On Sat, 11 Jan 2003 16:26:32 -0800, you wrote: >Hello, and good weekend to you. > >I have received a Vivitar 2500 Zoom flash that I would like to include as a >gift to my niece along with an ME Super or an MX body. > >The flash has fresh batteries, and when attached to the hot shoe, will not >fire. When it was checked last year it worked - or maybe it was a different >flash that looked like it. > >Having never used a flash, I do not know what to look for or to check, or >even what questions to ask. Can someone assist? > >Marcel Appenzzell > The Vivitar has a red Test button near the bottom. Turn on the flash, listen for the sound of it charging up, then wait til the Ready light comes on. When the Ready light is on, fire the Test button. If the flash fires, it is working properly.
If the flash does not fire with the Test button, check the batteries and make sure they are inserted with the correct polarity (stamped on the battery chamber.) If there is any corrosion in the battery chamber, clean it out. Set the ME Super to X synch on the shutter speed dial and fire off a frame with the flash attached. The flash should fire if it worked okay with the Test button. If it worked with the Test button but not on the camera, clean all the contacts on flash and camera, set the camera on x-sync, and try again. The little Vivitar 2500 is a nice flash for an ME Super. It has bounce and three positions of zoom. Hopefully, you will get yours to work with your camera. -- John Mustarde www.photolin.com
