoe On Amazon .com and ordered it. The price was more than fair, and shipment was extremely fast. I can now use my old flash whenever I need to with out the fear of damaging my camera. Using my old flash was like being reunited with an old friend, thanks to Amazon and the Wein Products W990560 (SSHSHS) Safe-Sync Hot Shoe To Hot Shoe adapter. Friends again, never to part.

To start, my camera didn't have a pc sync port. Plus, I lucked into a ton of old flashes. Even though I looked them up, found they were less than the 250v my Nikon D40 could handle, wasn't going to risk killing my camera. Well, the Safe Sync took care of both having a pc sync socket AND removed any worry about using these powerful old and inexpensive flashes! Now I can use a flash on, or on a bracket, connected to a pc sync cable... and with a couple cheap optical triggers, can trigger those others without using my on-camera flash. My advice if you are considering using any older flashes, buy this FIRST!

I have had no voltage problems since using this gadget. I can't say I know anything about it other than I've read where it is important. I have many friends using older flash units with new cameras and they have no problems. They have never heard of this thing. Camera shops don't know about it or any voltage problems. In the remote possibility of damage occurring I use it anyway but it is a pain. It doesn't fit my hotshoe securely so it is hard to tell if it is fully seated and I get some shots where the flash didn't go off. Can't say I'd like to use this under pressure as a wedding photographer.