Tough, Good Power, Tough

None

I've had mine for 26 years, used with Nikon FM & FE. Never failed a shot, accurate exposure, nice range & power, easy bounce flash w/exposure control remote on hotshoe made superior photos at no-brain pain levels, excellent recycling, especially at faster f-stops.

What else can I say, 26 years and this thing still keeps going. I have dropped and bumped it countless times, it is scratched like crazy now, but works reliably as always. I recently got on the web to look for something more modern (TTL) for my foray into digital photo, and was totally floored that this exact same model is still selling and well regarded. In a field so fast moving and hi-tech, this is totally unheard of. Then again, with the 'proprietary' designs of the new electronic flashes and their cost at 2-4 times that of the faithful 283, it seems the model (and used sales as well) will continue easily for another 25 years. Kudos!

Customer Service

Never needed either

Similar Products Used:

Never needed another

high power output allows for sufficient fill flash in daylight conditions, Rugged and reliable, Good value

not comfortable with wobbly fit of the shoe

A veritable workhorse for a very reasonable investment

Customer Service

never needed

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None

Powerful, easy to use,

hot shoe, the light is not so white as the Unomat

Very nice product, very strong, built like a tank, except the hot shoe.

Customer Service

no

Similar Products Used:

Unomat 360 twin

Absolutely reliable.
Haven't found a situation it couldn't handle.

Weak foot.

Purchased on advice of two family members who used it exclusively. I've used it for weddings,
photos in large arenas, outdoor fill light, candid work and for the light source in an umbrella. I've found over the years of using this flash in high use situations, like weddings, that I can just put the auto setting on RED and forget it. It does it all from close-ups on out. Bottom line? - indispensible. I broke the foot some years ago and fitted it with the metal "Flash foot one", at that time made in California. No concerns about it now - the foot is just as tough as the rest of the unit.

Customer Service

Never required.

Similar Products Used:

None

I have used a Vivitar 283 for more years than I care to remember. This ia a good solid flash unit that seems to stick around despite its retro technolgy. While many modern flash wizards can take the guess work out of shooting synchro-sun, the 283's seem to keep the fun in photography.

None that I can think of at the moment.

When all else fails, this one will produce. Great as a back up when pure electronics fails -- like an all manual camera, it is wise to keep this one in the bag.

Customer Service

I have two that are 15 years old -- they are still going and I have not had to send them in for repair -- so I would not know about customer service.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon SB-18 (own), SB-24 (own), SB-28 (own) Vivitar 285 (own)

Accurate, Reliable, Easy to Use

Shoe not Firm/Tight enough

I bought the Vivitar 283 back in 1976 to use with my brand-new Canon FTb. The flash never let me down and produced photos with absolute exceptional quality. My FTb was stolen about 15 years ago, and in recent years I'd debated whether or not to sell my Vivitar 283. That's because I recently purchased a Nikon N60 body with a couple of lenses and a Nikon SB22S Flash. Well, the yearning for the old FTb got to me, and I ended up buying a used one. Man, am I glad I didn't sell that 283 now!!!! Although I've yet to shoot a roll using the flash again, I know it'll come in handy in the future, and I'll always have some use for it.
Bottom line: I've had this flash for almost a quarter of a century, and I'll never let it go.

Customer Service

Never Needed

Similar Products Used:

Nikon SB22S

This unit has four automatic settings plus a full manual mode. I found that automatic mode provided very accurate exposure at all distance ranges, even when using a diffuser. I like not having to worry about an innacurate automatic flash. For the price, it is a very powerful flash, sufficient for shooting weddings and other events. It is much easier not having to get right up on your subject to use your flash. All the controls are straightforward and easy to use. Also, the batteries snap into a holder which slips into the body of the flash. I like that better than opening the battery door, tipping the unit and having the batteries slide out and roll away. Also, it recycles quickly considering its power output. There is a module available which replaces the thyristor module and allows setting the flash manually for full, 1/2, 1/4, 1/16 and 1/32 power I have not gotten one yet, but I plan to. Finally, the head of this flash is big enough to hold all the velcro strips for my various diffusers. A minor point, yes, but it is handy.

I haven't had any problems with this flash. Many say that its foot is very weak, but in my experience, if you drop a camera with a flash attached, the foot breaks. Also, it would be nice if the head could swivel, but I would not use that capability too often anyway.

This is the most powerful, and most accurate flash I have seen in its price range. It is versatile and easy to use. I recommend it completely.

Customer Service

I have not needed to cantact customer service.

Similar Products Used:

A smaller Sunpak flash, a smaller Vivitar flash, and a couple of small Rollei strobes.

The only flash avaliable providing very short flash duration (1/30000 of a second) at such a less money!
Very easy to operate. Its head can be adjusted for bounce flash. Because of its very short flash ducation recycles very fast. The most economical and very very powerful flash, even Metz or Nikon does not offer any flash with such a low cost having minimum flash duration as low as 1/30000 of a second. This feature is very useful for motion stopping. Even shuuingbirds wings can be 'Freezed' with this flash.

The shoe is very weak. Head moves only vertically, should have horizonta movement also.l

The best flash for simple portrait taking application thru action stopping application.
One can use this flash even for freezing wings of a hovering hummingbird.

Customer Service

Never requuired one. Called only once.
There was a prompt help.

Similar Products Used:

Starblitz , Metz

Powerful
Reliable
Indestructible
Economic (relatively)

Never

I use to have 4 of these set in soft 'boxes' or bounced (with 'soft caps'), exceptional in portraiture. Inexpensive setup. I trigger them with small individual slave units.
Used them a lot with mny FE-2's with great results. (My son lost two of them but I am planning to replace them).

Customer Service

Never needed to use it.
Impresion is that in Mexico is poor.

Similar Products Used:

Most of SB Nikon series

indestructable
powerfull

none

real good flash. Tough and pretty powerfull.
I loved using it off the camera with the sync cord for some odd, side lit pics. When used with this cord, the meter part of the flash comes off the front of the flash and stays on the hot shoe for perfect metering! I thought this was so ingenious.

Customer Service

not needed

Similar Products Used:

Vivitar 285